Pyogenesis
Steam Paves Its Way

02.02.2016

Germany’s Pyogenesis have been a real cult band for many years, but I got to know them only a while ago, through hearing their latest album “A Century In The Curse Of Time”. But before old-timers frown in my direction, I would like to ask them in all honesty whether being familiar with the band’s previous offerings ever helped them whenever Pyognesis would release something new. Death doom metal, gothic rock, pop punk, alternative – this is just a short list of the styles that the Germans have managed to cover over 25 years of their career. What’s even more interesting is that mastermind Flo V. Schwarz and his ever changing team manage to produce hits whatever their incarnation may be, and the new record is a firm testament to that. This album, as well as steam punk and 19th century aesthetics were among the subject matters of this interview with Flo, which we did shortly before his band’s gig in St. Petersburg.

It’s your first time in Russia in about 8 years, if I’m not mistaken. How do you feel about coming back?

It’s great. I really like Russia. I know a bit of the Cyrillic alphabet, so I can read basics, and a lot that works here. Moreover, when you see signs in the street like “Raiffeisenbank” or “Pizza Margarita”, I can read that, and it’s very helpful. And I can reed street names and stuff. I really like Russia since our first time, we met a lot of people that we really liked, and became friends with. We arrived yesterday and said, “Hello friends”. So it’s great to be back.

Have you managed to do any sightseeing in St. Petersburg?

Not yesterday, but the last time we were here we visited St. Petersburg, and saw a lot of it.

To be honest, “A Century in the Curse of Time” was your first album I heard, so I’m a kind of newbie. Therefore I would like to start with asking you about this CD. Whose idea it was to record, let me say, a steampunk album based on Industrial Revolution and all that stuff?

Basically it’s not just based on the Industrial Revolution, but Industrial Revolution is a part of the change of the society in the 19th century. It’s also about philosophy and the things that were new. I’m actually very interested in history in general, and the 19th century to me is the most exciting time, because so many changes happened then. To me the changes were even bigger than in the last 30-40 years. You know, smartphones and the Internet – all these are big changes, but they are not as big as the steam machine. Before that you were not able to move really heavy stuff without a thousand people at help, but with a steam machine one man could control and move very heavy stuff. Then the train came. There was a German-French war in 1871, which the Germans won, because the Germans were able to move their troops from one point to another very quickly with a train. Then there was the clock – before that the clock wasn’t really important, but now that everybody had to be on time at the factory when machines started to run, they had to have a watch. You can imagine that if you’re not used to a system like a clock, you wake up when it’s getting bright, and you go to bed when the sun goes down, but now you have to wake up earlier in winter, because factory machines start at a specific time, it’s a big thing. So I was interested in the history of the 19th century in general, and it was obvious to me to write an album about that. If you combine that with modern stuff, because we live in the 21st century, the steampunk idea was very clear to me.

If I’m not mistaken, your song “Swan King” is dedicated to Ludwig II of Bavaria who is known as a patron of Richard Wagner. Why did you decide to write about this person?

Ludwig II, the Bavarian king was also one of the first to use electricity in his castles, he paid money for research on electricity. He’s a very interesting person, with all the castles that he built… Even though he’s not around anymore, they will exist for a very long time. He was also into humanism and, he helped Richard Wagner, as you said, create his compositions and he built a theatre in Bayrouth, a city in Bavaria. He did a lot of great stuff, and he was against war in general.

Another concept song on the new record is “This Won’t Last Forever”, which is obviously based on “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea” by Jules Verne. Once again, the same question – why did you choose to write about this topic?

Science fiction didn’t exist before the 19th century. Jules Verne invented science fiction, and that was his view of how the future could look like: a ship under the sea, people living there, I think that’s very interesting. And there comes the connection with steampunk – nowadays everything would be electronic, but back then it was mechanical. His view, his idea… I mean, you’ve maybe seen the movies based on the book…

Well, I’ve read the book, but I haven’t seen any movies…

The way they put it in the cinema is great, they just followed his books. I think it’s interesting that something new like science fiction comes to life out of nothing.

And are there any other concept songs on the album?

Actually all of them are. They all deal with this century and the change of the society and thinking.

Do you read any modern steampunk literature?

No. It’s just an interesting field.

Musically-wise, “A Century in the Curse of Time” differs a lot from your previous works (which, in turn, are very different from your early music). I guess nobody would call it a “back to the roots” album but still it’s more metal than punk. What was the reason for such changes?

I do think it’s more metal-oriented. Metal is the only music in which I believe. You become a fan of it when you’re a teenager, and you follow this until… ever. Even if you look left and right and you see other bands, if you once were a metal fan as a teenager, it will always have a place in your heart. Do you know Wacken Open Air?

Yes, I’ve been to Wacken this year.

So you saw there are four generations of people there: there are six-year-old kids, there are 20-year-old young men and women, there are 40-year-old persons, but there are also people in their 60s and 70s. I doubt that 60-year-old men would go there if they haven’t listened to metal since it exists. This is very interesting. It’s not the same with punk, it’s not the same with hip hop, it’s not the same with techno. Take a look at the people, at the bands playing – there are 60-something old musicians, and nobody says, “What is this old man doing here?” I mean, Lemmy or Saxon or Iron Maiden or the Metallica guys are getting older and older, but nobody complains about that. Age doesn’t matter in metal. You’re respected if you listen to it, and people even think it’s great that such a young boy or such an old man listens to metal.
It’s the same with me: I turned a metal fan when I was a teenager, and even if we went in another direction, my heart still beats for metal. It was very obvious for me to write an album like this that is metal-oriented.

