Hanna Tsepesh: Moro Zachary Hietala and Marenne! Thanks so much for accepting this interview and Welcome to THE GATES OF METAL! For those who do not know Marenne could tell us a little how it all started and how do you two meet to found this band?
Marenne: Well, there wasn't any other guitarist that I would have even consider, so I asked Zac to join.
Zachary: Marre is always too polite (laugh)! When Marre told me about this idea, it was so interesting I couldn’t say no. And as you know, I haven’t done music with female singer before, so I got to go for it.
Hanna Tsepesh: What are the inspirations to create the lyrics for MARENNE? The band writes the lyrics first or first the band creates the riffs and the melody to comply with the lyrics?
Marenne: I have written all lyrics and will do that in the future too. Lyrics comes from my own life and melodies are always created around the stories.
Zachary: Me a
nd Janne got all lyrics and melodies from Marre and they were kinda so sad, it was easy to start to do music around them. We are melancholic Finns...Hanna Tsepesh: What are your favorite bands?
Marenne: Amorphis, Eternal tears of Sorrow and of course Tarot, Without Tarot there wouldn't have been any Marenne I guess.
Zachary: For me, all the old school metal bands does it, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, etc.
Hanna Tsepesh: I would like to know if you had or have any singing lessons or any other preparation? You have any singer that you admire the most? You have a fantastic voice, I am really surprised with your talent in this album!
Marenne: Thanks for your kind words! When I was at school we had to take some singing lessons and for me those were the classical ones. My voice changed quite a lot and it took many years to get my original voice back, so no more lessons to me.. And yes, there is two singers that I admire and those are the most talented guys in the world (with their techniques!) Marco Hietala and Tomi Joutsen.
Hanna Tsepesh: Zachary when you start to play guitar before you create Tarot band? Any musician inspired you to start and why you pick guitar for your instrument? I take this opportunity to send you my congratulations for your work in the both bands; you really are an amazing guitar player!
Zachary: Thank you. Our father sung kids bedtime stories with guitar and it was natural that both of us tried to play and sing. Marco was so much better vocalist, so I pick up guitar. We got some local bands before Tarot, but none to mention seriously. Tarot was the first serious group for me and brother and we have gone the long road since.
Now I’m real satisfied how this Marenne project turned out and hopefully larger audience will notice our music and we can tour outside Finland too.
Hanna Tsepesh: One little curiosity Zachary, how are things with Tarot? Did you guys are thinking to make another album? I ask this because Tarot have a lot of fans at Portugal…
Zachary: We have started to write the new Tarot songs and gonna rehearse them at summer 2009. Hopefully we have enough time to do the new album in the near future. Marco is so busy with Nightwish till next Spring, so this takes time. Actually I’ve done couple of riffs for Marenne already and I’m sure that Janne has ideas of the new songs too. If I know correct, Marre got ideas for couple of albums!
Hanna Tsepesh: talking about your new album “The Past Prelude”. Like I said before I am really impressed with MARENNE talent! In the first music (“The Stone”) for example have some Indians elements, right? In my opinion this album is fantastic and very well done and produced! I really don’t have anything bad to say! But, for people who don’t listen yet can you talk about “The Past Prelude” and what is the big different for you between this album and the previous one?
Zachary: This on was the first actually, but differences compared what I have done before is coming from the nature of the album, or atmosphere... Tarot albums are heavy and aggressive, this one is much more sad, story telling, almost like troubadour kinda stuff, with metal of course.
Marenne: The Past Prelude is our debute album and there is many more to come in the future!
Hanna Tsepesh: I have a few questions about the recording studio: the band has some cool guest in backing vocals, can you guys tell to us little bit about that and who they are? The band feels proud with the final result or you think that miss something? Also, everything went well at recording studio? It was an easy process?
Marenne: Simply to say: it was just perfect in any aspect I can imagine. Making demos, studio work, everything went so well. I was crying while singing and the guys were laughing etc.. The whole world was shown in that little part of our lives. Marco Hietala (Nightwish and Tarot), Tommi “Tuple” Salmela (Tarot), Anssi Stenberg (Mannerheim), Jani Hyvärinen (Defuse), Petri Kaitamäki (Blinded Rain) and Tuomas Koponen (Verjnuarmu) gave their voices for our use. And we're satisfied.
Zachary: As I said before, it was easy to start, but it took almost the whole last summer to complete the album. First me and Janne did instrumental stuff, which we sent to Marre for the approval, then Tom (drums) and Jukka (bass) did their parts in Helsinki. After the that we did some mixing and cutting here in Kuopio, and then we recorded our parts for real. It took time to middle of Summer and then Marre could start her singing sessions here. Then we start to mixings, but couldn’t finnish them, because have to wait Marco’s holidays from Nw and other boys schedule to get them in the studio in the same time, which took the place in Kerava. It really took awhile to complete the whole album. However, it was nice experience, but next time we will do everything in the same studio, if it’s possible?
Hanna Tsepesh: The cover album is very beautiful! Who is the person behind this great work? Did you think this album transmit what “The Past Prelude” are?
Zachary: Artwork idea came from Marre and It’s the work from the artist called Toxic Angel, he’s the master of digi graphics. Actually, he’s done our Suffer and Crows album covers as well.
Marenne: The Past Prelude is just the beginning. Of course we hope that it stays in the history in some way. It's been a huge thing for all of us.
Hanna Tsepesh: How has the response been to the album by the media and fans?
Marenne:
Great this far I must say! I'm more than happy, really. I couldn't even dream this, I'm so grateful for all the fans and media for treating us so well.
Hanna Tsepesh: Cool! If one of our readers wants to buy your album safely, what they can do?
Zachary: Order it online, way of today. For example www.myspace.com/marenneband
Hanna Tsepesh: what is your favorite music in this album and why?
Marenne: Well, I laugh out load pretty much I can say..so for me the most important song is Land of Misery. It was the one that made me cry at the studio and guys were supporting me so greatly. They know now my other side too which is quite caring and sensitive. And hey, they can stand it pretty well!
Zachary: I have to say... Under My hand.
Hanna Tsepesh: The band is thinking about a European tour? You guys have plains to include Portugal in your tour or something? Did you like to come?
Marenne: That would be more than great and yes, there is plans for the coming fall to make some touring in the Europe, lets see how it goes then!
Zachary: Surely we do gigs everywhere it’s possible, with great desire!
Hanna Tsepesh: Do you want to send any message for the people who going to read this interview and fans out there?
Zachary: Try to check us out, keep the metal flag high!
Marenne: Remember that you are not alone ever, there is always music to share your tears and laughs! New Marenne-website will be launch during the summer at www.marenne.com
Hanna Tsepesh: Thanks o much for your answers and time. THE GATES OF METAL wishes the entire band a big success with “The Past Prelude”! We hope to see Marenne very soon in here…
Marenne: Thanks Hanna and THE GATES OF METAL! And you: READERS, thanks for being there and supporting us. Our music is born to be part of all of us.
By: Hanna Tsepesh
To listen to some MARENNE music’s and for future information’s go at:
www.myspace.com/marenneband
www.marenne.com
