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Featuring thanks Elodia & Damasius from My Beloved Death Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial.nl 06-06 2010 21:23

01- For the first question will be - Thanks Elodia & Damasius that you have found time to give answers to these questions,How are you doing?

At first, thanks to you for your interesting in our music and the support you give to us with this interview. Giving an answer to your first question, actually we are preparing all the promo for our new album: "Moments of Redemption". After the concert in Bristol for the Spider Web Festival, we are looking for new gigs and sending promo cds to radios, webzine and magazines. At the moment we have just confirmed a new concert in England on 20th November for the second Spider's Web Fest. We can add that we're both working in our solo-projects. It's a very creative time for us!

02-Hello Elodia & Damasius what noise do you make in My Beloved Death?

My Beloved Death started being a band of darkwave, with many ambientals touches. Along this five years, our sound has evolved into a more electronic way. So, actually we can define our band as a dark electronic one.

03-How's the start of 2010 been for you thus far?

Pretty good. To play abroad for the first time, it's a very good beginning!

04-do you know the netherland? ??

Just the location and some very good bands.

05-For a lot of people, this is probably going to be their first full introduction to My Beloved Death so how about you tell us a little bit about how you guys know each other and how the band came together?

We met each other in band called "Sexual Muses", and having so much in common we decided to found a new band of gothic rock: "Life Enigma". After a year we get bored about the problems caused by the other members, and decided to keep on our music depending only of both.

06- Do you follow the electronic music Gothic / Electronica do you have any other favourite bands?

DAMASIUS: Yes, I follow the gothic /electronic scene but I also listen to many other bands like Christian Death, Corpus Delicti, Bauhaus, Sopor Aeternus...

ELODIA: I follow some gothic / electronic bands the same as others not electronic such as Bauhaus, Corpus Delicti, The Cure, Joy Division, Lacrimosa...

07-How is your relationship with other electronic bands?

There's a very good relationship, specially with south's american bands.

08- Can you give us a brief run-through of My Beloved Death story so far?

My Beloved Death borns in 2005. In these five years we have recorded four albums, appeared in eight compilations (from Germany, England, Spain, EE.UU, Columbia). Being reviewed and interviewed by several gothic magazines, radios, webzines and blogs such as Crawling Tunes, Spider's Web, Unscene Magazine, Sonidobscuro, Mentenebre, Sektor IV Radio Show...etc. We've played along spanish cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza, Burgos, Gijón...taking part in important concerts such as Avantgardia Fest '06,supporting Diary of Dreams in Madrid 2008, and last Spider Web Fest 2010.

09- How did you start to make music and what is Gothic for you?

DAMASIUS: I started playing drums, bass guitar and guitars in my first bands since I was a teenager, also if I used to be the singer. In that times, the most important for me was my voice. But with My Beloved Death everything changed for me. Being only two members, the easily way was to create our music with workstations, sinthetyzers and finally softwares. This is the way I started to make my own music depending only by myself. Gothic, industrial, pop...are just labels.

ELODIA: I started to make music when I was very young, composing pieces with a classical guitar. When I was a teenager, I just played bass in some gothic rock bands until I met Damasius. When we founded My Beloved Death, we had a clear idea: only us. That's why we started to compose our music with workstations, sinthetyzers and softwares...We work complety in an individual way, only sharing the lyrics parts. It's an amazing way to collaborate! About Gothic, for me is just a way to put a label to a certains things.

10-What did you guys do for a living before My Beloved Death?

Talking about music, just playing in other bands.

11- When did you form My Beloved Death? What inspired you to make music together?

As we tell before, we formed My Beloved Death in 2005. We were inspired by the connection between us, the things we had in common, and to find one each other the same vision about music, beyond a hobbie.

12- What are your top ten favorite Gothic / Electronica Club Songs of all time? Who are you influenced by? What would you consider your favorite cd's?

DAMASIUS: Woooow...I need a top 500! Well...

1.Wumpscut-Soylent green

2.Suicide commando-Face of Death

3.Diary of dreams-Babylon

4.Blutengel-Any chance?

5.IC 434-SSRI

6.Combichrist-All pain is gone

7.Hocico-Born to be (hated)

8.Piscide-Flesheaters

9.Painbastard-Neverkrieg

10.Infact-Compression.

I don't put them in order of preference, just ten good songs for me;) I listen to so much music, and maybe all of that can influence me of some way, but I don´t feel an direct influence of a special band. Bufff my favourite cds...the first name that comes to my mind is Embryodead (Wumpscut).

