-Hails from your Turkish fans to you Cadaveria! OPERA
IX released the 3rd great work "The Black Opera -
Symphoniae Mysteriorum In Laudem Tenebrarum" in last
months. How was the interest of your fans to this
album all around the world? Are you pleased with the
interest to this album? Also, do you think that you can surpass the previous album "Sacro Culto" with the
new one?
"The Black Opera-Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum" is surely
our best album and I think it marks a big improvement in Opera IX history.
There's no comparison to Sacro Culto and The Call of the Wood. In The Black
Opera all has been done with care, the production quality is impressive,
thanks to the experience of Studio Underground (Sweden) and technically the
songs are extremely elaborate, we chose particularly complex guitars riffs
that build obscure melodies crossing with the keyboards, the drum changes
continually, the voice is performed in different ways according to the
meaning of the lyrics in order to give life to the characters that live the
concept. All reactions have been very positive and sales are going very
well. It has been "album of the month" on many European magazines and it is
continuing to collect great reviews.
-Now you are working with Avantgarde Music! What was
the reason for this label-change? What are your hopes
about the future with your new label, are they working
enough for OPERA IX?
The deal with Shiver Records was made just for 1 album. This was decided
by us 'cause we wanted to be free to look around us and see what would have
happened in late 1998 and 1999. In Autumn 1999 Avantgarde Music's guys came
and seen some Opera IX rehearsals, well they told us they were impressed by our
matured sound and this led us to sign a contract for two albums. Actually we
are completely satisfied by Avantgarde Music's work. They gave us a good
budget for the recordings and this time we have had the occasion to go
abroad, in Sweden, in order to find the right sound for us. Considering our
actual label is well known and has a good distribution, I think this time we
will not have any kind of problem and that "The Black Opera-Symphoniae..."
will be promoted in the right way and will be available in all music stores.
-When will you be on tour for the new album? You know your
guestbook in your web-page was bombed by mails like
"Live In Turkey" in previous weeks. What do you know
about your Turkish fans and what are your thoughts
about them?
Actually we are promoting the new album with some live shows, we have
been in Mexico in August and we will tour Italy in October. I don't know if
we will do an European tour 'cause each member of Opera IX has a job and it
is a serious problem for us to leave it for 15 days or 1 month. Maybe we
will do some dates abroad in 2001. About Turkey, well this is the situation:
in April 2000 we have been contacted by a Turkish guy in order to take part
to a festival in June but then the date was not sure and we didn't reached
an agreement. Some days ago the same guy contacted us again telling the same
festival had been postponed in the end of November, beginning of December
2000. Unfortunately we cannot come in that period 'cause we are busy with
our jobs and then we must work on new songs 'cause we want to enter studios
soon to record the 4th album. So if there will be any opportunity to play in
Turkey in 2001 we will be very glad to participate. Turkish fans are showing
a great interest in Opera IX and for us it would be great to come there, but
as I told you actually there are some problems that don't allow us to do
this.
-When and where was the strangest OPERA IX show for
you?
Surely in Mexico. Especially in Mexico City Mexican fans have welcomed
Opera IX greatly. They were totally crazy down the stage and they really
showed to adore us. I saw some people crying listening to our songs. Really
great and exciting!
-You made an Iron Maiden cover in past. If you
remember, in my letter I wrote that I found the
guitars weak and insufficient in this track. I think
the only cool thing was your awesome vocals on this
track. What are your thoughts about these critics?
I agree with you, the general sound of that Iron Maiden cover isn't so
good. This song was recorded in few hours in an Italian studio. In Italy
there aren't any good recording studios (and this is the reason why we
recorded The Black Opera abroad and the same we will do with our 4th album).
Anyway, with our surprise, Opera IX's version of Rime of the Ancient Mariner
had a great success in USA. A Call to Irons vol. I, the comp. CD where this
cover appears, sold around 30.000 copies in USA and this allowed Opera IX's
name to be well known also overseas. Dwell Records, the US label, has a big
distribution and works professionally, so after the positive experience of A
Call to Irons, we are still working with them. Dwell Records, in fact, has
licensed The Black Opera for US market in August 2000.
-Is there any chief/leader in your band? For example,
I observed that, usually the interviews are being
answered by you and you are in contact with OPERA IX
fans more than the others. As a matter of fact, you
are the focus member of this band because of your
sexuality and your awesome scream vocals as a female.
(Also because of your beauty of course) So, after
all these reasons, can we say that Cadaveria is the
leader of OPERA IX? (Now I am sure that Ossian and the
others will kill me!)
I think that without Ossian, Vald, Flegias and Lunaris Opera IX wouldn't
be the same band. Surely my voice has something special and the fact to be a
girl focus the fans' attention on me but I think all Opera IX's members have
the same importance in the band. I never wanted to be the star in the band,
the reason why it is me who answers all interviews is that I'm the only one
who speaks English well, so for me it is easier to answer foreign
interviews. On the other hand the other guys care about Italian promotion
and gigs.
-Which bands do you like from your country Italy? Also
what are your thoughts about bands like Rhapsody,
Labyrinth etc. from Italy? You know, Rhapsody's lead
guitarist Luca Turilli made a solo album in last
months. What do you think about these "true-metal"
heroes? How can we destroy these "true" guys,
please give me some advice...
Even if power metal isn't my favorite genre, I like Rhapsody 'cause I
think they are very good musicians. From Italy I like some new band like
Mater Tenebra, I like Cultus Sanguine and the first albums of Death SS and
Paul Chain.
-Do you listen any other kinds of music except
dark-black metal? What is your definition for
"beautiful music"? Also what do you think about 802s
heavy metal music?
