IVORY GATES
Out of Brazil comes the great new Progressive Rockband IVORY GATES. Their debut CD contains material that sounds like the perfect mix between STYX, KANSAS and early DREAM THEATER. I had an interview with bandleader Hugo Mazzotti...
Please introduce us
your band, when did you form IVORY GATES and did any of you play
in bands before IVORY GATES?
IVORY GATES WAS FORMED BY ME, HUGO MAZZOTTI (BASS) AND GUITARRIST
MATHEOS ARMELIN IN THE BEGINNING OF 2000. AT THAT TIME, I WAS
PLAYING IN A BAND CALLED MYSTICAL WARNING FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS.
WE RELEASED OUR FIRST CD, THIRD MILLENNIUM (MEGAHARD RECORDS) IN
JUNE OF 1999 AND WE WERE DOING A LOT OF SHOWS IN OUR AREA.
UNFORTUNATELLY, SOME PROBLEMS WITH EGO APPEARED INSIDE THE BAND.
BESIDE THAT, THE BAND WAS GOING MUCH MORE INTO A POWER METAL
DIRECTION AND I WAS LOOKING FOR A MORE PROGRESSIVE SOUND. SO I
LEFT MYSTICAL WARNING. SOON AFTER THE BAND BROKE UP. ONE DAY,
TALKING WITH MATHEOS, WE DECIDED TO FORM A BAND WITH OUR
PROGRESSIVE INFLUENCES AND THAT´S HOW IVORY
GATES BEGUN.
Please tell us all
about your debut CD?
THE CD SHAPES OF MEMORY WAS RECORDED FROM OCTOBER OF 2000 UNTILL
MAY/JUNE OF 2001. IT WAS AN EXPANSIVE PRODUCTION, BUT AT THE END,
I THINK IT SOUNDED EXACTILY AS WE WERE EXPECTING. THE CD HAS A
VERY CLEAR SOUND AND YOU CAN HEAR ALL INSTRUMENTS, WHAT I THINK
IS VERY IMPORTANT TO A PROGRESSIVE METAL BAND. ANOTHER IMPORTANT
THING ABOUT SHAPES OF MEMORY IS ITS ARTWORK, AS A WHOLE, NOT ONLY
THE COVER ART. IT´S ALL FULL COLORED AND A HAS LOT OF IMAGES
MAKING A NICE PRESENTATION FOR THE ALBUM.
Which
bands influenced you?
I THINK THAT I HAVE TWO MAIN INFLUENCES ON MY WORK. THE FIRST IS
THOSE BANDS I LISTEN TO SINCE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. BANDS LIKE
BLIND FURY – SATAN, SAMSON, TOKYO BLADE, IRON MAIDEN,
MERCYFUL FATE, FATES WARNING AND QUEENSRYCHE WILL ALWAYS BE
REFERENCES TO ME. THE SECOND ONE IS THE PROGRESSIVE BANDS
ESPECIALLY KANSAS (ONE OF THE BEST BANDS OF ALL TIMES).
Are you popular in your
area?
ONE INTERESTING THING ABOUT IVORY GATES IS THAT NOONE EVER KNEW
ABOUT US BEFORE THE RELEASE OF SHAPES OF MEMORY, SINCE WE NEVER
RECORDED EVEN A DEMO
TAPE BEFORE THE CD, SO AS I USE TO SAY, IVORY GATES CAME
“OUT OF NOWHERE”. NOW, DUE TO SOME VERY GOOD REVIEWS, I
THING THAT OUR POPULARITY IS GROWING FAST.
What are you favourite
albums at the moment?
MY FAVORITE ALBUMS CAN BE DIVIDED I TWO KINDS. THE FOREVER
FAVORITES AND THOSE THAT I´M LISTENING VERY OFTEN TODAY. FOR THE
FIRST ONES I´D SAY:
BLIND FURY – OUT OF REACH
FATES WARNING – AWAKEN THE GUARDIAN/A PLEASANT SHADE OF GRAY
MERCYFUL FATE – DON´T BREAK THE OATH
KANSAS – POINT OF KNOW RETURN/SOMEWHERE TO ELSEWHERE
THE ALBUMS I´M LISTENING MUCH THESE DAYS, I´D LIKE TO MENTION:
ECHOLYN – MEI/AS
THE WORLD
POWER OF OMENS – EYES OF THE ORACLE
WITHOUT WARNING – BELIEVE
When you write your
songs, what are they about and are there any interesting stories
to tell about them?
I´M NOT COMPOSING ALL THE TIME, BUT WHEN IS TIME TO DO NEW
SONGS, I REALLY COME WITH MANY IDEAS OR EVEN SOME FINISHED SONGS.
FOR THE LYRICS I TRY NOT TO FOCUS IN ONLY ONE THEME FOR NOT BEING
REPETITIVE. I THINK THOSE BANDS THAT ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE SAME
THINGS SOUNDS BORING TO ME. IN SHAPES OF MEMORY THERE´RE SONGS
ABOUT REALITY, DREAMS, HOPES AND FANTASY.
How did you get your
bandname IVORY GATES?
THE NAME WAS SUGGESTED BY A FRIEND OF MINE, CALLED CESAR BENATTI,
WHO ACTUALLY DID THE ALL THE ARTWORK FOR US, INCLUDING OUR LOGO.
BESIDE THAT, THERE´S A NICE MEANING, WITH ALL THOSE LEGENDS
ABOUT DREAMS AND , MOST OF ALL, I THINK IT SOUNDS WELL, WHAT´S
VERY IMPORTANT FOR AN UNKNOWN BAND.
What are the plans for
the next coming months?
WE´RE NOW FINISHING THE SONGS FOR OUR NEW ALBUM THAT HAS A
PROBABILITY OF BEING RELEASED IN JUNE/JULY OF THE NEXT YEAR.
WE´RE HAVING A LOT OF WORK SINCE THIS IS GONNA BE OUR SECOND
ALBUM, AND, FOR OURSELVES, IS A MATTER OF HONOUR DOING THIS ONE
BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE. THE NEXT CD WILL HAVE TEN SONGS, A
LITTLE SHORTER BUT A LITTLE HAVIER THAN SHAPES OF MEMORY. BUT ONE
THING I MUST SAY: ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT DEFINE THE STYLE OF IVORY
GATES WILL REMAIN UNTOUCHED. MAY BE AFTER THIS RELEASE WE START
THINKING ABOUT PLAYING LIVE.
Any plans for
distribution of the CD outside Brazil?
THAT´S EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW. I HOPE THAT
SOME RECORD COMPANY SEE OUR CD REVIEWS AND BE INTERESTED IN IVORY
GATES. I THINK WE HAVE AN ALBUM GOOD ENOUGH FOR THAT. WHAT WE
NEED IS THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
Finally,
do you have anything to add to our readers?
FIRST OF ALL, I´D LIKE TO THANK FOR ALL THE SUPPORT GIVEN BY YOU
AND STRUTTER ZINE. AND FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
MORE ABOUT IVORY GATES, CHECK OUR SITE www.ivorygates.hpg.com.br FOR ALL BAND INFORMATIONS OR
LISTEN TO OUR SONGS USING THE LINK http://www.mp3.com/IVORY_GATES THANKS AGAIN.