ELODIA: What a hard question! There is a huge list...However some of the best song for me at the moment are:

1.Unheilig - Schutzengel

2.Vnv Nation - Darkangel

3.Helium Vola - Onmis Mundi Creatura

4.Diary of dreams - Butterfly dance

5.And One - Panzermensch

6.Schiller - I feel you

7.Covenant - Bullets

8.Vnv Nation - Standing

9.Schiller - The Smile

10.Diary of Dreams - O'brother sleep (original version).

It's not a real order anyway...Answering to your second question, I have no influences directly to the way I compose my music for MBD by other bands, at least consciously also because the most of the music I listen to everyday has nothing in common with goth electronic...About a favourite cd, I have a lot of favourites cds from different bands,I can mention one of them "Psychoma" (Diary of Dreams).

13- What are the future plans for My Beloved Death?

Looking for a label, looking for gigs (specially abroad Spain) and creating new tracks...

14- Tell me about your albums The Exile Inside 2008,Tragic Visions from the Throne of creations 2007,Vision of human decay 2007,The throne of desolation 2006?

We can say that "Visions of Human Decay" is just the second part of an idea that begins with "The Throne of Desolation", they are two different albums but still very connected by the same concept: our personal visions of human being and his weaknesses. "The Exile Inside" talk about death, hope, blind faith...It's not an album with just one concept, there are more variety of ideas and feelings.

15-What are you currently listening to on your MP3 player???

DAMASIUS: Tactical Sekt, Vnv Nation, Centhron...

ELODIA: Schiller, Sarah Brightman, Diary of Dreams...

16- By the way do you like my questions? tell me what you think about it! ;-)

Yes of course! At least you denote to be informed about our work, and that help you to make interesting questions about it.

17- What is the main idea, the message you want to leave to people who listens to you? What is your motto?

We want just to touch the soul of our listeners. For us music is a powerful feeling, free to be interpreted...so the only thing that care for us is to transmit feelings..

18- What's the name of your band? where did the name come from? or what's the story behind the band name?

The name of "My Beloved Death" was just one of the names we suggested for a band where we played in 2004 (Life Enigma). Finally we used it for our first song as a duo and it finished to became our band name.

19-If people don't know what you and your music are about, how would you describe My Beloved Death?

My Beloved Death is a dark electronic band about the existentialims.

20- Moments of Redemption where did the concept come from? and whats planned now that your album is finished? or anything else you're working on? Tell me why this title,Moments of Redemption Tell us a few words about the concept of this?

"Moments of Redemption" is a new beginnig. It's an evolution under a new point of view of our music, ideas, feelings...Still having the same essence of old albums, "Moments of Redemption" is like a rebirth for us personally. Futures plans, as we talked: promoting this new album by radios, webzines and concerts.

Actually we are working on new songs for MBD, talking about some collaborations, and working on our both solo projects.

21- Some quick fire questions: gitar or synthesizer?

synthesizer also if we like guitars too

22-band or solo

solo.

23-How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?

Actually we have a confirmed concert in Bristol and still talking to confirm some new gigs.

24- What do you think of a modern Gothic and about Gothic / Electronica scene?

DAMASIUS: There are a lot of new young bands with very cool ideas, nothing new but very good works.

ELODIA: As Damasius says, there are a lot of good bands, however I am selective person about music, so I just can't listen to a band (also is they have a very good quality o sound) if they don't touch my soul...Most of the bands at the moment sounds all the same for me.

25- What's your favourite track of yours???

All our songs are special for us, we can't have a favourite one because all of them are just a part of us.

26-What and who gets you excited about music today???

DAMASIUS: music that excite me actually is electronic: industrial, ebm, noise, harsh...And it's always a good moment for me to listen to bands such as Suicide Commando, Wumpscut, Dawn of ashes...

ELODIA: the music I use to listen that make me feel "more than good" is a great variety of genres...from classical to electronic, chill out, new age, darwave, ebm...Talking about bands there is two great composer that "excite me" with their talent minds: Adrian Hates from Diary of Dreams and Christopher von Deylen from Schiller. However there is also a lot of classical music piece I drown with...I can stop listen to Rondó Veneziano, and some great music sang by the soprano Sarah Brightman...

27-Our usual question - what is music for you?

As we said before, music is a powerful feeling...Passion, pain, happyness...Something we can't live without.

28- What was your best live experience so far?

Supporting Diary of Dreams in 2008 and at The Spider's Web Fest on march 2010.

29- Please list the name, age, school, and respective instrument of each band member

Name: DAMASIUS VENYS

Age: 23

Instrument: VOCAL, KEYBOARD, PROGRAMMING

Music School: SELF-TAUGHT

Name: ELODIA WOLFF

Age: 27

Instrument: VOCAL, KEYBOARD, PROGRAMMING

Music School: SELF-TAUGHT

Vocal School: VOCAL COACH

30-What are your views on the current state of this Gothic / Electronica scene in Spanje in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?

