interviewpage
Jani Stefanovic |
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This is a great interview I did with Jani Stefanovic of DivineFire&Renascent Victory: Hello Jani, how are you? Jani: Thank you, I'm fine. I've been doing music all week. Victory: Can you give the readers a short introduction? Jani: I'm Jani Stefanovic, I play many instruments but mainly I play guitars. I play in a couple of bands as well, DivineFire, Renascent and a couple that I won't name yet. hehe. Victory: How come you play in a Finnish metal band? Jani: Well, I lived their between 1993 and 2001 and when I returned to Sweden I found no one to play with, so I contacted my old friends in Finland and asked if they wanted to join forces and so they did. In the beginning I was the only "foreign" member but now I also have a Swedish comrade in Barry. Victory: I see. You also have a new album coming out with both of your bands, first off is Renascent, what can you tell about it. Will if differ in any way compared to your EP Demons' quest? Jani: Well I'd say that there's a big difference. The songs have a more thrasy touch than before and are faster. Add to that a melodic edge and a heck of a loud of double bass. But you can still say it has the old Gothenburg sound to it with an extra spice in the keyboards. Victory: That sounds great! What can you tell about the songs, any favourites? Jani: My favourite tune is the opener "In Hell", it must be the best track on the album. I also like a song named "arise" a bit... Victory: So you like Two songs from your forthcoming album?! Jani: Hehe, well some of the songs are pretty old and were made back when Demons' quest were released. I'd probably change some things if I did record them again...but done is done. Victory: So, when can we listen to this new album? Jani: Well, actually today(22.09.2005) it's released in Japan. No dates for Europe yet, but no earlier than December. We still don't have a European label, but hopefully we can work things out in a near future. Victory: Talking about your other band, DivineFire, for a while, how did it get started? It was like "once there was nothing and suddenly there is Divinefire with two albums out"! Jani: Hehe.It all started after I had sent Renascent's EP to Mr. Rivel and he come up with the idea of us two doing a project. I so I made a song, just for fun, and sent it to him and he was like "oh man, this is great". After that I wrote the remaining songs in great haste and in a hurry the album was released! Victory: ...and there's another one coming up?! Jani: Oh, yeah! Victory: How is it compared to the previous one, "Glory thy name"? Jani: Well, the most notable differences are that the songs are simpler. The songs' structure are more straith forward than before and catchier. It's a bit more "sing along" feeling to it. Not that I'm a big friend of those but they just popped up, either I wanted them or not, hehehe. Victory: There has been a lot of fuzz about the drum... Jani: [interputing]Yeah...the drums... Victory: So, were they real? Jani: Well, let's say that some were and some were not... Victory: But I also heard that the new drums will be of unusual high quality? Jani: Well, this time the drums are 100% real. But we have made some triggering, but then who doesn't?! Victory: It will be interesting to hear... Jani: Well, I did the drumming... Victory: Great. Well, talking about Divinefire you have a tour in Japan coming up! Jani: Yes, I cannot still believe it! It's like a dream come true to tour Japan. Since the album sold pretty darn well over there, the label has arranged it so we will hit the road with Vision Divine and Skylark. Victory: Hehe, My opinion is that Skylark's first album has the worst production ever! Jani: Hehe, well I have just listened to them on the bands' homepage, and let's say the production sounds "Italian". Victory: Well, Vision Divine slays anyway. Jani: Yes, they could be interesting. Anyway, our label wanted us to tour right after the first album, but we wanted to release at least two albums, to get some more material to choose from. Victory: I'm sure it'll be great! Jani: Thank you, I really hope so! Victory: Playing part in two major bands can sometimes be a problem. Now you have two babies, which is your first priority? Jani: Well, often it's the band you're most active in. At the moment it's Divinefire but I love both of my bands!! Victory: Both of your band have "in your face"-Jesus lyrics. How important is it for you to have bold lyrics? Jani: Well, Christian writes all the lyrics for Divinefire but we chose to have a bold message and show the world who we are and in what we believe! The same goes for Renascent, but we cannot just have radical lyrics it's our lives that are important. How we live etc, we cannot be people smashing bibles in peoples' foreheads, that won't save them! Victory: Do you think that it's harder for a Christian band to get a contract with a label? Jani: Absolutely. Due to our bold lyrics with Renascent we have been rejected by some labels, sadly that's the truth. Victory: There is also a sign that Christian bands tune down their Christian lyrics, which sometimes has led that their popularity has grown. How do you think about that? Jani: It's a big question with no easy answer. Do you want to be controversial you can say that it aint right. But I cannot judge them. I do what God has called me to do and try to focus on that. But I understand that some bands want to get a big breakthrough and if the way to get there is to tune down the lyrics they perhaps feel they must do it. But as said, I cannot comment on others' decisions. Victory: Yeah, that's true. On another topic. Some people may find it strange that you have such a bold lyrics when you listen to quite "ungodly" music yourself? Any comments? Jani: Talking from my point of view, and only mine. I know what I can handle and not. Personally I feel that I need to listen to the music to get a hang of what it's happening in the metal scene. But it's not like I listen to a satanic band all day long, I must be sensible in my spirit so I know that I can handle. I also believe that the music actually does an impact on us, so we must be careful so the music doesn't turn us from God or turns To our god. Victory: Well, personally I find it astonishing that you keep releasing spirit uplifting metal faster than most of us, so you can say "from the fruit you know the tree". Jani: Exactly. Victory: Well it seems like the christian scene is getting better and better? Jani: Yes, it feels like it. There is a couple of good bands out there, even though I still think there is much mediocre Christian metal bands out there, it certainly getting better. But still there's a big focus on what we Christians write instead of the music we play. Victory: What do you mean? Jani: Well, when I was touring with Crimson Moonlight, the critics only talked about was the fact that we were Christians, not anything about the music and that is very silly! Victory: Yeah, that's sad. Our time is running out (note: at this point I have had the honor to listen to a couple of new tunes and they kick some serious ass!), I must thank you for a wonderful interview Jani! Jani: Thank you, it was nice talking to you. Hopefully I'll see you at some of our gigs! Victory: Hopefully! Jani: Well, see you! |