After the blasting debut album the four warriors from Lost Horizon delivered this year (quoted 97 / 100), we had to interview them. We haven't had much time to put out new interviews on the site lately, we're sure you've noticed, and this interview is a few months old. We're working on redesigning the interview engine to be dynamic like the reviews and news are (so you will be able to participate putting your comments and all), so we don't have much time to actually post new ones with all the reviews and all, we hope you can understand. Thank you for your comprehension and neverending support. So here it is, a new interview, so enjoy it!
M.R. : Thank you very much for your time and congratulations again for delivering such a bombastic record
Thank you
MR : First of all, congratulations for this fantastic Heavy Metal album, it's been a long time since we've heard such a bombastic record.
Well, thank you.
MR : If I told you that your music is a mixture of Running Wild and Pretty Maids, what would you say ?
We've heard Pretty Maids and Running Wild before as suggestions of bands we sound like, but I have to admit that I haven't been listening too much to Pretty Maids but I suppose there must be some resemblance / feeling into our music that reminds people of these bands. But again, I think that a lot of things made in the 80's, when metal was big, such as the feel and the sound of that period, you can find a lot of that in our music. All inspiration we've had was derived from the 80's.
MR : But the guitar riffs really sound like Running Wild, so is it a direct inspiration ?
Not direct, as we don't try to copy any existing band. Running Wild is really a German Heavy Metal band and maybe in Heart Of Storm you can feel such feeling in the music
MR : Yes, exactly.
But there's also Iron Maiden that inspired us, you can probably feel it in Welcome Back. I was really inspired by Steve Harris when I started to play Bass guitar.
MR : Who writes the songs in Lost Horizon ?
All the music and lyrics are written by our guitar player, Wojtek Lisicki, except Welcome Back that was actually written by an old member, who used to be in our old band, Highlander.
MR : Let's talk about the booklet. It's a fantastic CD and it's a fantastic booklet. Your label really invests in you.
Yes, but we have done all artwork, layout and everything by ourselves.
MR : How many records have you signed with Music For Nations ?
We've signed for 5 records.
MR : Wow! big deal then ?
Yes it's quite a big deal. We were pleased with the contracts so... we're quite happy about it.
MR : Are you happy with them, the promotion of the record so far ?
Yeah ! I think it's really noticeable that their pushing it.
MR : If I tell you your look reminds me of Manowar, any comments ?
Well I suppose it's quite an obvious comment to make. We're into the same general kind of music and they're into leather and bare chests, so I don't mind the comparison, but they don't have any painting though. I believe that metal should be played in a way that you express energy as much as possible, and it's easier to express it if you're bare chested and even have some warrior paintings on you.
MR : It must be impressive on stage (and we saw it was in Wacken !!!).
We're very happy because on our first live shows so far we've had a very good connection with the public, that's fantastic.
MR : I have a single complaint about the record, it's too short (laughs), there's only 7 songs, why ?
You've probably noticed that the songs are in a specific order, that's no coincidence, we've thought about the way we'll place them, because we have a defined pattern in our minds so that people listen to our album from the beginning to the end as opposed to some records where people play the tracks randomly. We really wanted it to be more like an experience, like a theater experience, you sit down on a comfortable chair and get great impulses from the record, preferably with the booklet in your hands so you get the best out of it. That's how we feel about how we play it, we want to transmit it to the listener. And we think that if the record is too long, then it's not good. Instead, if it's finished and you feel like you want to hear more it leaves the listeners with more positive energy than of being happy it's finished because it dragged on for too long.
MR : Shortly after the review, Wojtek Lisicki send us a mail, and in the mail he said he didn't want to be associated with Hammerfall. What really happened between Lost Horizon and Hammerfall ?
well... (hesitating)
M.R. : we had the feeling that maybe you guys where enemies ?
We're not enemies at all, we had that band Highlander with Joacim Cans and we went on and off. We played for a couple of years but stopped around 1995. I went on tour with Wojtek in his death metal band ... actually at that time I don't think Hammerfall actually existed. So Joacim left and ended up in Hammerfall eventually. We know each other and have been playing together but that's all the connections there are.
M.R. : So Joacim left Highlander ?
No, actually the band dissolved.
M.R. : But you never played with Oscar Dronjak ?
No.
M.R. : So whose members of Hammerfall where in Highlander at the time ?
Joacim, Stefan Elmgren and Patrick their old drummer (MR note: Both were guest musicians on Glory To The Brave, then Stefan became the lead guitar player of the band and still is. As for Patrick he also was the drummer in Legacy Of Kings). But it's not like we separated in a big fight or anything.
