Magazine: Lords Of Metal
Website:
www.lordsofmetal.nl
Interview by Nima
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Due to expansive touring with Manowar, HolyHell had gotten the reputation of being the Kings of Metal’s eternal support act. That’s pity, because with their quality songs and quality live shows the band proves to be able of so much more. At the end of June this year the band also released its self-titled debut album, which proved even more that this band is ready to make it on its own. Singer Maria Breon and keyboarder Francisco Palomo are about to do a promotional tour in Europe, starting October. However, seeing that we might not be able to catch the band in person, we decided to interview the rising stars and get to know a little bit more about them. Maria Breon called the Lords from the Magic Circle headquarters in New York and she had a surprise guest with her in Francisco.
Before we get into the new developments and the upcoming adventures, let’s talk about the last tour: you went on tour with Manowar again and played a couple of festivals here in Europe. Tell us a bit about the tour please…
Maria:The tour was actually great, also because except for Germany all the countries we went to were new for us. So it was a great experience for us to get exposure in countries like France, Spain, Norway and Romania. And we got a tremendous response in every country. We are very happy about how everything turned out and we couldn’t have asked for more.
I think it was also good for the band to play for a “normal” metal festival. And by that I mean a festival that was not particularly consisting of a Manowar crowd, if you know what I mean.
Maria:Yeah, I know what you mean and it was. But of course it was great to play in Germany again, because that’s more or less our founding country. And of course as far as the band’s exposure and acceptance goes it was because of Manowar.
In October you are hading to Europe for a promotional tour. Do you think it’s time to – and don’t get me wrong – get loose from the “only Manowar’s support act” image?
Maria: Well, first of all it’s really exciting for us having the record out now and do everything in our power to promote it. The idea is to tour one last time in the winter with Manowar and then continue on our own. I think all parties agree that it’s time for us to kind of go out on our own I guess.
Do you think it’s going to be a tough experience?
Maria: Actually I think we are very fortunate in the sense in the way that everything has been done with this band. We have kind of done everything backwards; instead of getting pushed like most new bands, we just waited and held back a little bit and this has created a great demand for the band, which we’re very thankful for.
When you look at it from a sound technical point of view, do you think it would be step backwards for the band not sharing the stage and the PA with Manowar? I mean, most clubs don’t have the powerful and quality PA that you are used to perform with.
Francisco: Well, for us it really doesn’t matter. We just want to get out there and play wherever we can play. Whether it’s a small club or a huge stadium it’s fine fore us. Because we love to play, we want to be out on the road and we want to promote this album for a broader audience. Of course when it comes to the sound it’s always a bit tricky, but we’re trying to get a team together that would be able to handle any kind of situation in that technical style. The most important thing for us is to be out there and do what we do and be in contact with the people that like the band.
Maria:Yes, and we are very open for that and welcoming that. Because I think it’s important for a band to play for the fans no matter where it is. We believe that at the en of the day it’s about the music, so I think we are open to any necessary suggestion and possibility.
Francisco: On the other hand we also have experience with this kind of situation, being in some places where we were the opening act, and you know what happens with opening acts! You don’t have all the light and the entire PA open, because you are playing very early in the day. But that didn’t matter, because we still had a great time without all the lights and the PA full open. Again; we want to play for people that want to see HolyHell and for as much people as we can. And I also think we have the advantage that we can play for a different kind of audience to; because next to heavy metal we are in the gothic style as well.
That’s true, because you can participate in more different events, which is not meant for a true old-school heavy metal audience. Actually I remember when you guys entered the stage at Earthshaker fest I said to myself: “oh my god, not another gothic band!”
Maria: Haha, yeah with a female singer it’s easy…
But all jokes aside; the band has made a lot of progress during the last years. It’s really audible and also visible that you have grown stronger on stage. I mean, Earthshaker fest was the first time that I saw HolyHell and I got the impression that you were a little bit nervous… well, “nervous” is actually not the right word, but you weren’t exactly a fish in the water, so to speak.
Maria: Yes! Well you know it’s very interesting because the way we have presented HolyHell is we went out as a band that had only rehearsed together for a short time. But we knew that we had the right chemistry and we wanted to “test” it in the right circumstances. So we went out and every one that has seen it has seen a band that grows right in front of your eyes, instead of working on it behind the curtains and then come out. So it’s very interesting in that perspective.
