MAT SINNER

Interview date

March 2007

Interviewer

HHH

I N T E R V I E W

Hello Mat and thank you for giving this interview to http://www.auxportesdumetal.com during the drums tracking of the new Primal Fear. So, your new album "Mask Of Sanity" released in January received good reactions from the medias. How could you define it for the French metal fans ?

It's a great back to the roots hard rock album. A lot of melodies, a lot of guitar shredding and harmony guitars!

You seem to be workaholic. You run through the albums of Sinner and Primal Fear one after the other without a break. Is it a need or just the fear of being forgotten by the fans ?

It's a kind of creative output. But to correct you - Sinner is like a comeback for me. We haven't recorded an album for nearly 4 years. That's a long time, but since 1 172 years now, I'm concentrating totally in my music and that gives me the freedom to record and write a new Sinner album!

There are new members in Sinner. Did they take part in the writing process ?

No, not this time, but maybe on the next album!

And will you come in France to play some gigs to defend the album or will it be only a German tour ?

As far as I know, our agency M&S Promotion has no serious offer so far from France. That means, that I'm really sorry, but no festival appearance or show is planned so far!

The bonus track on the album is "Baby please don't go", a cover of Thin Lizzy, but it's not the first time you add covers as bonus track (Judas Priest, Metallica, Dio...). Is it important for you to pay a tribute to this bands ?

No, it's just fun - we had some more time leftover in the studio, because all the other recordings went smooth and we paid already the bill... That's why we recorded this song - not spectacular

Now you signed a new deal with MTM Music (and with Frontiers Records for Primal Fear) but you worked for Nuclear Blast. What's happened with them?

It's just a change at the right time. There were not so many Sinner fans in the company and that's why it is better to change something and sign with a company, where the band is a priority act and the people are really excited to have this band on their label!

You're not only a musician, you're a producer and an accomplished business man. Can you give some details about your job with Level10music ?

Level 10 is my own company. I'm managing artists, not only musicians or bands. I'm producing bands and I write songs for other artists, if I like the act and I'm consulting for a handful record companies!

You must get many demo cd's from bands that hope signing a deal with you. How do you manage it and what are the criterions to please to you ?

I just decide this as a result of my first view, than the business expectations. It's always a mix between taste and reality!

Is it easy to mix your job of musician and business man ?

I've started to mix this very early in my career, that means it's totally usual for me. Even if the creative part in my job has priority!

You got a long career behind you (more than 20 years). What's the highlight in your career ?

A lot, but every new album is a new challenge and has some totally new situations in my career. Highlights were defiantly the Primal Fear tours all over the world in places I've never expected to see.

As one of the pioneer of the German metal scene, what is your feeling about the young generation like Edguy?

This is just one band, but they are not new - they already recorded as many albums as PF, but especially Edguy is a fantastic band. I really like to watch them on stage.

After your promotional tour for "Mask Of Sanity", what are your projects ?

I'm in the studio with primal Fear until the end of April. Then I play shows with Sinner. Then we will see. Aside of the promotion work for the new PF album, there are a lot of projects in the pipeline.

Well, I know that like me, you're a wrestling fan. Would it please to you to be contacted by a WWE wrestler to write him an entrance theme like Motorhead did it ?

Of course, this would be a great honour. SINNER's "Die On Command" would be a perfect choice for this matter, but Chris Jericho is the only person I know personally and I'm in contact - so he's a musician by himself

A forecast for Wrestlemania? The Undertaker or Batista ?

I'm not sure, but it's time for a change - The Undertaker: Do you know we're using his entrance theme for Sinner since more than 10 years !