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Interview with:


Ad Sluyter 

Guitarist of Epica


We can do more than we show on the Phantom Agony




Note from the author:  When I did this interview, back in 2003. It was one of the first steps in the gothmetal scene for me. Due to problems with webzines I couldn't publish it the way I wanted. Still I regret this, so hopefully you will enjoy the interview. It is a nice documentary for the real fan.



The evening before the band Epica will go to France, they’ll play in Gouda. The band is tired, because the last evening they had a concert too, but Ad makes time to answers some questions about where the bands stands at the moment and the future. He faced the cold backstage, sitting in a chair, but it became a interesting interview. Sometimes some bandmembers showed their face and ran away to prepare their instruments.

Creating Music
Brainchild of Mark, Epica, could not have had this shape without the other members. Mark had some lyrics, but may I conclude that Epica especially arose from the lyrics and music made by Mark?

Ad: “ Mark had many ideas, some were made for AFTER FOREVER, others for the project that he had with me. Those were worked out further.”

This intro makes him start to talk about the writingsproces and the development to Epica. He gives a short glimp in “Argoses kitchen” in this proces.

Ad: “ Mark and I were from the beginning, in april, envolved. Coen, Yves and Simone came in october. They had less influence.  Most ideas were from Mark and we worked that out with all of us.



The Panthom Agony, their debut album, is rising to great hights. In the future they will write more songs together. Ad hopes that everyone will put something of themselves in the songs.

Ad: “Untill now the drumparts were written by me, and Jeroen copied that, but has given his own sound to it. When he should write it by himself, he would have done it different I think. An example of what will maybe change in the future. Also the sound of Simone will change a little bit in the future. She gives shape to it in the writingsproces and in the studio. Ad thinks that the basslines and the guitars will not change: Mark creates the mainissues and give structure to the project. The basic ideas came from him too.”



New Ideas
Ad marked that there will be no second version of the Phantom Agony, but he doubts about a different sound:
"When the journalists would have asked me that after the release of the PA, I would have said that it should be a heavier cd. The parts which we have at the moment are softer then on the record. Also the parts made by me. When I play parts on my synthensizer, it is like “Feint.”

I want to create some balance, so there will be some heavier songs. That will be the way like we did on the first album. Maybe the numbers will be a bit harder or softer, because the songs on the Panthom Agonomy are close together like “Façade of reality” and “Sensorium.” After some loud parts it became quiet, which grows into louder choirs, and falls back. That is what we want to avoid."

When the suggestion comes to change something in de voice of Simone, maybe lower or deeper, Ad doubts a bit, but he can imagine why the question would arise.
Simone came in okober, in that short time, you can’t change the vocallines completely. It was difficult to make it perfect, because we had to work in the studio. In the beginning we did it , but there are posibilities to experiment with two voices. The choirlines and backing voices are sung by Amanda. I think that in the future we can do more with that.”



In the bandbiography you mention Arab cultures and also being inspired by the actualities. When you see the lyrics there are a lot of vital questions mentioned. Ad nods “yes” and talks a lot about the inspiration he has at the moment.
Ad: “When you turn on the tv you have a subject. Maybe the next song goes about Sadam Hoessein. The outrage is often in the news, so a subject is soon found.”

About the vital questions Ad says that it is especially Mark, who puts into words: We all look critically to it and I think it is not wrong to say that. The lyrics are from the daily life that will stay and also the critic on a murder will stay I think.

If there comes a second “The emphasis that smothers” he can not say, but Mark passed by and he screams a loud “Yeah I think so!”
Ad : “Maybe with a Sadam Hoessein. I think we can get a lot of information of it. What that man did and what you see now, those are different things, so I think I’ll do something with it.”




Success
He is modest when he has to give a answer about when they will grow more and more. “ I don’t think this will happen.”
And that, even though, they have a great tour in Spain and France. That creates high expectations and give some pressure, but Ad disagrees with it:
Pressure more in the way that you give concerts more than 8 times a month and that is also difficult to do with my work."

About the pressure, he understands that EPICA has to fullfill the expectation, but he is positive about the proces: “We got used to eachothers way, so that makes it easier. I notice that now, because we did a lot of concerts, I know the talents of each member. We can't do more than our best.”

He hopes to get a peacefull moment, but in 2004 they’ll do some great concerts and Ad says that he wants to make a next cd and he says that they will manage an next tour to Spain, France and Portugal.



Chemistry
About the chemistry, it brings the band to a higher level. Ad is open to show his motivation: “ We have a intensive tour, but on the other hand, we make a lot af new songs. We had to proove that we could play the songs live as well as on the record. The expectations for the second cd are not a high pressure, because we had that feeling more in the beginning."

It also counts that the band have some things allready. Ad does not want to say what, but he thinks it is great: “Not that I think the first album is bad, but when I make a comparision, at the moment we have more then we had in the time of the “Phantom Agonomy.” It is more adult now and there are some stronger songs. We had difficulties with that on the first album. We choose some textelements, but not the strongests sometimes.”




How do we have to see the proces, Ad is open about it:
Mark had an idea on the piano and structurelines. At my place we recorded it and I made some drum- and basslines to it. Jeroen joined the band later, so I did a lot of things with the computer. Yves did a lot off things in de studio an Coen made the piano sound bettter. Coen is great in the chourlines, without that, the cd was not so great. I think that the next cd will be made in the same way, because we can’t practice every day.

Mark and I come with the basic ideas, but Coen and Yves have more suggestions and they send it to Mark. They are more involved indeed. Yves, and that is what we maybe knew too late, is a great pianoplayer, so maybe in the future we’ll do something with it. He also makes great movieparts. The chorus in “The Panthom Agony” is written by him. 



Ad gives an example:Sensorium” was played for the first time in the 013 when it was completed and “Run for fall” was finished in the studio. We have more means to give inspiration. That way there will be more and stronger material.”

Thanks to Ad and Epica, the crew and Jeroen Brom.




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