Backstage from the making of our new music video
Here I am to evaluate a work within a strand that rarely integrates my auditions but not for lack of quality. The reason is totally the opposite, or the lack of custom, or because many bands sound very similar to each other. It is always a difficulty in seeing big differences, but as a good music lover I find such an album so dazzling and so deliciously immersed in Classical music and subtle cultural references that it is always phenomenal, so the challenge is accepted. Today’s talk is about Sofia METALWINGS‘s Bulgarian band and their long-awaited debut album “FOR ALL BEYOND” released independently but a really promising genius work.
For those who do not remember, the band METALWINGS debuted with the EP “Fallen Angel In The Hell” in 2016 with the vocal profusion of the founder Stela Atanasova bringing up what would be something that would sound captivating enough for what we would see ahead, and here we are with the roar of “For All Beyond” that creates an enriched and captivating sound with a blend of theatrical drama and classical elegance driven by the raw force of symphonic essences and harsher, greedy lines of Metal, coupled with the classically trained voice and expressive vocal behavior of Atanasova are an interesting attraction to the listener as the sounds around her launch their own imagination.
With a delicate and at the same time enigmatic atmosphere, we pressed play for this album starting in “End Of The War” that brings a really subtle introduction while the instrumental grandeur slowly grows around and the hard beat of the battery divides the scene with violin. Before that, the rest of the arsenal comes into action ending with an interesting feeling in lighter notes. It is very different from “Secret Town” that brings the first few minutes of a little more energy but that keeps the violins paired with melodies for the guitars. It is really interesting at this point to get to “Immortal Metal Wings” for it brings much of the mystical folklore into a seductive and at the same time, melancholic network, where the keyboards gain a very significant place before Stela brings the whole theatrical interpretation to the scene accompanied by the melody that revolves in around her as a key piece.
I really like to view this work as an exquisite piece or almost a literary novel because that is exactly what this beautiful album represents in musical form for all its density and magnificence. This is clear in tracks like “When We Pray” or “A Wish,” including the latter behind a rhythmic impasse that reminds me a bit of Arabic folklore which is actually very catchy alongside heavier Heavy Metal melodies, including a throbbing bass that pulsates throughout the created web that seems to follow up on “There’s No Time“, so we have a lot of emotion and feelings involved which can spark interesting feelings in the style lovers. And without a shadow of doubt, it is necessary to mention the outline of the guitars of Grigor and Krastyo that fit the sonority of its instruments like the travelers in this storm.
And I can only say that “Realm Of Dreams” becomes a great duel in this confrontation of the Classic with the Metal that gets sharper with the voice of Krastyo comes on the scene with beautiful waves that carry all the instrumentals and bring the latency of the guitars and Angel‘s really incredible work on keyboards. And as if you have all this great presentation in focus was not enough, then comes “Тъжни Сърца” and all the power of the traditional acoustic that represents in Bulgarian language rather than involving the roots of this promising band. Magical is the word that perfectly defines this delicate work and you still have the privilege of finding two bonus tracks with “Fallen Angel In The Hell” and the same one in totally instrumental version. Highlight for “There’s No Time” and “For All Beyond“.
Tonight on the RJ Bayley Rock Show I’ll be treating you to the next entry in Great Albums You Probably Haven’t Heard. Can you guess what it is by this snippet from the cover?
Hear the show on Castle FM Scotland at 7PM this very evening. Listen here: http://tunein.com/radio/988-Castle-FM-Scotland-s65962/
Tweet me during the show @RJBayley
As well as that album in full, I’ll also be bringing you neck-snapping bangers from the following artistes:
Qui potete ascoltare il podcast del nostro ultimo show | Here you can listen to the podcast of our last show
Featuring: D.O.G. – METALWINGS – Star Eternal – Angel’s Fire – Atzmus – Blood Red Saints – Dynasty Of Metal – THEORY – Power Quest – Euphoreon – Crushing The Deceiver – Fractal Gates – Exhortation – Hand of Fire – As I Lay Dying Official
Roxx Records – Lex Metalis Assessoria e Agenciamento – Inner Wound Recordings – Rottweiler Records – AOR Heaven – GerMusica Promotion
The band plays Symphonic metal and hás a lot to show. With personality, courage and humbleness, Metalwings trails the path through the scene. With their debut “For All Beyond” the band has earned really good reviews in the metal media.
GroundCast: To warm up, could you tell us a bit of the band’s journey so far?
