On the 15th of march the new Diary Of Dreams album will be releasd. "(If) - The Memento Ritual Project" has been just announced. New material is under The tracklist has recently been published and now the artwork and photos for the new record are under preparation. DarkIndependent has interviewed the leader of the band - Adrian Hates about the new project, events since the last album and his future plans.
Adrian Hates: Yes, mostly busy. The album is being printed, so that part of the work is really over, and now we are focusing on letting you people know that it is going to be out soon. And let's see what everybody thinks of it…
DarkIndependent: This question must have been asked so I will shoot it right away - It is a shortest title in your discography. Why "(If)"?
Adrian Hates: Yeah, it's quite a short indeed. Basically what I was searching for when I was looking for the title, it is something very plain and simple that would still express what I was trying to say about my status of life. And I think everybody asks this "If" questions in their heads and everybody ask themselves once in the while that "What if?" famous if questions. Last year for me was pretty intense on many different levels and I noticed that quite often I have this "If" questions in my head. I generally was asking very many questions that I was looking answers for. Then, very soon I noticed that I started to write down all this questions and they looked like lyrics for the songs. I started to work on these songs and soon I've just had the concept album. Not really concept, but an album idea that can be narrowed down to the two letter which are "I" and "F". "If" was just most logical thing for me to not have too many distractions.
DarkIndependent: As far as I remember the next album suppose to be the concept album, so why change?
Adrian Hates: Basically from the very beginning, when I was asked, is that new album is going to be a concept album - I said "no". I knew that for me the chapter of "Nekrolog 43", was really over, and I really wanted to have freedom to do something completely new. Whenever I feel that something is expected from me, something specific - I tend to change it. It is because it has a danger of becoming a routine, and I hate the routines. I always wanted to have freedom to reinvent myself and to do something completely different. Something from completely different angle or with a totally different motivation or totally different hook line of story. That is the freedom that I like of being an artist. And if I loose this freedom all sense of this will be gone. I really thought about doing something new but that never meant that I am not going to end up and make new concept album again. But for the moment I don't really see myself of doing that.
DarkIndependent: So it is not a continuation of "Nekroleog 43" of any kind?
Adrian Hates: If you read and listen to all of Diary Of Drams albums there is a red line for pretty much all of them. The handwriting is similar in every song, because it is my handwriting. There are schemes, topics and subjects that I regularly deal with and on the last two albums they were part of the concept. But it doesn't mean that I can't deal with the some of the subjects in one song in the different light, in the different combination or a different topic. I would totally think, if you would look for instance on the "Nigredo" and the "Menschfeind" theme, this whole attitude for a human being and my skeptical attitude towards human race is something that has been a red line through all my lyrics for very many years now. I don't see why I have to stop that. It is a general thing. It's being a watcher - watching things around me. That is what I am doing with myself - I just describe what I see, what I sense, what I feel and then put it into the words. And of course some of the schemes, that I doubt with on "Nigredo", "Menschfeind", "Nekrolog 43", "The Plague" or whatever, are topics that have some sort of reappearing on this album too. It is not a package in the concept, it's more likely that the every single song is a little concept on it's own. That is the real freedom that I love about it. Just writing and enjoying the freedom of just doing whatever you want in this very moment.
DarkIndependent: On 28th of March on "Dark Dance Treffen" there will be official release party of you new album. Do you have any particular plan for this event, any surprises?
Adrian Hates: Possibly. We are thinking about couple of things but if I tell you…
DarkIndependent: It is not a supprise anymore (laugh).
Adrian Hates: Yes, so I don't really tell anybody (laugh). Besides, if our plans are going to change that will be something I can't really keep again. I found in those years that you should never announce anything you are not 100% sure that you will do it. I can just say that there will be something special for sure. And the fact that we are playing a new material is surprising enough.
DarkIndependent: Your last show before release party will be in Bucharest. Is there any particular reason why you having concert in the land of Dracula just before your new album is released? Did you play there before?
Adrian Hates: No, there is not a particular reason, I really could not tell you because fortunately I am not in charge of the booking. For some reasons this show was set to this state and I am very happy for it. It is quite good start for the new tour and it is not set yet where we will play this year and it is in the process of changing.
DarkIndependent: DarkIndependent will be on the "First Romanian Dark Fest". Can we expect any songs from the new album on that concert?
Adrian Hates: I am not sure yet. I can't tell you 100%. Maybe one… I really need to think about that because we really just ended working on the album. We are working on all the graphics with art designer Ingo, doing photography with Annie, we were very busy and we didn't put so many thoughts into this set in Romania. Certainly I will do it this weekend. So after this weekend you can ask me (laugh).
