top of page
Buscar

Interview to ORAGE (Germany)

rottenpages

1. Hello dear friends, pleasure to have you on Rotten Pages ´zine. How are you doing today? Let us set the scene first. Where do we find you right now? Please describe your surroundings.

Matthias: Hello from us as well. We are currently in our rehearsal room in our hometown of Bochum. Many may not know the city. We are located between Gelsenkirchen (Schalke) and Dortmund (BVB). Football fans might know these two cities. So, we are here in our rehearsal room, surrounded by our instruments and a cold beer.


2. Orage was formed in 2021. How did you come together to create the band, and what motivated you to start making music under the name ORAGE?

Matthias: I had already founded a band at the age of 17 (in 2002), which dissolved after a few years, and I no longer really felt the urge to continue playing drums. In 2014, after a long break, I got an e-drum kit for home use. Somehow, the itch was back. In 2015, I decided to form a band again. Technically, the band has existed for almost 10 years now. However, during that time, we went through several phases of finding ourselves, with people coming and going. It’s not easy to find musicians in your circle of friends, so I actually placed ads and held auditions. The band name changed. In 2021, we renamed ourselves Orage. Orage comes from French and means something like "storm." That matched our idea of music – hard and relentless but also absolutely calm as long as you remain in the eye of the storm. Yes, until all hell breaks loose again. In 2023, we changed the vocalist position once more, and from our perspective, we hit the jackpot with Mone. In 2024, we dedicated our album Reborn to science fiction, and we plan to expand and further develop this concept. I feel like, after all these years, the band has finally found its footing.

3. Let´s talk about your background as musicians. Growing up and beginning to listen to heavy metal, what were the bands and albums that really influenced you the most?

Chris: Phew, that was a long time ago. We all come from different areas of metal. For me, it was definitely Bullet for My Valentine. The first two albums, The Poison and Scream Aim Fire, were simply amazing and absolutely novel to me. The mix of heavy but melodic riffs, lots of tempo, and the blend of screams and clean vocals. Nowadays, metalcore is everywhere and almost dominates the market, but that wasn’t the case in 2005.

Matthias: As a kid, I listened to ZZ Top and blues rock because of my parents. During puberty, it was more punk and a bit of hip hop… until I discovered Blind Guardian. The album Imaginations from the Other Side completely blew me away. I still love this album. What Thomas Stauch did on the drums… just awesome! Powerful but not show-off drumming with billions of notes per second. Then came Hammerfall with the album Glory to the Brave.

Alex: I’ll keep it short. I grew up in Ukraine, and there wasn’t much heavy metal in early childhood. For me, the first albums by Testament and, as a bassist, of course, Metallica with Cliff Burton are absolute gold.

Olli: I’m more into black and groove metal. Rotting Christ!

Simone: For me, it also came through family. I like melodic stuff you can sing along to. But it all probably started with US pop-punk like Green Day, Zebrahead, etc. I don’t have specific albums in mind. Currently, I’d mention bands like Ghost, Brothers of Metal, or Amon Amarth.


4. What attributes do you think that a new Heavy Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?

Matthias: To have your own identity, you need to create your own stuff. What qualities are necessary for that? I would say this applies regardless of the metal genre – strong character, creativity, resilience, endurance, and willingness to compromise. It’s incredibly difficult to follow your own path. The music market is flooded right now. There are many good musicians and even better opportunities to fake a band than ever before. A guitarist might quickly program drums rather than find a creative drummer who may interpret a riff differently. The band’s vision doesn’t have to be mainstream. If you want to play live or make some money, you have to adapt to some level of accessibility. Chris mentioned the abundance of metalcore bands earlier. If we look at who gets booked for underground shows in our area, it’s mostly metalcore, thrash, or death metal bands. Sorry, but to me, they all sound interchangeable. Breakdown here, breakdown there. It’s all high art, and I don’t want to talk down to anyone, but it’s noticeable. You can adapt or follow your own path. That might mean not playing live, and you have to handle that without doubting your skills.

