Almendral Zenobia (28/03/1911)
are one of bands Heavy-Power Metal with more progress in our country. They grow slowly and are making a hole important part in this genus.
I speak of the Rioja Zenobia.
We get in touch with them and find a time to meet us, telling are very busy with the tour. This time we chatted with Jorge Berceo, vocal & guitar and one of the founders of this training.
Angelvfr: For people who do not know you, has to Zenobia.
Jorge B. : Hello. Zenobia are a group of Heavy Metal, we play songs with classical melodies, but also are fast, double bass drums and guitars are seeking aggressive in style. I encourage those who have heard us not to do so. Usually we think the public has known for our ballads first and then everything has been shot. We can not be happier.
Angelvfr: We formed in 2002 and after taking your first album "Fighting to the end" in 2005, have had several lineup changes and even recently with the new drummer Harvey Herrero do you think that this is the definitive or at least for now?
Jorge B. : Changes in training, on the one hand, you always surprise, and in contrast, are exploited to take a step forward in terms of maturity of the members. It is not something that we have chosen, but has been well and now we're very happy with the way we work. It is difficult to combine the trials, two of us reside in La Rioja, but there are group members residing in Álava or Zamora.
But if you want to work, and now worth more than ever.
Angelvfr: You have two disk on the market, one in 2005, "Fighting to the end" and one of the 2009 "Soul of Fire." With the first you had the bar pretty high, I mean a good review, but with the latter Reviews are excellent and you come to have a high ratings by the media how you feel about all this?
Jorge B. : We feel fortunate. Everybody talked about our first album as a debut to put the bar too high, the album was very successful. The second work was the result of a remarkable evolution of a classic and has even reached a wider aspect of followers. As for the criticism are always welcome joy, but mostly we do what we like and try to do our job.
Angelvfr: In "Soul of Fire" the songs are very catchy, with guitars strongest in relation to the first and so you do see in your single and video-clip official "It's in my blood "and anyone who I first heard, is a great letter, well and not forgetting your ballads, what do you think George?
Jorge B. : The choice of single was a bit casual, in fact, and has become a veritable anthem for the band. It's a song chanted throughout the world live and along with the video-clip, I think that has opened many doors. Moreover, as I said, the ballads are very marked respect Zenobia, as they have known to the public. Some people told us that we are a heavy ballads, but I am not entirely agree. Anyway, our ballads have been made with great care and pride is a real find as many references eg Youtube.com, with montages of our compositions, is very special.
Angelvfr: What do you think are your influences, telling that you are a band with a great progression and a very international sound?.
Jorge B .: Actually, in recent reviews we have compared a lot with Accept and Running Wild, eh not me (laughs), it appears that's what I say critical. And they are precisely the groups who have influenced us, so it is great. We are from various schools, from the beginning of power to the rock of the '80s and even '70s and the result is giving us much satisfaction. It's amazing to compare your sound with a grupazo as Accept.
Angelvfr: On the issue of the compositions, you're the custom Jorge lyrics to where do you get these issues so well made and with so much meaning?
Jorge B. I do not know (laughs). In most cases I'm not looking for a specific topic on that count, the ideas come. The ballads are the best flow in my head and whiplash subjects attempt to squeeze more coconut to get clever lines. I think he is learning to write over time.
Angelvfr: How do you see you the national scene, telling that you are one of the many groups that you seek life, recording all the material and worry for everything?
Jorge B. : As music from the point of view that this raised, is a bottomless pit. If you like and decide to bet it's because you have a good playing. Today you have to pay you your records, your travels, your stay, your promotions, vehicle, local ... everything. It's uncomfortable to feel that not support the bands that work well. If you like the music of these bands put your grain of sand, we're not Metallica, not going to win with one-thousandth this. If not supported it's all over.
Angelvfr: You have shared the stage with bands first level, do you this that I expected all this going on.
George B.: not stick (laughs). We have always aimed high, but at first you do not imagine that you are getting to play before thousands of people with international groups such as Gamma Ray, Rage ... or the cutting edge of our scene as howitzer, Saratoga, Tierra Santa, Medina Azahara ... so everything becomes a dream. The biggest thing is when people filled the Sala Caracol in Madrid to go to see you, the dream becomes real and the feeling is crazy.
Angelvfr: One of the themes that best comment is that this grand tour "United for Metal" you are making another fantastic band Dunedain sister how's going all, are meeting all your expectations, I personally believe that if and far, who do you think?
Jorge B. : There was to get something more than they did separately. All promotional expenses involved a tour and all the effort, between two groups, are crazy about music, there's always more credit and over people will respond to this news, what more could you ask for, thank nada.Solo.
Angelvfr: Besides going to record a live DVD of the tour at the II Soul Of Metal Festival, where this story began and such a great relationship with Dunedain?
George B.: Yes, we are organizing the festival tried "chapeau" in his day and always have been aware, so that was the place to record the DVD. It is true that last year was at the festival where we met and as a result of what we did this tour and this time we will meet with the public, to thank you for the love they gave us then and it has made to get here now.
Angelvfr: How is being welcomed by fans in every city you visit?, I imagine it will have grown considerably
Jorge B. : We tried to play in all places together was easier, though Andalusia has been the worst in attendance except for Granada. But all cities have turned to this and get to any room and you have 100 people in an achievement for a national heavy metal band, which now began to be aware, as things stand.
Angelvfr: You are doing a lot of concerts nationwide. The topic of get out of Spain how do you carry, you have ever thought to jump and play in other countries where your music certainly succeed?
Jorge B. : Zenobia has already had a try, but it is very difficult. Note that we only bet on this, no one behind. I can assure you we are still gathering the potential to one day get to reach that audience wanted. We are known as regulars to this work, so I hope we can cross the pond later, when the time comes.
Angelvfr: Apart from all this that has future plans Zenobia. Perhaps out new material, which I guess you'll have some issues or else you want to continue enjoying the moment and continue to squeeze those two albums?
Jorge B. : Our future plans is to see the light of the national tribute to DIO in which we participate, edit the DVD, which has cost blood and sweat, and maybe get something unheard of before recording the third album. And there is something for the third, now is the time to collect all the feelings that we have felt in "United" and sit down to direct our evolution. For sure next year will be on the street.
Angelvfr: Well George, thank you very much for your time and being able to make this interview, something more to say to the readers of Metal & us.
Jorge B. : Thank you for your interview and hope to see you soon live, you and the followers of Metal & us.
continue to be at your disposal, a greeting.
