Angtoria Interview

Interview
Sarah Jezebel Deva
Angtoria

Lineup:
Sarah Jezebel Deva - Vocals
Chris Rehn - Guitars
Tommy Rehn - Guitars
Dave Pybus - Bass
John Henriksson - Drums

12/17/06
Interviewer: Karma E. Omowale
Live Photos: Erika Kristen Watt

“I would NEVER use my breasts as a marketing tool…”

In this next installment of Metal Maven series, Brutal Beauties, we have Sarah Jezebel Deva, for years has been the steady operatic female vocal behind Cradle of Filth. The Deva has her own project now, Angtoria, and a new album God Has A Plan For Us All. In this interview, Sarah takes a little time out during her current stint on the European Tour with Cradle offering some candid and powerful insight as she discusses the new album, her take on Women in the Industry, which includes a bomb ass explanation to the striking headline…

Karma: Knowing that you are embarking on a US tour in the New Year with Cradle, is there a chance you will tour with Angtoria stateside come 2007?

Sarah: For sure!! We just need to sell albums and get the name around a lot more. We are a small band right now and promoters wont book us if they dont think they can make money from us. Unfortunately, thats the sad truth, everything revolves around money!

What are you most looking forward to in the New Year?

Liposuction! No! Thats a joke... really! The CoF tour will be good for sure but as you can imagine, the first few weeks, your voice is fresh and then it becomes old and tired. So this USA tour will be long and i hope the voice holds out! Other than that, recording the new Angtoria album is VERY important to me/us and also playing our first shows. I know it will happen sometimes next year but im very busy with CoF, so is Dave, so its just a matter of timing.

Will you make any New Year’s resolutions?

Well i made one two years ago and for the first time ever, i stuck to it! But it was funny how i came to make it. It was New Years Eve and i spent it with Dave (Bass) and James (Ex CoF Guitarist). I got to Daves house and swore blind i wouldnt drink that night, that i would be sober. Well, someone brought out the Jager and by 9.30pm i was under a table on the floor in the local pub. I dont remember much. (my problem is i drink too fast and then it hits me) Anyway... as the night went on, its wasnt possible for me to drink more, i was just out of it but some how they managed to get me home. At one stage on the way home, James and i, threw each other into a bush, ok... complete twats but it was new year!! And what better way to celebrate it in a bush with ya mate! ;) Not long after that, i remember the brain started to work again and i thought, "Ive got to stop drinking". Then i thought, "Bah! No way! I will stop smoking instead". Im getting older, my voice is changing and ive got to think of my health, so im proud really. Its almost been two years and ive not touched one. Though i sometimes have dreams ive been smoking and it freaks me out because i dont want to fail on this one.

A new resolution for this year? Cant think of one right now! Wait till im in another bush, it may inspire me again.

How’s life on Listenable?

I love them. They put music first and money second. If they have the money, they will do what they can, if they dont, they dont make false, empty promises. Of course, like most record companies they sometimes cant deliver but thats life, i wished things moved a bit faster and we got more airplay buts its the first album, it all takes time and i understand that.

What have you learned about yourself and bandmates since the inception of the band? I am sure it must also feel like home working with Dave for as long as you have.

This is a hard one. And it may sound REALLY bad but i think ive realised that being a backing singer is not much different to fronting my own band. Same politics. Same attitude from some people. I suppose what im saying is, its not all its cracked up to be. I mean more freedom, more movement, less restrictions to a degree but still the same amount of drama. Every band has its b***S***. We have been having heated discussions for months because the frustrations set in faster than you think. I tolerate less these days but slowly learning to bite my tongue more when people piss me off in general. Im realising not everything has to be an argument all the time, we are all fighting for the same thing, success!

How does it feel to have such a distinctive voice? I mean anytime you sing, you know a Sarah Jezebel Deva production when you hear it!

Well its nice you say that but i dont see it like that. I dont think im anyone special. Im just a girl doing what she wants to do. I mess up loads at times. Im human. I have good days and bad days. I try my best & that is that & if people like me, thats great, if they dont, well, you cant win them all can ya! Im just living my dream. Im doing what many are too afraid to do. Some just sit back & judge from a computer & let there life go by, i cant do that, so i take the chance, i sing & take the risk that i may not hit that high not but at least i tried! Im proud of the fact i dont use play back like a lot of other singers do (but when i mess up or im ill, i wish there was play back haha). I also understand there is always room for improvement. I dont take my voice for granted anymore. I used to smoke & drink so much. Im not older, my voice has changed & cant handle it so much now, so im a good girl 99% of the time when touring. One day i may not be able to sing operatically but that doesnt bother me because i can sing Jazz, Blues, Rock... i cant Rap though! Haha! Imagine that! But again, why say no? Why put up boundaries?

