S I R E N S
GERMANY
Another teutonic Heavy Metal band. DRAGON POWER is the frontman who drives SIRENS. All this years of efforts have created a big discography. Now the band is presenting the last album Global Killers!!! But it's better that he tells us all. Hello Dragon, how is SIRENS actually? Hail to METAL, brother! Well, well, thanks.Let's start the interview with a little trip through the different times of SIRENS. I've got this power metal-band SIRENS for seven years now and I'm into METAL since 15 years. My first band DEATHMASS (which also appears on the "Dragonblood 1996-2000" - CD) was founded in 1991. SIRENS exists since 1995. In 1997 I created an IRON MAIDEN-Coverband called ACES HIGH and '97 and '98 we played some tours and gigs with that band. These were the "quiet" SIRENS-years, but in the moment ACES HIGH is out of duty for uncertain time. But who knows how long . . .
Well, back to SIRENS. I started that band originally as a threepiece with me, myself and I, DRAGON POWER on bass guitar and vocals, ROCK EARTHQUAKE on drums and a different guitarist, which I don't want to mention at all. Believe me, I have my own reasons for that . . .
Nevertheless, this time we started recording some demo-tapes, later on we released some records, as you know, and now at the end of 2001 our best and most professional CD "Global Killers" was released as a special double CD featuring our Millennium CD "Dragonblood" as a free bonus-CD. We also took part on several sampler-CDs as for example "Power Battle" (Germany-1999), "No Exit" (Austria-2000) or "Atlantida Vol. 10 + 11" (Lithuania-2001 + 2002). You see, we are a hard working band for years now and we should get what we deserve soon: A good record-deal!
- Just look what SIRENS has released in it's seven years existence:
- Releases:
- - Approaching The Island - Demo 1995
- - Empire Of Clouds - Demo 1996
- - Power Metal Kid - Demo 1996
- - Various Artists - Summer Hatred - MC 1996 (Germany) with SIRENS - Empire Of Clouds" + Bride Of Steel"
- - Empire Of Clouds - Debut-Maxi-CD 1996
- - Nameless World - CD 1997
- - The Battle Dragon - CD 1999
- - Various Artists - Power Battle - CD 1999 (Germany) with SIRENS - B-Head Your Move"
- - Various Artists - LEGACY Magazine - CD 2000 (Germany) with SIRENS - Free Your Mind"
- - Various Artists - No Exit - MC 2000 (Austria) with SIRENS - Free Your Mind" - Spark, Torch & Dragonfire-Dragonblood 1996 - 2000 - Best Of CD 2000
- - Various Artists - Atlantida Vol. 10 - CD 2001 (Lithuania) with SIRENS - Free Your Mind"
- - Global Killers - CD 2001
- - Various Artists - Atlantida Vol. 11 - CD 2002 (Lithuania) with SIRENS - Mindfood"
- - METAL UP YOUR ASS - TRIPLE DRAGON TREAT - Video 2002 (Germany) with SIRENS 47 min LIVE + ARISE (Melodic Speed from Nuremberg) 34 min LIVE + Ghostvideo (ACES HIGH)
- - Empire Of Clouds - Demo 1996
What has been the changes from your first band DEATHMASS
until today with SIRENS?
I never got a question about the DEATHMASS-thing until now. But nevertheless,
you could see DEATHMASS as the practice-years for me. I developed my
guitar-playing, singing and songwriting with that band. Of course, these
days I was more into that hard thrash-style, influenced by all this
"Bay-Area"-stuff like TESTAMENT, EXODUS, FORBIDDEN or NASTY SAVAGE, but I
never will regret songs like "Sadistic Soldiers" or "Poisoned Nature".
These titles were more than cult for me, myself and I, DRAGON POWER!
Then, 1995, I decided to found SIRENS. The band's name came from the
god-like hammer-song of the SAVATAGE-guys. I love it, therefore it takes
an important part in my personal METAL-hall of fame!
