Albums of Purgatory interview Julie of Withoutface

Albums of Purgatory: Firstly, whats the band up to right now?

Julie: At the moment we are preparing for a little tour in Europe and then we plan to move in England for a while to make concerts there and also in Western Europe.

AoP:  How would you describe the Without Face sound?

J: thats not an easy thing. Well, imagine a dynamic, complex, progressive music full of melodies with dual male- female vocals singing togather, with the touch of goth and trash metal.

AoP:  How did the band begin in '97?

J:Well, there were 5 enthusiastic musicians who decided to play togather. It was very different from the music you hear from Without Face today though. It was a melodic, dark, gloomy trash metal with the male-female duo. But since that there were a lot of member changes and that had a great effect on the music.  

AoP: Can you remember your first gig (how did it go)?

J: To be honest I only joined the band after the recordings of the first album, Deep Inside, so I can at least tell you about the first gig of the new line-up of the band since with me there came a bass guitarist and a keyboard player also), - the creators of Astronomicon. I exactly remember, it was on 19th February, 2000 in a Hungarian club before about 300 people. For the new members it was not only the first gig with WF, but the first stage performance in our lives the other two guys are rather steady persons, but I felt like dying, i almost collapsed, i was trembling all over it was awful!But only until the second the gig started. Then everything just disappeared and i enjoyed the concert a lot. I felt in the first minute that its going to be my life forever.

AoP: You have toured with some big names like the Gathering and the Kovenant. Which bands have you enjoyed touring with the most?

J: We played with them only in Budapest, Hungary, but both were fantastic. They were all very nice people and it was a great pleasure to meet them, and to see them playing live! We were especially impressed by Hellhammers drum solo!!

AoP: You have just released Astronomicon.  What sort of reaction have you been getting from your fans and press?

J: The responses are extremely great, both from the audience and press, but especially in the US, although lots of superlatives arrived from every part of the world. So, its really a pleasure in every way. For example Astronomicon was the Album of the Month in the English Metal Hammer.
We are very happy that people like the album that much.

AoP: What are your favourite Without Face tracks?

J: To be honest I dont have favourites, I like all of the songs very much, all are favorites, but the ones I like to play most on the stage are In the
Garden and The Violin Of Erich Zann. Really insane songs!.)

AoP: What are your favourite all time songs and albums?

J: For me, the songs which took me on the right way of music and will always be dear for me, were Metallicas One, Nothing else matters, and Unforgiven.  todays all time albums are Symphony Xs Twilight on the Olympos, and V., Anathemas Judgement, Dream Theaters Scenes from a Memory.


AoP: What was the first record you bought?

J: Metallicas Ride the Lightening.

AoP: What would be your dream band line-up?

J: The one we have now is really perfect. Once it would be great to make an album with a symphonic orchestra though!

AoP: What do you think of the position of metal and music in general today?

J: Well, I think metal is in a really harsh situation And the so called music flowing from the tvs, radios, press all day became as superficial as most of
the people nowadays. Music became an industrial product. Today, music is not composed, its manufactured. Thats why Without Face will always have the aim to show values and diversity in music: to play real metal MUSIC. And until there will be a lot of great bands thinking the same, and people who appreciate it, there are no problems with the metal scene.

AoP: Do you have any funny stories you can share with us about the band?

J: Well, we usually have some funny stories happening to us on especially on the concerts and they are usually in connection with our drummer.  he likes to drink and then he becomes a nice crazy drummer for example once he wanted to steal bar chairs from a club where we played, he started to pack in the chairs in our bus, when the barman came and ask him what the fucking hell he is doing??!!. Peter was looking at him with innocent eyes saying, why??what?? oh i thought its my drum chair!. And then obediently put the chairs back hmm..finally  :) he was almost beaten up badly.

AoP:  and finally, what do you see in the future for Without Face?

J: hmm..i am not a prophetess, but really i am practicing:)..so, I tell what i hope to see. I hope that all people will hear and know about Without Face, and that we are going to have the possibiliy to show our music live all around the world