Hanna Tsepesh: Hello Arkadiusz and Simon! Welcome to THE GATES OF METAL and thanks so much for accepting this interview because i know that you guys are busy with the first album, but we will talk about that forward! First of all, tell us a little bit about PANTHFINDER history and also make a little introduction about you guys and what is the name of the others members and what do they play.
Simon: Hello! So – My name is Simon and I`am responsible for lead vocals and moshing on stage. History?(Hehe) – I don`t know much about it, but Arek will tell you exactly the Pathfinder`s history. He`s the former of the band and he`s some sort of leader in the band. But he doesn`t like to name him in this way. Ask him!
Arkadiusz: Hi, my Lady! Yeah, Simon knows nothing. He is only a singer,( hehe).In short, me and Karol Mania, our guitarist, created the band together. We love the speed metal guitar solos, thrash metal rhythm guitars and of course classical and movie music. So when the fortune crossed our ways and we had common ideas for our music, we started to search the rest of the band. As the drummer we took my brother Kamil Ruth, and then joined the band: Slawek Belak (keyboard), Simon (vocal) and the dragon-shepherd Gunsen (guitar).I just only add that we all are from different cities in Poland, but it’s no problem to play our music tree days week.
Hanna Tsepesh: Ok (ahah), thanks a lot for your explanation! At the moment what are your favorite bands?
Simon: I love “The Darknes” and “Queen”. I am not listening to power metal daily – I am trying to listen diffirent styles as it`s possile. I am also trying to be open-minded person. I used to fight with some genres of music – but right now I am trying to love everything. I also like “Children of Bodom” – right now I am listening to them when I am answering those questions! I also like a calssical music and hardcore
Arkadiusz: I listen the metal music only in my car. Now I have there new Dragonforce album, which I was infected by Karol, In Flames, Into Eternity and my favorite LP of Kamelot “Epica”.At home I listen more of soundtracks and classical music. At this moment my favorite one is “Stardust” by great composer Ilan Eshkeri.
Hanna Tsepesh: What are the inspirations to create the lyrics for PATHFINDER?
Arkadiusz: I’m finding the inspiration everywhere. In music, books, movies and nature. I like to create the lyrics when I jog or take a long walk with my dog.Our first LP will be the concept album and we want to continue it in the future.Every next song will be result from the last one. I write the lyrics as if I write the book… and maybe someday I do it, (hehe) and describe with every detail the story of Pathfinder. The speed of our music don’t let me be detailed, (hehe).
Hanna Tsepesh: (ahah) no is a great answer, thanks so much! Any musician inspired you guys to start to sing and compose?
Simon: I started to sing becouse nobody wanted to do that! (Hehe) – that`s true. I used to be a bass player – but then I realized that doing vocals is better for me – and more bands wanted to play with me – becouse I could sing! Influences – Bruce Dickinson ofcourse – but really I am not trying to copy anyone. Really – that`s the worst thing in voclas – to sing as “somebody does”. Bruce gave me idea that you can sing and not only shout. At beginning I was growling but…Dark times!
Hanna Tsepesh: (ahaha) great that nobody want to sing, because you really have a great powerful voice for the style that you sing!
Arkadiusz: Yeah in Poland, if You don’t growling You are’t a singer,( hehe). Generally, I started to play music because of my parents. They sent me to the music school and there I learnt the piano and double-bass playing. Then I started to play the bass guitar. I like John Myung and Billy Sheehan. But, when I heared the music of Basil Poledouris or Hans Zimmer I started to make music like for movies. Yes, I can say this two gods inspired me to compose.
Hanna Tsepesh: Talking about your first Demo “ The Beginning”, i totally love the 4 songs i pass all the day listening and i NEVER get bored !! A BIG congratulation for your work! Simon you have an excellent voice you kick some singers ass (ahaha), you make a perfect work in this Demo and also the riffs and atmospheric sound are AMAZING! Sometimes i can feel like i am at some medieval movie! But, for people who haven't listen yet to this great and powerful Demo tell us about “The Beginning”.
Arkadiusz: Thanks, Hanna! Great! Your feeling is exactly as we want to arouse by our music!! Wow, it is nice feeling, hehe. We want to take the listener to another world, another dimension, far from the daily problems. On our demo it’s only “Beginning” hehe, I hope when You’ll listen whole album, our music take You to heaven… or to hell – it depends which song will be Your favorite, (hehe). ”The Beginning” it’s like the overture for the opera, a small dose of music for our fans in the waiting for LP. I can tall You that if You like “The Beginning” You will love LP.
Simon: Thank you for those nice words about my voice. I am trying the best I can... Arek is responsible for vocal lines in 75 % and I really like the way, when he is creating a melody and vocal lines at the same time. He`s giving me a “idea” of how the vocal should look like. I hope that vocals will be even more natural on our first LP.
Hanna Tsepesh: You are very welcome is the truth! I really feel that and i'm sure that all the people when they listen the songs will feel the same! So, it was difficult to record and to make this Demo?Arkadiusz: Yes, it was difficult process. Firstly, it was our first time in the studio when we tried to unite so many voices, instruments and arrangements in one music. Here in Poland it’s hard to find the studio and sound engineer which can make that what we have in our heads, (hehe). “The Beginning” was made in two studios and was our experiment of sound and production. Now we are more wise and experienced in this two ways.
Hanna Tsepesh: Also at the moment PATHFINDER are recording the first album, right? Can you guys tell us a little bit about it and when will be the release date? I really can’t wait for the album to go out because if this is only a demo and have so much power songs, i really can’t imagine what is going to happen with your first album!
Arkadiusz: Yes, we are recording our first LP at this moment and I tell You more... now it’s my turn to record the bass lines. Fuck!! (Hehe) Easy, easy!! Will be good!! (Hehe) So, the last recording phase will be finished at the end of 2008. And it will be this optimistic scenario, because we want to record real choirs and some of orchestral instruments, and that needs a time. I can tell you in the secret that we invited few guests from metal world and it will take a time too. I think we are at the half-way point in creation of full album. There, you can find very diverse songs – ultra speed metal compositions with full-sounding orchestra or slow, heavy, but very melodious march-pieces. Generally we try to make every our song very varied with changing of rhythms and modulations.
Hanna Tsepesh: Fantastic news!! Thanks so much for sharing it with us! The band is from Poland, and i like to know if in there it's easy for a Metal band to grow up? Do you have some kind of supports in your country, like labels, radios, magazine, places to play?
Simon: We`v got very strong underground. But…only for black, death and that king of genres. There are only 3 or 4 power metal bands. Every time when something is wrong – lack of money. But we are still doing our job. We don`t care about our “music inviroment”. It`s hard and painfull...but we are sadomasochists!
Hanna Tsepesh: Last question, do you guys want to send any message for your fans and future fans out there?
Arkadiusz: Love the music, love the metal, love the… hmm?? Love the love!!Peace!!
Simon: Keep eyes open! We hope that one day I will be able to drink polish vodka with YOU ALL !
Simon: Keep eyes open! We hope that one day I will be able to drink polish vodka with YOU ALL !
Hanna Tsepesh: Thanks so much for your answers and i hope to listen more about you guys! THE GATES OF METAL wish you all the good luck in the world and a lot of success! Hope we see PATHFINDER in Portugal very soon…
Arkadiusz: Yeah, Portugal is a great country. I hope our dragons know the way there!! (Hehe) Thanks,Hanna!
Hanna Tsepesh: You guys are very welcome and don’t need to thank!
By: Hanna Tsepesh
