Angel Wolf-Black - Interview

R'n'R : When you were a child did you live in a musical ambiance at home?

Angel : Yes. As far as I can remember there was always music in the house, of different music genres. I remember my parents listening to Greek folk music, as well as jazz and classical.

R'n'R : How did you know that you wanted to make your life in music?

Angel : To be completely honest, I don’t know exactly how and at what point of my life I took the decision to follow the path of music. Growing up in a home where music was almost always on, I enjoyed singing along and playing the piano. The time I was dedicating to music increased as time went by and I guess it came as a natural progress.

R'n'R : How do you compose?

Angel : This depends on what I compose, but usually I rely on improvisation. When I write my own music, everything starts with the piano. I improvise a lot and I get inspired as I play. I might find an interesting chord progression that later can be turned into a song, and I addthe vocals in the process. When I have to write vocal melodies over a given instrumental track, I improvise with my voice by following the ambience and context of the song. I might have to record many different melodies, tracks and layers, until the final one is chosen, and leave the song aside for a few days to get back to it with a clear mind again.

R'n'R : How were you involved in Bare Infinity?

Angel : Back in 2008, I created a music profile on MySpace with a couple of vocal covers. The guitarist of the band came across that profile and invited me to audition for them in Athens. Almost a week later, I met the band, passed the test, and joined them to record the band’s debut album.

Click here to watch the video of I Dream Of You by Bare Infinity

R'n'R : Why did Bare Infinity split?

Angel : At that time, there were issues within the band, both financial and personal, so we decided that we couldn’t work together anymore.

R'n'R : What are your principal influences in jazz? And metal?

Angel : Regarding jazz vocalists, Ella Fitzgerald comes to mind first, along with my first singing tutor, Vicky Almazidou. On the more technical side, Sheila Jordan (whom I had the pleasure to meet) and Aziza Mustafa Zadeh are two of my major influences in terms of understanding what improvisation and scatting is. As for metal, I find that Floor Jansen’s style has helped me a lot to understand how effective the different registers of the voice can be and blend them nicely. Same for Roy Khan, James LaBrie, and Anneke Van Giersbergen. The list of bands can go on forever, so let’s just say that Nightwish, Epica, Dream Theater and Periphery are the first in line.

R'n'R : Talk to me about your adventure with Broken Tempo, a greek band.

Angel : I was the singer of Broken Tempo for one year back in 2012. The music was very different from what I had been doing until then. Trip-hop was something I wanted to try and by joining the band I had the opportunity to finally experience it and work with different colours of my voice. We released a single called YOU in 2013, and at the same time I was recording vocals for the debut album of the band, which was never released as far as I know.

Click here to watch the video of YOU by Broken Tempo

R'n'R : Are you still involved in Seduce The Heaven?

Angel : No. The band is in a hiatus since 2015, but all members are active with other music projects which are worth listening, such as SL Theory and Still Falling.

R'n'R : What do you like in the combination of melodic with death/metalcore of Seduce The Heaven music?

Angel : I like the musicianship and mix of contrasting elements. For example, the way that Alex Flouros (guitars) and Chris Kollias (bass) deliver the technical parts of the songs, as well as the tone of their instruments, hold my attention from beginning to end. Plus, I quite like the contrast between distorted, aggressive vocals (Marios Mizo) and clean female vocals, and the good songwriting.

Click here to watch the video of Field of Dreams by Seduce The Heaven

R'n'R : Why did you accept to play in Vivaldi Metal Project with Mistheria? What attracted you in this project?

Angel : I really liked the idea of taking a classical masterpiece like The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi and interpreting it through the lens of metal music. I’m a huge fan of symphonic metal and this concept was intriguing. I know that this has happened before, but not like a rock opera featuring artists from all over the world. Mistheria’s vision was exciting and I’m very happy I have become a part of it.

R'n'R : There are several singers in Vivaldi Metal Project with different kinds of voices. It’s unusual for a band to have several singers, do you like to share the vocals and why?

Angel : I agree that it’s not very usual for a band to have several singers, but there are some bands that do such as Therion, Haggard, and Ayreon (when they perform live) and the result is pretty impressive. I like to be part of a whole and Vivaldi Metal Project is a great opportunity to do this. I enjoy sharing vocals, and I enjoy doing backing vocals and harmonies, because I find the result satisfying. This requires accuracy and working hard with other people, so I like to challenge myself and spend time with like-minded artists.

