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Returning To Your Roots With HORST TESSMANN From STORMHAMMER · HEAVY Music Interviews

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Years lost in Storm Hammer, and we're talking about the
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: new album, Last of the Hammer, which will be released
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: seventeenth of June July.
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: Yes, yeh yeah, fantastic world done.
• 0:17
  Speaker 3: And look after the success of Seven Seals, did you
• 0:20
  Speaker 3: feel any pressure going into Wrath of the Hammer or
• 0:22
  Speaker 3: was it more exciting rather than intimidating.
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Obulously spoken, I'm not too lad with Seven Seals, yeah, yeah.
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: It was not the style of would prefer or I
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: prefer much. Yeah, So my wish was to go more
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: or less back to the Welcome to the End the
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: album and that style we had there, and we had
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: some problems again with line up changed in something, so
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: it took a really really long time to release another album.
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: So I'm quite happy that we finally did this.
• 1:10
  Speaker 3: And do you feel like you got there with this album?
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm pretty pretty fine with the album. Yeah, yeah,
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: I like it.
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: Fantastic.
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: That's so good to hear, and the band has said
• 1:28
  Speaker 3: that this album pushes beyond traditional power metal. Was there
• 1:31
  Speaker 3: a particular song where you felt this is the new
• 1:34
  Speaker 3: storm Storm Hammer.
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I guess the type of song whilst the Hammer
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: is representing the new album and also their actual style
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: of the band quite well.
• 1:51
  Speaker 3: And I have to say out of the album that
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: what I've heard already, that's my favorite song.
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: How about you?
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: For me? Difficult to tell because there also skies of
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: the others or with the fraternity or yeah there are.
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: There are a lot of good songs on it, so yes,
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: it's not not easy to tell which one is the best.
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, no, that's a fair enough een.
• 2:20
  Speaker 3: And as the basis, how did the addition of thrash
• 2:24
  Speaker 3: and heavier influences change your approach to writing or recording
• 2:27
  Speaker 3: your parts?
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: Not too much, because we always started or starting with
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: the guitar parts or the ideas coming up brought up
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: by the guitar players. The guitar players work together with
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: mana with a vocals and then the song is almost
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: complete and then we're just that and so I have
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: to for me just also doing recording, I'm always recording
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: the bass as the last part of all the songs
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: because I I need the drums because I want to
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: be more more or less synchronized with the bass drum.
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: So if I if I'm doing some recordings, then afterwards
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: you have the drums recording and maybe that's not fitting together.
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: So I'm I'm the final part I'm recording. Of course
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: some some bass lines are prompted, but the final bass
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: is also the last thing I record.
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: That makes a lot of sense.
• 3:50
  Speaker 3: I never thought of it like that that a lot
• 3:52
  Speaker 3: of bass guitarists usually wait for the drums and then
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: they play off the drums.
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: I suppose, yeah, that with is the other way round also,
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: But I think, but, but I think the final the
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: final version when when you have the based based drums
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: or that you recorded or more or less recorded, then
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: it gives up. It gives up more, more power and
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: and and more, and the rhythm sections and fitting. Yeah.
• 4:30
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And there's a
• 4:33
  Speaker 3: real mix of classic heavy metal, thrash, progressive and even
• 4:36
  Speaker 3: punk influences on the album. Were there any artists or
• 4:39
  Speaker 3: albums that inspired inspired you whilst making Wrath of the Hammer.
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: No, it's it's these these different elements that just was
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: were brought up by by by Phil and Crystal.
• 4:56
  Speaker 3: Yes, the.
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: The main arm I years so brought up. Sometimes the
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: whole song we just worked on on on Yeah, tiny
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: tiny parts and and sometimes we have to work a
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: little more on these songs. But all these elements you
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: mentioned there as part of the history of Phil and
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: christas Phil the smallest, specially hard and I guess he
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: played in a punk band sometimes, I don't know. And
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: christals he's has a strong block metal background. And everything
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: came together and that's that's the result, and I think
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: it's a good result.
• 5:49
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that's amazing. So there wasn't really any one particular influence.