M.R. : So you're still friends ?
Absolutely. We don't really spend time together but we're not enemies anyway.
M.R. : Because of your E-mail we weren't sure if there was some tension between the two of you.
Not at all. Our label actually likes the fact that there is that connection between us and Hammerfall. So since Hammerfall are big, then the fans will think "well, another band in that fashion". But we think that we are good enough to make it without being associated with another band. Also we don't think we have the same style at all actually. We both play metal, but they do their thing and we do our thing.
M.R. : Don't you think that there are too many metal bands these days ?
Actually yes, I think that the market has been somewhat over fed with not such great metal bands, I think there are too many too similar bands. They look the same and they play the same, you know.
M.R. : It must be quite hard to be recognized then ?
All throughout the years when we were playing, we were doing our thing. We have not been listening to many other metal bands to gain inspiration in that way. We get inspiration from the spirit we feel when we listen to really great heavy metal music. A lot of it comes obviously from back in the 80's... Judas Priest, Dio, Riot. Riot is really an under-rated band
M.R. : Oooooh yes !
And bands like that. We are not so much into listening to others and then make the same music.
M.R. : Okay, I think I've put out my question with the wrong words. What I meant to say is that is it difficult to get out of the underground? Take Nocturnal Rites for example, a fantastic band that fought very hard to get known and still they're far from Hammerfall which are known almost everywhere after only 3 albums. Like you said, in the 80's you were going into the shop and you had very few bands to choose from, like Priests, Dio, Maiden, Accept ... but now there's like 600 bands to choose from.
I think that one reason is, that there is, well I hate to use this word, but there is somewhat of a "trend" in metal. There has been like a new ignition to it, so it's come back, which is great of course. A new generation of metal audience is here and that's great but I think that some labels have noticed that in advance and have tried to find as many bands as possible to sell and have the model label. So they're finding 10 similar bands hoping that 2 or 3 becomes fairly big. But maybe none of them will make it really big. I know that's one thing Music For Nations told us in the beginning, that they are not interested in finding more than one band in each category. They have been looking for good metal bands. A bit away from the rest of the pack so to speak and they felt that they found what they were looking for when they got our demo. That was really appealing to us because we knew about the situation that today there's a lot of bands. Not many bands got a lot of push from the labels, they don't necessary have the budget and machinery behind them since there are so many bands.
M.R. : I believe that you've taken the best from Pretty Maids, the best from Maiden and the best from Running Wild and came with a sound of your own. Even if I sometimes hate to use the words True Metal, I believe that this label applies to you, do you agree with that ?
Absolutely. We are playing True Metal, we're not playing Power Metal though ! I'm glad you feel that way, because for me Power Metal is the typical kind of late 90's Germanish metal, that's fine, but I don't think that it is True Metal to me.
M.R. : In the middle of the booklet I read : No Fate, Only The Power Of Will ! Do you think the power of will is enough these days to succeed in life ?
Yeah, I think that obviously there's always some luck, but if you want something bad enough you can get it, it doesn't matter what you're willing to sacrifice.
M.R. : Do you think you were lucky ?
I don't know, we have worked so hard for so many years, that's the way we are, I would say it's nothing but will, but of course we've had good timing with getting the deal with MFN and maybe that's a bit of luck.
M.R. : But that's a lot of work also ?
Yeah.
M.R. : If you release a second record like the first one, I'm sure you're gonna be the next big thing.
Well, I won't mind (laughs)
M.R. : Can you tell me your 5 best Heavy Metal records ?
I'm not gonna give them in any particular order : One of them is definitely the second album from Forbidden - Twisted Form, I really love that album. Another one is an instrumental piece : Joey Taffola called Out Of The Sun. Beneath The Remains from Sepultura. Thunder Steel from Riot and it will have to be Powerslave from Iron Maiden.
M.R. : When will Lost Horizon go on tour, what's the plan ?
Well, our immediate plan is to do as many festivals as possible during the summer. Dynamo, Wacken hopefully, and some more.
M.R. : What is your dream with Lost Horizon ?
We want to tour the entire world, because on stage that's where life really starts for us. It's not comparable to other feelings, it's fantastic to feel the power of the audience. So that's what we want to do.
M.R. : One last word ?
Well... I suppose: "No Fate, Only The Power Of The Will". I really think that that's our main words. No fate, cause there is no fate, life is what you make of it. If you have the will, you have all the opportunities, or even get them. Nothing is free though, you have to work.
M.R. : Thank you very much for your time and congratulations again for delivering such a bombastic record
Thank you
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