DarkIndependent: OK. I will (laugh). And what about the band itself? Will Torben Wendt play on the new tour? Did he take part in the recording of the new album?
Adrian Hates: Torben is a constant member of the family, he's just not always fully active and he is sometimes more in the background. I put one song on this album where we were actually active writing together because it is rather old song. It is from couple of years back, but I always loved this song. It supposed to be on the "Nekrolog 43" but at this point it was not finished yet to be on that album, so I postponed the release till now. Now it is ready and it is perfect to be on that album. It really belongs there. That was what me and Torben were working on. But we do not sing on this album together. The vocals are all mine. And touring…? We shall see. I am sure that it is possible that Torben will appear here and there but it is not going to be like Torben and Adrian sing on complete tour - it may be more like the special appearance somewhere but not like he will be on stage with us all the time.
DarkIndependent: Do you even have time to listen to somebody else's music? Did you heard anything interesting last time, some new bands maybe?
Adrian Hates: I do listen to the music, and I am always happy to get the good suggestions form friends but I didn't discover too much great stuff lately. And on the scene there is nothing really new what I didn't see so I couldn't point any bands right now. The last big thing that I have found for myself is couple of years back, which is 30 Seconds To Mars which I enjoyed and heard and I immediately felt in love with it. But it is couple of years back already… (laugh).
DarkIndependent: Movies?
Adrian Hates: Not really. Last years I was asked this questions many times about my favorite movies but I think that wasn't much.
DarkIndependent: What about TV and news. Are the current world events having resemblance some way in new songs?
Adrian Hates: I'm somebody who's watching the development of this world skeptically and on one level or the other social criticism is a part of my songs. But I never take any specific events into my lyrics - I really just generalize it. I look in the human flaws that cause possible catastrophes. And honestly, I thing the human specie is always good for the nice catastrophes and I don't think that any years since the human being exists did not have some sort of catastrophes. It's kind of sad to watch this planet to develop. It's kind of disappointing but fortunately there are still good creatures that call themselves human beings ans I hope their power is going be a bit stronger this year then last year. So let keep up the hope and don't be too pessimistic.
DarkIndependent: Did you follow the election In USA?
Adrian Hates: Yes, I watched it. I watched complete election. I was I the studio at that time with Daniel Myer and we were sitting and watching the election. It is kind of funny to me to sit in front on the TV because I don't have TV (laugh) and watching election was something off world to me… But I hope that the new president of the United States can't get much worse then before let us hope it is a good one but I am not able to say that. I'm not a big man of politics. I just watch people. All that talk what this guy is going to change it's not going to bring us anywhere, because the only thing which counts in the end is what he really does. We will see in the next couple of years. So let’s watch his work and hope the best.
DarkIndependent: So does the problems of the world cancers you anyhow? Like a global warming, financial crisis?
Adrian Hates: Of course I care about it and I am concern about it. It's pretty much one of my general themes that the human being is not behaving correctly. We should take care about this planet much more than we do. And the global warming of course is the subject and the financial crisis it's a very big subject. We travel a lot and I visit many countries a lot. I see development and how the money value goes down in England, what is also does to the people and to the unemployment rate and many, many other topics. And of course it brings unhappiness to the people and fear and existential crisis. There are so many personal catastrophes, so of course it something that matters to me and that I found very sad. We can only try to do our best and try to have impact in this situation. And of course we all have to stick together and try to survive.
DarkIndependent: The last year is just over. Do you remember any particular event important for you? Negative, positive?
Adrian Hates: There were a lot of positive events. Because I did travel a lot and I've seen so many countries. There was a lot of remarkable events and outstanding concerts. It was very memorable year for me because in Lithuania there was amazing as well as the tour in Russia. There were so many things that really touched me and were very impressive. There are many very nice and much sad personal moments and all this together is the origin to my new album.
DarkIndependent: Which concerts do you prefer? Small ones or the big gigs?
Adrian Hates: It's not really the rule for me but I'm not very big fan of big, big festivals because it's always very hectic and you always have a little time. The stage time is limited - you're in rush when you get your things on the stage and very rush when you get them off the stage. It's not very relaxing to do that… yet these concerts of course are amazing but I'm a fan of medium size club shows: when you have the good club and good stage, good sound, nice amount of people, a good venue, a good atmosphere and a good lighting - then it's fun. But what we also did couple of years back are the acoustic shows in the very small places. It really depends. After all, the important thing is that the audience just enjoys what you do. That is the most important thing and that you get the atmosphere going, get the vibes going and that everybody enjoys the evening; people in front of the stage and the people on the stage. Then you get the chemistry going and then it is fun.