Do you feel your position in the Industry, being a female, would place you in an iconic status automatically? Meaning every woman who is in the Industry is already making a stance, no matter how good, bad or indifferent as artists. What’s your take on this?

I started doing this "Operatic" style vocal before any other singer i know of in the scene but it was as a backing singer, so ive been excluded for so many years & not recognised as a singer by press. I started all this 12 yrs ago but was completely ignored & yes that has hurt but im over that. I dont want to be anything "iconic". Why? I just want to sing. I dont want to be part of stupid magazine polls for being the best this or worst that. Thats stupid. I just want to sing & be me. What im doing isnt a contest. Im not out to prove anything. Im not out to be better than anyone. These days "Sex" is selling Metal & that pisses me off. This isnt pop music. But now, its about who is the sexiest singer & talent seems to come second now. I talked to one journo a few months ago & i asked "Why is this person always on the front cover of your magazine"? He replied, "Because he sells issue's & makes us money". That sums up the 80% of metal these days & thats why i have so much respect for extreme Black Metal. There are people out there that think im repulsive, there are people out there that think im a goddess but whatever people think, i would NEVER use my breasts as a marketing tool. Music first & image second!

Do you believe the double standards have increased over the years now that more women are taking on what used to be more prominent, male dominated roles in the Industry? Do you believe more is expected out of us now than ever before?

Well as i said in the last question, its more about sex now isnt it. Ive noticed a few VERY large men in metal that NEVER get abuse! But the moment a woman is a few pounds heavier than a can of Coke, thats it! She's a fat pig! Its funny is a very sad way. But whatever, you cant educate the stupid. When i first got into metal, i rarely saw a woman on the front cover of a metal mag & if i did, all her buttons were done up on her top/shirt. She would be wearing a metal t-shirt not some label like Prada. They were the REAL metal days! When music spoke for its self. Now its almost like "Well ive got to show more & more skin because we need people to hear our music". To me that says "Our music is weak so we need to take another approach to getting our band heard". Maybe im wrong! So yes, more is expected, more cleavage! More thigh! Less talent. Music doesnt sell music anymore. Lipstick & skin does. It really is more about the image.

What is one thing you would say you have in common with your female contemporaries?

We are all striving for the same thing! World Domination!

What’s a common misconception that surrounds you that you'd like to dispel or debunk? Having asked this question, I believe you have done an excellent job dispelling many ridiculous notions contained in your lyrics alone, on the new album!

Some immature twats seem to think im the size of an elephant. Its really funny actually cause im a size 16 most of the time & in the UK, 14 is the average size. Also, that women shouldnt head bang. I will out head bang ANY man ANY day!

Now that we are talking about the new album, God Has A Plan For Us All, it’s been a long time in the making. It is truly a gothic delight! It’s beautifully envenomed lyrics live with me, especially the title track. You should VERY proud of the harvest of your creation. Would you consider this a concept album since all of the songs are intertwined and an opus of human emotions running the gambit from pain, despair, hate, love…

One thing that confuses me is the "Gothic" word. I dont see how people think we are gothic. I dont think we are gothic in the slightest. Basically i dont like labels... Thats just me ;) But no, its not a concept album. Cradle's "Cruelty & the Beast" was a concept album, this is just an album with every song being a concept song, if that makes sense. This album is just about many different things in life, mine and yours. Maybe one day i will make a concept album.... Maybe about chocolate!!

The video or “short movie” for “God”, is astounding, visually stunning! Cool you got a plethora of family and extended members of the fold to play the important roles [Toni Davey, Saga…].

So many bands pay "Famous" people to help boost their profile. Im not saying that is bad at all! But i wanted to try and stay away from that. Everyone we used on this album and in the video were friends. I believe working with close friends, there is no misunderstandings because they know your aims and goals. Because Saga is Chris’s daughter, he was there with her during the whole thing, we was amazing and at ease the whole time and didnt even moan because she was tired. Toni kicked arse. This was her first major job in music and she was a natural. I totally support Toni because she had always wanted to do stuff like this and i just wanted to give her a head start, show her how fullfilling it can be and i would use her again and i know she would want to do this kind thing again too.

