WELCOME TO TRANSYLVANIAN FOREST E-ZINE! How are you doing?
1) When did your band start and why?
Blackest Orchid was born officially in September 2007, but I have been writing music for many many years. I can’t tell you exactly why, because it’s something I have always wanted to do, Music that is, but I finally chose Metal as the genre because I found a magic door that took me to Metal in a very deep way, that is personal and I will leave that to the imagination of my readers.
2) What made your start making music in this style, and under such a great mix of genres? It seems to flow very well in its own form, very pure sounding, but also very dark and deep sounds as well. Can you explain your creativity in all this?
Thank you Danny( When I found my way through that magic door to Metal Music, I was very much inspired by the very talented female voices in Metal such as Tarja of Nightwish, Simone of Epica, Floor of After Forever, and Liv Kristine of Leaves Eyes to name a few. I couldn’t believe that women were singing in Metal, but what interested me even more was the fact that it was a mixture between Operatic vocals and Metal. My whole life I have loved Classical music. I was singing in the school choir in Germany, where I grew up, and I had Music classes twice a week where we sang along to the biggest classical composers alive, such as Beethoven, Vivaldi, Mozart, Schumann and many many more. Not to say that I don’t like other genres of Metal, but That’s the genre specifically that made me believe I can sing in classical forms and be part of the great Metal Culture.
3) Can you name a few classical bands you like? I have quite a few classical bands I like myself!
Lately I have been really into Leaves Eyes. I love Liv Kristine’s voice and their song writing abilities. I am very lucky to have seen them here in Toronto amongst only 50 other people. It was sad to see such a small crowd, but at the same time I was happy because I got front row and I got to meet them all and take pics with them all. I can say I met one of my biggest musical female heroes. Other than her one of my biggest heroes in Metal has always been Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, I grew up listening to Megadeth and have all their albums except the last one, I didn’t like it so much. But Dave Mustaine has influeneced me a great deal musically and vocally. He is the father of Metal to me.
4) What instruments do you play? and how does the recording process work for you?
I play the guitar, my father put me in guitar lessons in Germany for 2 yrs, I learned alot of great things from my teacher who looked just like John Lennon. He taught me as much as he could including Beatles songs on Classical Guitar, then I came to Canada and didn’t persue lessons but rather started to write my own songs which I want to work on and record someday in the new future. I am a song writer, not an instrumentist, when an idea of a song I hear in my head comes to me, I grab whatever instrument there is, normally a guitar or a piano, but any other may as well be.
5) Have you been in any other bands previously? or side projects at all?
The only band is Blackest Orchid. I have worked with many a great few bands but not been officially in a physical band in my own city with no one. I am involved with my side project Desolate Ghost, Ghost Of Mendea’s side kick, my dear friend and the so very talented guitarist Joel who has written my 2 big hits with Empty Graves and realm Of the Damned along with Wings of Revalation. Desolate Ghost is Metal but also very extreme bm music. Joel is a great Death/Blackk? Thrash musician and I am very blessed to have him as one of my biggest Musical partners naturally speaking Joel and I have worked very well together. His song writing abalities and my vocal techniques just go so well together and we will continue to work together as long as we remain good family friends, because to me he is a true dear friend. Im also involved with Asbel from Columbia. Our hit release Single was released last year on his album the dark the withered marh 2010 with other great female musicians on this compilation.
Several of us are collaborating with Asbel again, my dear friend. I thank him for this opportunity for me to release myself out there, and I believe this song didn’t do so bad;) We are planning to release a full length together. We both have been very busy and its not in any rush. It will happen when it will happen. I have worked with one young man in Toronto by the name of Black Rain, I did a ballad song with him called Sorrow, give it a listen, it’s a bit different but still me( Kult of Thorn was a band I could call my band, bc we fit really well together. The guitarist Scourge discovered me, we became good friends and I did a live show with them, we opened for WATAIN, the Swedish bm gods. I did 3 songs with them live 2 yrs ago in Arizona, where they are from.
I also did a seasons time rehersal with a band from Toronto by the name Lesion, and we had great abilities together , I did a live show them along with a few other bands. I did my Operatics to their tech Death( I enjoyed our work tgether, but they had other plans and we went our own ways. Other than that I have 2 of my very own posted up there called “Sinking Drakkar” and Where “Do I go” my latest Vocal Teaser wich will soon be turned into Metal by My dear friend and partner in music J. I continue to collaborate with musicians bc it opens my horizon in music and gives me the chance to be myself and do what I enjoy doing.
6) How long have you been part of the metal scene for, and what do you personally think of the scene in your area now? Be honest! :)
Well, like I said I grew up in Germany and I’m used to a completely different style of Metal Scene than what we have here in T.O. Toronto has a very tight metal commmunity in downtown toronto where we all meet and greet one another from all other parts of Ontario. We have a big scene in the sense that there are quiet a few bands out there who perform around the cities. We have alot of great Metallic;) talent in Toronto, but so far not much going on for what I want to do do musically and I continue to look for my band members, and in the mean time I keep recording music
.7) How often have you gigged and what has the fan reaction been so far to your music?
