Imperia
Not a novelty on the female fronted Gothic Metal scene with symphonic accents, Imperia manages to impose new rules through the new material "Secret Passion", a titanic achievement that reaches sizes especially through its front-woman, the sulphurous Helena Iren Michaelsen, known on the Metal scene especially by working with Trail Of Tears! So, without too many thoughts, I decided to contact the band leader, Helena itself, and this is just what came out of our discussion that we had on "Secret Passion"!
Arcana Noctis: Hi Helena! Greetings guys and congratulations for the last work of Imperia, "Secret Passion"! How do you feel now that the last creation is finally out and what interesting news from your band could you reveal us in the beginning of this interview?
Helena: Hi there, thank you :-) I just sat down in the living room, to do this interview, but I think I will change place. I will take the computer outside rather, make a cup of tea and sit in the nice sun :-)
...5 min later
Got instead hot chocolate, hehe.
...outside in the sun:
There has been such a good feedback on the CD, we're stunned and honoured. It was above all expectations, so we're really happy at the moment.
Arcana Noctis: I must admit that before I did the questions for this interview, I have made my documentation on band past; and I was impressed that for this last album each one worked on his own, knowing that the band members are from different countries! Why don't you tell us about this strange situation and about the way that you think that "Secret Passion" worked out in the end?!
Helena: It is a strange way of working indeed, but it worked out for us. But Jan makes the music, sends it to me. I made the lyrics. So it would have been harder, if all the members in the band made music and lyrics. That's one reason why it worked out. And that people like Oliver Philipps were so kind to come to Norway with all the gear I needed to record my vocals. Without him it wouldn't have been possible to do the vocals in the way I wished, to have all the freedom, which to me is everything else except 9-5 workhours :-)
Arcana Noctis: It is well known that you start working on your lyrics when almost all the songs are recorded in their final version! But why don't you reveal us how things evolve from a purely compositional overlap and who deals with all elements to have an end result of a so good quality?
Helena: All the technical things I have no clue about to be honest, I know what a microphone is and to hold it, hehe, it's embarrassing but I really have no clue about technical issues whatsoever. So I cannot answer that question good, sorry for that.
Arcana Noctis: I would be curious to know which tasks have been attributed to Olivier Philipps, who appears as special guest but as the one who was in charge of orchestrations; but do not forget to say a few words about Tina Guo who reproduced her self on the cello! So what would be your point of view regarding the participation of the 2 persons named above on "Secret Passion" and how do you think that their participation brought a musical plus in the whole concept signed in Imperia?
Helena: Oliver Philipps really did a lot for lot (kiss him for that, so sweet really). For the cello: the cello parts Tina recorded in America, with a playback of the song we had given her. She sent us several tracks to choose from, and then I chose the parts I wanted and Oliver put them together for the recordings. It was really sweet of her to do that for us, and I love what she's playing on the song.
Arcana Noctis: I would like to ask you to do a presentation of the songs that composes this last studio album, and to tell us why the digipak version contains "Mistress" as a bonus track? Because I remembered this composition, you would not want to reveal us why you added this song? I'm asking you because many reviewers were quite annoyed by its presence on "Secret Passion" mainly due to Disco-Rock rhythm that could break everything you built during the 12 basic pieces of the album!
Helena: It was just to provoke :-) Which I achieved, he he, this song I did real breathing form an orgasm, which follows the rhythm here and there. Plus the whip-sounds in there is also real ;-) But the song in general was to provoke, that's why it isn't on the normal CD. My plan was actually to laugh in the end of the song, and put a smiley in the booklet. For me there is no musical rule, no can or cannot. For me music is my free space, so one song to provoke a bit with a smile in there, nobody else dares to. For the rest the album is very diverse, it's something for every person in there to like, I think. One song doesn't break twelve others, song by song is good or not good. That song is meant as a joke out of 13 on a digipak version, and doesn't ruin a whole CD. People, who think that, are narrowing minded.
Arcana Noctis: Turning to lyrical chapter, I must point out that the lyrics are exposures of events or emotions of your real life, especially related to your daughter, a pretty vast universe in which you find yourself totally, an universe that you also used in parallel for the project Angel! Could you please develop this subject?
Helena: Some people write a diary, I write my pages into lyrics as mine. It's such a relief every time after a CD is recorded and I can hear all the emotions from the outside.
