Hanna Tsepesh: Hello Velvetseal! Welcome back guys! Thanks so much for accepting this second interview, I am very happy to talk with the entire band again! First of all, how are you guys?David: Thanks for your question, everything looks fine, things became a little bit busy around the band, but that was our goal, so, we shouldn’t be unsatisfied. And we are also glad to back on THE GATES OF METAL! Thanks for the opportunity
Gabee: Hi Hanna, yep that’s right, and we are little inpatient since we are pretty much looking forward to tour now., and all this waiting is killing us and also making us tired.
Hanna Tsepesh: Now Velvetseal have label called Dark Balance. What is the feeling to have this label? You guys are happy with Dark Balance work so far? It was a long process to find a label, right?
Csabee: we are very glad to be part of the Dark Balance roster. Personally I very much preferred this label from the beginning, since we have been able to build up a close relationship with them. I think this is one of the most important things for a band that is standing before its debut release. They need special attention, dedicated time, and management, and if you are just one of the million bands then, well, maybe they can put your name to many more places, but they will never have the dedicated time. With Dark Balance things seem to work well, we are now through the first media campaign and we got a lot of support from them.
Yes indeed it was a long process, if we count from the time when we have started our search we could say almost a year, of Course the first discussions have been earlier. The reason for this is quite simple, we wanted to make sure that we find the most suitable label for our purposes, and we had quite a lot of discussions and negotiations to achieve that. You know, all starts are perhaps a little slow, and I am sure the 2nd release will go much faster, but we wanted to choose carefully. Such a choice effects the future status of the band, so…We chose carefully. We actually were hoping first to have the album released Early February, but we had to postpone it a little to make sure that all magazines start publishing their reviews in time. So this all ended up taking quite a while.
Hanna Tsepesh: let’s talk about your debut album “Lend Me Your Wings”, I have to tell to all of our readers that like gothic metal ... TO BUY THE ALBUM NOW! Is great to listen your hard work all together, this album has all of the things that the gothic fans like: great melodic voice, melodies, great work with bass, guitar and drums. I am very happy with the fact that finally Velvetseal have one label that support you guys for the future. The first time we spoke we talk little bit about the album but now I want that you guys tell to us more about “Lend Me Your Wings” for those who don’t read the first interview. Now with record deal what you guys want to accomplish with this album? What the lyrics talk about? You guys think that the band is more darker than the other gothic bands out there?
Gabee: We really hope that now with a record deal and a label support, the album will be available in as many places possible and people will get to hear the name a little more, since probably they do have a better knowledge and access to media then us. So far everything is going well.
David: It is pretty hard to put VelvetSeal between some style boundaries, it is dark, it is gothic but maybe from another point of view like gothic is defined usually. Maybe some of the fans, or readers will tell, that, this has nothing with gothic, because it is something else. I think it is more darker from the musical view, I would say the riffing is much more brutal than usual gothic bands, but everyone can decide. About lyrics ask someone else.
Csabee: Well Honestly, I am not sure we can even consider ourselves that much Gothic? (well that is if you compare us to bands like Deathstars, Mortiis, or similar). Perhaps yes, if you compare us to the biggest female fronted bands, we could say we are slightly heavier and the lyrics I guess are a bit darker as well. There are a lot of bands out there today who claim to be gothic and this “queue” for me is beginning to become too crowded In our case, the lyrics talk a lot about different problems or aspects of life that anyone can encounter but if someone just listens to the words without looking at the complete picture, it may sound a little dark. For example, “The divine Comedy..?” gives an ironic, grotesque picture of people who follow without understanding or questioning the truth; then “Where Statues Cry” is actually a dialogue between a child and a parent in the moment of death. Freefall is pretty much a spit in the mirror for people who do nothing but pity themselves.
Hanna Tsepesh: If our readers want to buy this fantastic album what can they do?
Balázs: In Portugal? I am not sure our label has an official distributor over there, but surely you can get the album through the big we borders, or straight from the label and if we make it to Portugal we will bring a pile with us. But really, Our label is constantly on the lookout for new distributors worldwide, so it might happen that in a few weeks he will have something over there as well, you’ll never know, but as soon as we get to know it, will let you know straight away!
Hanna Tsepesh: Your Myspace have a new layout, very cool by the away! I liked also the album cover. Who as the person behind this work? You guys are happy with the cover? Did you think the cover transmit the album? Gabee is you in the cover album?
David: The person behind all these work is a very close friend of the band, and she put all her work in the design and appearance of VelvetSeal from the very beginnings. Off course we are absolutely satisfied, and the cover has a very funny story.
Gabee: Yes that’s me on the cover. We initially had a completely different idea, and approach for the album cover, and believe me we have found this photo only later. And it is really funny because this photo was only a photo made during the breaks in the photoshooting session while I was sitting and relaxing, and the photographer only made this as a joke. A Good Joke! Because it turned out to give exactly the feeling of “Lend Me Your Wings”
Hanna Tsepesh: What is your favorite music’s in this album and why?
Balazs: Desperati is definitely my favorite of all, because this song has been able to bring up a completely different feel in me. It is a little different from the other songs in this aspect. And also the last track on the album which is a much faster and airy song but it is terribly rocking at gigs.
David: Freefall, and The Divine Comedy. Because I like them to play!
