“Harrowing Insight” is VISIONATICA’s third album since the formation in 2013. However, it took you six long years after the release of “Enigma Fire” in 2019. What happened?
“It was the Corona year that really slowed us down. We had a lot of planned gigs at festivals and clubs for the album release of “Enigma Fire”, but unfortunately nothing came of it after the lockdown. After that, some of us in the band got sick or had other problems to deal with.”
VISIONATICA is one of the few bands with the least line-up changes. You only used two other bass players in the past since Tim Zahn’s arrival in 2018. The chemistry between you guys must be extremely good.
“Yes it is, we are all friends.”
You also changed labels, from Frontiers to El Puerto Records. Why?
“It didn’t really fit anymore, but in the end we are happy about the changes.”
One of the singles and videos from “Harrowing Insight” was “Scheherazade”. Are you familiar with all the stories of One Thousand And One Nights?
“Not with all of them, but as I am very interested in history I am familiar with the story of Scheherazade. The story inspired me a lot for a song.”
The next single and video will be “Sympathy For The Devil”, out on the album release date, April 18th. It’s not a Rolling Stones cover, so what is it about then?
“It’s a dark song about a dark romance and it came about when I read an interesting article about the Stockholm syndrome. The journalist called it: the Sympathy for the Devil.”
Hailing from Nuremberg, this German symphonic metal outfit are ready for a new step in their career with the upcoming album “Harrowing Insight”, to be released on April 18 via El Puerto Records. The silence since 2019 is finally broken by ten brand new tracks that will find their way to many symphonic metal loving ears all over the world. We had an interview with singer Tamara Amedov about the new album.
On “Fucking Seducer” we also hear Ambre Vourvahis from Xandria. How did she come into the picture?
“I’ve been a huge Xandria fan for a long time and find Ambre simply breathtaking! We were over the moon when she said yes to us.”
The title “Fucking Seducer” and another track, “Super Masochistic So Sadistic Feministic”, might be considered controversial in some countries. Aren’t you afraid that “Harrowing Insight” will get a PG sticker in the United States?
“No, we are not afraid. This time we just wanted to provoke something. We are not the only ones, not the first and certainly not the last.” 😉
Maybe you can explain what’s on the cover art of the new album in between the songs we discuss.
“There’s quite a lot of personal stuff behind it. It’s the realisation about yourself. The mirror symbolises this and the fact that I have to find the key to myself. The prison that you see and that the person is in is supposed to symbolise all the problems and difficulties in life. I wanted to describe my innermost thoughts.”
By the way, “Super Masochistic So Sadistic Feministic” has a very unexpected break in the middle and is a real earworm. Do you have a favourite song already, one that you really like to sing live as well?
“I like to sing “Sympathy For The Devil” live. It’s difficult for me to say which song I like best. I think we’ve done a damn good job with every single song and all the songs make me shine and smile.”
Breaking news from April 2nd was of course the departure of long-time drummer Gerhard Spanner. He has been replaced by Martin Kainbacher. Will he be the permanent new man behind the drumkit?
“We hope it stays that way. He’s really good at it and has integrated very quickly and very well into the band.”
Last question already. The “Harrowing Insight” release concert will take place on April 25th in Nuremberg. Do you have plans for a EU tour?
“No, not yet. But we hope that our third album might be something big.” ■
Henk van Nieuwenhoven