Interview with Sven Friedrich (ZERAPHINE, ex-DREADFUL SHADOWS)  [by Oleg 'Moonwalker' Fainitsky]

UGP: Some History. You're well-known in Ukraine and Russia as a DREADFUL SHADOWS` frontman and it's very interesting for fans to know the reason why the band (DREADFUL SHADOWS) broke up into three groups?
Sven: Well, DREADFUL SHADOWS spilt up, because all of us wanted to go into a different musical direction. We started writing new songs for a new album and none of us was satisfied with the results. So we decided to finish the work on DS and so 3 new bands were formed.

UGP: The Band. The name ZERAPHINE has been chosen for the new band after HELIX. Are there any mythological reasons for this name?
Sven: Well, yes and no. On the one hand we like this image or picture of 'Seraphim', these angels from the old testament. On the other hand we are quite critical concerning religion. We wanted to have this name for us, because of its meaning (to let people think about life and religion) and because it's also a name. It's been the same with 'Helix'. It's the DNA - model and also a name.

UGP: ZERAPHINE - the new fasade or the new idea?
Sven: There are quite a lot of things new in this band. But this is more internally. To the fans or listeners it makes no difference, it's simply easier for us to work the way we work now. I think the main difference between DREADFUL SHADOWS and ZERAPHINE is the German language. Musically I think it's like a development of 'The Cycle'.

UGP: In ZERAPHINE - what is the role of other band-members? I couldn't find any info about Themann - what is his place in the band?
Sven: The other band members, especially Norman (also ex-DREADFUL SHADOWS) are very important. They give their personal feel into the songs and that's very good. Themann is a very good friend of mine. I worked together with him on many projects and we also wrote songs for other bands. We wrote some songs for ZERAPHINE together, but he'd rather stay in the background. He doesn't want to perform live etc. He prefers to write songs only. I don't want to give more information about him, because he wants to be the mysterial person nobody knows.

UGP: The new album. The new album - 'Kalte Sonne' - musically keeps the DREADFUL SHADOWS` style, but, of course, has some differences. How would you describe your style?
Sven: That's not easy for me. I would call it a kind of Goth-Rock with electronics. Sometimes dark, sometimes sad and melancholical, sometimes hard or aggressive.

UGP: Is there any base concept behind the album?
Sven: No. We simply made the music we love. We wrote songs and then we worked on them until we found they're good. Of course, when I hear them now, I would change some things. But it's always been like this. So we do the changes live. We didn't care too much for a concept, because there are so many themes we wanted to tell, so many different ideas. In the end everything belongs together anyway, but it's more unconciously.

UGP: For you, what is more important - music or lyrics? Why?
Sven: For me it's on the same level. The lyrics won't work without the music and vice versa.

UGP: 'Kalte Sonne' lyrics is in german. Why have you changed language and is it your principal position?
Sven: No, it's not. I would not exclude, writing in other languages one day. I simply tried to transfer my style of writing to my mother tongue and I liked it quite a lot. I always thought it would be impossible. But when we started the new band I simply tried it, it was the best moment. So we wrote this album in German. But I wouldn't say that every ZERAPHINE album has to be in German.

UGP: Are you planning in future to continue your work with Gitane De Mone?
Sven: Unfortunately we couldn't plan this. The last time I spoke to her was when she left Berlin for Los Angeles. She had to care for her mother. After this day all of us lost the contact to her. I wrote some emails, but I never got an answer. It's really a pity, because we had a lot of fun and a really good time.

UGP: What do you think about changing sound from guitars to electronics which is so fashionable today?
Sven: Well, I don't know as we also use electronics, but not instead of guitars. I think everybody should do what he wants. Many people love the electronic stuff, like VNV NATION or APB. I do too, but not all the time! I need variety, so I listen to everything and try to put variety into my own music.

UGP: As a person from gothic community, do you agree with separation between 'gothic-metal' groups from gothic subculture (i.e. DREADFUL SHADOWS, LACRIMOSA, MANTUS etc) and 'gothic-metal' groups from metal subculture? If so, where the particularity (of gothic-metal from gothic culture) is and does 'gothic-metal' can be considered as a separate trend in modern 'schwarze scene'? If not - what is your point of view about 'gothic-metal'?
Sven: Honestly, I don't care too much for pigeon-holes. To me Goth-Metal is an important wave of both scenes, Goth & Metal. But I think it's much more important that I like the music of a band. I mean, when I like i.e. Theatre of tragedy it doesn't mean that I like any other Goth Metal band too. It's the same with Goth. But back to your question. Here in Germany it seems that Goth- Metal unites both scenes a bit. That's always good.

UGP: What are your favorite groups and/or musicians?
Sven: A lot. Old Goth bands, like Fields o.t.N., Bauhaus, Joy Division, Christian Death, Sisters o.M., etc.; bands like Cure, Siouxsie, The Smiths; newer bands like Zeromancer, Deine Lakaien, APB; stuff like Placebo, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage etc. and I really love Philip Glass and Arvo Part.

UGP: What groups would you like to play with and what you wouldn't? Why?
Sven: There are a lot of bands I'd like to play with. And I also had the honor to play together (on the same stage) with i.e. The Cure, Him, Paradise Lost, Rammstein, Wolfsheim, Project Pitchfork, Lacrimosa, Love Like Blood, Mephisto Walz, Christian Death, New Model Army etc. etc. All of these concerts were very impressive. I think there's nobody I wouldn't like to play with, except if the music wouldn't fit at all.

UGP: As a person who has made a lot for the german (and not only german) gothic subculture, how would you describe modern state of german gothic scene?
Sven: Well, it's still there ;-) I think, people become more open to new bands. And they slowly get rid of this pigeon-hole thinking. Which is really good I think. Most of the people I've met like electronic and guitar music, so it's all mixing up. I like that, because so you can listen to a huge variety of different bands and it never gets boring. I don't know, whether the scene is still growing, but I think it stays on the current level at least. But the scene is still quite big in Germany, what is really very nice.

UGP: And last, traditional question. What's your plans for the future?
Sven: We will be on tour in Germany this September. There will be some other live- plans for Germany in Autumn an Winter, but they're not confirmed yet. Meanwhile we'll write new songs so that we can go to the studio & record our next album soon.

UGP: Ok, thanks a lot, your answers were really exhaustive, and asap they'll be published at www.gothic.com.ua. Hope to see the band on M`era Luna.

Official band site:      www.zeraphine.de

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