Arcana Noctis: Overall, the band's music is slightly different compared to everything I could listen to previous albums, even the vocals have been crafted in a different direction, a main reason being that it reflects feelings of human life according to the moment of the soul state! Do you have to add something special concerning this facts I emphasized in here?
Helena: Yes it has to do with the soul. What comes when you sing naturally, without using the mind. Just opening the mouth and sing, feeling relaxed. Except the suicide-song, when I recorded that, I had a hard time. Very hard time emotionally actually. Because I think back of the time this occurred. So I get really dark, but after it's recorded, the after a while I am back in real life again.
Arcana Noctis: I might also point out that although the band's music is a female fronted Symphonic Gothic Metal, I also retained a characteristic of Rock and even Metal things that could change in a better way the entire product! But in the other hand, many reviewers still consider Imperia a second hand band, if I could say so, and to be honest I don't really understand such comments! How do you see Imperia's place in the actual scene of Symphonic Gothic Metal?
Helena: We have a style of our own. So in one way, it's true, that we don't want to sound alike with the rest in the genre, but have our own style. That's how it goes with everything; if something or someone is different from the rest, and then everybody is going to have an opinion about it, positive or negative. And on top, when doing something new many times people are even scared of it. But that don't change that we will stay true to ourselves, as the different band in the female fronted genre, in a positive way. Breaking every winnable-rule in it. We are not busy looking at ourselves as big or small, we just want to make music, simple as that. It's not a competition, it's a passion. If I cared about being part of the mainstream, then for sure I'd have chosen a different genre :-)
Arcana Noctis: I want to talk about the cover artwork, which seems to have been created by group guitarist Jan which was in Ancient Rites! And note that I was surprised by the resemblance between you and that person who makes the subject of the image itself! How do you see this picture and what is the connection between the cover artwork, music and lyrics?
Helena: The cover presents the read thread through the songs, so the cover fits what's inside when you open it and get it played from the beginning until the end. Jan Yrlund has magic around him when it comes to artwork; I think it looks really beautiful.
Arcana Noctis: I want you to tell us some things about the live activity and about the way your line-up will look like; and if there is a chance to see the whole stable formula on the same stage one day! You think you can find an arrangement to have the whole band on the same stage, taking into account all the problems faced by member's families as is the case of all Imperia constituents?
Helena: We play with the members we are in the band; we will have a tour coming up.
Arcana Noctis: What expectation do you have from "Secret Passion" now that a month has elapsed since the official launch of this product? And what could you tell us about your second project Angel which seems to be very important for you too, knowing that all the members from Imperia are involved in there too?
Helena: As for the feedback, actually things have gone beyond expectation already now. About the second Angel album I cannot really say anything yet. But for sure within the next couple of years there is going to be another album.
Arcana Noctis: Besides the two bands and your daughter, what other occupations of private life you had in the recent years, and how do you see those times when you were a very famous person and often invited to participate in movie serials in including in here well known Baywatch (If the info I found on internet could be taken as serious!?!?)? Do you miss those times; are you still making photo shots from time to time?
Helena: Right now I am living a totally different life. I moved back to Norway and bought a house here, I am in education and most of my time goes to raising my daughter. In Baywatch I never played, and to be honest in case I had the offer in front of me, I would refuse it, since I think the program was totally silly. So if I would participate in a TV-program or movie of whatever kind, it certainly would be something with a sense to it, like for instance "The Green Mile". For the rest I am doing a lot of photo shoots still but only in connection with the band.
Arcana Noctis: Know that many people put in the balance Helena as a person and sulphur past and Helena from Imperia! And it seems that Imperia is overtaken by Helena Iren Michaelsen the star from the past that made many people, especially males, to dream about beautiful things! Are you aware of this reality? And how you could be actually affected by this state of affairs?
Helena: To be honest I have no idea what you're talking about. So I am obviously not aware of this reality :-) (Really? People talk about some shots that you did for the U.S. Playboy back in 1988 and even some pics for the Greek Penthouse! So...?! - Litocranius)
Arcana Noctis: In the end, what interesting future plans do you have concerning your both bands and how do you see the next years as one of the most important icons of this Metal area?
Helena: We'll play live and make music, so what more is there to make plans for.
Arcana Noctis: That will be the end of the story! Thanks a lot for your kindness and patience with me! If you want to add a few lines in the end or a message for fans and metalheads feel free and use the following space as you want!
Helena: Thank you once more and see you around someday! Thanks for reading this interview, and thank you for supporting us. My motto: free spirit... Now I am going to find my red bikini saying "Bay" on the right boob, and "watch" on the left :-) And see if there's any man I can save with the kiss of life! (Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, such things could interest me a lot dear!)