If you had to do it over again, would you change a thing, if anything at all?

I dont think i would do it all over again but maybe i would make it last longer because we had the time of our lives! The only thing i wish is that it had more airplay! Headbangers Ball needs to play it! But nah... its all about whats commercial i think.

Tommy Rehn of Angtoria

Chris Rehn of Angtoria Would you ever consider working with an outside producer exclusively as oppose to Chris & Tommy?

Tommy & Chris were there through the whole recording. But they were not souly responsible for the mix. We used Daniel Bergstrand for the main set up. And we got a lot of studio help too from the owner of the studio. Forgive me when i cant remember names, it feels so long ago! Next time we hope to have Daniel for the entire album but lack of money stops you from being as good as you can be. But i think we did amazing for what little we had, this album was conceived purely through peoples generosity!

How hard is it working with all of that talent, are there ever any creative clashes especially since you all come across as VERY strong individuals that stand behinds their own ideas, etc.

There will always be clashes & there is. Im honest, so i hope they dont mind me saying that they want to write all the music & i dont agree with that. I believe a band should write as a whole band because if two people constantly write, the music soon becomes stale. One day im sure i will run out of idea's lyrically but im not afraid to ask for help. I believe in compromise. Im sure when we clash again we can come to an agreement. I dont like the word "NO" ;)

Think it is ingenious that you have meanings to the lyrics of your songs on your site! Since we are on the subjects of your lyrics, I would like to delve deeply into them. First, I would totally like to commend you as I admire your candour in “Deity Of Disgust”, exposing yet another god awful double standard how society dictates otherwise on their views of how a “lady” should act. Also on “The Addiction”, it has to be one of the best empowerment songs I have ever heard! Speaking of empowerment, how awesome is it that your grandmother was such a rock for you re: “That’s What The Wise Lady Said”!

She was the solid female role in my life. She screamed her arse off to get me on stage. Me and my sister swore we could see steam coming from her ears when she screamed at us for not wanting to hit the stage. Of course, she knew we were nervous but her drive is what we needed. She taught us to believe in ourselves and not care what people thought. If you want something bad enough, you wont let anyone stand in your way. She was a strong believer that you owe the world, it doesnt owe you.

“Do You See Me Now” should be anthem song of the X and Y generation! What a powerful song. Indeed others will always find a way to belittle and demean to destroy you…it is up to us not to succumb to those dark powers and to take the power back! I hope this song will reach the masses as it will help many who have felt this way and live with the pain of “not being good enough” to themselves and hopefully redirect the frustration in a more creative and non-harmful (including to self) manner.

Ive had so much positive feedback from this song that so many people felt that this should have been the video. But the record company wanted the title track. I had 2 choices of video "Im calling" and "Do You See Me Now". If we had money, i would love to do these two as well. If that song helps people, then im happy because people seem to think that because you are in a band, you have the most perfect life, they almost forget you are human and this song is a way of saying "Yes! Im human, ive been through shit just like most of you". I understand now as an adult why i used to cut myself but as a kid, i didnt, it was just a release but pride stopped me from admitting it was also a call for attention, for people to notice i existed.

It seems like you got decades of hurt off your heart and mind and was able to start the healing process from within with these lyrics; what an amazing way to let go of the shite!

Well they are not just about me. Its about people who i know too. Im sure there are a few people out there that think they are religious or cliché. Its funny because i read a review of the album not too long ago, the guy said "My lyrics were filled with cheese". I personally would love to go around to his house & spit on him but i have to accept that some men have no understanding of the opposite sex. Maybe he wanted me to sing about dragons & Burger King. Im proud of my lyrics. They didnt come from a book that i had read, i didnt steal lines from a movie which i know so many musicians are guilty of. They came from life, mine & others around me & if that means "Filled with cheese" then so be it because the responce ive had from my lyrics is amazing. So many people can relate to what im saying. Im not in pain, i got over that years ago. Ive over the fact that i was completely rejected & abused as a kid. I turned my life around & thats why im able to write the way i do now. Im not singing about ponys & butterflies to score points with power metal journo's who want to hear another Nightwish. This is me. This is whats going on inside my head, for now! The individual listener should judge for themselves.

Having said all of that, have you gotten over the reason why you wrote “Six Feet Under’s Not Deep Enough”?