DarkIndependent: Did you play on the all continents already? Is there any place where you did not play yet (laugh)?
Adrian Hates: There are a lot places on the planet that we did not played yet… (laugh) and I am sure we will be able to discover a few more. But for the moment there are thirty countries that we visited and the Romania will be the thirty one, so that is exciting and that will be blast to see a couple more countries that year, and to Australia again, North America, South America is on our schedule… who knows.
DarkIndependent: So is there any particular place where you want to play? Maybe you want to play somewhere again?
Adrian Hates: I would really want to go and play in Iceland one day. That is something I would really like to do because I was adored and impressed by this country and these people. Reikyvik and Icelad is really what would be a pleasure for me. Beside that I would like to go to South Africa - it always have been great experience being there. I also hope that this whole situation in Israel will be settled down soon, maybe for good and forever. That would be probably the best news of the year for all people. It certainly would make me happy and I would love to go to Israel and Tel Aviv and play again. There are also so many other countries and it's very difficult to select, because once you mention about one city the next one pops up in your head. Riga and Latvia were wonderful; The Lithuania was great (laugh) we really had a great tour and we really would like to repeat it.
DarkIndependent: Do you stay in touch with you fans. Some people complain that you aren't present on the "MySpace" very often (laugh).
Adrian Hates: Yeah…, I don't go there any more. It's eating up to much time. "Adrian Hates" counts something like I don't know - a couple of thousand people there. The "Diary Of Dreams" counts something like twenty thousands people. You can't imagine how many messages people send daily. It's sometimes difficult for me to even read these messages. It's so much. In the end what is comes down to, is that I don't have enough time to do the music if I answer to all of these massages and read them all. I'm not going to MySpace anymore and I gave it to our management. I leave the notes sometimes but I don't go there anymore. I try to answer couple of things here and there but not on the "Adrian Hates" site anymore. I have done with that.
DarkIndependent: Any news from Diorama? Can we expect something new in near future?
Adrian Hates: Yes. I'm not going to produce it. Torben is going to produce the new Diorama himself but I'm positive that we well have a new Diorama release in the first of six months of this year.
DarkIndependent: I was interviewing you before the "Alternative Fortress" in Kłodzko. It was very unfortunate concert in Poland last year. We didn't have a chance to talk later. How do you fill about it?
Adrian Hates: There was a lot of conversation about this concert with me and without me and I think that pretty much has been said. I put the statement up on the website. It was a very sad incident. It was very sad for us but mostly for people who traveled a lot for a log distance to be able to see this concert. And as I always said, those fanatics that cut out the electricity had opportunity to talk to us on the press conference. They could have asked about their assumptions and whatever they thought. They could simple have ask us the questions ad we could have answer to them. It could avoid that whole dilemma for everybody. It was just not the mature modern world activity what was going on there. It was sad but I know it's just an exception for your country and not the regular case. We have played in your country so many times and it was always a great experience and fun. So it isn't that I keep in my heart a negative experience of Poland. It was just sad and I'm coming back this year. So if the want to try again it's OK. I will try to come back as long as I live. They don’t scare me away from Poland (laugh).
DarkIndependent: It's really great because, it seems like your next visit this year will be in Bolkow. This will be your third time on Castle Party in Poland for you. How do you remember that place and people coming to the festival?
Adrian Hates: I have very good memories with it. It's been always very fun and great festival. I hope that the weather is going to be good and that we will have opportunity to sit outside on the warm summer night. That will be very nice because last time it was pretty could and rainy (laugh).
DarkIndependent: Yes. Lets hope so (laugh).
Adrian Hates: But the concerts are always outstanding out there, the audience is very enthusiastic and supportive. It's always good to go there and to have this huge support from everybody. I am very happy to go back there and celebrate the great evening with everybody in this very exceptional place. So I am very happy for you guys that you have this place and this festival in Poland.
DarkIndependent: OK - one more question. You have now Spanish and even Russian version of the Web Page - do you plan to make Polish version - of course we can help? (laugh).
Adrian Hates: (laugh) As you can imagine I get this question from very, very many countries (laugh). They ask us: are you going to do version in this language, in that language… It's very difficult to translate website to so many languages but I don't know many bands which has their sites in so many languages. Do you know any bands that have already four languages?
DarkIndependent: Not really (laugh).
Adrian Hates: Yeah. I think we are pretty good already. All Polish people that I met speak very good English so they are able to read news and I think that German, English, Spanish and Russian covers high a lot. So when I try to make Polish too I will have to do a lot more languages. I am not sure I can do that.
DarkIndependent: Thank you for the interview then, and see you in Bucharest.
Adrian Hates: Wonderful, great!