Stela Atanasova:Hi and thank you very much for this interview. Our band’s journey so far has been eight years and it was really quite varied and dynamic. On the one hand, 8 years look great, but in fact time is going fast when you have fun. And for me, the band has always been an escape and salvation from reality. We have gone a long way since the beginning, which was quite difficult because the style of symphonic metal is not among the most popular in Bulgaria. It turned out that our song Crying of the Sun has become our ambassador to the world. From this point on, things started to happen to us. Especially because people understood about us, they liked our music and every day we get wonderful messages from all over the world. This reflects our work and efforts. Until this moment, besides the success of our video for Crying of the Sun, we managed to release one EP “Fallen Angel in the Hell”and our debut album“For All Beyond”. We are pleased with what we have been able to do with our own efforts and above all to release a world-class album.
GroundCast: In April you released the full-length “For All Beyond”. How was the acceptance of the material in the media?
SA: I would say – very good. So far, our album has received many good reviews. In this connection, I would also like to thank to our promoter Markus Eck (MetalMessage), who gave us a lot of confidence. I think the album will still be enjoying media attention and I sincerely hope to be judged worthy of which I have no doubt.
GroundCast: The band exists since 2010, but only now you were able to release a full album, could you talk a bit about the production, composition process and why it took eight years to see the daylight?
SA: I never wanted to make an album at all costs. It’s important for me to release an album when you have something to say to people, not just to pop the market with the next album, just to boast how many albums we have released. For me quality is the most important thing – not the quantity. It is also very important that when we release an album not to make one great song, while others are just for stuffing. I wanted to make an album in which all the songs to be great – to be hard to decide which one is your favorite. That’s why the release of the album was delayed. Besides, albums have to be released with people who are able to convey the music in the best way. And as you know, we do not suffer from a lack of new members. In my opinion, the album came at the most appropriate time for the band.
GroundCast: After 8 years of existence, how do you see the band now, what do you believe that evolved in Metalwings?
SA: The thing that evolvedin the band is our conviction that we have to fight and not give up. If, four or five years ago, I thought that if a member of the band went away, that would be a big problem, now I think this is just another opportunity for us to find a better musician and a person for the band. In time I realized that the most important thing is how much you are willing to give in the name of what you believe. As well as in what kind of person you become after you have suffered a defeat or loss. We can all talk about how great we are and what we are ready for in the name of something, but the real people are those who struggle to fall, and especially those who do not betray their faith when it becomes difficult. In our band, we changed the way we take things – we have suffered many blows, betrayal, and surely we will still get many more, but I know that after a heavy storm the sun always rises. And our sun is yet to rise above our band.
GroundCast: We live in the internet era and nowadays is not common to buy CDs anymore. Lots of bands complain about the music sharing and how it damages the industry. What is your opinion about it?
SA: I think that music belongs to the people. After all – we do the music for them, not to keep it under the bed and to count the cents we have won. I think the music industry can not exist without sharing music. Very often our fans tell us that they have discovered our songs uploaded in different torrents for free to download. I think that if someone has bothered to upload our album there, then our music is looking for, and this is evident from the number of downloads. We may lose some money, but we will win new fans. And who really liked our music and wanted to support us, it could always order our album. Not everything is money in this world. Probably many people will not agree with me, but that’s their opinion. My opinion is that music belongs to the people. That the industry, the Internet, and the laws say you have to buy to have it means that people who want, but can not afford it, have not the right to listen to the music of the bands they love? Does that mean that music belongs only to those who can afford it? I do not accept such claims. I know there must be rules and that, thanks to the sale of albums, the bands exist, as well as the whole music industry behind them, but what’s so bad if someone downloads your album for free? Will you become poorer or less wealthy? I’m pretty sure that the truth is somewhere else. I think there have always been and will be more wealthy people who can afford to support the bands by buying their albums, merchandise, tickets for concerts and so on. There will always be an industry that will win on the back of these bands. But there will always be some people who can not afford to buy your albums but thanks to their true love you exist. A band will not disappear if not all of the fans buy its albums – it will stop exist if forgott about its fans.
1. The band formed back in 2010, what made you decide that was the right time to form a band?
When I formed the band, I did not think whether it was the right time. Making a decision to create a band is not that difficult. The hard part comes when you have to save your band and not give up. Many people came and left the band. Only the people who are truly devoted remain in it.
