Hi Joachim, thanks for doing this interview, how are you doing?
We did our previous interview in 2006, the line up of Schattenschlag has changed, why the need to change the line up and who is in the band at the moment? What is their contribution to Schattenschlag?
Hi Ed, nice talking to you again after quite a while. Well Schattenschlag improves all the time and so did the line up. Anyway it is quite stable for approx 2 years by now and should stay as it is. It is important to get every idea fixed and discussed and to find conclusions on what we could do and should do (either live on stage, promopictures or in the studio). The result is the current line up with Any, Karo and me. There also is our productive webmaster Peer who does all the nice things on our webpage and myspace account.
In 2006 you were really positive and full of energy yet it became really quiet around Schattenschlag, how did this come and should we consider the releases of Augenblicke and Shade Impact as a new start?
A lot of private things happened in the past which took a lot of time , creativity and power from me as being the main composer behind everything. And sometimes you ask yourself if all the trouble is worth releasing an album in times there you sell 1750 copies of a CD and have at least 10 to 20 times the number as illegal downloads. Augenblicke and Shade Impact “Awake” should get some more back to the roots. Today everybody has at least a hand full of remixes on an album which in my opinion only try to cover up mistakes or lack of creativity in the original tracks. If you want to do something different it takes time, ideas and a concept. You will find all of these on the new releases.
In 4 years the musical climate in “cybergothic” has changed a lot, how do you feel about this and what role do you think Schattenschlag can play in the new musical climate?
Sometimes I wonder what someone is doing to his or her music. It is the typical idea of a sample, some music (4/4 beat) and a couple of shoutings (the perfect idea would be some sexual influences in these) which is not my style. Cybergothic can be more than being sexual orientated and more than just some lame shoutings. I miss the deeper things in the tracks. Lyrics that have some more philosophical character and not some bummmmbummmbummm. I think this makes Schattenschlag really different to others at present state.
In the 2006 you were talking about a new album called Antiseptiq, it never got released, what happened with it?
Most of the tracks of “Antiseptiq” are now part of “Awake”, but got reworked during the time.I was not that pleased with the tracks and tried other versions, more deeper composition in it and different vocals and the result really is awakening !
Several times there were rumours that Schattenschlag got signed to a label but every time it seems to bounce off, what are the reasons for this?
We had a couple of offers to join up with different labels and spoke to our management about it. Some contracts really are not that kinda style I want to sign. Anyway I can understand for example smaller labels just to offer a contract on sales and not on the whole album as it was typical back in 2000, 2004. But to put the complete risk to the musician can not be the contract to a label today. If you only offer a sales contract you, as a label, do not really believe in the band or the project as the heart is missing and the goal to reach a suitable success.
In 2009 you released the album Augenblicke, some songs on it are were written years before, like Sucht, ordnung und Electro, why not put total music on it? What the idea to release the album as a sign of life?
We are signed to a mayor label at present and that has really a lot influence on what you release and when you will release it. We wanted to restart everything and had a new plan on marketing and marketing strategies. Everything had to be worked out and that took some time. Now we are back, kicking and for sure there are other things being planned at present that will have a deeper impact for Schattenschlag again.
Lately you have been using several guestvocalists like Fredrik of Mensch Defekt, Frika of Legionaire, why did you use guestsingers?
I had some problems with my own voice as I had been ill for more than a year and still singing hurts a bit. So we had to use guest vocals and the vocalists really did a job well done ! Thanks a lot my friends for being with me during this time !
You now have released a total new album called Shade Impact, did the recording go as planned or did any weird thing happen? Did you have a clear view of what you wanted it to sound like?
Shade Impact is the same in English as Schattenschlag is in german. As I found out there is a coexistence to a more right winged Oi-Band I needed the distance from this and german law works not that fast for me to get the name of the other band banned or prohibited. So there was only one choice left.
In what way did you make progress when comparing it to “Twisted mind of perversion”, did you use different kind of soft- and hardware for this album or did you stick with the old ones? It seems this album is a lot more personal, what are the topics you were using this time?
This time I really worked out more personal matters. The world is changing all the time all around us. Schattenschlag grew up at the beginning of Cybergothic and now is grown up to nearly musical perfection on it. It is not compareable to other bands, it leaves room for discussion and sometimes I find others inspired on the work I did in the past and that is something that honors me and fills me with pride. Sometimes I feel that Schattenschlag is the spearhead on new musical ideas and influences in cybergothic music. That is the aim of it and should be all the while the same and this makes it so personal for me as I am not somebody who likes being compareable, who does not want to run along the same ways others took ages before and who knows that new ways always have much hinderances to take.
The most challenging will be to get schattenschlag back to its original place in the electro / industrial world, how are you planning to do this?
Currently I started out working on a new album again which will probably be ready in a couple of months after my relocation to Ireland is finished. So Schattenschlag will be the premier irish Dark Electro/Industrial band then. And the world is changing as stated before. So this will be the chance to try out a new way again. The way on producing and composing throughout different European countries, a new experience and an experiment and the result for sure will kick ass !
How can people purchase both albums?
At present the albums are released on every mayor mp3 website (Itunes, Amazon, etc…) and it won´t get a CD version from these two albums. The time for CDs is running out with all the mp3 players, netbooks, notebooks, etc… so the way to release it online is for sure actual the way to chose.
Any last words for the readers?
Be prepared for a new generation of Schattenschlag/Shade Impact ! And send your hellos to info@schattenschlag.com.
Thanks a lot Ed for the kind words…hope to speak to you soon !
Jo
www.schattenschlag.com