How’s it going? Who am I talking with?
Hello! Tired from studio work, but I am fine – thank you! My name is Andreas – the voice of Devanic.
Austria isn’t exactly known as a metal haven, though your country has produced bands such as Abigor, Pungent Stench, and others. What are your thoughts on the purported monopolization of metal by North America and Europe?
I think that there are many good bands that just don’t have the needed luck or connections to get to the top. It is also obvious that new bands often have their roots in specific countries – in Europe it is the Scandinavian area.
The most famous Austrian I know (not personally) is Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. What do you think of his ascension to power in the state of California?
I wish he wouldn’t have gone into politics – he is not the best actor, but you need to be a very good one when you want to be successful in politics… His political views are not mine, and also most of the Austrian people don’t see the world like Arnie does, I think.
From the information I’ve gathered, it seems Devanic formed in 2004 and released Mask Installed the same year. How did you get the EP out so quickly?
First of all, the thanks have to go to Niki! He wrote all the compositions. He is like a machine – really! Another reason is that, when Niki and I are working on new songs, we harmonize perfectly. We both know exactly what we want and need, and our teamwork is so great that we are capable of transfering our ideas into a complete product.
Cake or pie?
Why pie? Hate cake!
If you had to do it over again, since the EP is thirty minutes long, would you tack on a couple more songs to make it a full-length before you unleashed it as a promo?
No – we are definitely happy that we released it as a promo, but maybe fewer songs would have been a good idea – the people don’t see it as a promo but also not as a full album. Normally a promo has 3-4 tracks, so I don’t understand the critic of “short playtime” if you see Mask Installed as what it is – a long promo. Anyway, Mask Installed was still only a promo, not intended for the public but only for magazines, radios, labels…a call into the depths of the metal scene! For people that want more, the new album Mask Industries will be the right thing! Mask Industries will include all 8 tracks of the promo (newly recorded) plus 7 new tracks – right now we are finalizing the production and it seems that it will become really a great CD!
What are your opinions of this man?
I don’t know much about him…
I’ve heard some associate melodeath with metalcore insomuch that both styles are oversaturated, and on the decline. Would you care to explain to us why you think melodeath is worth pursuing?
Because the real melodeath is not dead yet! Most of the new bands don’t play the classic melodic death metal. Also, the so-called classic MD bands like In Flames don’t make classic MD anymore – there are many effects, clean voice (not for one part, but for the whole song), and many other things that don’t have anything to do with the classic MD. So, I think, that it is the right time to pursue the good old, classic but not conventionally or monotonous MD. Devanic wants to make melodic death metal in all its variations and with an individual, Devanic touch.
Choose three words to describe yourself, and then pick three words to describe Devanic.
Myself: Dominant – loyal – determined.
Devanic: Hard – catchy – multifarious.
What do you look for in a woman?
I still haven’t found what I am looking for…
Who are some of your musical influences? What are your five favorite albums of all time?
There are many influences – the more the better! Although it is very hard to decide which are my 5 favorite albums, I will try it:
In Flames – Jester Race
Six Feet Under – Warpath
Pantera – Far Beyond Driven
Opeth – Blackwater Park
Dimmu Borgir – Stormblast
I am sure I have forgotten many albums that would be worth mentioning. But, when I start thinking about it more, the list would get longer and longer and longer…
Don’t you think bass players get way too much attention?
The same I am telling Peter all the time!
To be serious: It depends on what the bass player is doing with his instrument… What’s next on the itinerary for Devanic? And, what does the group’s name mean?
Next: Mask Industries – all our powers are flowing into the new album. The release should be soon, as I have been saying since June, I think. But now there isn’t much left anymore – I am really looking forward to the day, when this CD will hit the scene! The name Devanic goes back to the Sanskrit word “Deva,” which has many different meanings like glowing, glooming, heavenly and also stands for the semi-gods of the Indian mythology.
If one musician were to join your group, who would you want that person to be?
At this moment, there wouldn’t be anyone that could replace any member of Devanic – maybe the instrument can be replaced but not the musician. If you mean, with which musicians I would like to play, if I have the chance one day: Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain, ex-Bloodbath) shouting a duet with Chris Barnes (Six Feet Under, ex-Cannibal Corpse)!
In what ways did the Cold War and U.S. foreign policy impact U.S. domestic politics/economics and give rise to McCarthyism?
I think that momentarily U.S. foreign policy is not the best advertising for the United States… The Cold War and other things in history and the results of such things can be seen in many different ways – an endless discussion. I think it is worth it to know what happened and to remember, but there are so many problems we have in this world nowadays and that should be focused on instead.
Where did you send copies of Mask Installed, and what kind of press have you received as a result?
Dozens of copies to magazines, labels and radios – the press was absolutely great as you can read on our homepage, and also many radio stations gave us airplay. The right label wasn’t found, but we have time and are motivated, so I think we will find or will be found…
Even though you haven’t read my review of the EP yet, name one thing you like about it…
Your review is honest and fabulously written!
The EP is just pure melodic death metal in a multifarious, unmistakable style – this is Devanic!UltimateMetal’s Review of Devanic – Mask Installed
Official Devanic Website