• 5:53
  Speaker 3: It was kind of everyone just going yeah, interesting. And
• 6:00
  Speaker 3: the album was recorded with producer Alexander Crall at Master
• 6:03
  Speaker 3: Sounds Studio. What did he bring to these sessions that
• 6:06
  Speaker 3: helped elevate the record?
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: As as Marnol told me, they worked very hard on
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: on the vocal parts because Alex is also a singer
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: and so he in in in the studio. They did
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: did more things as two singers working together. Often you
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: have a producer who is a guitar player or something,
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: and you have more focused on on these parts. And
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: that was the part Alex worked with with Marno and
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: so then I guess that's these things are changed a bit.
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, yeah, there you go.
• 7:00
  Speaker 3: Is nice to have another opinion, I think in the room,
• 7:03
  Speaker 3: especially if they are, as you said, a producer that
• 7:06
  Speaker 3: can play another instrument or sing It always adds another
• 7:10
  Speaker 3: element I think, like an outsider perspective.
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and one story Mama told me and in the
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: last interview together, Yeah, he said said to be angry.
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: Now there you go.
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: And it worked and Mama said, why I'm doing fine,
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: Now be angry. The song needs an angry man.
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, I love that.
• 7:40
  Speaker 3: I love it, and I think that really does come
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: across in the album too. There's an aggression there that
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: I like, Yeah, that's awesome. And was there one song
• 7:50
  Speaker 3: on the album that surprised you once it was finished,
• 7:53
  Speaker 3: either because it evolved so much in the studio or
• 7:55
  Speaker 3: because it became a favorite of yours.
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: Yeah, the song which for my feeling changed a lot
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: song was Wheels of Eternity because Jonah Winegarten added the
• 8:09
  Speaker 1: keyboard pat and he came up with the idea to
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: start the song with the keyboard and that that changed
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: a lot of the character of the song. Because when
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: we did all the songs, we just said the guitars
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: and and the other parts, and Jonah came up comes
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: to the production when we're we're almost finished with all
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: the songs, and then you hear the songs all the time.
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: And then then he come the keyboard parts, and yeah,
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: not everyone was happy with every keyboard part, and so
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: we have to to get used to that and the song.
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: I guess the song which which changed the whole character
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: was was Wheels.
• 9:04
  Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, definitely definitely. So did that one take a
• 9:09
  Speaker 3: lot of working on for everyone to be happy with
• 9:11
  Speaker 3: the final product?
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: Yeah, of course that's but but that's usual.
• 9:17
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: Then you have to with every recording.
• 9:22
  Speaker 3: Do you find it hard to know when a song's
• 9:24
  Speaker 3: finished and when to say that's enough, it's perfect, stop
• 9:27
  Speaker 3: touching it. Uh.
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: The problem is that it's never perfect, never finished. So
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: the good thing is that, uh, Alex, that does not
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: have endless time, so we have to say okay, we done.
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: Of course you can, you can work on the song forever. Yeah,
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: no problem, But but you have at a certain point
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: you have to say, okay, that's that's that's it, that's it.
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, no it makes sense.
• 10:05
  Speaker 3: And power Metal is known for huge melodies, but this
• 10:08
  Speaker 3: record also has much rawer edge, much rawer edge. Was
• 10:12
  Speaker 3: it difficult finding the right balance between melody and aggression? No?
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: I don't think so, because Man has also a very
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: very strong background and he's doing also these very good
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: hook lines and bringing the melodies to the song and
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: with the aggression of the music, I think it's a
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: perfect match.
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: And yeah, yeah, great balance, it just works.
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: And as someone who also provides backing vocals, how important
• 10:50
  Speaker 3: are those extra vocal layers in creating storm Hammer's signature sound.
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: Well, I think the backings at that point the more
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: more or less important if you're playing live. Yeah, so
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: that's the thing because when you're recording the main singer
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: and the main vocalus, they are doing most of the
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: backing vocals too, because the capability is much better. I'm
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: very limited singer, so stop. I'm not the best in
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: recording vocals. But I guess if you're playing live and
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: you have two or three other people also adding some vocals,
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: bring bring up more room in the song.
