Have you ever thought about stopping with Mystic Prophecy when 3 of your members left ( I called it the 3-M exodus)? Roberto: No!! I never considered myself of splitting the band for a subject of this nature!! There was a time when Gus G. left the band who also was a songwriter!! I could have splitted the band by then, but as you can listen on that album everyone can be replaced!! The new members were exactly what I was looking for to continue the ascending course of Mystic Prophecy!! Tell me then, for which reason should I split the band that it's already selling even more cd's and has in all the world die hard fans that love our music?! For no one and never I would break Mystic Prophecy!! Only when our fans would stop supporting us and buying our music only then I could split up the band!! Are you such a dictator that all 3 packed their bags and left? Roberto: Sorry but this question couldn't be considered as a serious one..!! But, I will answer you so I won't leave you with any doubts. How is it possible to compare a mass murderer with a musician?? what's common between these two? With my music I don't kill people! The members change to a band it's something totally natural!! Everyone of us has regular jobs and families to consider and to attend and always restricted time!! Martin Albrecht (Bass) had to part ways with the band because he became father for 3rd time and it's totally natural not to be able from this point and over to be dedicated and focused to music but to take care of his baby!! Martin Grimm (Guitars) works from last year 3 weeks back to back and constantly and doesn't have time anymore for rehearsals and for songwriting of new songs!! But in the other hand, the most important for a band is to make good songs for the fans that support it!! Even if you have the best musicians in the world what’s the point if you can't make songs?? I believe that you have received precise answer to your question. Dicators depress and kill people!! I make music to entertain people so I can make him happy with my songs!! That's all!! How did you find 3 new members relatively fast, and can you tell something about their background and so on… Roberto: It wasn't easy for me to find equal and even better replacements because the old members weren't random people that you can find in every corner!! First of all, I have noticed Constantinesince he was playing in Nightrage and I made the production of his other band (DESCENDING) as well and when I heard his talent I immediately asked if you would like to join Mystic Prophecy!! And that's the way it was! He is one of the biggest upcoming talents and in a few years he will be one of the best guitarist upon the planet if he will continue like that!! But he is a good songwriter as well and you can hear that on the 3 songs that we wrote together!! "Father Save Me"+ "Fireangel"+"Forever Betrayed"!! (A dictator never shares glory with others and never ever collaborates and comprehends the with the others!!).Secondly, Connie our new bassist managed to impress me among 20 other bass players because he didn't even manage to play excellent bass on the tracks but to sing second vocal lines on the songs as well!! He is an awesome all-rounded talent!! He can play the bass-the guitar-sings absolutely fabulous and he is an amazing songwriter! The song "Across the gates of hell" we wrote it together and there you can see his songwriting skill!! Stefan our new drummer is with the band since the "Satanic Curses Tour" and he became part of the band since then!! Personally, I didn't searched for the best musicians to replace the former members in mystic but the right musicians that fit to the music of the band!! On the new album, I can’t really hear that there are 3 new musicians, that should be a compliment for the new members, but that’s studio. Did you already perform live with the new pack and did it satisfy? Roberto: Most of the songs are written by me and Markus Pohl together!! The reason for this is because we know exactly what fits to the music of Mystic! And as I told you before I searched for musicians that fit to the band and like the music of Mystic!! I could never hook-up with guys that want to change the musical character of the band!! Concerning the live subject!! We have always been a live band since forever and that thing also exists today! The tracks that we are writing we try to make them all equally good so we can perform them live as well!! Whoever has seen us playing live know that Mystic do not only write good album songs in the studio but also they can deliver a high class live performance as well!! You, write almost all the songs, are the founding member and does the production and mastering. Is Mystic Prophecy still a band, or is it your project? Roberto: I can't call Mystic Prophecy as a project band for any reason!!! How many project bands you know that have survived for 6 albums back to back?? Besides, I never write songs on my own but always with my musicians!! I've between productions for many years and it's my second job!! In other words Mystic is my baby! I started the band and I keep directing them and keep them on track!! As I told