The roots of this German power metal band date back to 1995, when three brothers - Chris, Dorotheé and Simon - formed a family group in their parents' garage. With their 2009 debut album My Inner Demon, they were quickly labeled "the next Stratovarius". In 2010, they released Above The Others and toured in support of Lordi and Doro Pesch. However, as Chris says, “life got in the way” and just now, 12 years later, they release their third full-length, Inside Internal Infinity. It was this guitarist, accompanied by vocalist Tommy, who answered our questions.
M.I. - Hi! This is Ivan. Thank you for gran6ng us this interview!
And congratulations on the last album! When a band is absent for so long, there is almost always a mix of skepticism - for fear that the work is not at the same level as the previous ones - with euphoria - for the wait for new material. Here, fear was left behind and your sound knocked me to the ground! A powerful album, fast and heavy sounds, expressive vocals…. You have real hymns here!
Tom: Wow - Thanks a lot my new friend!
Chris: Thank you! I guess we did a good job, we also like the result!
M.I. - Okay, starting… For our readers who don't know you, who are Silverlane? How did you get together and how do you characterize the band?
Chris: Silverlane mainly is a family where my brother and my sister and good friends of us once formed a band when we were kids. The Band evolved a lot over the years. Some musicians joined and left the band like in other bands. Now it’s only me and Daniel (Bass) left in the actual live setup, but my brother Simon (Drums, Subway to Sally) and my Sister are still active in the background. So we still have that family feeling all together also with the rest oft he band. Good vibes is our base for our creativity in working togher as that creative pool that Silverlane is.
M.I. – 12 years since the last album!... What happened? Why this hiatus of more than a decade?
Chris: In fact the band was still existing during the last ten/twelfe years but we all were kind of impacted by the struggles that life sometimes brings with it, you know. Mariages, built houses, kids….All that stuff kept us away from getting a real “drive“ that is necessary to create a record like “Inside Internal Infinity“. The love for the music is deep inside all of us so it was only a question of time until we all felt that there is something missing in our lives. So and here we are again, eger to play shows and continue with the band that really means a lot to each of us!
M.I. - Did the change of band members also contribute to this silence?
Chris: No, not the change itself. In fact Simon left the Band `cause of lack of time since he is highly impacted by his other bands and his work as a producer. My Sister just awaits her second baby and thus there will be no live presence form her side in near future with us. But hopefully she will return.
M.I. - Of course, nobody knows the future, but… Right now, is this a return to stay? Are Silverlane definitely back?
Tom: The arrow flies! Until death parts us. The tank is full and the shiny new machine is in perfect tune. Ready to go!
Chris: Yes, I can only confirm Toms statement!
M.I. - Are all the elements 100% in the band or do you have other projects?
Tom: Most of us grew up in the 80ies and 90ies. Back then it was a disaster when somebody left the Band or had a Side-Project. Everybody was telling you: “How dare you? Are you nuts? You wanna quit?“ and so on. SILVERLANE needs full attention and energy of every member. Otherwise it wouldn’t work. Do your thing, do your job, do your hobby and family but SILVERLANE is SILVERLANE.
I never really understood why a lot of artists need a solo-thing so bad? The most Solo Projects suck!
M.I. – With Inside Internal Infinity, you moved away from a purer form of melodic power metal, to darker elements (the intro is so creepy!) and introducing synthesizers. Was it a natural thing, creatin a more modern sound or did you consciously wanted to move away from the old sound?
Tom: Well every living thing on earth moves, grows or at least should grow. Yes - its true we got older and a little bit more serious too. The question has never been: what kind of music / what genre do we want to play? It rather was and is: What do we have to say? What kind of energy do we want to put out there? What moves us? So whatever genre you give us - whatever it is for you - IT IS! Doesn’t matter what the guy next to you tells you.
