Location: email
Interview date: 22.02.2012
One of the most dependable German power metal bands, and one that’s always stayed true to its musical principles, Primal Fear, has served up a follow-up to “16.6.” two years later: “Unbreakable” (2012) – RockLine review HERE. The new album is a return to the roots, with huge melodies and anthemic choruses that were tailor-made for the band’s most hardcore fans. Three years on, we got another chance to chat with Mat Sinner, original and founding member of Primal Fear. Mat Sinner has been making a living from music in one way or another for over three decades now, whether as a musician, arranger, producer or A&R man for labels. His wisdom and experience are highly valued in Germany, and they’ve helped plenty of younger German metal bands take their first safe steps in a music career. Mat Sinner started out in music back in the late seventies and founded his band Sinner in the early eighties, still one of the longest-running German heavy rock acts today (right up there with Accept and Scorpions). In 1997 the time was ripe for him and his longtime friend Ralf Scheepers, still regarded as one of the finest metal vocalists Germany has ever produced, to build a true power metal fortress called Primal Fear.
RockLine: The new album »Unbreakable« is a return to the roots of Primal Fear. An album of catchy choruses and hard-hitting ferocity, and it did great on the charts too… how do you feel about your new baby?
Mat: Over the last two years we were on the road the whole time, so we took a special approach: we wanted to write and produce the new album with all the influences and inspiration that were coming to us on tour. While we were creating the songs, we kept in mind how our fans reacted during the shows. That brought us back to some of the foundations of our music, even though the process of making a new album also needed a new, let’s say different, musical adventure. »Unbreakable« is actually the most successful album of our career, which caught all of us by surprise because we really didn’t expect it. So we’re really happy with how our fans have reacted to it and embraced it.
RockLine: What was the songwriting process behind »Unbreakable«?
Mat: Magnus (Magnus Karlsson, Primal Fear guitar, editor’s note) and I worked on the basic framework of the songs, and Alex (Alex Beyrodt, Primal Fear guitar, editor’s note) pitched in on two of them. Once we’d chewed our way through the basic structure of the new songs, I took the raw demos to Ralf’s studio (Ralf Scheepers, Primal Fear vocals, editor’s note), and then the two of us built them up further with vocal lines and verses.
RockLine: Is there any special, deeper message hiding behind the title »Unbreakable«?
Mat: Things definitely weren’t all rosy while the new album was coming together. We got hit with some unexpected changes, but we never lost our passion and enthusiasm for our music.
RockLine: What does your new guitarist Alex Beyrodt bring to the Primal Fear camp?
Mat: Alex has been helping us out on tour since 1999 and he’s done a hell of a lot for Primal Fear, even though he was never a full member of the band in all that time. Two years ago the time came to offer him a spot in the lineup, so he joined as a full-blooded, permanent guitarist.
RockLine: You’ve produced all of the band’s albums so far. How do you take on the challenge of producing your own album, your own band’s album, every time, and what methods do you use to get sonic differences between the albums (if there are any)?
Mat: Every production process has been different, with different experiences each time, and for me personally it’s always been a big challenge. That’s because you never know, and can’t predict, what’s going to happen during the recording. Every band walks its own evolutionary path, and in our case, since I produced the album two years ago, I couldn’t approach the new one the same way. Over those two years, outside circumstances had a major effect on the band itself, and that showed in the new situation within the team before we even stepped into the studio. This time we had a really great time in the studio, because we were surrounded by the energy of team spirit, real friendship and lots of useful communication, which you absolutely need if you want to satisfy everybody involved.
RockLine: You and Ralf have been the only constant members of the band since 1997, through all the lineup changes over the years. How do you manage to stay so loyal to your chosen style and keep the band relevant?