2. You have had some band member changes over the years, so tell us how each of your members came to be in Metalwings:
Stela Atanasova – Lead Vocals, Electric Viola, Keys: I formed the band in 2010 and I have been leading it for 8 years;
Grigor Kostadinov – Guitars: He joined us in the winter of 2014 after Boyan Boyadzhiev’s – the second guitarist of the band decided to go to another project;
Krastyo Jordanov – Guitars, Irish Flute: Krastyo joined the band in late 2015 after we announced that we were looking for a second guitarist. We decided at that moment that the band needs a heavier sound and I was very glad when he contacted us because he already had another project called Dracovallis and our sense of music was very similar;
Milen Mavrov – Bass: Milen is the newest member of our band. He joined the band at the beginning of this year after the first bass player Konstantin Uzunov decided to left. Now we are all very happy that Milen joined the band;
Angel Kitanov – Keyboards: Angel is one of the first members of the band. If you look at our official video “Crying of the Sun” you’ll see that only me and Angel are part of the lineup of that time;
Nikola Ivanov (Blackie) – drums: Blackie joined the band in the Summer of 2016. Without a good and dedicated drummer things can quickly go wrong. He brought very good energy and dynamics to the band.
3. The music genre for the band is Symphonic Metal, why did you choose this over others?
This is the style of music that unites all my searches as a musician and satisfies all my musical senses. It combines both great power and as well unbelievable beauty and romance. I think this is one of the most magnificent styles in modern music that is yet to develop and attracts many new fans.
4. You released a new album titled “For All Beyond”, tell us what we can expect from this album compared to previous debut “Fallen Angel in the Hell”?
What you can expect and will surely hear from our album “For All Beyond” is the beauty of each song, much heavier guitars, more dynamic drums, many beautiful melodic lines and orchestral parts and great duets between me and Max Morton, who performed the male vocal parts in some of the songs.
5. Who composes all the songs?
I am the composer of all the songs, all the lyrics to them, as well as all the orchestral arrangements.
6. Where does the inspiration come from to write?
Inspiration can be found everywhere around us. If you do not want or you are not able to see the beauty of a flying butterfly, you can not expect the inspiration to get you when you are ready. I have always admired the beauty of life that surrounds us – as long as we have a desire to see it. I find inspiration in the sadness also, because often the joy and sorrow go hand in hand. There is no eternal happiness, and eternal sorrow. So, it’s up to you to find an inspiration every day.
7. Do find a certain time of the day/night is better for writing?
Yes, I like to work in the evening but not too late. The perfect time for me to compose is late afternoon and evening.
8. Do you personally have a favourite song on the album? If so, why that one.
I have a special relationship with each of the song. Of course, all of them are my favorites, but among all of them stands out the titled song “For All Beyond”. I feel it like that because it combines both a sadness and a strength. The duet at the beginning of the song between me and Max literally is breathtaking. The orchestral parts in the song are performed by a live orchestra, which further enhances the influence and power of the song. After the gentle and romantic duet, the powerful force of the orchestra and the whole band enters – the energy of the song changes. From melancholy and gentle it becomes a hurricane. On the very end of the song, again everything is quiet and finds its perfect harmony. That’s why this song is so special to me.
9. You started to record your 2nd album in August 2017, was that an easy process, or were there difficulties?
The recordings lasted for nearly two months and the hard part was not in the records themselves but in the details. We wanted to record the tracks in the best possible way and it took a little more time, but the most important thing is that at the end we were really pleased with the material we sent to our mixing engineer. Post production was not easy too and it took about six months. I’m once again convinced that mixing a symphonic metal is a very difficult task. For us, it is very important to emphasize the power of the orchestra tracks combined with vocals, drums, two guitars, bass, piano and viola. This task is not for everyone, but here is the time to express my gratitude and respect to Max Morton, who did an incredible job and made our songs sound world class. We are really pleased with the sound of our album – it was important to produce a quality album with very good songs and great sound and we did it.
10. Where was the album recorded, mixed and produced?
The album was recorded by Alexander Nakov at studio “Na Vilata” and mixed and mastered by Max Morton at Morton Studio. All orchestral tracks as well as the piano tracks were recorded by myself in my personal studio. Sofia Session Orchestra was recorded at Sofia Session Studio.
11. Being together since 2010, is there anything you regret, or this is definitely the life for you?
The only thing I regret is that during these 8 years I was too patient and good, and for that reason I lost valuable time in which I could find more suitable people for the band. I couldn’t split up on time. When you know that a person or a musician is not right for you and your cause, you have to be able to split up and move on. But probably it must have happened that way and, as we say, every evil for good!