No. The person i wrote the song about will never change. That song took such little time to write because i had so much anger & hate to get out of my system. I accept the person a little more though & feel sorry for them because im not the only person that feels this way about them.

“Original Sin (The Devil’s Own Waiting Room)” is an evocative song; how was it working with the mighty Aaron Stainthorpe?

Amazing & a dream come true for me. I love Aaron. Personally & musically. Give him booze & he is yours. I love his voice, always have. He sends shivers down my spine. Ive waited so many years to work with him.

Since you did not write the lyrics for “Confide In Me”, who did and what’s the story behind it?

This will now show how crap i am! I dont know who wrote it and ive no idea what the storey is behind it. I hear something; i like it, im not overly bothered about the details. Er... so as i said in an another interview, its about a lonely duck in a pond and it finds a mate and they bum each other under water ;) ... thats the best i can do with this one.

Who are you jonesing to work with in the future?

If you mean a band? Ive a few on my list i would love to sing with for sure, a duet mostly with the lead singer. But if you mean someone to work with Angtoria? Again, ive a few on the list. Of course Dani is high on the list. His idea. The plans i have for him are good & it would be another cover song. But thats a long way ahead!

Which is your favorite song off the album and why?

Damn. I dont think i can answer. Lyrically, "Six Feet Under..." Musically & melody wise? Maybe "Im Calling". Im happy with so many things but its so hard to ask me to pick a favorite.

Need to also give you kudos on the layout as well as the cover, Toni’s a great model for the otherwise disturbing picture. It sums up the album very well, making it a total package.

Thanks. I did want something hard hitting. My sister took the photo & Toni was very comfortable with what was expected. Two very talented girls in my opinion.

On A Personal Note… Spiritual or religious?

Definitely Spiritual. Religion had the potential to be beautiful but Greed, Hate & War destroyed it.

What would make this world a less disgusting place to you?

People. Get rid of humans, then the world would be a better place.

Do you have a good luck charm that you would not mind sharing/talking about?

Nope. Positive thinking does the trick!

If not music then what? What do you think the rest of your bandmates would do if it were not for Angtoria?

Still music. Its their life. Its our life. But for me, if it wasnt music, then i would like to be some kind of murder investigator or something based around crime. Other than that, adopt kids.

Which album do you think was the best in 2006?

Believe this or not, apart from one song, i loved Madonna's new album. I played it so much non-stop but the second song i hated. So people may call me gay but whatever, she is a great inspiration to women. An amazing role model.

Last experience with déjà vu?

Haha, every day on tour. Every dressing room i walk into.

Name a CD/album/tape you played until it disintegrated.

Emperor In The Nightside Eclipse.

Role reversals: If you could commission a band to do an Angtoria cover, who would do it and which song would it be?

Right now, it would be Deathstars. They are some of the best performers ive met in years, such personality & amazing musicians and people. I personally would love to see Andreas singing my lyrics but as a joke. I would have to have him sing "Im Calling" because its about role playing as a child. About a handsome prince stealing you away from the evil monster trying to take your soul! I would have to laugh if he sang that because he is so entertaining to watch on stage. He doesnt care what people think and i love that in a person!

If you could interview a band or an artist, dead or alive, name one that you’d like to geek out with and what would be the one thing you’d like to know about them?

Not meaning to offend anyone but it wouldnt be anyone musically. It would be Hitler. Many things i would love to ask, like "Do you have any guilt over the millions of men, women & children you took part in killing"? Lots of questions surrounding his views & what made him into the person he became.

Last question on the role reversal tip, do you have any questions for me?

My doctor thinks im very special. Do you think im special? We are special in our own way because there is only one you which is comprised of experiences and events which are indigenous to you and you alone. It makes you the stunning woman who you are to this day; therefore, you are quite unique!

Peering into the crystal ball, what does the future hold for Angtoria?

I wish i could answer that. Like every band, they want to be playing huge shows and sell well and never mess up! So lets just say i hope the future holds more support from our fan base and that we never disappoint!

Do you have any final comments or special messages for our fans?

Thanks for reading my dribble! I hope its made you smile and keep supporting us and please buy the album!

HAPPY holidays, all the best to you and yours in 2007; we look forward to seeing you in the New Year (on the Cradle Tour in Chicago)! Thanks for unselfishly baring your soul! HORNS HIGH!!!