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Interview with Yenz Leonhardt - Iron Savior
I recently had a chance to speak with the new bassist of Iron Savior, Yenz Leonhardt, about their new album (due in June). A review of the new album will on the site soon (by the way - it's killer!), but in the meantime, enjoy the interview!
Hello Matthew, this is Yenz from Iron Savior.
Hey, how are you doing today?
I'm doing very fine. I was really excited about the prospect of speaking Danish, but I guess we're speaking American?
Yes, unfortunately my Danish is not too good!
(Laughs) Hey, that doesn't matter at all. It's good rehearsal for me I guess.
(Laughs) That's true. Are you originally from Denmark then?
I'm from Copenhagen, yeah.
Ah, ok, cool.
So I saw on the list that you're writing for a Danish magazine, is that correct?
Yep, that's correct, for an online magazine called RevelationZ.
Ah yeah, of course, yes!
Are you familiar with our magazine?
Yes I've seen it; I think it's really cool what you're doing.
Awesome, that's great. Ok, so I guess the first thing I'd like to tell you is that I've been listening to the new Iron Savior album Battering Ram for about the past three days or so, and I love it, it's a great album!
Thank you very much!
Did you contribute to the songwriting at all on this album?
Ummm, only small parts for what you've heard, there's going to be an extended version of the album coming out in Europe on the 21st of June, and I think the bonus tracks are from me. (Laughs)
Ah, ok.
But, uh, from the songs that you have heard, I only contributed with small parts.
Ok. Do you know how many bonus tracks you're planning on putting on the extended version of the album?
Uh, one from me on the European version, one from Piesel, which is a ballad, on the Japanese version.
Ahh, I guess I'll have to track down both versions to hear all of the tracks then!
(Laughs) Yes, you will!
The lyrics on Battering Ram - do they continue the story of the previous Iron Savior albums, or is this a standalone album, story-wise?
Only a couple of the songs continue the saga, like Machine World and Tyranny of Steel. They're connected to the mythos, and the rest all stand-alone. I think that we, as a band, wanted to, to make a statement.we wanted to make it perfectly clear for the fans that we are in this day and age a functioning, hungry, live band more than a project. It kind of developed I guess within the last couple of albums, Condition Red and now Battering Ram, to more and more of this, uh, authentic Metal band direction, as it was earlier kind of a studio project for Piet.
Right, right.
So, I don't know, can you hear the difference? (Laughs)
Yeah, I can actually. It does seem to be a bit heavier, and really, just more Metal than the earlier Iron Savior albums.
Yeah, we're trying to punch people right in the face nowadays!
Yeah, well, you certainly did it with your new album!
(Laughs) Thank You.
I think my favorite song, or at least one of my favorites, has got to be Tyranny of Steel, I like that one a lot.
Yeah, that's my favorite too!
Oh is it? Yeah, that was going to be my question, if you had any favorite songs off of the new album.
Yeah, it must be that one, and Machine World, and maybe Starchaser at the moment.
Yeah, all of those are great.
Yeah, Tyranny of Steel really has a kick ass riff at the beginning of the song; I like it.
Definitely. So, before you joined Iron Savior you played guitar in a band called Kingdom Come, is that right?
Yeah, that's right, as a matter of fact I was recording a video in Los Angeles with Kingdom Come, only two months ago, um, for the new album. I'm still going to do a couple of festivals with Kingdom Come - Sweden Rock, and Bang Your Head festivals this year. But it's uncertain if I have the time in the future. My priority really is with Iron Savior.
I'm not too familiar with the music of Kingdom Come; do they play a similar style of Metal as Iron Savior does?
Not really, they used to be big in America in like '89, and they come across a bit like an updated version of Led Zeppelin or something, that kind of a style. Some heavy Hard Rock more than Metal.
Ok, that's cool. What bands or types of music have influenced you throughout your music career, anything in particular?
Sure, Black Sabbath in the old days, an album like Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, when I heard that I was like 12 years old, and that was a major influence. And later Judas Priest of course. Everything up until British Steel I guess.
Yeah, I know Piet's a big fan of Judas Priest.
Yeah, it's really a thing we have in common. I had an old band in Scandinavia, the beginning of Mercyful Fate, so it reminds me of my roots as a teenager. We used to play songs like Grinder and all that. It's really like being a teenager again. (Laughs)
Definitely, it must be great to be able to do that every day.
Yeah, it's really cool.
Out of all of Judas Priest's albums, do you like their early stuff best? Do you have a favorite of theirs?
Riff-wise it must be Sad Wings of Destiny. Then of course the sound got stronger later with Stained Class, Killing Machine.and after that I'd say it got too commercial, too simple maybe.
I completely agree.
(Laughs)
Sad Wings of Destiny is one of my favorites too; I love The Ripper.
Yeah, it's a fantastic track.
What kinds of music do you listen to in your spare time? Besides your own of course, do you listen to other Metal bands, or do you listen to other types of music?
Uh, I listen less and less at home to Metal I guess.I like things like Marilyn Manson, I like Rock and Roll bands.I mean, anything rebellious, anything aggressive, powerful.but also Metal of course.but there's not too many really great Metal bands around. maybe Iced Earth; not that many. (Laughs)
(Laughs) Yeah, unfortunately here in the U.S. there aren't many great Metal bands compared to Europe. How do you feel about the popularity of Metal in America right now? Do you think it's getting bigger and more popular for bands such as yourself?
I have a feeling that the kids are slowly returning to the roots, with this new Metal trend. I can really feel there are a lot of exciting young bands doing kinds of underground Metal, which of course is a lot more dirty than the stuff that we do, but I like it all the same.
I've had a chance recently to see bands like Helloween here in concert in the U.S., and I know like Nightwish for instance is going to be touring here soon - does your band have any plans to have any concerts in America?
Well that's what we really want, both America and South America. As I've said before earlier, this was a studio project from Piet, and Kai Hansen of Gamma Ray, and since the last.three years maybe it's been functioning as a live band. We still have to build on our reputation as a strong live act.but as soon as we can, we're definitely going to go over there.
Well I can't wait; I'd love to see you guys live. With all of the Metal bands putting out some great DVDs lately, do you have any plans to put out a Live DVD or anything?
Yeah, we've been talking about shooting every gig that we do this fall, and then putting it together on a Live DVD. It's really the natural thing to do, and it really doesn't cost as much as it used to in the old video days.
That's true. Well, those are the only questions I had, is there anything else you'd like to say to everyone?
Well I would just like to stress the importance of believing in your own inner strength. Nowadays we live in a very fast media world, which tends to make this whole industry, and every individual a bit confused, but that makes it so much more important to just hang on to the strength that you know that you have and just do the things that you know you can do. And that's what we're trying to do with Iron Savior.
That's great, I completely agree, that's a good way to look at things.
Thank You.
Well thanks a lot, I really appreciate you taking the time to do this interview!
Yeah, and I thank you too. I hope to see you in the States somewhere!
I do too!
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Written by Matthew - 5/18/2004 |
This article has been shown 5028 times. Go to the complete list.
RevelationZ Comments
| Comment by Jeff Teeples (Anonymous) - Saturday, January 20, 2007 | Iron Savior ROCKS here in the states!!! We can't wait o see you here in Utah!!Take care, and keep up the rockin speedy stuff that we love!! Waiting for the DVD!!!
Thanks,
Jeff
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