‘I am the
reVolution’ was released on the Dockyard 2 label on September 25th, what kind of
expectations do you have for it?
Danny Estrin -
My expectations are pretty high for this album, it's without a doubt the best
written, most polished and best produced one, and the reviews (including on
Powerofmetal) have been overwhelmingly awesome so far. It'd be hard not to
expect great things from this!
If you had to
chose one song you feel represents Voyager, which song would you choose and why?
Personally I would pick the title track, a song I feel captures the essence of
the band pretty well.
Danny Estrin -
I think you've hit the nail on the head - "I am the reVolution". Our drummer
Mark was saying recently that he thought that song captured everything VOYAGER
does well – melody, virtuosity, atmosphere, great structure etc etc etc. It's
definitely a showcase of what we can do!
Where do you
see the main difference between this album and your latest album ‘uniVers‘ from
2007’? I think the general approach and the focus have shifted even more towards
melody and catchiness. And that you have managed to take your music to a new
level moving towards sophisticated and symphonic art rock without sacrificing
your metal background.
Danny Estrin -
Again, you've summarised it perfectly. Man, I don't even need to be here, you
know us better than we do *laughs*. Exactly right, we've shifted everything up a
few notches. It's a natural progression; we found our sound on uniVers and took
it up a thousandfold!
How did you
come up with the title for the album – and what significance does the letter V
or the Roman number 5 have for you in your titles (Element V, universe and I am
the revolution)?
Danny Estrin -
"I am the reVolution" deals with a lot of issues, mainly the information
overload of our society and the loss of oneself in this sea of fast-paced
activity and growth. Some of it is quite personal and reflects personal thoughts
and concepts. The title basically means that the power of change lies in the
individual, as well as the fact that the individual has the power to be a part
of society or to remove him/herself from it. The Roman Number 5 has no real
significance; it's more a playing around with the letter "V". It just happened
to be in "reVolution" as well sow e kept that theme going!
Who has
produced and mixed the album? How does the final result compare to the idea you
had going into the studio?
Danny Estrin -
I wanted something totally different, something clean and refined yet warm and
rocky. Adam Round from Kingdom Studios in Perth is only 21 but a real whizz at
sound. The studio has a lot of old analogue compressors, microphones, amps and
other gear, so we were able to experiment a lot with different stuff, which made
it a very interesting process. Each song has different snare drums, different
guitar and bass tones and that gives it its own character. I'm very happy with
the way it came out, and Ue Nastati from Sterling Sound in NYC put the awesome
finishing touches on it with his mastering. It's amazing what mastering can do,
so the final product is something to be really proud of I think.
Tell us a bit
about artwork, I think it is awesome and very deep…
Danny Estrin -
Yeah, it's awesome. Canadian artist George Grie designed it and Ash Doodkorte, a
local designer, put it all together. The artwork represents a neo-surrealist
landscape. It's like everything fits and makes sense but at the same time
doesn't... It's like a door out of, or into, the mind. The individual on the
couch to me looks like he's pondering the existence and the meaning of existence
and realises the stairwells and windows of opportunities, but isn't quite sure
what to do with it. It's definitely all quite thought-provoking and just looks
fantastic!
Voyager – any
special story behind your name?
Danny Estrin -
It's a journey, a progressive Voyage through soundscapes, landscapes, without
fear of trying new things and being a bit different.
You have
recently been opening for Queensr˙che in Australia, must have been a blast for
you – any interesting stories to tell…?
Danny Estrin -
Yeah, was a lot of fun. We also just played with DEATHSTARS the other day which
was fun - we've played with some awesome acts over the years, from Steve Vai to
Nightwish... it's always a fantastic opportunity to make new fans and cross
musical bridges...
You have
already been touring Europe in 2008 – any chance that will happen again one day?
Danny Estrin -
Oh I think so, absolutely. We actually played at the Rock in Copenhagen last
year, which was very cool! So we'll definitely be back in the future, we have a
great fan base in Europe and we just love it there, so I can't wait to tour
there again!
Name the five
musical pieces that you want to bring with you when we send you to hell or
heaven!
Danny Estrin -
Can I take them to Limbo? ;)
Ozric Tentacles - Curious Corn
Type O Negative - October Rust
Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians
Vibrasphere - Exploring the Tributaries
Lemur Voice - Divided
(If I could choose another it would be Denmark's "Chrome Shift" - a brilliant
band from your neck of the woods).
(Agreed
- Kenn)
Thank you very
much for answering my questions. Do you have any last rants for our readers?
Danny Estrin -
If you enjoy melody and heaviness, don't go past "I am the reVolution". It's
truly a revolutionary album, and I thank powerofmetal.dk and all you readers for
your kind words about VOYAGER and the Australian metal experience! Mange tak!
