A New
interview from the true metal label, Pure Steel Records. Andreas and Markus answered
our questions straightforward. You can get a feeling of the concept of PSR, furthermore
tips for demos and unsigned bands and their views on today’s metal industry
lot of fans think that metal has developed in a wrong direction during the last years. Nu Metal, Italian or German happy metal, female opera-styled vocals, Black Metal even if all these styles are a part of nowadays metal scene, a lot of people prefer classic metal to which the term true really fits without sounding old fashioned. Its a surprise that it is a German band who is able to fill this gap:
V I R O N
It was the idea of CREMATORY drummer Markus Jllich to form a true metal band after he noticed singer Alexx Stahl playing with his band in a small club. He was very impressed by his vocal skills and he was looking for the best musicians in the German Rhein-Main-area to form a band around Alexx that eventually became SEDUCTION. After the big success of bands like HAMMERFALL or SONATA ARCTICA his aim was to create a similar sounding band gaining equal success.
The line-up was Alexx Stahl (Vocals), Thilo Feucht (Guitars), Mad (Keyboards), Ingmar Holzhauer (Bass) and Neudi (Drums). Under the direction of Markus Jllich the first demo-CD was recorded at Kohlekeller Studio. Several companies showed interest in SEDUCTION and they played a lot gigs with bands like TIERRA SANTA, BONFIRE, AGATHODAIMON, EAZY RIDER and SCAPEGOAT. A second CD was recorded and again they got brilliant reviews in the whole metal press (Metal Hammer, Rock Hard, Break Out, Heavy Oder Was). They even called SEDUCTION the next big thing! or best unsigned band from Germany!, they split up a few weeks after the release. SEDUCTION was more like a project and parts of the band werent happy with the style and the so called True Metal image.
Singer Alexx and drummer Neudi (who also plays in the CENTURY follow-up KOKOON) joined the DEEP PURPLE Tribute band CHILD IN TIME in late 2003 and so they met each other again. This leads to a meeting where SEDUCTION decided to start again, but this time as a real band, playing their own style of metal. While Alexx is into bands like SAXON and TWISTED SISTER, guitarist Thilo is strongly influenced by early METALLICA and CHILDREN OF BODOM and his ultra-fast guitar solos are his trademark. Bassist Ingmar is a fan of IRON MAIDEN and Steve Harris, drummer Neudi is well-known in the scene as the drummer of cultbands like SUDDEN DARKNESS and ECONOMIST; also he is having his own radioshow and he was the guy with one of the first metal television show in Germany (Heavy Metal Battle, 1985 to 1992). The fourpiece changed name in VIRON and started writing songs.
In November 2004 VIRON entered the Kohlekeller Studio (CREMATORY, KILLER, AGATHODAIMON) to record their demo EP called NWOGHM. Unlike SEDUCTION, they used real drums (no triggers or computer sounds) and no keyboards (except of a piano part). What you hear on the CD is handmade music played by human beings. The CD contains 4 songs written by VIRON and a cover of Run For Tomorrow, originally recorded by US-Metal legends EXXPLORER!
The EP was sent to several metal-related record companies and to some magazines. After just a few weeks VIRON had various offers for a deal and they decided to sign with SONIC AGE (Greece). After a struggling search the line-up had beend closed up Ex-Economist & SUDDEN-DARKNESS guitarrist Roger Dequis. In summer 2005 the band entered the Kohlekellerstudio again to record their debut-album the same way they recorded the EP - of course handmade!
The reactions for the debut had been unbelieveable. Many mags attested the band to have recorded one of the best german metal-albums since years.
After that the band had been invitatad to festivals like SWORDBROTHERS FESTIVAL, GRAND-METAL FESTIVAL or HEADBANGERS OPEN AIR.
Not just a few metalheads have been very impressed of the live-performance of this young band.
VIRON are hot and kicking and ready to attack!
View a Video From the Album
