I N T E R V I E W

Interview Alfred Romero, Enrik Garcia (by mailer)

When I interviewed you in April in Lyon, you told me the album would be out in 2011. What happened, did you work faster than you thought?

Alfred : Well, actually things have been running pretty fast and we finally decided to release the album before the end of the year.

How did you get the idea to devote this album to Spain?

Enrik : Normally, we have a meeting to speak about the concept of the new album and the way that the band should follow. We all agreed to make the new album about Spain and Spanish culture. I think that is our tribute to the land where we were born.

We know it's a poet who writes Dark Moor lyrics. Is it something that you are not interested in, or that doesn't inspire you?

Enrik & Alfred : No, we also do some lyrics but Francisco has been working with the band since the very beginning. He has always been part of the band and we love his lyrics. He's such a great poet and writer and it would be a shame not to use his talent.

How do you work to feel the songs as you don't write the lyrics?

Alfred : As most of our songs are based on books and characters, history, etc, I used to read a lot about those but most of the inspiration comes from the actual lyrics of the song...

"Just Rock" is an unusual song for Dark Moor, it sounds a little bit like "We Will Rock You" by Queen. Is it a tribute or just a new experiment?

Enrik : It is an experiment. We wanted to make a different song beginning from a drums rate. But Queen is one of our big influences so for us is great that you compare with them!

We think that it is a very original song and it will work very well on the shows.

As far as I'm concerned, the most surprising song on this album is "Just Rock" and for the most typical song, I hesitate between "Alaric De Marnac" and "Tilt at Mindmills". What about you?

Enrik : All the songs are different and we did some big work in all of them. I think that all the songs are 100% Dark Moor, because we have a very defined style. But we like to make original songs, that are not always the same. It is possible that these ones are more typical, I don't know. Other people see think "Love From the Stone" or "Mio Cid" are more similar, haha, everyone has their own opinion and this is good for us.

Did you find there was a difference in your voice when you sang in Spanish, compared to when you sang in English?

Alfred : I've always sung in both Spanish and English so I'm used to that. It's true that I've heard many people saying they could find a very big difference as they are used to hear me singing only in English.

In April, you told me you didn't get why people were asking you to sing in Spanish. But on this album, this is what you do. So What can they ask or reproach Dark Moor to do or not to do ? (;-))

Alfred : Actually what I told you is that many people in Spain don't understand why Dark Moor sings in English being a Spanish band, but this has nothing to do with the fact that we have a song in Spanish in the new album. The idea came from Enrik and we all know and love Espronceda's poem, so we went for it...

To you, what does Berenice Musa bring to "Ancestral Romance" that other singers couldn't/wouldn't bring?

Alfred : All the singers we've worked with have done a great job, but perhaps the most remarkable thing about Berenice is that she is a professional soprano of the "Choir of the Community of Madrid" and she helped a lot with all the choir work.

Why did you choose to cover "Danza Ritual del Fuego"?

Enrik : In a concept album dedicated to Spain, we had to cover a classic from a Spanish composer. We thought that Manuel De Falla was the best for us because his music is very elegant and powerful. He was very influencial for other musicians like Debussy, that I like a lot too.

Mario is a real good bass player. Did his playing help you for the bass in "Ancestral Romance" and give you the ideas for the bass solos that we can hear on it?

Enrik : Yes, he is an amazing bass player, but we won't pass to the CD our duels live on stage. It's not usual to see a bass player do solos in a metal CD but Mario can play this way, and we said: why not?

The drums often sound the same. Is it a strength or something you still have to work on?

Enrik : I think that it is part of our style. But Robert has done some very important work on the album. He plays really well and I think that he is the best drummer we've had in our career.

There are still epic elements in your music and we can easily imagine them for a music film. When you write a song, do you have images that accompany the melodies?

Enrik : Yes, it is easy to imagine. I usually work on soundtrack music so it is normal that you see that, ha, ha. Normally, we know the general thematic of the song when we write the music, so it is normal to go the way that you could imagine in a film.

You said "Autumnal" was the best Dark Moor album. Now that this one is out, do you still feel the same?

Alfred : Nope, now I think the new album is the best :-)

Now, how do you think you can surprise your fans?

Alfred : I think doing a song in Spanish has been really surprising for the fans, we always try to do that...

I still don't understand why you seem not to really be known in France and in some other countries. Do you have an idea why?

Alfred & Enrik : Yes. Money, money, money.

Without money you don't have a good promotion. If you don't have a good promotion, you not are known. If you are not known, you don't have money...

Vicious circle. Ha, ha.

Excepting touring in Japan, what are you expectations for Dark Moor and your plans for next year?

Alfred & Enrik : We will try to play the most that we can but the time is not good for music in general in Europe. We are happy with our new album and now we are going to enjoy it.

What else can you say to end this interview ?

Alfred & Enrik : I'd like to give thanks to all the French fans that follow us and go to see us when we can play in France. We are very close to your country and it is a special land for us. Thank you very much!

Yeah, we hope we can play in France soon and meet our friends and fans again!

Venez donc discuter de cette interview, sur notre forum !