MetalChaz
Metal novice
Number of posts : 96
Age : 48
 |  Subject: Rare Interview with Swedens "SHADOWS OF PARAGON"  Fri Jan 22, 2010 3:41 am | |
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I did this interview with female guitarist Zharlie back in 2007. Thought some of you might dig it.
INTERVIEW) with Zharlie of Swedens "Shaddows Of Paragon"
1.When did you begin your journey of becoming a guitarist and what led you to joining a black Metal band?
I started playing the guitar when I was 9 years old. I found my dad's old guitarbook from 1947 and started learning chords from there. I always liked extreme metal, I like the aggressiveness and the energy. It was my dream for a long time to be involved in a band in the extreme metal scene. Then I met the bass player, Jörundr, on the internet one day, and I found out that they were looking for another guitarist for his band. One thing led to another and I ended up joining his band Allsherjar, which later became Shadows of Paragon.
2.Are there other forms of Metal or music in general that you enjoy?
Yes, definitely. I grew up with 80's metal, I was a big Stryper fan (don't tell anyone..hehe), and I really liked Barren Cross, Bloodgood, Trouble, Guardian and lots of other bands. Then there was a time when I got more into the new metal genre like Linkin Park, POD, and after that was when I grew more towards the extreme genre, and I think norwegian Extol played quite a big role in that. The albums Burial and Undeceived are just awesome.
I do not only listen to metal, I enjoy "softer" stuff too. I have listened a lot to Petra, Dc Talk, Toto, Chicago and lots of other bands like that.
But the truth is that I don't really listen to much music at all. I love silence. When I create my own music I don't want to steal influences from other bands, I want to be able to create something unique. Something that comes out of silence.
3.What is "Shadows Of Paragon" up to lately?
Well, we did a small tour in September and played some shows in Holland and Belgium. That was a fantastic trip. The fans were really awesome down there. Very open and responding. I really hope to get the chance to go back some day.
This past year we have mostly been focusing on working on new material. Musically we have really moved on since the demo/EP release, and it is our goal to be able to present something new in the future.
4.Any touring plans?
Some things have been discussed, but there is nothing specifically planned right now.
5.Up to this point SOP has been an Indie band. Are there any hopes of signing with a label in the future?
Well, the thing is that we have never even tried to get signed. We weren't too happy with the final production of our demo/EP and haven't tried too hard to spread it. But we have still sold most of what was printed.
We have gotten some offers, but we haven't really responded to anything. We want to make sure that we pick something that can really help us get out and get shows and get good promotion. Well yeah I think there is lots of hope. I am not really worried about that.
6.When we (Jacobs Dream) perfomed with you guys in Mexico in 2005 I was very impressed with your stage presence as well as your guitar playing. What is it like being the only female musician in the band and what kind of attention does it bring to you from the crowds be it possative or negative?
Well, thank you! It is very nice to hear this. I think stage presence is very important, it's something I feel that I always need to work on, I suppose it comes with experience, as well as being comfortable with the material and the position in the band. About the attention, well, it depends a bit on where we play. Many times I don't feel that I get more attention just because I am a woman. I feel pretty equal to the rest of my band members. But I have noticed at some shows, especially outside Sweden, that I get a bit more attention. I can sometimes feel that people are checking me out as a guitarist like they are wondering if I can actually play. This sometimes makes me nervous, but I try not to care. Mostly the respons have been good though. Some girls have come up to me and said that they think I'm cool and that they want to be like me. And I try to encourage them.
7.Are there any plans of releasing a full length album with SOP in the future?
I think so, but I can't tell you when.
8.Since you are a Christian and you are playing in a black Metal band what are your feelings about the rise of Satanic Black Metal as well as all the church burnings in Norway?
Well, I don't feel anything in particular. They were first with the music style, and we came after and took the style and made it non-evil, so ofcourse they hate us now ?
The church burnings are just really immature. I guess they just wanted attention, or scare the Christians, but I don't think it worked. It hasn't really seemed like it has been very thoroughly planned, because well at least one of the Churches, I don't even know if that was an active church, it was more of a really old historical building. I think the point was just to be heard of, or get media attention, more than to actually think they were gonna hurt Christians.
9.Have you ever encountered any issues with other black Metal bands due to your Christian Faith?
Not really. I have friends who play in secular black metal bands and we just try to respect each other. Some say that you can't be black metal if you're a Christian band, and to that I just say that I don't care what you call our music. We haven't chosen that term ourselves, but we tend to be labeled that no matter what, so what can you do? Call it extreme metal if you want.
10.What would you say to somone who may not understand how a black Metal band can be Christian?
I think maybe I just answered that. I can add that I don't think a music style in itself can be Christian or secular. Music is just music, the lyrics decide what the attitude is. I guess black metal generally is connected with dark lyrics, but who decides that it has to be like that? Our lyrics are also many times dark in many ways, but we also want to say that there is hope, even in the midst of the morbid darkness. ?
11.Are there any side projects that you are or are planning to be involved in?
Yes. A friend of mine is working on releasing an album with one of the first "Christian black metal" bands in Sweden. Stuff that was recorded a long time ago, but some of it has now been rerecorded. I have been asked to do some guitarparts for one or two songs.
I am also writing material for another project, the genre is some kind of mix between power, thrash, and black metal.
12.If you could join any band that you wish who would it be and why?
Wow, tough question. Years ago I would have had said Stryper, because I loved them. But now I guess I already play in the band I love the most. ? Well, it would be cool to play in like Once Dead (Vengeance Rising). That was the first band of the heavier genre that I got into, they have always been very special to me. I went to their show in California last year, for the first time, and that was really cool.
13.What do you like best about being in SOP?
The fact that we all share the same vision. We are very different personalities but we stand united when it comes to our vision and our band. The band has become more and more like a family. During tough times in life I can talk to my bandmembers and get personal support. We also have a very strong prayer fellowship.
14.What do you hope for the future of SOP?
I would love to be able to get out more and play and connect with people. Personally I love to travel, so I would like to go to other countries and tour. I would love to tour in South America, for example.
15.What is the Metal scene like in Sweden and how often do you perform live?
The metal scene here isn't that big. So far we have mostly been playing in the Christian scene, and there aren't very many opportunites. My first year in Shadows, I think it was 2003, we had seven shows, and that was a pretty good year. So it depends on so many things. When our keyboardist left us, we decided to skip the whole keyboard concept, and not look for a new keyboardist and the result was that we couldn't do any of the previous songs live, so we had to start all over and write all new guitarbased songs. So it took a while to get back and be ready for live shows.
16.Thank you so much for your time Zharlie! Is there anything you would like to say to the readers of World Of Metal Zine?
Feel free to contact me for any question about anything I have said, or anything else. God bless you!
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Rare Interview with Swedens "SHADOWS OF PARAGON
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mc666
Master Sailboat
Number of posts : 9301
Age : 45
| | Subject: Re: Rare Interview with Swedens "SHADOWS OF PARAGON" Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:15 am | |
| i don't really consider religion. this band just keeps getting better. _________________  | |
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