I had 2 live gigs, one in Arizona with the black metal band Kult Of thorn where we opened for WATAIN, and one here in Toronto with Lesion. Both shows were lots of fun( I love performing live, and the crowd really liked me. I’m hoping to play more live shows in the near future.
8) Any interest in a compilation album to be released by satanica productions? it will feature 100 bands all over the globe, and its a small fee to pay to join, would you be interested in joining the sequel of this compilation "Most Unholy Convergence 2#"?
Its funny you mention Satanica, they contacted me a while back and offered me some kind of release. Yes I’d be most interested in being on this compilation. Get me on Danny!:)
9) What got you into music in the first place, and what bands influenced you the most growing up, and whats on your playlist or turntable now? ;)
This is a good question Danny, what got me into music was my father. He got me into Metal, classical and jazz, classics, movie composers and much more. He will always remain my ultimate hero and my drive and passion in writing music.
10) A lot of bands are from Canada, can you name a few that you enjoy? or any bands you consider to be under rated?
I recently watched Empyrean Plague live in Toronto at a decent venue and I really enjoyed it. It was incredible Canadian talent. Another band I have really enjoyed watching them performing live is Cryptic Howling, they made the hairs on my skin stand up. Wolven Ancestry is another great band from Canada that I really enjoyed watching live. Another great talent in Toronto is Borealis. They are classical progressive metal, great vocals too. Oops I hope I spelt all those bands names right, if not I apologize :(
11) I really like your song Empty Graves, what is it all about?
Thank you Danny ( I wrote this song for my late father RIP, All Music is written by Joel and I wrote all the vocals and lyrics and shortly after Joel decided to call us Desolate Ghost. Joel offered me to pick a song and I picked that one and wrote the lyrics immediately when hearing the song. Like I said b4 Joel and I make great music together, and I am very lucky to have him in our project.
12) Where can fans get a hold of your music, or merchandise?
Right now everybody can hear samples of some of my work at www.myspace.com/blackestorchid. Everybody can for free here( If anyone is interested in purchasing my track In Darkness, they can send me a message or contact Salute Records in Sweden, and Underground BM/DM Label.
13) How long will you continue to do music for, and what does music do for you personally, does it still hold dear to you? and what do you get out of it that seperates you from non listeners of this style of music you like?
I will write music for as long as music interests me and is a daily part of my life, my dreams, and my ambitions. As long as the people out there enjoy my work and what I do, I will find the drive and desire to make Music. This is a somewhat personal question Danny, but I will just say that music is the language in the stereo sky.
14) How long do you think an official album will be out till, and is their ways for you to get gigs in the near future in your area or elsewhere?
I am working on releasing my first album in the near future, and exact time and date I don’t know, as Im still working on a few new songs that need to be worked on, I’d like to have at least 10 original songs on this first album with different projects that I have worked with. After that I will be working on releasing more albums, as they are in the works!!! :)
As far as the gigs go, I am currently trying to put my own line up of band members together, a wolf pack what fits together well and communicates and collaborates well together. When this has been formed, then we will record and gig.
15) I really liked this interview, and glad your a real person! Thats how I want my interviews to be! Well, if you got anything else to say to anyone out there, any one at all, let it out! And once the e-zine comes to its shut down in 2 months, stay in touch! We need more metal heroes in this world like you! :D Stay True! -D -l-
Well so did I. I quiet enjoyed this interview, and wanna thank you for giving me this great underground exposure. The underground means a lot to me, because I was born there and continue to grow from the roots of the underground. So, keep it real my friend, you too are a hero of all the people out there who enjoy reading well thought of interviews and kinship! Thanks to all my friends and musicians out there for their ongoing support and all my fans out there who are a part of Blackest Orchid.
Keep up the good work and come check me out on facebook;) where all other fans can join my kvlt BLACKEST ORCHID as well. See you all there and always keep it real! Thank you Danny. Take care.
Blackest Orchid is currently a Solo Project..in the process of forming my own band.
I have been influenced by allot of different Music growing up, but my main influence is Classical Music. Allot of Great female Operatic singers such as Tarja, Liv, Simone and Floor and Carmen, to name a few have touched my heart and inspired me to sing Metal, and other than the females I have to say Dave Mustaine has influenced me allot vocally and musically.
Most of this work so far has been with Black Metal Musicians, but I love all good Metal, and open to work with other Metal Musicians as well, as long as it fits the part! I love BM because its very Melodic and I can pick up the hidden melodies and follow them with my voice. I also love the raw, pure, real sound it presents. I guess you can call Blackest Orchid Operatic Black Metal.
If you are interested in collaborating with me, Playing a show with me, or need female vocals for any session work, or need a new Operatic and Vocal singer for your band, pls contact me at:
underthegothicmoon@hotmail.com
http://www.myspace.com/blackestorchid
http://www.reverbnation.com/blackestorchid
GO HERE FOR LATEST VOCAL TEASER BY BLACKEST ORCHID : http://soundcloud.com/blackest-orchid/where-do-i-go-vocal-teaser
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