In Spain there are some very good electronic bands but the problem is still the same: the audience uses to prefer foreing bands...Maybe that's why when you play in other countries, the audience's reception is very warm.

31- you have very nice numbers` tell me about lyrical compositions what you can tell about the done work? How does your music creation process work? How do you create a song?

DAMASIUS: normally I use to sit in front of the pc and start to play with the keyboard. I try different sounds, effects and they start to create the inspiration in me. Then I work the bass lines, drums, melodies until I have an instrumental base. About the lyrics, I listen to the base to get the feeling to write on and as I write I create the vocal line...Then we both share the ideas of the new composition, deciding who is going to sing a part or other (choirs, lead vocal) and start to record. At the end of process there are the arragments.

ELODIA: when I create a song I start from a melody (or a whole song) playing endless into my mind...It could come to me when I sleep, when I am driving...Then I try not to stop that melody or song inside my mind and run to the the PC. I record a rough of the "idea" and wait to work it when I have more time. The process of creating a song could be more or less long, specially because I used to listen the song always from the beginning to get the whole idea and help me to know how I have to continue it...I can't explain, but music just "tell me" the best way to introduce a new draft or not. I try to be like a stranger listen to my music, to understand what people could feel listen to the song...When I am 100% shure about the results of the whole instrumental base, I use to listen to the base and let me go and start to dream with...It's in this "opened eyes" dreams that I create the vocal line and the lyrics. I let me suggest by "music" what voice is most properly for the song to decide if must be Damasius' voice or mine like lead vocals, and then I visualize inside my mind the way the two voice could play together to create a beautiful and interesting vocal line. Then I share all of this with Damasius, and finally record the voices. Of course, at the end of process as Damasius says, there are the arrangments.

32-What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?

We work on some kind of gothic electronic music. Many things influence our music, not just a band we listen to...

Sounds, conversations, films...everything could influence us.

33-Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you?

Since My Beloved Death was not an electronic band in the origins, we had not experiment that change.

34-So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?

As we said in question before, everything could influence us.

35-What is currently inspiring your material as an artist? tell me all about the Gothic / Electronica scene of Spanje?

As artists, we feel inspired by any kind of emotion that touchs us in a strong way. In Spain there are a lot of parties, dj's and concerts of famous bands, but there's not much movement of national bands.

36-Do you think that people from the music press didn't expect you to grow up musically?

When we started with My Beloved Death we didn't receive so much support specially from where we came from. With the time, the things changed specially when we turned into electronic music.

37-what is the key to making music from My Beloved Death and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?

The key to make music from MBD is the indivinduality and sharing. What inspires us to grow up as musicians, is just the need to create something, to express feelings in the best way you can and know...To discover new paths to improve your capacity of composing and discover yourself.

38-How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Gothic / Electronica music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?

39.what was your childhood like?

DAMASIUS:...no comments...

ELODIA: Childhood was wonderful, also if me and my family moved to another country. I can't say the same about my teenage life! But the most important is the present, and I finally feel good, with a lot of dreams waiting to come true

40-If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be???

Eveything we want people know about MBD, is right here.

41-Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here ??

At the moment we are not planning any new release, just to promote "Moments of Redemption" and dedicated some time to our solo's projects.

42-It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?

At first we want to thank all of them to take time to read this interview, and also to encourage them to join our official facebook site, myspace and take a look to our official website www.mybelovedeath.com you are really welcome!

43-and what is next on Spanje agenda?

We are looking to confirm a concert in Zaragoza with other bands.

44-How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?

In our official website you can find a lot of stuff regarding My Beloved Death such as photos, videos and other interesting things. We have also a myspace: www.myspace.com/mybelovedeath just to take a look to new concerts and listen to our music and facebook presence. Finally you can buy our cds by internet in the shop RaraAvisStore www.raraavisstore.com or contacting us via e-mail info@mybelovedeath.com

45-How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?

We started playing as a gothic rock band (with, real basses, drums, keyboards...) until 2005 when we decided to compose everything only with keyboards being more darkwave. Actually our sound changed into a more electronic sound, composing with software and programming and this is the line we want to keep on.

46-How is the new line-up working out?

We are the same, still looking for a keyboardist to join the band for concerts.

47-And, finally, what does the next twelve months hold for the band?

Who knows...

48-Any last words???

Hope this interview helps people to be interested by our work and know more about My Beloved Death.

49-Thank you for your time Elodia & Damasius Good luck

Thanks to you for your support and sorry for taking long time to answer your questions, we've been very busy! Good luck to you too with your work!