Gabee: This is a really difficult question for me. What I have learned is that as time passes I always have a different favorite. It also depends on the mood I am in, I guess it strongly depends on it. Currently I think it is Torn Within, because it is really dynamic, and has a very strong meaning. And ragefull lyrics. But of course in the end everyone finds something else in them so.
Csabee: Don’t ask me to choose, I find them all my favorites, for something. Maybe just a single note that fo rme is outstanding or the complete melody line. But ok if I have to say something it is “The Divince Comedy..?” and “The One”.
Hanna Tsepesh: You guys are thinking about a European tour or something? Don’t forget Portugal in your tour (laughs)! What are your future plains for the band?
David: Absolutely, planning is going on all the time, off course we won’t forget about Portugal, if we would be able to organize, we would like to visit and play all the countries here in Europe. But, seriously the answer is yes, there is something in the pipeline, unfortunately only for the end of this year, we had to skip the summer festivals because of the release date of our album, but no problem, we will spend the summer with other important thing which will be very interesting for our fans. Hopefully!
Balazs: Naturally we are thinking to organize a tour, and we do not want o leave out any country since we have received comments and emails from almost every country in Europe, but you know we are aware that VelvetSeal is still a recent band on the scene so it is a little hard to be able to organize a full European tour. But of course we will try to reach most of our fans and hopefully we will be able to visit Protugal as well soon. (Laughs) Maybe even sooner if we get an invitation! But really, it is little hard to dig up good contact so once that is found the band is really open to come.
Hanna Tsepesh: You guys have other bands or some projects in mind?
David: No way! VelvetSeal kills my mind, and it sucks all my energy, it is far enough.
Gabee: No, I dedicate all my time to VelvetSeal.
Balazs: No, I think this is what we all agreed, when we have started the band. Initially it was only meant to be a project and everyone had their own activities. But when we have decided to form VelvetSeal as a band we have all I think agreed that this will be our main goal. I do have some other minor session musician things, but VelvetSeal is the only band at international levels.
Csabee: The others hate me for this, but I can’t help it, when I am writing songs, I do have a lot of them that are disqualified as VelvetSeal tracks, or perhaps I get a good song idea which I do but it is a completely different style maybe too heavy to modern, perhaps death metal and that stuff. Currently what I do is I record them all, elaborate them maybe a little, collect them under different style portfolios, and keep them for the future. I don’t waste too much time on it since we have a lot to do with VelvetSeal but...One of my dreams is anyway to compose film music, and be a producer sooner or later so who knows it can help to have a few albums in different styles ready in the drawer, right?
Hanna Tsepesh: (laugh) yes i understand! Can you tell to us the biggest moment at Velvetseal and the down moment and what was the biggest lesson that you guys learned since the beginning?
Balazs:I Think I can say that the best thing for all of us is when we finally, after all those long discussions and waiting, have seen the album released, and on the shelves of the shops. That is definitely a good memory. Now we are looking forward and hope sales will go well.
Csabee: Do you want to know the worst thing? Well I guess it is that it’s Thursday night and the band is here.. And not touring somewhere still...The biggest lesson? Probably that even if you have done a good album and you get plenty of very good reviews and response from the media, still the start is really, really hard and we just can’t wait to start.
Gabee: also I guess the biggest lesson we had to learn is patience. And there is a good old saying in Hungarian that says “Turelem Rozsat Terem” it would translate to something like “Patience yields it’s Rose” be patient wait and it will have its beauty.
David: Honestly? A lot, but all these lessons are very disappointing. First of all, we, or I realized, that no one cares if you are good on your instrument that is the lowest level, no one will be shocked if you are a good musician. Everything else begins after that, is you able to work in team, and is you able to understand other peoples point. Are you able to sit down and talk about, design, about album cover, about MySpace layout, about promotion, organizing gigs, photo shoots, or video shoots going to the post office and ship Promo packages and so on.... And the time when all this work will show us, that it worth the price, is far from now. So, my problem is, playing my bass is the last thing in this whole story, and it would be pretty much better to stay in the basement, and turning the knobs on my amp left and right all day long to find the best sound for my Bass.
Hanna Tsepesh: The band wants to send any message for your fans out there?
David: Thanks for checking out VelvetSeal!
Balazs: We hope to see you soon.
Csabee: Do you remember what Lestat said (one of my favorite movies: Queen of the damned): “Come out, Come out, wherever you are” .
Gabee: Fans! Buy the album and come to one of our gigs or even better! Buy our album at one of our gigs and I will sign it for you (laughs)!
Hanna Tsepesh: (laughs)! Thanks so much for your answers and time! THE GATES OF METAL wishes the entire band a big success with “Lend Me Your Wings” and we hope to see the band very soon in here…
Everyone: We would like to thank you Hanna again for finding the time to do this interview we really enjoyed it! We really hope we will have the possibility soon to talk again, and until then…
Keep Rocking Dudes and Dudettes!!
Hanna Tsepesh: You are very welcome guys! It was great to interview the band again. Thank you!
By: Hanna Tsepesh
To listen to some VELVETSEAL songs and for future information go at:
www.myspace.com/velvetseal
To read the first interview with all VELVETSEAL band go at:
thegatesofmetal.blogspot.com/2009/05/interview-with-velvetseal.html