Actually for us - modern - is not a really positive term. Timeless, does the trick for us. Simon and the band - we all had the same ambition from day one; we wanted to record and produce a beautiful and timeless METAL record in words and sound. Simon is such a wonderful person and incredible talented musician and producer. It NEVER felt like “working“ with him. Every tone, every hit or stroke had to be exactly there where it is now. We maybe had only three discussions in these 12 years … And with all three he was wrong (laughts)
Chris: Nothing to add!
M.I. - How did the partnership with the beautiful Patty Gurdy come about and why did you think she would integrate well into your sound?
Chris: The idea for the song came from Simon and Tom came up with the idea of the female voice for the duet at some point while recording the song in the studio. We all liked the idea and since Simon was traveling with Patty, he showed her the song and she really liked it and thus agreed to record the song with us. We felt that her voice, that we knew from “Patty Gurdys Circle”, would fit perfectly to out song here.
M.I. - When did you start thinking about this album? How has the pandemic impacted it? How was the writing and recording process for the album?
Tom: the Beatles existed for 12 years this is how long SILVERLANE needs to finish a new record. Im sure this virus had an enormous impact on EVERY artist worldwide.
This Album is in position since 2 years already. What a strange and absurd situation.
It does something with you …
There were so many obstacles in this period that everything almost turned to a complete stop. On the other hand though, time is a wonderful thing to have if you want to dig deep for your songs and that’s what I did: I dug real deep.
In the beginning it was really chaotic cause the depth brought so many ideas to daylight that our friend, brother and producer Simon Michael had a real hard time to select these mountains of ideas, joy, sadness, desolation, hate and love. But as you can hear, he did more than just a great Job. His heart and soul had been woven in between the notes.
M.I. - How have you been able to promote the album?
Chris: Actually only over social media since all our shows have been canceled up to now. But we hopt that there will be some shows to play this spring/summer.
M.I. - When I look at the cover, I can only see the monolith from Arthur C. Clarke's Space Odyssey series. Does it have anything to do with it? Can you explain the meaning of the cover?
Tom: Wow cool! I didn’t know that - although im a great Si-Fi Fan and of course I saw that Movie as well. For about 5 times I guess. And magically I always fell asleep at some point. So no, we don’t have that Idea from that movie. Can you send us pictures? I can’t watch it again.
These monoliths (I think there’s a different name for them) appear once in a while in documentaries and movies. I recognized that too but the first Idea was to have three real tall buildings growing even over the clouds to demonstrate progress, new ideas, change, future, power, air, space … Don’t want to get into this to deep but of course there are a few artifacts around the world that were not build from our generation and not from those 100 before us. Humanity is looking for answers. We are looking for answers. I am looking for answers all my life! Its still Philosophy … for now!
M.I. - In the movie Space Odyssey, the monoliths belong to the first intelligent species in the Galaxy and would serve to encourage the technological development of Humanity. Looking at the state of the world today, do you think that Humanity needs help? That alone we no longer can “get there”? Is some kind of reset necessary?
Deep shit! Great! Well I think it depends on how you define progress. What does “there“ mean? What’s the measure? I think it depends on where we want or need to go. Being happy? Live forever? Live in total balance with nature and the other 9 Mrd people around us? Live on other planets of milk and honey and walk around in white clothes? No fights no wars? (I wonder what all the Trash and Deathmetal Bands would write about then … Oh no please no more harps pleeeeese.)
Where do we need to be?
On the one hand we’re talking Quantum-Physics, living on Mars, Dark Ma[er and K.I. and on the other I have to deal with with a 5 Mbit/sec line at home.
When we are talking about every soul on earth - with all these different views, Religions, Interests, TradiBons, attitudes etc. I’d say : Yes - we do need help to bring us ALL together. BEING ONE! Thats what we all hear all the time. Cool but how?