Mat: I just did an interview with a very well-known German music journalist who said he was totally surprised by the guitar sound on the new Primal Fear album. “It’s got the typical Primal Fear riffs and harmonies, the typical Primal Fear sound and all the typical Primal Fear trademarks,” he said. And when he listened to the new Voodoo Circle and the new Allen/Lande project, for example, he couldn’t get over the fact that the same musicians, playing in both bands at once, can recreate 100% of the quirks that are unique to Primal Fear’s music. That was a huge compliment for all of us in the band, and for our teamwork lately while we were recording »Unbreakable«.
RockLine: A new tour is on the horizon. How are you preparing for it, and what special touches will it bring for your fans?
Mat: Yes. That’s what we’re working on right now, and it’s our main focus at the moment. We’ve decided to make some moves toward really big changes. We’ll be playing a lot of new songs, at least six. On top of that, we’ll bring some songs back into the set that we really haven’t played live in a very long time. There’ll also be three or four of the classics that absolutely can’t be missing from the setlist. All of that will come with a completely new stage set, built especially for the new tour. We’ll try to deliver a totally different live experience compared with our last few tours. It’s a big challenge for us too.
RockLine: For the new tour you’ve teamed up again with Brainstorm, who you already toured with in Germany in 2009.
Mat: The 2009 tour was an exceptionally good and positive experience for both bands. We got along great. Just like us, Brainstorm have a new album in their pocket, so it seemed ideal to join forces again for a new tour, one where we’ll hit lots of cities and countries we didn’t play together last time. I love the guys in Brainstorm and their music, and I’m happy we’re hitting the road together again!
RockLine: If it’s not too big a secret, tell us what you do in your free time, away from your music business obligations, especially Primal Fear?
Mat: I’m a huge football fan, but otherwise I spend as much of my free time as I can with my family. I like watching a good movie, and I’m a bit of a gourmet, I love good food.
RockLine: On the new tour you’ll be stopping in Zagreb, Croatia on 05.04.2012, where the Slovenian heavy metal band Lene kosti will be opening for you. You guested on both albums the band has released. How did that collaboration come about, and might you join Lene kosti on stage in Zagreb as a special guest, at least for one song from their set?
Mat: Milan (Milan Krušič, Lene kosti vocals, editor’s note) is a longtime friend of mine, so I’ll always support him and his family. I don’t think I’ll have time to join the band on stage in Zagreb, but you never know what might happen. You don’t really plan surprises, they either happen on their own or they don’t. This will be our first show in Croatia. It’s always exciting to explore new territory, and there aren’t many countries left today where Primal Fear haven’t played yet.
RockLine: You also introduced the new album with a video for the new song Bad Guys Wear Black. Where did you shoot the video, and why did you pick that particular song?
Mat: The video was shot at the German Railway Museum in Nuremberg. The place we picked was perfect for it. We chose that song because it has a special »groove« compared with the other songs on the album, it gets stuck in your head fast, and it’s also the right length for the budget we had planned for a video like that.
RockLine: Your eagle covers are obviously a big part of Primal Fear. How much attention does the band give to designing your album covers, and how strongly do you identify with them?
Mat: We have total control over the cover artwork, and you’re right. We always take it very seriously when it comes to deciding on covers. After four albums with covers that were noticeably different from our early period, we wanted to go back to our real mascot, the eagle, with the new album, just like in our early days.
RockLine: After all these years of holding your ground in the music business, you’re still in amazing shape. Is there a special recipe for that?
Mat: Simple. We look after ourselves. We’re no angels, but we’re not the wildest guys around anymore either. These days our main focus is having fun on stage, not the parties that come after the shows.
RockLine: Do you have a special message for our Slovenian readers? After all, quite a few Slovenian fans of your music will be at your show in Zagreb, Croatia.
Mat: There’s always been a strong bond between Primal Fear and our friends from Slovenia. We’ll do the best we can to keep that bond strong in the future too. See you at the show!
questions by: Jani Mihevc Cah
intro paragraph, translation and adaptation of the text: Aleš Podbrežnik
photos: RockLine photo archive (2006-2012)
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