Click here to watch the video of Phantom of The Opera + Vita by Vivaldi Metal Project live in Sofia

R'n'R : You joined Triaxis in 2017. That’s why you moved to England ? Maybe music business is easier in England ?

Angel : I joined Triaxis officially in 2017, but that was not the reason I moved to the UK. I moved there in September 2016 to study music, and I got in touch with the band very soon after my arrival. Regarding music business and business in general, I find that things are easier in the UK. Founding and running your own business is quicker and simpler.

Photo : Louis Konstantinou

Click here to watch the video of The Age of Dreams by Vivaldi Metal Project

R'n'R : In 2018, you collaborated with the Bulgarian guitar player Alexandra Zerner. Her album Opus 1880 is majestic. How did she approach you to be in her project and what attracted you to say yes to collaborate with her?

AngeI : I was introduced to Alexandra’s music skills through Vivaldi Metal Project and her participation in the track Age of Dreams as a lead guitarist. This was the connection and, when we got in touch, I learned that she needed a singer for her new album Opus 1880 which was then in the making. The concept, the music and lyrics, as well as the general aesthetic of this project were beyond amazing for me to say ‘no’. I felt that I could become part of it immediately, because there were many elements in the music I could relate to. Her way of composing made my top-line writing very natural. It’s a work I’m very proud of and I’m glad to know you like it too.

R'n'R : Do you think it’s more difficult for a woman to be in music business?

Angel : The brief answer; no. I don’t think that it’s more difficult for a woman to be in the music business. It can be hard for everybody, but if you’re hard-working, good at what you do, and work with people who respect you (and they’re also good at what they do), you can make the best out of it.

Click here to watch the video of Forgiven (Within Temptation cover) by Angel Wolf-Black

R'n'R : Sometimes you cover epic metal songs on your youtube channel. Only for the pleasure? What do you like in this kind of exercise?

Angel : It’s mostly for pleasure, because I really enjoy singing all those songs. I’m practicing for months before I get to record the final version of the song that’s going to be uploaded on YouTube. This process helped me become more efficient, both in the studio and live, and running this YouTube channel helped me expand my fanbase. It’s also a great way of collaborating with other people; through split-screen and duet covers one can learn a great deal.

Click here to watch the video of Sahara (Nightwish cover) by Angel Wolf-Black

Photo : Louis Konstantinou

Click here to watch the video of Don't Talk To Strangers by Rock'n'Roll Children featuring Angel Wolf-Black

R'n'R : Vivaldi Metal Project’s concert in Bulgaria some months ago was a success. What do you get out of this special show?

Angel : We were very happy with the response of the audience in Bulgaria. Playing in a full venue definitely shows how much the people love this project and this is the best we can hope for. Our next show is at Dokk’em Open Air in the Netherlands on the 29th of June and I’m really looking forward to it.

R'n'R : What are your next projects?

Angel : There are a few releases coming up later this year and I’m very happy I’ve been part of them. Back in 2016, I recorded vocals for the solo album of my friend Elias Katsianos, called Silent Pause, consisting of 12 songs, and I’m so excited that it will be finally out later in 2019. Recorded by Christian Rahm, mixed at Black Rock Studios by Kostas Kalimeris and mastered at Chartmakers Studio by Svante Forsbäck. By the end of the year, Goditha will be out. This is a rock opera created by Elina Englezou and Bob Katsionis, and it’s a dark fairytale that features performances of Henning Basse (Firewind, Mayan), Maxi Nil (Jaded Star), Iliana Tsakiraki (Enemy of Reality), Yiannis Papanikolaou (Diviner) among others. I’m delighted to be featured in this album playing one of the characters. After the album release, the team will start rehearsing for the theatre production of this work. Last but not least, a symphonic metal opera is coming out later in 2019 created by the American musician Oha Cade. This is a sci-fi concept album, called Valcata, that features a number of great musicians, such as Zuberoa Aznárez (Diabulus in Musica), Mary Zimmer (Santa Marta, VoiceHacks creator), Steelianos (Enemy of Reality) and Babis Nikou (Jaded Star).