Well, the hot chocolate is up, so I guess the interview is over.
See you live, kisses!
Crazy Helena
Arcana Noctis: Hi Helena! Greetings guys and congratulations for the last work of Imperia, "Secret Passion"! How do you feel now that the last creation is finally out and what interesting news from your band could you reveal us in the beginning of this interview?
Helena: Hi there, thank you :-) I just sat down in the living room, to do this interview, but I think I will change place. I will take the computer outside rather, make a cup of tea and sit in the nice sun :-)...5 min later
Got instead hot chocolate, hehe.
...outside in the sun:
There has been such a good feedback on the CD, we're stunned and honoured. It was above all expectations, so we're really happy at the moment.
Arcana Noctis: I must admit that before I did the questions for this interview, I have made my documentation on band past; and I was impressed that for this last album each one worked on his own, knowing that the band members are from different countries! Why don't you tell us about this strange situation and about the way that you think that "Secret Passion" worked out in the end?!
Helena: It is a strange way of working indeed, but it worked out for us. But Jan makes the music, sends it to me. I made the lyrics. So it would have been harder, if all the members in the band made music and lyrics. That's one reason why it worked out. And that people like Oliver Philipps were so kind to come to Norway with all the gear I needed to record my vocals. Without him it wouldn't have been possible to do the vocals in the way I wished, to have all the freedom, which to me is everything else except 9-5 workhours :-)
Arcana Noctis: It is well known that you start working on your lyrics when almost all the songs are recorded in their final version! But why don't you reveal us how things evolve from a purely compositional overlap and who deals with all elements to have an end result of a so good quality?
Helena: All the technical things I have no clue about to be honest, I know what a microphone is and to hold it, hehe, it's embarrassing but I really have no clue about technical issues whatsoever. So I cannot answer that question good, sorry for that.
Arcana Noctis: I would be curious to know which tasks have been attributed to Olivier Philipps, who appears as special guest but as the one who was in charge of orchestrations; but do not forget to say a few words about Tina Guo who reproduced her self on the cello! So what would be your point of view regarding the participation of the 2 persons named above on "Secret Passion" and how do you think that their participation brought a musical plus in the whole concept signed in Imperia?
Helena: Oliver Philipps really did a lot for lot (kiss him for that, so sweet really). For the cello: the cello parts Tina recorded in America, with a playback of the song we had given her. She sent us several tracks to choose from, and then I chose the parts I wanted and Oliver put them together for the recordings. It was really sweet of her to do that for us, and I love what she's playing on the song.
Arcana Noctis: I would like to ask you to do a presentation of the songs that composes this last studio album, and to tell us why the digipak version contains "Mistress" as a bonus track? Because I remembered this composition, you would not want to reveal us why you added this song? I'm asking you because many reviewers were quite annoyed by its presence on "Secret Passion" mainly due to Disco-Rock rhythm that could break everything you built during the 12 basic pieces of the album!
Helena: It was just to provoke :-) Which I achieved, he he, this song I did real breathing form an orgasm, which follows the rhythm here and there. Plus the whip-sounds in there is also real ;-) But the song in general was to provoke, that's why it isn't on the normal CD. My plan was actually to laugh in the end of the song, and put a smiley in the booklet. For me there is no musical rule, no can or cannot. For me music is my free space, so one song to provoke a bit with a smile in there, nobody else dares to. For the rest the album is very diverse, it's something for every person in there to like, I think. One song doesn't break twelve others, song by song is good or not good. That song is meant as a joke out of 13 on a digipak version, and doesn't ruin a whole CD. People, who think that, are narrowing minded.
Arcana Noctis: Turning to lyrical chapter, I must point out that the lyrics are exposures of events or emotions of your real life, especially related to your daughter, a pretty vast universe in which you find yourself totally, an universe that you also used in parallel for the project Angel! Could you please develop this subject?
Helena: Some people write a diary, I write my pages into lyrics as mine. It's such a relief every time after a CD is recorded and I can hear all the emotions from the outside.
Arcana Noctis: Overall, the band's music is slightly different compared to everything I could listen to previous albums, even the vocals have been crafted in a different direction, a main reason being that it reflects feelings of human life according to the moment of the soul state! Do you have to add something special concerning this facts I emphasized in here?
