Before I ask you about the new album, can you tell us what the band has been doing since the release of 'Hammer of Destruction'?
Jonas: We did a couple of release-shows starting off at our hometown Ludwigsburg with the release of 'Hammer Of Destruction' in November 2006 and went on to play in Hamburg, Essen, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Holland and Greece. Other shows coming to my mind were a single show in Sandviken/Sweden, which was an awesome trip and still considered as one of the highlights in the 'Sacred Reisen'-history.
In March 2007 we went on touring throughout Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Holland together with our good buddies from Morgana Lefay, being supported by Austrian proggers Serenity. What a trip...
We then continued playing single-shows, as the Swordbrothers Festival and a few more....I will also have to mention a show we were invited to from the 'Heavy Metal Club Espectros' in Murcia/Spain. We arrived a day earlier and were invited to a big BBQ...those people were really killer and the whole trip was just beyond words. Another great 'Sacred Reisen-highlight!
So, this year we did a few Open Air Shows, e.g. at Summer Breeze and Queens of Metal, and a few dates in the Balkan area (Serbia, Croatia...), which was great fun!!
When did you start writing songs for the new album 'Carnage Victory'?
Jonas: I just thought about this the other day when I remembered that I wrote "Denial of Judas" right after Wacken Open Air 2006, which even was before the release of 'Hammer...'! But being busy with the promotion for 'Hammer', we of course didn't have too much time focusing on new material, so I guess we started working out new ideas in the rehearsal-room in spring/summer of 2007...maybe it was fall, I really can't remember...
Anyway, we started the recordings for 'CARNAGE VICTORY' in late August 2008 and finished them with several breaks sometime in October, although the basic recordings just took us about 2 weeks.
Was there a different approach between writing songs for this album and 'Hammer', or do you have a kind of format that works all the time.
Jonas: Well, 'Hammer' being our first record with the 'new' line-up, the only 'approach' we had was to keep it as spontaneous, raw and old-school as possible, which I think worked out quite well. Looking back, we of course would have done several things a little different but for the time back them it was about the right record, I guess.
With 'CARNAGE VICTORY' I think we just knew better how to work with and respond to each other (music wise) plus we had NO pressure at all writing new songs.
Still, we basically have kept the same format: either Jens, our other guitar player, or myself come up with a new song (riffs/ideas/basic arrangement), introduces it to the other guys in the rehearsal room so we can work on it together. We then do a quick recording of the basics so Gerrit can work on his vocals at home and continue altogether in the next rehearsal.
If you have to describe the musical difference between 'Hammer' and the new album, what would be your answer?
Jonas: 'CARNAGE VICTORY' is not as raw as the last record.
To cut it short: we (the band) all know that 'CARNAGE VICTORY' simply is way better than 'Hammer', starting with the production, the quality of the songwriting, lyrics, the artwork....just everything, the whole package to me seems more coherent, more mature.
In some songs we actually hear some grunting, this gives the music a more heavy attitude. Is that also why you do this?
Jonas: I think that's just a natural thing to do for Gerrit ever since he started doing the Death Metal growls in 'Slaughter Prophecy'. Moreover, we all listen to a lot of heavier stuff, so I guess it's nothing we really think about rather than just doing it.
There are some people who don't like the singing style of Gerrit Mutz, personally I think that this makes the music different from a lot of others, what is your opinion about that?
Jonas: That's exactly how I feel.
Just take all this Metalcore-stuff: to me it's like there's a million bands out there playing that style and ALL of them happen to have the same singer...how boring is that?! Obviously, people don't seem to care... ;-)
So, as a matter of fact, I nowadays find it a point of quality if you can tell from the singer what band it might be. Even if I do NOT like the singer! Kinda sad, isn't it...?
Talking about Gerrit, together with Jörg Knittel he happens to be part of Dawn of Winter. Is this just a side-project, or do we have to take this very seriously?
Jonas: Dawn of Winter has been Gerrit's band for, I don't know, 19 years or something. So, they will never stop dooming!
In fact they just played with us at our release-show last Thursday, which went great by the way!
Do the other members also have other bands/projects?
Jonas: Our bass player Kai is also in Lanfear, but that's about it. Our drummer Mathias used to be in Mystic Prophecy and I was with disbelief, but we both quit due to our schedule.
This is Sacred Steel's 7th album, a holy number. Looking at the lyrics, I don't think holy is one of the things that fits. Can you tell us something about the lyrics, for example about the song: "Broken Rites"?
Jonas: Yeah, 7 indeed is a great number!
You're right, there's quite some statements against that institution known as the church...
Considering "Broken Rites": this is the (true) story of an Australian priest who had been molesting children over decades(!) under the banner of the catholic church, which is simply unbelievable. Just google 'broken rites' and you'll see...
What is the message of the title: 'Carnage Victory'?
Jonas: It�s about a soldier who sees his ideals fade and finally comes to realize the falseness of war.
I found out that Sacred Steel also means; "a musical tradition within certain African -
American churches". Did you know that? Hahaha.
Jonas: Yeah, I know...we once had an entry in our guestbook which said something like "stop making noise and destroy this beautiful American tradition", hahaha! Hilarious! ;-)
Do you all have a daily job to bring in the money, and if so, what is it that you are doing?
Jonas: You bet! SACRED STEEL are pure dedication, so there's really NO money to earn...
We have a lawyer, a computer-specialist, car-industry worker, record-company/mailorder-guy and I am teaching & studying classical guitar. If you're interested in some of my classical/acoustic-stuff feel free to check out my tunes at www.myspace.com/jonaskhalil.
Are there touring plans after the release of the new album?
Jonas: We keep getting in some requests but due to our working-schedules it's not easy to do a whole tour. We'll see what happens!
What 5 songs do they have to play at your funeral (of course I hope this will not happen for many many years)?
Jonas: Let me give it a try:
Gerrit: Trouble - "Run to the Weed"
Matze: Anthrax - "I am the Lawyer"
Jens: Megadeth - "Tornado of Fries"
Kai: Venom - "In League with Satan"
Jonas: Nevermore - "The beer Collector"
Plus I'll take "I am the Walrus" for our roadie Apollo.
If you want to tell our readers something I did not ask, you can do that now!
Jonas: Let me turn this around:
If you (the readers) would like to ask me/us something you're more than welcome to send us a message/comment via myspace (www.myspace.com/truesacredsteel) or go to www.sacredsteel.de
Answer guaranteed!
