Dear readers, we are pleased to be able to offer you an interview with a German band that offers a mixture of progressive and power metal in this article. Please welcome Factory Of Art.
Hi how are you?
“We’re doing great at the moment, so all in all it’s developing quite positively for us.
Our new album is in the process of being mixed and mastered and we can’t wait to
get our hands on the finished product.“
Your sound includes elements of Progressive and Power Metal, where does your passion for these sounds come from?
“That connects us, that we all like to listen to progressive and power metal music, our tastes are very different, but we all like that. So what could be more obvious than adding progressive elements to Power Metal, that sounds good and increases the level of difficulty. At our older age, this also keeps our heads fresh. But that was also a long development from an instrumental band to power metal.
The heaviest song of those early days is still in the program today & you can see &
hear it here: https://youtu.be/7ibY3ztFgcQ“
In 2002, The Tempter was released . How would you describe this work?
“This was an attempt to create a concept album where the songs deal with a story chronologically. In order to fill in gaps and solve mysteries posed by the songs , we provided set pieces in the cover layout . It was very appealing to conceive songs for a particular topic.“
Energetic tracks with intense vocals. Which topics do the lyrics of the tracks deal with?
“Actually, the lyrics contain a lot of social criticism packed in a fictional thriller story. For example, “The Mass ” tells of military preachers who, without batting an eyelid, send young people into battle and death while pissing on the 5th commandment of their own religion. Unfortunately always up to date.“
Your last album came out in 2002. Are you working on new music for an upcoming release?
“Yes, as described above , we made intensive use of the Corona period. Many events have been cancelled, but we have not given up. We saw that as an opportunity to write new songs. After the many years that we hadn’t done that anymore, things went surprisingly well. The lyrics just gushed out of our singer Petri.
We’ve just finished recording the new album , which Gunter, our keyboard player, did and edited. We sent them to Jacob Hansen (Hansen Studios) in Denmark for mixing and mastering. We’ve been looking for a record label that we can work with on an equal footing for a while , but at the moment it doesn’t look like there ‘s anything else out there that’s interested in us , although a few have reached out. We’ll see what we do, we ‘ll definitely release it . If a correct one Record label that reads and is interested, contact us quickly“
Their music is full of intertwined guitar and keyboard elements. How is your music composed?
“It’s actually different. Most often the composition starts with a guitar riff, then the rhythm is created and the keyboard themes are then developed. There are also passages where an existing vocal line is supported by instruments. Sometimes a keyboard theme is then provided with a corresponding guitar line.“
Many of your fans and our readers are wondering if there will be a chance to hear your music live. Do you have any plans in this regard?
“It also looks like the situation of the live music events would be better, we get more performances again. In our segment, it’s generally not that easy, and there are some do it yourself ” Productions that are always on the edge of financial feasibility, but are made with a lot of heart and soul. We like to be there and don’t play there very often. Hence my appeal to everyone, support your bands, buy tickets in advance , buy t-shirts & cds or online mp3s but don’t stream as only the streaming company makes money, not the bands.“
Since 1992 you have released several demos, EPs and albums. How has your sound evolved over the years?
“The sound has moved a bit away from classic metal and has become a bit heavier. Many influences have moved us in the last 30 years and the change on the guitar has also changed us. Thoralf has completely different musical roots than our previous guitarists.”
The German music scene has always been one of the most active in Europe, since the 1960s and 1970s. How would you describe the modern scene in your country?
“When I think about the metal sector now, of course, I think of the big, style- defining thrash and heavy metal bands, all of which are celebrating an unexpected renaissance after the dry spell in the 90s and whose influences naturally rub off on countless young bands. Of course, genres like new German hardness or medieval folk metal are very popular. Harder playing fields like Black Death Metal or Metalcore are also very popular. We’re a bit between the chairs. It’s almost a tradition with this band.“
Music is constantly evolving. How do you see your genre in the future?
“Progressive metal has continued to evolve. He only rarely has anything to do with the classic art rock bands of the 70s , but always breaks new ground. It goes from rock hard to almost pop. I’m always surprised. Hopefully it remains unclear where the journey is going.”
Do you have any other passions or artistic activities besides music?
“Actually , everyone is artistically involved with the album. Musically and visually. This goes all the way to the website, which our drummer Ralle creates and maintains. Otherwise, it’s outdoor activities like climbing, hiking, sailing or fishing, which we deal with in the remaining, very little free time and also draw strength to continue.“
What advice would you give to young artists approaching music in a genre like yours?
“Don’t cling too much to role models, but try to do something to create your own. Always stay humble and form alliances with like-minded bands and artists and don’t take false friends’ promises.“
I thank the band for the interview and wish them all the best for the continuation of their artistic career.
“Thank you very much, we wish you the same with your exciting work and getting to know so many interesting music and musicians. I hope we’ll talk again when our new album is out. Until then, we ask you to subscribe to our channels, see you soon \m/“
Purchase and Stream the music of the band here: https://odesli.co/cp9znm7pqxrzp