Helena: Yes it has to do with the soul. What comes when you sing naturally, without using the mind. Just opening the mouth and sing, feeling relaxed. Except the suicide-song, when I recorded that, I had a hard time. Very hard time emotionally actually. Because I think back of the time this occurred. So I get really dark, but after it's recorded, the after a while I am back in real life again.
Arcana Noctis: I might also point out that although the band's music is a female fronted Symphonic Gothic Metal, I also retained a characteristic of Rock and even Metal things that could change in a better way the entire product! But in the other hand, many reviewers still consider Imperia a second hand band, if I could say so, and to be honest I don't really understand such comments! How do you see Imperia's place in the actual scene of Symphonic Gothic Metal?
Helena: We have a style of our own. So in one way, it's true, that we don't want to sound alike with the rest in the genre, but have our own style. That's how it goes with everything; if something or someone is different from the rest, and then everybody is going to have an opinion about it, positive or negative. And on top, when doing something new many times people are even scared of it. But that don't change that we will stay true to ourselves, as the different band in the female fronted genre, in a positive way. Breaking every winnable-rule in it. We are not busy looking at ourselves as big or small, we just want to make music, simple as that. It's not a competition, it's a passion. If I cared about being part of the mainstream, then for sure I'd have chosen a different genre :-)
Arcana Noctis: I want to talk about the cover artwork, which seems to have been created by group guitarist Jan which was in Ancient Rites! And note that I was surprised by the resemblance between you and that person who makes the subject of the image itself! How do you see this picture and what is the connection between the cover artwork, music and lyrics?
Helena: The cover presents the read thread through the songs, so the cover fits what's inside when you open it and get it played from the beginning until the end. Jan Yrlund has magic around him when it comes to artwork; I think it looks really beautiful.
Arcana Noctis: I want you to tell us some things about the live activity and about the way your line-up will look like; and if there is a chance to see the whole stable formula on the same stage one day! You think you can find an arrangement to have the whole band on the same stage, taking into account all the problems faced by member's families as is the case of all Imperia constituents?
Helena: We play with the members we are in the band; we will have a tour coming up.
Arcana Noctis: What expectation do you have from "Secret Passion" now that a month has elapsed since the official launch of this product? And what could you tell us about your second project Angel which seems to be very important for you too, knowing that all the members from Imperia are involved in there too?
Helena: As for the feedback, actually things have gone beyond expectation already now. About the second Angel album I cannot really say anything yet. But for sure within the next couple of years there is going to be another album.
Arcana Noctis: Besides the two bands and your daughter, what other occupations of private life you had in the recent years, and how do you see those times when you were a very famous person and often invited to participate in movie serials in including in here well known Baywatch (If the info I found on internet could be taken as serious!?!?)? Do you miss those times; are you still making photo shots from time to time?
Helena: Right now I am living a totally different life. I moved back to Norway and bought a house here, I am in education and most of my time goes to raising my daughter. In Baywatch I never played, and to be honest in case I had the offer in front of me, I would refuse it, since I think the program was totally silly. So if I would participate in a TV-program or movie of whatever kind, it certainly would be something with a sense to it, like for instance "The Green Mile". For the rest I am doing a lot of photo shoots still but only in connection with the band.
Arcana Noctis: Know that many people put in the balance Helena as a person and sulphur past and Helena from Imperia! And it seems that Imperia is overtaken by Helena Iren Michaelsen the star from the past that made many people, especially males, to dream about beautiful things! Are you aware of this reality? And how you could be actually affected by this state of affairs?
Helena: To be honest I have no idea what you're talking about. So I am obviously not aware of this reality :-) (Really? People talk about some shots that you did for the U.S. Playboy back in 1988 and even some pics for the Greek Penthouse! So...?! - Litocranius)
Arcana Noctis: In the end, what interesting future plans do you have concerning your both bands and how do you see the next years as one of the most important icons of this Metal area?
Helena: We'll play live and make music, so what more is there to make plans for.
Arcana Noctis: That will be the end of the story! Thanks a lot for your kindness and patience with me! If you want to add a few lines in the end or a message for fans and metalheads feel free and use the following space as you want!
Helena: Thank you once more and see you around someday! Thanks for reading this interview, and thank you for supporting us. My motto: free spirit... Now I am going to find my red bikini saying "Bay" on the right boob, and "watch" on the left :-) And see if there's any man I can save with the kiss of life! (Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, such things could interest me a lot dear!)
Well, the hot chocolate is up, so I guess the interview is over.
See you live, kisses!
Crazy Helena