5. The new album “Reborn” is very unique and remarkable (to say the least). It seems as you progress through your career you keep pushing the envelope. How are you able to maintain that momentum and intensity?

Olli: Democracy. It may be too complicated for some bands, but we discuss and exchange ideas. Concepts are discussed without judgment. We then develop the songs together and push them further. After Reborn, deciding to focus on the sci-fi theme released incredible energy. We entered a writing frenzy. Everyone writes songs in Orage. We introduce ideas, and the song evolves collectively. This takes pressure off individuals but fuels creativity. We are already recording the next album, and we might even have enough songs for two. Let’s see what happens. 😊


6. Looking back at the beginning of the album recording, what factors played a part in the band deciding to record the album on their own with no label support?

Matthias: I recently watched a YouTube video titled "Are Traditional Recording Studios Dying?" and even commented on it. When I had my first band, I was already involved in home recording back then. In 2002, of course, things like virtual instruments, plug-ins, DAWs, etc., were far from as advanced as they are today. When I got things rolling again in 2015, I knew I wanted to dive back into it. I work as a project and process manager by profession. I analyze workflows. Nowadays, there are so many good tutorials on platforms like YouTube that I couldn’t resist. Plus, none of us are teenagers anymore, and we can invest in technology, which has also become more affordable.

At some point, we faced a decision. Do we produce Reborn ourselves or go to a studio? With the 15 songs we had planned, we would have gone broke. So, do we invest €8000 in one (ONE) album, or do we put that money into even better equipment and make ourselves independent for future productions as well? We chose the second option. Did we make production mistakes? Absolutely! But we also learned from them, and we are confident that our next album will sound significantly fatter and more refined in terms of production.

At that time, approaching a label wasn’t even on our radar. We first needed to find our footing with the concept and see if it would be well-received at all. Now, we are looking for a suitable label but, if possible, want to maintain our independence.

7. With fifteen distinctive tracks on the album, how do you ensure that each song stands out individually while also contributing to the overall flow and cohesiveness of the record?

Chris: The uniqueness is both the album’s strength and weakness. The songs were played and developed by us but over a certain period in the band’s history. Some have already received our sci-fi stamp, some were just about to, and some songs even date back to the early days. Emotionally, they are so valuable to us that we wanted them on the album. That’s why we named the album Reborn. Since Olli joined as lead guitarist and Mone as vocalist, we’ve been reborn as a band.

Our next album will also have a variety of songs – both brutal and softer ones – but they will be 100% the result of this solidified lineup. Of course, we hope people like Reborn as a whole. However, with 15 songs, it’s clear that not everyone will like all of them. Some might think it’s too many songs. But we wanted to make a clear statement – we are giving you something substantial for your money. One hour of heavy metal. No album with just 6 songs at 2:30 minutes each. Sure, that might have led to more clicks on streaming platforms, but that’s not what this is about for us.


8. As a musician, how mandatory is the process of coming up with new ideas or incorporating new influences as opposed to staying within the style you are known for or that you are most familiar with?

Alex: We don’t commit to anything specific. We play exactly what we feel and what we enjoy. Together, something always emerges. We don’t focus on anything in particular. We write songs. When we discuss them together, everyone develops their own vision, and we bring those together. This can be influenced by songs we currently like or techniques we’re learning or revisiting.


9. Can you tell me a little bit about the album cover, and do you think art work is important to public perception and branding for a band?

Matthias: Normally, I create all the artwork for the band – whether it’s single covers, merch… everything comes from me. But for Reborn, I had a different vision. We contacted a Brazilian artist and asked if he was interested in designing our album cover. I sent him a few songs and gave him just one guideline: Listen to the songs! Create a cover based on what you feel while listening, and we will release it without making any corrections. You’ve seen the result, and we are incredibly happy with the artwork.