Something different then; you know being on the road together for a long time and so often, you may start to get on each other’s nerves from time to time. How do you handle this kind of situation?
Francisco: Hahaha, well we actually have a great relationship. As you say we are on the road for a long time, so in this part of our touring experience we learn how to deal with each other’s personalities. Every body has good and bad qualities and you have to learn for example when is the right time to talk to a person, or when is the right time find something to eat or whatever. There are different things that you just learn on the road. I mean when you look at the band, we are all friends. And I think the more important thing is to build up a strong friendship to be able to handle the different personalities.
Maria: Yeah I think the big thing is that when we are on the road we get to see every emotion and personality that there is. Especially when you tour with Manowar, who have an entourage of over forty people. So it was and is a great learning experience. Of course you have all the personalities, but you have your friends too. So the big things is that you are out there with a big family and you have each other to fall back on.
Ok Maria, forgive me if this may sound as bit of a weird question, but how do you experience being one of the few females that travels with so many crazy metal men?
Maria: Haha, I just spend a lot of time alone reading books. But it’s ok for me actually. I have no problems with the whole scenario. You know, the guys in Manowar are very respectful and supportive. Of course the guys in my band are the best, so it’s like I have a bunch of brothers looking out for me.
Well fortunately we have one of the guys in the band right here, so how do you experience it Francisco?
Francisco: Well, I have to say it’s great. Especially for me personally because I spend hours with Maria working on songs and doing the vocal training and everything… So we’re really like brother and sister and that’s something that is very important. We are always there for Maria, no matter what. Of course there are some guys that are keeping busy with the whole groupie-stuff, but were are not that kind of band…
Maria: Oh don’t lie, hahaha…
Francisco: Haha, I need groupies on the road. No, but we are a very professional band. We enjoy our time together and we always have fun.
Haha, well I’m just curious if the guys have to for example watch out what they say and what kind of language they use when a lady is around and things like that…
Maria: Haha, well you know they are a little… the conversations probably don’t get that detailed and graphic when I’m around. That’s ok though.
Do you get offended by the guys from time to time?
Maria: Not really, I wouldn’t call it getting offended. But sometimes they talk about things that I would say “Come on, I don’t want to know this kind of thing” haha… I’m a very nice girl!
Euhh.. I’ve only seen you on stage and met you in person one time during a signing session, so… no comment on that one.
Maria: Oooh okaaay! Talk to Francisco and you’ll be alright, haha.
Ok ok, no but seriously. It is also generally known that a lot of female (fronted) bands get judged by their looks and not for their qualities! Are you afraid that something like this happens to you too?
Maria: Well, actually not. I mean, I don’t have that kind of outlook about it, because I’m very genuine about the music and the whole appearance of the band. Although I’m very much into fashion and everything, I don’t like to focus too much on the appearance. At the end of the day I think people are really interested in something that’s real. The accessories are just additional.
Maria, before you were introduced to the metal crowd – so to speak – we hadn’t heard much about you or who Maria Breon was. So we wanted to do some research about your musical pas and everything, but we didn’t find anything.
Maria: Well, because for me HolyHell is my one and only. I started developing the concept back in 1998 and it was very important for me to get the right songwriters and musicians. That was probably the longest part of the process. But when we finally did it, it all came together really well. There hasn’t been any other band that I had worked with, so HolyHell is my first band.
And you were introduced to a very fanatic audience from the very beginning. Did you feel nervous when you were told that you have the opportunity to tour with Manowar and that you’d be performing in front of thousands of people every night?
Maria: To be honest, because I of the way I went about putting the band together, by the time this opportunity presented itself I had put so much time and effort into it that I was more excited than anything to finally bring the whole thing to life. So for me it was for a great deal excitement and the fact that I really felt that we all belonged there at that moment together and it was more or less like a victory. Every time we play together it’s the same feeling actually.
This may sound a bit cliché, but can you tell us a bit more about your musical influences? Because when I listen to your voice and your style, you sometimes remind of a young Kate Bush and because of the more opera style also a bit of Sarah Brightman.
