SOURCE WEBZINE | We don’t have readers – we have believers.

SOURCEWEBZINE – Can you give us a sneak preview of the upcoming studio album “Acedia”?

Martin (Keys) – It is our sixth studio album and we are very happy with the result, of course. We put a lot of strength into the album and what you here is the vision of 5 musicians creating the music we would like to hear  ourselves. We call it Modern Melodic Death Metal, you got to listen to it yourselves.

SOURCEWEBZINE – Who produced the album “Acedia”? How involved are you in the mixing process?

Martin (Keys) – The album  was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by our singer Eike Freese in his Eikey Studio in Hamburg.

SOURCEWEBZINE – Are there any special guests on the album?

Martin (Keys) – Kai Hansen from Gamma Ray did guest vocals for a song and a guitar solo for the bonus track of the Japanese Special Edition.

SOURCEWEBZINE – Fan reaction, as is often the case, seems to have been mixed if the Internet reaction is any indication. Have you gone online much, if at all, to read some of the responses that fans have had to the new album?

Martin (Keys) – Yes, we do that. It is very interesting what people say about the album and the band. But the fact that really everybody in the whole world can write what he wants shows us, that you do not have to draw  so much attention so certain things.

SOURCEWEBZINE – Does your band make money by touring and selling merchandise or by selling CDs?

Martin (Keys) – We make a little money from it sometimes, But we can not live from it.  What we make goes directly into new gear or into new merchandise.

SOURCEWEBZINE – You have a lot of influences and styles. Which ones are at  the forefront on “Acedia”?

Martin (Keys) – Everybody in the band has other influences. They reach from Classic Rock and Roll to Black Metal and even music not related to Metal.

SOURCEWEBZINE – Bands are selling fewer CDs now, but the music is still finding its way into people’s hands via things like illegal downloads. Is that frustrating for you, or do you just want your music out there, regardless?

Martin (Keys) – That is difficult. Of course we like to get money for the art that we create, but if people download our music illegally and then buy a shirt and come to our concerts it is also a good thing. Nevertheless:  Artists should get paid for what they create. Recording an album with a good production costs a lot of money, and the money has to come from somewhere.

SOURCEWEBZINE – What’s you’re view on the state of the music business. It seems to be an industry struggling to survive or how do you see it?

Martin (Keys) – Yes, but hopefully it will survive in the end. People like to listen to music, but if they do not pay the artists everybody will stop  putting out music with a high quality someday I suppose. Maybe that  will take a long time, but if everything gets down, the listeners will  suffer an long death I hope.

SOURCEWEBZINE – Germany is home of many known metal bands. How much attention does Dark Age receive from the national media and people in general?

Martin (Keys) – It is getting better with every record for us and with our new label AFM more people with recognize us hopefully.

SOURCEWEBZINE – You use MySpace quite a lot to be in contact. Do you believe about these social networks being effective to keep contact with fans?

Martin (Keys) – That is the present time. Everything is much easier with that. When we started you had to write a letter to the printed magazines that you play a gig. Now you can reach much more people in little time. It  helps a lot. Of course the side effects are that it is very unpersonal, but without MySpace, Facebook, etc. we had not so much possibillities to reach our fans.

SOURCEWEBZINE – What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned that you would advise other bands about?

Martin (Keys) – Never ever trust a promoter when he says:
- We have (good) food
- The stage is big
- The drinks are for free
- Everything is working in our club
- You get paid

SOURCEWEBZINE – Leave us a message!

Martin (Keys) – Thank you for this interview, greetings to all our fans in Brazil!

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