Interview with Guitarist Yannik Moszynski and Bassist Daniel Melchior of Tomb of Giants
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
CV: Do you
feel Heavy Metal music in general is viewed differently by fans in Europe
compared to fans elsewhere, especially in America, and if so why?
Daniel Melchior: I guess they're not that much
different. Both Europeans and Americans love heavy metal. However, we've
already shipped more than a handful of records to America (with people paying
more for shipping than for the CD!) and did not really sell copies to other
countries except Germany yet. So I'd say that Americans are probably more eager
to check out small foreign bands and get their stuff.
CV: What
do you feel makes Heavy Metal music so alluring to the fans? What is it about
the music that personally resonates so strongly with you?
DM: The music is true. And I don't mean that as in
"Manowar-True" but as in "honest." You usually have vocals,
two guitars, bass and drums. That's it. These 4-5 people create a massive
energy and transfer it to the listener. You just want to bang your head and
have a great time. That's something no other music genre does to me.
Yannik Moszynski: There is somehow a strong bond between metalheads, even if you don't know them. It's a big scene, with lots of topics to discuss, with lots of bands to party with and lots of beer to drink! I personally love the vibe of 80s Heavy/Glam metal, it's fun to listen to, it's fun to play along and I instantly get a good feeling.
CV: Has
Metal splintered into too many sub-genres in your opinion, thus, making it
harder for newer bands to actually classify themselves as one style over
another? Is it confusing for fans as well?
YM: Gatekeeping aside; yes, I think there are too many
subgenres. More subgenres equal more shitty music. But on the other side - more
subgenres equal more people getting into metal. The whole "Metal"
genre is really diverse nowadays so nearly everyone will find something to
listen to.
DM: I think more and more sub-genres come up because music evolves naturally. People that are into different styles of music start mixing it and search for words to describe the style. In my opinion that's better than calling everything Metal which would make it really hard to find your specific music. At the same time it's gotten pretty complicated lately and people start to make serious science out of stuff that was initially only meant to be enjoyed.
CV: How
would you describe the current state of the music business considering we are
now living in a post-COVID aware, and maybe even feared world? Have things
drastically changed long-term for artists and bands given the aftermath of the
pandemic? What are your thoughts?
YM: It's bad. Many locations had to close, many
mini-festivals had to call it quits and the ones who survived need to carefully
check their budget, often booking bigger names so they attract more guests.
That results in less open slots for small bands like us. Before COVID hit we
probably could have played somewhere else every few weeks. Those times are
gone.
DM: I have to agree. Even our favorite metal club had to close recently as an aftermath of COVID. I went there nearly every Saturday for the past ten years, partying to classic heavy metal and making a lot of friends. That's probably because not only clubs but also people have to take care of the money, which in this case led to that club being less frequented.
CV: What
do you feel makes your band and its particular approach to songwriting work?
What keeps the band together and making music?
YM: We developed a strong friendship inside the band
over the years. The bond is there, the jokes are bad and the most important
thing - we are having too much fun to stop!
DM: That's absolutely true. After a stressed day at work, once I get into our rehearsal room and see my brothers in metal I instantly become happy and relaxed. Fun is the most important thing in this band which is why we always have a positive vibe.
CV: On a
more global view, how do you see your band’s music and songwriting separating
itself from just being another Heavy Metal act?
YM: Mostly because we are not polished and perfect. I
personally hate modern metal productions…post 2010, they are just to polished
and not raw as it was back then. Our music is exactly the opposite: raw, not
polished to the max and made with passion.
CV: Can an
artist truly be unique? Some would argue there is no such thing as being
unique; that it’s nothing more than a compounding of influences making an
artist who or what they are. Would this then say that artists today are
destined to be just copies of those who have already come to pass?
YM: Yes and No. There are only 12 notes to choose from,
so no matter what you do, someone probably already did it. But since everyone
has different musical influences, you can always create something new by adding
a bit of the influence of every band member to the song.
CV: Are
there life lessons to learn being in a Heavy Metal band that you feel cannot be
taught elsewhere? If so, what are they?
DM: I don't think there's that much you only learn
playing in a heavy metal band. You however get a lot of unique experiences…both
good and bad, meet a lot of nice people and perform with a lot of great bands.
I could not image live without being in a band.
CV: What
do you feel makes someone a “rock star”? Does being a rock star automatically
make one iconic or are the two completely different in your opinion?
YM: I don't like that term, because everyone who puts a
foot on a stage is considered a "Rockstar" nowadays. But if I had to
consider someone as a "Rockstar," then these people would be highly
infuencial musicians such as Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen or George Lynch to
name a few.
DM: I think the term "rock star" has lost its meaning over the years. Every second mediocre bedroom-rapper calls themselves a "rock star" and corporations call their most motivated workers "rock stars." I'm sure that the term won't have any meaning left in 10-20 years.
CV: What's
next for you? What can fans expect to see coming as the world looks to surmount
a new normal laced with a load of restrictions?
DM: We're getting the word spread about “LEGACY OF THE
SWORD,” trying to take more people back to the glory days. While doing so,
we're looking for more shows to play and slowly start writing new material for
our next release. But that won't come out before end of next year.
CV: Thank
you again for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a
pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
DM: Thanks for having us!
Check out Tomb of Giants at:
https://tombofgiants.de/links/
Bandcamp: https://tombofgiants.bandcamp.com
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