All about creative explosion of the most famous Italian band – Rhapsody of Fire – told us one of its fathers – Alex Staropoli. What else he told us? You´ll find it in next lines. So don’t be afraid and read …

It´s always difficult to begin in the music industry with new band and I think it´s even harder when you are beginning in country where metal isn’t common, as in Italy. How were your beginnings? 

It was kind of exciting because we knew it was no band there. No Italian band had success in metal scene before so Luca and I, we tried to take this new band to the world. This was very important for us and we made it, so we are very proud of it.

Just few weeks ago, you introduced new band member – Tom Hess – to the Rhapsody of Fire. Can you tell us more about Tom?

He´s a fantastic person. He´s a friend and we are partners already because Luca is doing guitar lessons and he was partner with Tom and I am partner with Tom in other courses. We knew each other for few years and he is great guitar player. We decided to have him in the band and record parts for this album so it´s very exciting moment – new blood is coming in.

Few months ago, Rhapsody of Fire released EP called “The Cold Embrace of Fear”. It´s quite unusual act in the metal. What can you tell us about this “Dark Romantic Symphony”?

Well, this was a song that is composed in “The Frozen Tears of Angels” period and we wanted to everything be ideal, but of course, the song while we are composing it, it was always longer and longer so it was not possible to release it with CD and we decided to pick it apart, to work on it a bit more and in the end, to release it in separate. We decided to make it EP but as you know, for EP, it is very long…if I mean the song. “The Frozen Tears of Angels” as album have to sound more there, have to have its own personality. EP could be more orchestral and we get there more keyboards, more sounds and parts. That’s the story you want… 

Who´s idea was to write piece like this? We expected concept album but this is far more than anyone expected ever I think …

Yes. Maybe it’s because for three years, we were doing nothing so now, we are … we like to walk. But it was planned like this. It has to be this way. Now as we got all that material, we have to concentrate on going on tour and enjoy time when we can play all this songs. 

Is there any possibility that we would see concert containing whole EP in one piece?

Oooh, well … this is a question that many people ask. As I said to them, I think it would be quite expensive to tour with orchestra but we will see in the future. I think, we just started playing it … in future, maybe, we would play it but we will see. We cannot play for hours … 

You mentioned orchestra … what do you think about cooperation with orchestra on concerts? 

Well, this would be fantastic but as I said, this period is kind of expensive and we cannot think about something like this for now. This is not gonna happened right now because for now, it is very expensive for us. Probably one day, it will happen, it would take a place because I am sure it would be fantastic, you know, to play with orchestra live. And I know this is idea we would like because we had a lot of fun to see this…we have to play some more shows, some more tours … but that could be really interesting. 

Let´s talk about new stuff now – “From Chaos to Eternity”. On first look, nine songs look like quite few but then we see that the last song takes 20 minutes. What can you tell us about story of “Heroes of the Waterfall´s Kingdom”?

It´s a song that is more orchestral. I have to say that it is very emotional. When we were writing it, recording it and all that stuff, we were feeling very sad, because we know, that we are moving to the last song, the last notes and that we know that for the Saga, it is forever. It was really very intense, very sad. After many years we walk with the Saga it is going to be an end and it was very sad. Heroes is song, maybe one of my favourite, it has a lot of elements inside, it is very orchestral and it has a lot of dramatics inside. It would be fantastic to play this on show, I am sure.

How can you describe “From Chaos to Eternity” as whole, as an album? 

I think it is perfect consequence to “The Frozen Tears of Angels”, you know. It has same step after another as “Frozen Tears” album. 

Has something changed from the last album? 

No. I always say no, because we decided fact to this album that we get all the time we needed because we recorded many things in our home studios so we took all time we needed and it was really fantastic, you know. There is nothing I can say that goes different way. Basically, I can say we are very proud and very lucky to be able to say that we had not changed ingredients, you know.

Many bands are hiring producers when they are recording albums. You and Luca made it for Rhapsody of Fire yourself. Aren´t you afraid that your view on whole thing isn’t open minded enough to do whole this thing? 

No. You know, the first album of Rhapsody was produced by Sascha Paeth and to produce the band like Rhapsody, it takes … you know, for external person it could be tragedy, because Luca and myself don’t like to be compromised by sound as we do. We know the way how music has to sound; we don’t need anyone else to tell us the way the music should sound. We compose the music and music is a complex that is so full of elements that make no sense to producer. You know. Maybe, if we are four musicians playing four instruments and that’s it, it would make sense but in the end we compose it for the orchestra, we know everything about this music and all the things are clear to us - how have the album sound, so we produce it by ourselves because we know it´s the only way.

In last two years, you were releasing new albums and new material in, I think, brutal tempo. What stands after this explosion of inspiration?

Yeah, of course, we were walking through period in that we don’t have to do anything and where we got no activity that we don’t play on stage. We composed music and we were not playing so much so we got a lot of energy, lot of ideas, and lot of songs. So it was a natural consequence. To release another album after one year, you know. 

Because of some problems with Magic Circle Music and copyrights, you renamed the band. When you look on all of this now, was it something like new beginning? Has changed something else with the name of the band as well?

Not really. This was a legal issue that we have to face and it was sad but we did it and we don’t have to think about that any more so … we had to do it. We don’t have any other choice and … no. The music is always same we always have songs in mind. Saga was written and released so we always follow this script. Thing that are happening around don’t affect music much. 

In the beginning of this year, you visited Slovakia to play two concerts. What did you remembered from our country?

It was very cold. (Laugh) It was fantastic, you know. I was surprised to see such fans coming to our show. It was great and I hope we will come back there to next European tour. But we have to come when it´s warmer.

What was the weirdest thing you have ever experienced on tour?

If I think about that I think we were really lucky because I can´t remember anything. I think that the more important thing I remember is exciting of the fans and excitement of the band on stage. Sometimes, things happens but, you know, those are things to forget. The most important thing is to show goes well and fans are happy. Sometimes there are technical problems but in the end you forget it because lot of times, people don’t even realised that you had problems on stage. The more professional you are, the better it is. You just keep playing and you´re just doing your job well.

Have you got any special habits you are doing before concerts? 

No, no…. really no. This time I was going on the scene and going around. I don’t like to stay indoors. I need to see places, you know and this is good for me because I change the air, you know. I go outside and so when I go back to the venue two hours before the show and eat something, to relax … it´s nothing special, you know. We are just looking to go no stage. 

Can you imagine your life if you aren’t musician or if you weren’t part of music industry? 

It is hard to say that because I doing this for so many years, but yes it’s not difficult that to be the musician is like a gift so that nothing is forever, you know. I am enjoying so much to work in the band and to do music because this is premiums. Not everybody can do it – to express your feelings with music it´s just fantastic. 

What musician or music album makes you to start to be interested in hard music?

Well, this was many many years ago. I think the one artist really kicked me – Yngwie Malmsteen for sure. Because of his playing, because of his songs, because of his composing, because of the live applause he deserved. But as well Ronnie James Dio for example, I like it a lot. I like a lot of Rainbow albums … I like when heavy metal becomes classic. I always liked good guitar players, good singers. 

We get to the end now. Is there anything else you want to tell to your fans or to our readers? 

Yes, of course. We are looking forward to come back in Slovakia and I hope this will happen very soon. In meantime, we hope you enjoy the new album and we see you everyone soon I hope.