There are a million reasons why this won’t work: Money, Standards, Power, belongings etc. This is what we deal with in our Song „Leviathan Rising“. If humanity - everybody that lives on this beautiful planet - would have ONE problem (whatever it is) - a global Problem. A problem that everybody can see, smell, touch, feel - if there wouldn’t be any space of a doubt - only then we would work together. Right know it rather feels like we drift in two sections. That „rich“ and “poor“ thing as well as the “progress“ and the “I don’t give a fuck“ side. But I´m sure when you look in the face of death - you suddenly do care. So it’s not necessarily a reset, rather a natural selection. But Im sure one lovely day we’ll leave the good ol’ monkey behind.
M.I. - What is your relationship with ideologies/mythologies/religion and science? Where do your beliefs begin and where do they end? Do you think there is something in the universe with divine properties?
Tom: For me besides love and music, it`s the only really important thing in our world to care for. All the noise around these fields isn’t relevant. For me the universe IS divine!
Chris: I guess that the whole life is kind of a test where you can choose whether you want to life in hell or in heaven. I beliefe that our mind creates a major part of our reallity. But that would end up in a very long monologue now, let`s skip it.
M.I. - For your lyrics, you draw inspiration from legends, mythology… From this – huge – fantasy world, what is your favorite story?
Tom: The Greek Mythology and Egyptology. Can’t get enough from history B.C.
M.I. - Besides mythological themes, which bands and artists influence you? Of which band would you like to have a similar career?
Tom: I hear a lot of different styles of music during the day. I think the hardest part is to find out everyday in which mood I am. The Spotify, Deezer, Apple play algorithms try their best to satisfy me. Its just impossible for me to define my biggest influences of a song I wrote. I really don’t know. I grew up wit Sabbath, Purple, Priest, Rainbow and Metallica. Roots bloody roots, you can’t run away …
M.I. - You are with Drakkar, representative of some big names like Accept or Nightwish. Have you ever had the opportunity to step on stage with some of them? Or other big names in metal (German or otherwise)?
Chris: We played several Festivals with other Bands and had small/big tours with Lordi, Doro Pesch, Kissin‘ Dynamite and Rage.
M.I. - What are you listening to now? Any band/artist you recommend?
Tom: Mastadon, Godjira, Machine Head, Black Label Society, Judas Priest, Rainbow, Dream Theater, Tool, Thrice, Nothing but thieves, Beatles, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Beach Boys, Sam Cooke.
Chris: That differs over Time. I like Goth/Goth Metal a lot, but also some progressive Stuff. At the moment I listen to Evergrey a lot. Very good band!
M.I. - What is the least metal thing and the furthest away from your style that you listen to?
Tom: Well, I think that’ll be the Beach Boys .
Chris: Well, I have to daughters. So I am familar with a lot of different styles of music which I’m forced to listen to without really wanting it. But I’m definitely open to a lot of styles also from the electronic side.
M.I. - Do you already have something planned for the next album? We won't have to wait another 12 years, will we??!
Tom: (laughts) We already working on the next album for 2023. You want to know a secret? It will be heavyyyyyyyy. Don’t tell anybody!
Chris: Oh Yes! We are busy already!
M.I. - And tours? I think you have a concert scheduled in March in Munich. And something outside of Germany? Do you have anything planned or are you waiting to see what will happen with the pandemic?
Chris: Actually we are in waiting position. We have a online show booked in April as well as some gigs upcomin‘ early summer in Germany. Let’s see what happens next.
M.I. - Almost finishing… Some last words for our readers.
Tom: First of all I want to thank you for your interesting questions. I can tell you really listened very carefully to our Songs. Very respecful - thank you for that.
I know there’s not enough time to listen to every Metal Album these days. And there’s so much talent out there that never gets heard. But if you are a musiclover, into Metal, musicality, vibes and depth give us a chance. Listen to SILVERLANE because in case you dig our stuff you can sing along with us on the next festival near you.
And: be friendly to each other. You never know what kind of fight the person next to you is going through at the moment in these strange days. And try to smile more - it works!
Chris: Thanks from my side as well! Take care!
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Listen Silverlane, on Spotify
Questions by Ivan Santos