you before the most important thing is to have good songs and nothing more!! And alike other bands there are changes for different reasons and so on we have at Mystic!! It's something totally natural!! Mystic was and it will always be a band! But, I don't have any problem for some to believe whatever they want to!! For me the most important thing is the quality of the music and nothing more!! You produced and mastered the record, is that because it is cheaper or because you know what you sound you want to have and what’s best for MP. Roberto: First of all it is more cheap and secondly I believe that noone else on this planet know better than me what is necessary for the Mystic Prophecy sound! I believe that we totally have our style in sound and songwriting as well!! I'm proud that the band can stand out with it's style among 1000 other bands!! Everything in Mystic Prophecy has the right chemistry no matter if it is the mix or the guitar tone for example!! Everything!! This the secret that make us stand out from the rest!! The new album ‘Fireangel’ is very recognizable Mystic Prophecy. The difference with the albums ‘Savage Souls’ and ‘Satanic Curses’ is that there are more mid-tempo, catchy songs and less speedy/heavy riffing songs. Was that a planned choice, or did it turn out that way? Roberto: I believe that the songs in "FIREANGEL" have the biggest variety from the previous albums!! But, that doesn't mean that it makes it a better album as well in that kind of way!! This will only be judged by the fans and not by us!! We decided to make an album on which there would be very rich in variety and heaviness!! Of course I consider whenever I begin to make a song what kind of style I want it to be like!! They must be in the style of the band and to have a riff + a vox hook line that grabs your mind! I name those songs as brain catcher melodies!! Now if you consider that the album has mostly mid tempo tracks I can totally agree with you because there are at least 5 songs that have speed more that 160 beats! Besides in this album we have the fastest song of our career which is 210 beats!! "We Kill!! You die!!" I think that because of the more variety in songs, the album is better and more balanced than the last two, what is you opinion about that? Roberto: You asked and gave the totally correct answer on your own!! Exactly!! Respect!! hahaha!! Is there a certain message behind the title 'Fire angel' and the album cover? Roberto: I write generally about subjects that concern us every single day like war, starvation, unjustice, the environment and so on. Generally I don't like to write about dragons and unrealistic things. I believe that we definitely have more serious issues to consider and we should be speaking totally clearly about this facts. On the fireangel subject, everyone and each of us lives as an angel of fire. He comes to life, destroys whatever is around him and then he dies and becomes dust. Many people speak about the apocalypse. I believe that the apocalypse started the very first day man appeared on the planet. We are born to destroy the environment we live in and that's why i think about that every single one of us is a small apocalyptic fire angel. As far as our music concerning it breathes through the depressing lyrics and that's why Mystic have their own sound and style at the metal scene..I would say that is hard to compare Mystic with some other metal band. But I certainly believe that this is the biggest advantage of Mystic Prophecy. How is the bands popularity in Germany/Greece and how is that abroad? Roberto: Both on these countries we receive excellent feedback!! In Germany of course our acceptance is bigger plus on sales because it's a bigger country as well!! In Greece we are well-known because me and Constantine we are from the few Greeks that we have a success abroad and that makes the Greek proud and they support us everywhere!! Touring plans? Roberto: Firstly, we will perform at several festivals this summer like METALCAMP and others. and by October we will be heading on a tour! I can't say with whom right now because we are still looking for the band whose music will fit perfectly to the band! Do you have another job besides playing in MP? Roberto: Yes, I work as a quality manager in a car industry and as producer in a studio! Why should metal fans buy your new record and not the other 100 that get released every month? Roberto: Because whoever knows Mystic Prophecy is aware that it's a band that delivers pure heavy metal with no gay twin guitar melodies but an original, authentic and mostly in your face METAL BAND!! Could you name the five albums that made a big impression on you in the last 4 years? Roberto: SYMPHONY X / PARADISE LOST - WASP / DOMINATOR – HARDCORE SUPERSTAR ( SAME ) AMAZING ROCK BAND ;-) – EXODUS / TEMPO OF THE DAMNED – MASTERPLAN / SAME ...amazing progband with amazing vox..! Anything else you want to share with our readers? Roberto: Hello to all metal maniacs ....pleasedon't burn the cds from the net ...because you destroy this wonderful music ...take care andsee you soon on tour!! ROBERTO DIMITRI LIAPAKIS Interviewed by Reinier de Vries | 
