Im Rahmen des Releases ihres neuen Albums ‚A new constellation’ haben wir dem Frontmann Pablo Egido von NAHEMAH auf den Zahn gefühlt, wie es sich anfühlt, zur Speerspitze des europäischen Ambient-Progressiv-Metals zu zählen. Natürlich haben wir bei der Gelegenheit auch gleich die zehn obligatorischen Kreuzfeuer-Fragen gestellt und konnten daraus erkennen, dass NAHEMAH ihre Sache sehr ernst nehmen und wohlüberlegt an die an sie gestellten Aufgaben rangehen.
Hello NAHEMAH, thank you for taking the time. My name is Matthias and I am writer for a online magazine in Germany and was asked to make an interview with you. Let´s go:
To be honest, ‘A new constellation’ was the first album I heard from you (but I will definitely take a look at the back catalogue). Try to define your style of music in your own words.
Hi everybody!
Well, to define the style of NahemaH sometimes is a little bit difficult, because we don’t feel inside a concrete and pure style. We have a really wide range of influences and we play a kind of metal which could be named as a kind of eclectic and experimental metal.
Most people first see parallels to Opeth. Which bands took influence on your music?
During the past years of NahemaH Opeth was an influence in our progressive vein but it was not the only one and is not the main influence. We have a lot of influences mainly post-rock, post-metal, pop music, electronic music, melodic death metal… We are influenced by bands like Mogwai, Radiohead, God Is an Astronaut, Isis, Katatonia, Amorphis and Drum ‘n bass and IDM producers.
I did not find any tour dates on your myspace profile. When will you be on stage to promote your album in Germany?
We won’t play so much outside Spain this summer. But we are preparing a promotional tour for the next autumn that will take us all around Europe and the German audience will be able to see us on the stage.
How long did it take to write the songs for ‘A new constellation’? Were these songs written just as recorded, or did you co-operate with a producer who suggested some changes?
The songwriting process was during the spring and summer of 2008. All the songs were conceived as they were recorded and all of them were arranged by us. We always liked to be free when arranging our songs, that gives the personal touch of our sound.
What are your future plans for NAHEMAH?
I think that our future plans of NahemaH are the plans of most of the bands. That plans are to grow as a band and as musicians. We want to work hard every day to make the name of NahemaH bigger and bigger. Transmitting the artistic message we always wanted to transmit.
Let´s get to the „crossfire“ part of the interview (10 questions that are always the same in each interview):
At home:
01.)
In which way do you write your songs? Does anyone of you have kind of an initial idea, or do you just play on and on until something sounds interesting to you, or another way?
As a metal band the first ideas come from guitar riffs, we conceive a piece and we start linking the ideas in a “NahemaH” way. After the basic line of guitars, bass and drums, we add synths and later the vocals. I always like to add the vocals when the song is almost finished, because I write the lyrics from the images that evoke me the sounds of the song to write about.
02.)
Except playing music, what do you do in your free time?
As Spainsh people, we have a big social outdoor life to enjoy the good weather, especially here in the south, that cold seasons are really short and almost all the days are sunny, we spend our free time with friends having good time in pubs and terraces near the beach. Of course we like to travel a lot and assist to music concerts as well.
03.)
Is NAHEMAH job, vocation or hobby?
Nahemah was formed to be not only a hobby. Is a real vocation indeed and we will work to that vocation become a job. But, you know, it won’t be considered as a job because when you do what you is a pleasure not a job.
On the road:
04.)
Vegan, straight edge, or rather sex drugs and rock´n´roll? What does a perfect catering look like?
None of those two extremes. We like no restrictions and no excesses.
05.)
If you could choose, who would be your favourite support band on a headlining tour / who would be your favourite headliner you would support?
If we were the headliner band I wouldn’t know which band to say to you to support us. But it would be a experimental metal band, of course…
We would really like to support a bands like NIN, Tool, Isis, Amorphis…
06.)
What was your greatest event live or on tour by now?
We have had a lot a great concerts, but we keep really especially in our hearts when we supported to Moonspell in 2001 and the gig we played at ProgpowerEurope Festival in 2007.
Curious:
07.)
Imagine you are stranded on a secluded island and your I-Pod has a defect. It only will play one song (which is none of your own ones). Which one?
If I would only be able to listen only one song I would throw the iPod into the sea and I would enjoy of the isolated life and the beach.
08.)
If you could start again at the beginning of your band, would you do anything different than you did?
No. Because what we are now is the consequence of the things we did in the past. And we really like what we are now. All the past years have been a learning process and if we would have done different things we wouldn’t be here.
09.)
How much does the music you are doing mean to you? Are there limits in what you would invest (time / emotions / finances)?
To us our music means everything in our lifes, because is the way our mind and spirit have to express theirselves, is how they communicate with the people and with the other minds and spirits. There are limits but we like to break them and keep on dreaming in this world of music.
The very last question:
10.)
If there was a question you always wanted to be asked, but never were asked yet, what would it be and what would be your answer?
I don’t know what to ask me now but I really know what don’t ask to me but I won’t ask it now because, as Jim Morrisson would say: “this the end my only friend the end”. The end of the interview, hehehehe.
Thank you so much, folks.
Pablo Egido, Singer and lyricist of NahemaH.