I listen to all the music that gives me strong emotions. It could be
classical or medieval music as well as doom (My Dying Bride), death or
black. I like old heavy metal (see Killers album by Iron Maiden) and the
first black metal like Venom, Possessed and Celtic Frost.
-If you had a chance, which musicians would you choose to
share the same stage? You can choose from people who
are alive, dead, metal, non-metal, etc.
I would like to play with Merciful Fate 'cause I like King Diamond as a
musician and as a person. I think he is one of the few people who treat
occultism seriously as we do.
-When you are a little and pretty girl, what were your
plans about the future? For example what was your
favorite job? Did you think to be a singer when you
were a child?
Honestly I had no plans. I never thought to become anything special, but
I always did what I wanted to do and my family always allowed me to express
myself in the way I wanted. I've loved singing since I was a child but I didn't
imagine I would have become a singer. I started singing in Opera IX as a
joke and only some years later I realized how important was this for me.
Actually to sing is totally part of my life
-OPERA IX is a busy band and isn't it difficult for
you to carry this heavy weight as a young girl? You
are a frontwoman of a great band and it must be hard
and tiring I think!
Yes, it is very hard. Music itself isn't so hard to carry on, but the
fact is that I have a job and I study and it is very difficult to do all
these things together. I have to divide my life in three parts: music, job,
study. The fact is that I like music and I like studying and I have to work
to live so I cannot eliminate none of them.
-How do you spend your time in your daily-life when
you aren't on tour? Are you wicked and aggressive as in
OPERA IX or are you a well-behaved girl who cooks meal
for her parents/family at evenings?
I'm always myself. I'm Cadaveria on stage and in my ordinary life. Music
and occultism are a way of being and of thinking, always and everywhere. The
only creature for whom I cook is my dog.
-Are OPERA IX members sometimes participating with
ancient and dark rites? What do you think about these
dark meetings?
Opera IX love to explore the unknown and want to bring to light the
ancient Magic. Yes, I ritualize, but this is a very personal aspect of my
life I want to keep secret.
-You are very related with Celtic culture... I read
something about a famous Celtic priest called
"Kandraks" in an Italian comic called "Zagor". Was
there a priest like him in Celtic history and did you
read this comic? (Especially issues which includes
Kandraks)
I know Zagor by name but I don't read comics. I know Celtic culture
'cause I feel attracted by it, I read serious books about it, and when I can
I love to visit North France, Scotland and Ireland. North Italy itself
preserves Celtic culture and near where I live you can find Celtic stones
used for sacrifices.
-Now, maybe it is a bit of a magazine question. You may not
answer it if you want. You are a very attractive and
beautiful girl! It is not a compliment, it is REALITY!
You are a real MEDITERRANEAN PRINCESS! Now the
question; when you were on tour or when you were
walking in the street in your daily life, was there
anyone trying to disturb or annoy you because of your
beauty? And also Turkish fans (especially guys, hehe)
are wondering if you have a boy friend or not? (As I
said, you may not answer these if you want)
I thank you for your compliments but I think I'm not so beautiful as you
said. Italy is full of girls who are more beautiful then me so it isn't a
problem for me to walk in the street. I have been on tour in Mexico and on the
tour bus there were around 20 boys while I was the only girl but I really
had no problems. I want people to respect me as a person and as a singer not as
a beautiful girl, respect is a thing you must build by yourself through your
behavior and your actions. People who have met me have understood the
person I am and appreciate me for my mind, not for my aspect. The same does
my boyfriend.
-Are there any plans about taking part in a
compilation or tribute album in the near future? If you
had a chance, which song do you want to cover?
No there are no projects like this. We have performed Bela Lugosi's Dead
cover on The Black Opera and there are no plans to do another cover in the
future. We have many ideas for many new and original tracks and the new
album will be 100% Opera IX.
-Your web-page is really awesome and it is one of the
"best of the internet" I think. What do you think about the
cyber world in generally? What do you like to do when
you are online?
I think the Internet is a great source of communication. A web page is a
good show-case for every activity and e-mail is a fast method to get in
touch with the world. I haven't much time to navigate and explore the cyber
world, each time I open the mailbox there are tons of messages to download.
Then I care about Opera IX's web pages updates, sometimes I use the Internet for
my studies, sometimes just to relax myself.
-Which album was the "best of the 20th century" for you?
Don't' break the oath.
-As the others, your last album's cover and art work
is wonderful again. Can you tell me something shortly
about your last album cover and artwork, please?
The cover is the visual translation of the whole album concept that is
an exploration of all what is unknown and a spiritual research of the truth
done by a occultist-warrior. You see me in front of a black mirror that
reflects my evil essence. The cover represents the revelation of the supreme
secret, we wanted to say sometimes the secret is in front of your eyes,
'cause things have a double essence. To discover it you have to look around
you with different eyes, you have to cross the mirror.
-There is a death/black band called Wykked Wytch in
USA. Their lead vocalist is a Turkish girl and she is
making scream vocals like you. But of course she is
not as good as you. You are numero uno! (again it is
not a compliment) And my question; did you listen
this band in past?
No, I'm sorry, I don't know them. My favorite singer in extreme music is
Sabina Classen from Holy Moses
-Do you like football? Which team do you support? You
know Inter Milan has a Turkish player called "Hakan
Sukur". Also, where are you living in Italy?
I don't like football, I really don't follow it. I live in North Italy,
between Milan and Turin.
-I am giving some band names to you. Please write the
first word which comes to your mind at the moment when
you heard these following bands?
opera9@hotmail.com
Opera IX Homepage