• 11:45
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, definitely.
• 11:46
  Speaker 3: And Stormhammer has built a strong following across Europe. Are
• 11:51
  Speaker 3: there any plans to bring Wrath of the Hammer to
• 11:53
  Speaker 3: fans outside of Europe? Especially? Is an Australian tour or
• 11:58
  Speaker 3: festival appearance something that's been discussed, Not really in the
• 12:03
  Speaker 3: mid No, well maybe soon, hopefully.
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: Hopefully maybe maybe if you're if you're all buy the
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: CD or the vinyl then maybe we will be invited
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: to them. But at the moment we have no plans
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: or there is no no, no plans. And the problem is,
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: of course the high coast costs. Yeah, and if you
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: have different locations to play in Australia, I guess it's
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: also not easy to get there. Yeah, we have long distances.
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right.
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: Definitely we would be happy to play there, of course.
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: Yes, yes, we'd love to have you guys over here. Yes,
• 12:48
  Speaker 3: as you said, we need everyone here to start listening
• 12:51
  Speaker 3: on Spotify by the albums everything, so we can get
• 12:55
  Speaker 3: you over here. I think you guys would do really
• 12:57
  Speaker 3: well at some of our We have a few metal
• 12:59
  Speaker 3: festival falls and yeah, it'll be awesome to see there.
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I hope, I hope. Actually, we all we're looking
• 13:09
  Speaker 1: for a supports slot for Altimal Spring and for Europe
• 13:17
  Speaker 1: European tour. That's that's also very difficult to get there.
• 13:23
  Speaker 3: Yea.
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: We don't have anything confirmed yet, only one show for
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: today's a little festival here in around Munich and no
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: other shows are already confirmed now.
• 13:44
  Speaker 3: Oh wow, okay, is festival time heading towards the end
• 13:48
  Speaker 3: of the year.
• 13:49
  Speaker 2: For you guys though, or is it.
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: Yeah, to get the festival it is also a bit tricky. Yeah,
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: so all these slots for this year also books, so yeah,
• 14:04
  Speaker 1: but we hope that we well next next year there
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: are two shows that we can we're playing festivals awesome.
• 14:14
  Speaker 1: Maybe even if the city we'll have them that can
• 14:18
  Speaker 1: enable success and I guess it's we'll push that too.
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that's it.
• 14:25
  Speaker 3: No, definitely, I understand the logistics, especially getting to Australia
• 14:29
  Speaker 3: and traveling around Australia, like you said, for any band,
• 14:32
  Speaker 3: is a lot.
• 14:34
  Speaker 2: Yeah, but we definitely hope it can happen sometime. And
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: looking beyond the.
• 14:39
  Speaker 3: Release of Breath of the Hammer, what does the rest
• 14:42
  Speaker 3: of twenty twenty six look like for Storm Hammer? Are
• 14:44
  Speaker 3: there any goals or milestones the band is hoping to achieve.
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: Yeah, we're starting now the songs and the recording for
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: the next album already. Wow, because we want to release
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: the next room in Awesome next year. Yep, that's our goal.
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: The summer is very hot in Germany too, so we
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: want to finish the recordings in spring.
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that'd be nice. J You're busy, aren't you.
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's no time to be lazy.
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: No.
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: Wow, that's awesome.
• 15:24
  Speaker 3: That's so exciting. And before you wrap up, is there
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: anything you'd like to say directly to your Australian fans
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: or to those who will be discovering storm Hammer for
• 15:33
  Speaker 3: the very first time with your new album.
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: Well, I hope the fans in Australia will enjoy a
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: new album. Maybe they will also I look at or
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: hear some of the older ones. Yes, hopefully we will
• 15:51
  Speaker 1: see you use there in Australia too and the other shows.
• 15:55
  Speaker 3: Yes, oh fantastic course. Thank you so much for your
• 15:59
  Speaker 3: time today. Can't wait. We love everything you guys are doing.
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you very much for us