Look, most of my musical roots come from the Eighties American Power Metal,
also from the Bay-Area-Thrash scene, but not to forget the NWOBHM, of course.
The German scene didn't play an important role for me, so I focussed more
on the American or British Metal. According to this, my song-writing
reflects this influence. I'm proud of it that SIRENS absolutely doesn't
sound like a German Metal band.
As a musician I have the aim to develop my music with every new record,
but it is and ALWAYS will be SIRENS! I cannot and I will not change my
musical direction because I live this METAL lifestyle!
SIRENS never forget about their roots and are mainly one thing:
H E A V Y ! ! !
In our live shows we pay tribute to the glorious Macho Metal of the
Eighties and so you can expect an extravagant stage show with swords and
chained bitches.
SIRENS will show all sceptics that the spirit of TRUE FUCKIN' METAL will
never die!
Why does the "Global Killers" full length album present a bonus CD?
We released five CDs till now and I see the "Global Killers"-record as
end of the SIRENS-demo-days. It's the first record where every bandmember
played his parts on it. As you now, "The Battle Dragon"-CD was recorded
just by ROCK (Earthquake - drums) and me. But now I've got the very, very
best line-up E V E R and I hope this will remain!!! Although I never
wanted to deny my musical past and so I decided to present all SIRENS-fans
the best songs from the old CDs and demos, even one song from my first
band, as you surely know. It was an attractive idea to release a double
album for the prize of one. And the success gives me right! The
"Dragonblood"-bonus-CD doesn't contains just best-of-stuff, but also
unreleased live-songs and our completely-sold-out "Empire Of Clouds"
cult-debut-maxi. I think this is real, true fuckin' value for money.
What d'ya think about this?!
What are the roots of SIRENS?
Not every favourite band from me is a main source of inspiration, you
have to know. Let's start with my most favourite band: IRON MAIDEN; I
loved them in the past, I love them now and I think I also will love
them in future, but I hated them as BLAZE sung. The influence is clear,
so I decided to cover "Children Of The Damned". How did you like this
coverversion?
I also appreciate Mr. ROB HALFORD with his great "Live Insurrection".
This CD is my all-time musical recommendation: METAL HOW IT HAS TO BE ! ! !
Then I have to mention some less-known stuff like CRIMSON GLORY. The
"Transcendence" album is fantastic! Not to forget the god-like RIOT.
Do you know their "Nightbreaker" album?
GREAT ! Also "Thundersteel" or "The Privilege Of Power" kick some
Metallian's ass!
From the old stuff I like METAL CHURCH, VICIOUS RUMORS, (early) SAVATAGE,
ARMORED SAINT, HEIR APPARENT, JAG PANZER and last but not least the
one-and-only HADES (US). Alan Tecchio is definitely one of the most
talented and one of the busiest musicians I know.
You as Iron Maiden fan, what do you think of them
with 3 guitarists? Do you think they are doing right?
You want an honest answer though IRON MAIDEN is my most favourite band?
I think STEVE (Harris) hasn't got the balls to send JANICK (Gers) into
retirement. O.k., JANICK joined the band for the "No Prayer For The Dying"
album, always did a solid job and he really became a MAIDEN-member, more
than BLAZE (Bayley) ever could have become. But look, they've got ADRIAN
(Smith) again and this man is definitely more MAIDEN than JANICK ever was.
So EDDIE-guys, send JANICK with some billion dollars into retirement and
MAIDEN could reach the "Live After Death"-status again! Furthermore, two
guitars plus the bass playing of STEVE is more than enough for a TRUE
FUCKIN' METAL-band like IRON MAIDEN!
What is your opinion of some old German bands as
Scorpions, Kreator, Destruction, Helloween and Accept?