Maria: That’s actually a very interesting observation, because before I started my musical education of course I was very inspired by all types of different female vocalist and also male vocalists that I liked. I was always curious about what techniques they used and everything. I listened a lot to Pat Benatar, Heart and to the heavier types of music like Black Sabbath and Dio, who have a totally different technique. And when I started studying it was more a modern opera and theatrical kind of style, so I learned to have a whole new fixation for music. So now it’s a combination of all the things that I like and I try to do that with HolyHell.
Do you think you can develop all of this various styles, techniques and ideas within HolyHell? The songs are very epic, there is a story-telling style, but sometimes I also get the idea that there is a certain message behind the lyrics.
Maria: Yeah, you know, I’m a very deep-thinking persona and I enjoy music that has some depth to it. This is as important to me as the music itself, so it was very important to learn how to write music and I was able to do that over the years. Now with Francisco, Jo (Stump, guitars – Nima) and myself, working together with Joey (DeMaio – Nima) as a producer, we have been able to find a good songwriting team and I can express myself with the lyrics.
Except for the business side of the story, how much was Joey involved in your tutorage and that of the whole band?
Maria: In the beginning Joey was very much involved as a developer of my thoughts. Joey and I worked together for about for years before we brought the other members in. A lot of it was learning about putting a band together, learning the different aspects of the music business. And we were bringing songwriters and as time went on and I started learning more and more it became important for me find the right key player. We are very fortunate with Francisco, which was the most important ingredient to me as a vocalist and as a founding band member because to me the keys are the heart of the band and so much depends on that. Francisco has been able to take on the role as musical director, so from there everything started to fall in together.
So the two of you are the most important songwriters of the band?
Maria: I would say Francisco, myself and Jo. Francisco and Jo work really well together and also Francisco and I work really well together with the lyrics. Francisco is kind of the heart that brings the music and the melodies together. And Joey of course doing the production work. He had a stronger influence in the beginning, because we wanted that as we were developing ourselves.
Francisco, I’ve been told that there is always a love/hate relationship between keyboard players and guitar players, because the key player wants to push the keys and do the main solos, while the guitarist wants to do that with the guitars. How much of that is true?
Francisco: Haha, well Jo and I are really good friends, so that doesn’t really apply to us. We don’t have a competition concerning that, because we always put the song in the first place. If one song asks for more lead guitars and keys in the back, or the opposite when the song needs a shorter solo, then that’s fine for all of us. Jo and I have a very big respect for each other, so it’s always a pleasure to work together. The chemistry within the whole band is great actually, because each and every one of the band members plays a crucial role in the band and on the songs. Of course it happens that sometimes we have different opinions about the music. But when that happens we just try it out and see how it sounds. We always listen to all options. The music never lies, so when you try something and it doesn’t sound good, then that’s just the way it is. So we have to try something different.
That’s also important for playing live. We are always trying to play in the best possible way together and set a tight performance. Of course we always play around the vocals parts, because the heart of this music is the vocals. We are very happy with the professional relationship we’re in and of course you have to make certain decisions that do well both live and in the studio. I try to give everybody a chance to do what they do best, so that everybody shines in a song, so to speak.
To get back to your promotional tour that will start in October, do you see this as anew beginning?
Maria: Yes, it’s a new chapter in our career. I mean, of course we have the record out and there is a lot of request for us.
Speaking of the album; if I remember correctly during the press conference on the Magic Circle Festival 2008 it was said that the album was actually finished back then and that you were waiting for the management’s ok to release it…
Maria: Yes, we were actually waiting for our label, because as I’ve learned more about the music business it wouldn’t have really made sense to release the album shortly after the performance. So that’s why we decided to postpone the release a little bit.
So I can assume that you have been working on new songs already for the next record?
Maria: Jo and Francisco are continuingly writing new music. As for myself, I love to read and I take a lot of inspiration from that. So I’m always writing down the new ideas that I have and yes; we have already songs that we are working on for the next record.
I guess with that good news we can wrap it up for this time. Unless of course there is anything else that you’d like to mention…
Maria: I just want to say thank for this interview and for the support. Take care!
Francisco: Yes, and hopefully we will meet each other in Europe if the time allows.
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