Embark on a musical journey with Vangardion as they blend the nostalgia of accordions with powerful rock. Explore the inspiration, creative process, and future goals in this exclusive interview.
1. Congratulations on your upcoming album! How did the
fusion of "Vanguard" and "Accordion" shape Vangardion's
unique sound, and what led to the exploration of the accordion in Symphonic
Rock?
Thanks for your interest in this album, which fulfills a
childhood dream for us! I see a perfect songwriting tool in the accordion. When
I play it, I imagine orchestral dimensions and a powerful band sound. All
compositions were born out of improvisations on the accordion. Our first idea
was to replace the accordion scratches with keyboard and orchestra sounds but
after a lot of experimenting we liked the idea of stacking different accordion
registers and working with a whole accordion orchestra for our live premiere.
2. The theme of personal development and self-discovery
runs through your lyrics. How do you approach these themes in a way that avoids
being overly philosophical or moralizing?
In the same way the internal dialogue of our thoughts work:
It can be a relief to create space for emotions and just watch them. Sometimes,
I literally bathe in a feeling and suddenly it flows into a song idea. Maybe, I
could be more critical with lyrics, but I just take spontaneous ideas as a gift
and enjoy playing with them. „Stay" for example started with feelings full
of self-pity after a failed relationship. Then the image of two birds in a
broken cage came to my mind and I was able to take it less seriously. After
playing with the motif, the song awakened energy and freedom. Because lyrics
like this sound very flowery to me, I love the contrast of heavy riffs in our
music.
3. Your music video "End of an Era" transports
listeners to a unique world. Can you share the creative process behind this
captivating visual representation and its connection to the song's theme?
We were looking for a confrontation of old and new and we
were very lucky that our priest agreed to filming in our beautiful gothic
church. The massive walls perfectly mirrored the song’s motif of being trapped
and spotlights through the artful windows created an atmosphere of illumination
in the middle of the night. The atmosphere in our band and orchestra was
thrilling and immediately released the drama and energy this song needs.
4. "Symphony of Darkness" seems to flirt with
'80s sound effects and a Power Metal vibe. What inspired the sound of this
track, and how does it fit into the broader narrative of the album?
It was the last composition I wrote for this album and it
felt right to experiment a little. This song recaps my whole workflow: Putting
myself in a strong, usually melancholic mood and transforming it into euphoria.
Maybe you can hear the pleasant anticipation we had for our album after years
in search of a signature sound with the accordion.
5. In "The Maverick,“ and „El Dorado" Balkan-style
accordions blend with cowboy guitar sounds. What drove the fusion of these
diverse musical elements, and how does it contribute to the storytelling in the
song?
Sounds come with associations and especially the accordion
sound is biased. Eastern sounds add a wild and feisty element to our music that
we love to contrast with heavy riffs and cool clean guitars. Our lyrical
maverick is closer to nature than to his fellow men and finally finds his pride
to leave all the ignorance behind.
6. „Over The Hills And Far Away" is described as a modern reinterpretation of a rock classic with Irish accordion sounds. How did you approach reinterpreting this classic, and what do you hope listeners take away from the song?
Ten years ago our journey started with Nightwish cover
songs. This one is a real crowd-pleaser and reminds us of great live
experiences. The fast riffs sound like they were composed for accordion and we
added more solo parts. That makes it more traditional, which is a great
contrast to clear vocals, electronic drums and a punchy mix. Fans of Tarja
Turunen surely will relate to Leonie’s vocal performance on this track.
7. "Ever Last" is presented as a heartfelt
ballad dealing with the futility of longing for the past. How did you capture
the emotional essence of this theme both musically and lyrically?
The verses list observations and questions that make me feel
bad time after time. A pure accordion accompaniment underlines solitude. The
first chorus introduces the theme of turning back the clock in reflective
melancholy accompanied by chord tensions. Then a lively drum groove brings the
listener back to here and now and the song takes its way towards a positive
perspective. The many key changes and surprising chord progressions support the
motif of searching.
8. Your drummer Fabian Matzke and guitarist Fabian Horn
play significant roles in shaping Vangardion's sound. How does each member's
contribution influence the overall sonic landscape of the band?
My brother on drums is also a good guitar player and
contributed riffs to our album. While I tend to write complex music, my brother
often brings me back to earth. His double bass thunderstorms are a driving
force for virtuosic accordion soli. Recording the album on e-drums, our
producer Alan Vukelic also shaped the sound more electronic and unique. Fabian
Horn on guitars loves to „kick asses“ with heavy riffs that contrast Leonies
classical vocal technique.
9. The song "Step Inside" draws inspiration
from the game "The Witcher." Can you delve into the creative process
of translating a game's atmosphere into a musical invitation for listeners?
This song started with a guitar riff that we improvised
over. At first, we had trouble to come up with lyrics but we knew that we
wanted to create a theatrical haunted house atmosphere. My brother somewhen
made a joke about getting the haircut of the character Olgierd von Everec,
which I really did. Olgierd is a complex personality who lost all empathy. Soon
the song got his lyrics and melody.
10. As a quartet performing live, how do you bring the
grand orchestral elements of Symphonic Rock to the stage, and what can
audiences expect from a Vangardion live performance?
While we decided to play no synthesizer sounds on our album,
we layer accordion sounds with electronic sounds life. And while I played all
the accordion parts on my own in the studio, we have the option to perform with
a full accordion orchestra live. That's a massive sound!
Not only the Vangardion sound is worth the experience, but
also the show: Leonie’s voice and movement are an eye-catcher and as a
professional actor, Fabian comes up with unique special moves playing his
guitar.
11. Matthias Matzke, as a multiple first-prize winner in
international accordion competitions, has pioneered the digital accordion. How
does this innovation play a role in Vangardion's music, and what possibilities
does it open up for the band?
Before we worked out our studio sound, our core was the
digital accordion attached to an Ableton Live rig which allowed me to play
both, bass parts and orchestral sounds. This setup allows us to play completely
without backing tracks which is quite unusual in Symphonic Rock & Metal.
The accordion arrangements are very difficult so there’s a lot of finger
acrobatics to enjoy on stage.
12. Looking ahead, what's on the horizon for Vangardion?
Are there specific goals or directions you envision for the band's musical
evolution and growth?
Our big goal is to perform on festivals like Wacken with our
band and accordion orchestra. Just imagine the surprised faces in the audience!
For me personally, it is very important to contribute to new perspectives for
the accordion. Vangardion stands for a genre that nobody expects - but it’s so
much fun to play and listen!
(27) Matthias Matzke - YouTube
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