I don't think that Germany is the cradle of true power metal at all,
but it definitely is the cradle of "TRUE FUCKIN' METAL" of the one-and-only
SIRENS! As I told you, I don't appreciate the German Metal scene so much,
just with the exception of some bands like (early) SCORPIONS, ACCEPT,
KREATOR, (early) RUNNING WILD or DESTRUCTION. German Metal is structured
like the Germans: Absolutely conservative with no surprises! This is the
great disadvantage of German Metal! The Americans or British have more
surprising elements in their music; it's not so absolutely clear, when
e.g. the chorus or the solo lead comes. The music lives more widespread . . .
Do you know what I mean?!
I guess, there is a huge underground in Germany, but the problem is that
the bands don't help each other. They see themselves as concurrents and
that pisses me off. They haven't understood that there aren't enough
Metallians on this goddamn planet to fight against each other. The less
crowds that were gone, should melt into a bigger Metal crowd that should
stand in union, cross their swords and let their spikes glitter for the
new "RESURRECTION OF STEEL"!
DRAGON POWER reserves the right to beat the shit out of everyone who
hasn't understood to fight for METAL!
What's your favourite CD sampler which SIRENS is featured?
I never wasted any thought about this topic, but I think the "LEGACY"
sampler drew the most attention to my band. Of course, "Free Your Mind"
is definitely a TRUE FUCKIN' METAL-HIT!
We also had an interview in the "LEGACY"-mag, as you surely know. So
I still see the "LEGACY"-thing as a very good promotion that let
SIRENS rise from the underground.
We also got some orders for our CDs and met new distributers and
business-people.
When will you play the next gigs?
In the moment we're planning to play some little festivals in Germany,
further on we could get the possibility to open up as local support for
some more well-known bands, but nothing's really sure till now. Perhaps
next year SIRENS will play at "Bang Your Head" or "Wacken", you never
know what happens. The MASSACRE-guy will tell us where to play and SIRENS
will play every time, every place! Just let me know when you're planning
to invite SIRENS to a big festival in your country. We will come (DRAGONs
can fly as you know!!!) and rip up everybody's ass!!!
Finally tell a message to the readers of Eternal Night Zine....
Nowadays there only exist quite good (even excellent) bands, but where
are the characters? There are no more characters. A TRUE METAL band
needs more than just good musicians. The music and the image should
go hand in hand. Only if it's the right mixture between these two basic
elements, you may call yourself a TRUE musician. I tell you, where the
OZZY'S, DIO'S, DEE'S or BLACKIE'S of the millennium are: In Dragonland,
inside the heart and mind of DRAGON POWER. I really do hope that you
won't consider myself to be a megalomaniac, but tell me one reason not
to trust in my musical skills and talent and my unbreakable will to be
a METAL-star someday. Since my very first band DEATHMASS (1991), I still
have relied upon myself and always have done the best job for my band. I
just demand from my musicians to play the songs in a good musical quality
with their own ideas, too. The recording, promotion, press stuff, graphical
design, remixes, homepage, etc. is the job of DRAGON POWER and of course
the vocals and keyboards. I had and still have less possibilities, but I
ever give the best I can. So I can be proud of it, 'cause I made it my way.
I have to reach my aims on a hard and stony (!) way. So I can be proud of
it. And I am! I want you to take myself serious, I tell you no bullshit!
You surely understand my ideals: LOYALITY & ATTITUDE.
So, it's time to end the stories of yesterday's glories. Now it's time for
SIRENS and my new album! I won't promise too much.
Every Metallian, who joins DRAGON POWER and SIRENS, will earn his own part
in SIRENS' "RESURRECTION OF STEEL", I swear! The Metal community has to
cross their swords of steel and let glitter their spikes of METAL to keep
up the eternal fight for TRUE FUCKIN' METAL!
HAIL TO METAL EVERYBODY! FEEL FREE TO VISIT GET IN TOUCH WITH ME
I'M IN THE LINKS"THE SPIRIT OF TRUE METAL HAS RETURNED SINCE THE DAY SIRENS WAS BORN... WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT TRUE METAL IS DEAD? SIRENS IS STILL ALIVE!!!"