12. If you couldn’t be doing music, what do you think you would be doing instead?
Probably I’ll live near the ocean, watching the waves and dreaming about the day I can make music again.
13. Who inspires you musically?
I love to listen to the music of many composers and many bands. But what truly touches my heart is Music of Mozart, Vangelis, Queen and Thomas Bergersen.
14. When you were growing up, what age was it that you decided you wanted the band life?
I can not say the exact age, but from a very small age, while I was studying at the music school, I dreamed to be more than just playing an orchestra all day. I was a rebel in my sould, but a great perfectionist and I wanted to be the best in everything – playing, education. This perfection prevented me from doing what I really want and it took me a long time to balance these two opposing features and to use them both to follow my dream.
15. Tell us something about Metalwings, that we might not know…
At this stage, perhaps the most interesting thing to know about Metalwings is that I have already composed the music and wrote the lyrics for two more albums. So, get ready for us!
Is there anything you would like to add to this interview that we should know?
I would like to say: Thank you to all our fans who support us and like our Music. It really means a lot to us! Respect!
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with us, we greatly appreciate it.
METALWINGS ist eine Band aus Sofia (Bulgarien), die bereits einige Erfahrungen im Metal-genre mitbringen und nun mit „For All Beyond“ ihren ersten Longplayer nach der 2016 veröffentlichten EP „Fallen Angel in the Hell“, veröffentlicht. Und es geht direkt nach vorne ohne Kompromisse. „For All Beyond“ bietet genau das, was man von einem Symphonic-Metal-Album erwartet. 12 Songs, durchzogen von Epik, wunderbaren Gitarrensoli und krachende Drums in Kombination mit dem kraftvollen Gesang.
Allein der Opener „End Of The War“ geht direkt runter wie Öl und macht Appetit auf das, was noch folgen mag. METALWINGS spielt auch nicht zu knapp mit den Muskeln, geht etwas vertrackter vor und hält viele klasse Details bereit. METALWINGS beweisen mit „For All Beyond“, dass sie im Symphonic Metal nicht zu übersehen sind und beeindrucken auf ganzer Linie.
After a successful debut with the single “Crying of the Sun” in 2015, and the well-received EP “Fallen Angel in the Hell” (2016), Bulgarian symphonic metal band Metalwings have independently released their first full-length album, “For All Beyond” on April 19. Fronted by classically trained vocalist Stela Atanasova, the band’s career has been on a steady rise, being more and more popular on the European metal scene. And this album will definitely help them solidify their status as a solid up-and-coming symphonic metal band.
For those of you who have already checked out the aforementioned single and the EP, or the recently released “There’s no time”, know the band’s sounds pretty well. For the rest, let me paint a picture: imagine an angelic voice comparable to Sharon den Adel, coupled with electronic viola, Irish flutes, powerful guitars, some well-placed male vocals, plus all the charm of the genre, and you’ll get a sense of what Metalwings are all about. And this is a very unique combination that seems to work perfectly for this Bulgarian band, as it creates a mysterious, borderline gothic atmosphere to certain songs, that will definitely set them apart from the rest.
“For All Beyond” is a good addition to the symphonic metal catalogue, and Bulgarians should be very proud of Metalwings, as they have put Bulgaria on the metal map, and I really do hope that other bands will join them soon. Until then, enjoy “For All Beyond”!
METALWINGS est l’un des derniers représentants du Symphonique Power Métal à chant féminin de l’Est de l’Europe.
Il est singulier de voir ce genre de groupe émerger quand on sait ce qui est arrivé à Nightwish ces derniers temps. Eh bien, même si les Bulgares ne sont pas vraiment originaux, au moins ils ne sont pas si mauvais et pourraient peu être devenir un bon palliatif pour tous les fans frustrés de Nightwish …
Je ne vais pas mentir et être honnête, je suis un peu ennuyé par tous ces clones de Nightwish et quand j’ai entendu la première chanson de cet album, j’ai été un peu perturbé une fois de plus. Je veux dire qu’ils ne sont pas 100% novateurs, mais au moins certaines de leurs chansons ont de bons riffs émotionnels couplés à de bonnes voix symphoniques.
Les chansons sont accrocheuses en général, la production est plus que correcte, les ambiances tristes et glacées que l’on peut trouver sur certaines chansons comme “Secret Town” et “For All Beyond” sont dignes d’attention. Bien sûr, ce n’est pas du Doom Metal mais ce n’est pas non plus un pur métal “joyeux” et ces petites touches d’esprit gothique sont intéressantes.