Why Tim Eiermann who was one of the main band’s composers in the 90s wasn’t involved in this record? I heard there was kind of reunion with him some years ago…

He had the chance to bring it in, he had the chance to write songs, but he didn’t… Yeah, that’s basically it.

Who is now in charge of composing the material? Is it you solely?

Yeah. I did the last two or three albums on my own, and all the songs that became so-called hits, that we made videos of, were written by me. So it’s nothing really new that I’m in charge of writing songs.

Your new album was released by AFM Records. Why did you choose this label and what happened to your record label Hamburg records?

It’s very simple: I don’t wanna be the one who works on the album, I want someone else to be responsible for that. AFM do a great job, I’ve known their owner for 20 years, I trust him, he trusts me, and since we’ve known each other for so long, I know we can talk if there’s an issue. I trust his people and their work, and if something fucks up with the promotion or marketing, I don’t want that to happen in my company. I don’t want to be the artist at my own company.

In my opinion, “A Century in the Curse of Time” has a pretty unique sound. I wouldn’t call it “natural” but at the same time it’s far from modern plastic metal sound…

Do you mean metalcore?

Not necessarily, many present-day power metal bands, e.g. Powerwolf, also sound pretty plastic. So could you tell me a few about the way you recorded your latest album?

I have a studio, and I recorded this album over a long time. It wasn’t like we went into the studio and worked our asses off for three weeks, and then the album was done. It was extended over a long time, whenever I felt like recording a bit, I did it, then listened to it and changed stuff. I had never put so much time into a record as I did this time.

I also play guitar, so I have a professional question: why are you using hollow-body guitar?

Why? I love it!

It’s a pretty rare instrument in metal…

Do you like the sound of the album?

Yes.

Then you have the answer. I’ve been using hollow-body guitar since 1989. I like the look, I like the sound, I have a special kind of mix, and that’s the reason enough for me to play it! (laughs) And they are available in black! (laughs louder)

As far as I know you have played only one show supporting new album, at the Summer Breeze festival, exactly on the day of album’s release. How has your new material been received by festival audience and by your fans all over the world?

We have played another show on Full Metal Cruise – it’s a cruise boat travelling around, and there are only metal bands playing. It was a great show! We have played only two songs from the new album so far, only the video songs, and we haven’t played any other material. So we will find out tonight.

Speaking about videos, could you tell me a few words about the video for “Lifeless”? Whose idea was it was and what is it all about?

You know the album cover, you know the concept of the album, and it was obvious to do something like that, but it’s very difficult to do that, because it’s very expensive – you know, costumes, location and simply everything. But we have a director in Hungary, Peter Tokay is his name, and he does amazing work! I’ve been working with him since 2008, he shoots all videoclips for Hamburg Records, so I trust him. We developed the idea together, and I really love what he did, it’s an amazing one.

And what about steampunk stage costumes? Will you wear any kind of it?

No, we wear what we wore in the videoclip. We don’t wanna mask ourselves, this is not Pyogenesis.

You forthcoming tour includes club performances as well as the festival show at Wacken in 2016. What kind of gigs do you prefer – small club shows or big open-air ones?

I like both. They both have their qualities. In small clubs you see the people, you get direct response, you’re more in touch with the people, and they come just for you. I mean, tonight there’s not even a support band. As to festivals, it’s great to play in front of many thousands of people. You know that at Wacken Open Air, there are 85,000 people, and we will have a great slot on the main stage when it’s dark, so we will deliver. (everybody laughs)

Are there any other big festivals in your plans for next summer?

We’re talking to Hellfest and a couple of others to be prepared, but we don’t wanna play much. We wanna select. There were years when we played 120 shows plus travel days, and we were away for half a year. That’s too much.

I know that you have played about 1,000 show in your career…

It’s quite a lot! (laughs)

So what are your plans for the future? Have you composed any songs for new album or maybe you’re planning to shoot a DVD?

We haven’t planned anything. There is material, I wrote 30 songs for the album, eight are on the record, and there is one bonus track for iTunes, one bonus track for the digipack, and another one in Japan. It’s very hard to decide on eight songs, and there is a lot of material left. When I listen to other music I get inspired and think, “Oh, we could do something like that”. But it’s not set in stone, we haven’t talked about it, and haven’t decided anything. We’re promoting “A Century In The Curse Of Time” right now.

Talking about listening to music – what kind of music do you listen in your spare time?

I listen a lot to piano music, you know, melodic, melancholic, just piano that sets you in a mood, I like that. But I also listen to punk a lot, at Hamburg Records we work a lot with punk bands, and that’s basically it.

And what about metal?

Of course, metal, yes, sure!

Are there any new releases that you like?

I like the new Killswitch Engage, that’s modern metal, but it’s very good.

I’m running out of questions so please say something nice to our portal and your fans here in Russia!

I’m happy to be back, I think we will come back again, maybe for more dates than just St. Petersburg and Moscow. We have played in cities like Magnitogorsk… As I said, I like Russia, we wanna come back, and “spasibo chto prishli” (thank you for coming – ed.).

Pyogenesis on the Internet: http://www.pyogenesis.com

Special thanks to Dmitry Praskilevich (Coyote / Volh) for arranging this interview

Pavel Vlasov
December 18, 2015
(с) HeadBanger.ru