For the upcoming album, however, my design will be used again. That much is certain 😉.


10. Germany has been producing a lot of good bands as of late. What is your take on the current state of metal in the country? Any particular favorites (past and current)?

Mone: The current state of the scene is actually quite good, at least in our region. I can’t judge the situation across the entire country. Concerts are numerous and generally well attended. Matthias already touched on the topic of bookings for underground shows. We wouldn’t highlight any specific bands from Germany right now. However, as a band, we are currently really into the sound of Orbit Culture from Sweden.

11. Being a German band, what sort of marketing ideas do you use to get your band's awareness in places like the US or elsewhere in Europe?

Matthias: We don’t really have one. Honestly, it’s tough. Until the end of last year (2024), we had hired a promoter. We were getting a lot of attention in South and North America – online radios, webzines like yours, podcasters, etc. We are thrilled about that. When we released Reborn, we temporarily had over 8K monthly listeners on Spotify. The problem is – what does that do for us? What good is it if we are more well-known in Mexico or Colorado than in our hometown? There is a 99.9% chance that no booker in South America will fly us in at their expense. But the little bar around the corner that might book us doesn’t know we exist. I’m not saying it’s pointless, but you have to set priorities. Deliver something locally first, and then aim for something bigger. Of course, there are exceptions. But the chances are incredibly slim.


12. The underground metal scene has its own dedicated following. How do you navigate this scene as a band, and what role do you feel Orage plays in keeping the spirit of heavy metal alive?

Matthias: We are friendly and courteous. We help out wherever we perform. Other bands and promoters notice that. This way, you get recommended and find opportunities. Assholes get booked once or twice and then dropped. That’s our motto. Likewise, we connect other cool bands with our contacts. That way, we help each other out. We also believe that we need to offer our listeners and audiences something at our concerts. That’s an obligation as artists. Just going on stage, playing songs half-heartedly, taking the money, and leaving… that’s not our thing.

Our goal is to deliver more than others. We put thought into our show. Even if the venue is small, at least our costumes stand out. If the venue is bigger, we bring our light and fog show. If someone just wants to hear our music, they can stream it endlessly on all platforms. But those who come to see us live get a show that not many bands in the underground deliver. That’s how we sell concert tickets. The audience deserves to get something for their money.


13. What are some of your best moments during the live shows? What are some artists that you have been privileged to work with in the past? What are some of your less memorable moments during the live performances?

Matthias: All performances with all artists were good. There are bands we wouldn’t voluntarily play with again, but I won’t name names here. We’ve had a few difficulties during shows. For example, on December 14th, we played at a festival for the association Metal for Mercy. By the way, they are absolutely fantastic. Not only do they promote the underground, but they also donate a significant portion of the concert proceeds to charity.

At that show, with a few hundred spectators, our monitoring failed. Luckily, I still had the click in my ear, but the others couldn’t hear themselves anymore. We still pulled off the gig, and the audience said they didn’t even notice anything and that we delivered. It was an incredibly stressful experience, and we definitely don’t want to go through that again. But it showed that we function well as a band and are tight. Know your shit! Rely on each other, and everything will work out!


14. Now a random fun question: If you were to be a superhero, which power would you possess?

Orage: Dr. Manhattan. Then you’re basically a god and can do everything. Hunger, war, and suffering – none of that is necessary. Peace!


15. Thanks for your patience, that’s my last question for now. Do you have few more words for our readers?

Orage: Thank you so much for the interview. Stay healthy and treat others with respect. Remember, if we become Dr. Manhattan, we might come for you! 😉 Feel free to check out our music, and in the summer, there will be something massive coming your way – that’s for sure!



11 visualizaciones0 comentarios

Entradas recientes

Ver todo

Comments


Follow Us/Síguenos en:

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

© 2025 Rotten Pages Magazine/Guts´n´Blood Records - Página inaugurada el 15 de Mayo del 2020.

VISITOR COUNTER

bottom of page