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the people who are not known with KeeN,
could you please give us a short introduction
about your band.
Kevin (keys): Keen is an electro-metal band
from Italy. It consists in the right mix
of melodies and aggressiveness, electronic
noises and cutting guitar riffs all crowned
by a penetrating voice.
How did things get started with
KeeN?
Kevin: Well, I joined the band some years
later, so since I wasn't there yet I'm not
really able to answer this question.
What are your main influences? And
how would you describe your music?
Kevin: >Our biggest inspirations are
surely Rammstein! Next to them, some of
the more important bands like Metallica,
Marilyn Manson, Deathstars, Pantera, Oomph!,
and many many others…
Your first release, called 'Love
With Bile', was released in 2003. Looking
back on that release, what do you think
are the better and the lesser points of
it?
Kevin: I wasn’t in the band when that
CD was made, because I joined the band in
2005, but after I listened to the songs
of ‘Love With Bile’ I immidiately
understood that the guys I play with now,
had taken the right way, because they were
playing what I like the most.
With this demo, you participated
on the so-called 'I.TIM TOUR FESTIVAL' in
2003 and 2004. According to your biography,
the first succes of KeeN came here. What
exactly is the 'I.TIM TOUR FESTIVAL', and
how important do you think it has been for
your further carreer?
Kevin: The Italian I-tim tour was the major
thing that people could do at that time
to promote their band, so reaching the second
national position for two years in a row
was very important, because even if you
don’t win, people get to know you
all over the country, and you may consider
this an important starting point for a band’s
career!
2005 brought us a new KeeN EP called
'Dying Life', which totally surprised me.
What are, in your opinion, the major changes
between 'Love With Bile' and 'Dying Life',
and how do you look back on the 'Dying Life'
EP nowadays?
Kevin: Dying Life is the first EP I recorded
with Keen. It was a great experience because
it containts some old stuff thats brought
together with new stuff which in the end
came out in a very interesting way. But
we consider it as a growing period of the
band, due to the natural transition after
the line up change.
The 'Dying Life' EP was a huge success
when it comes to the press department: it
recieved a 'top demo' classification 14
times. But, what did the other people (audience,
other bands, etc.) think about the release?
Kevin: We are very proud of what we’ve
reached with that cd. The unexpected success
forced us to work harder in shorter time,
and offered our fans something completely
new and interesting. We’re always
at work and don’t want our fans to
feel bored
Nowadays, you have your first full-lenght
out called 'Dramas in Formaldehyde'. Since
our review was one of the first, I can't
really compare our review with different
other press. But, what do you think of the
album yourself?
Kevin: We love this record because it was
born in a particular period of the band
when all seems to be “stuck”,
and we had a lot of new stuff but not again
a contract with a label. All the feelings
and rages of that period are inside this
cd and I really think that in that way ´Dramas…´
is the most “true” Keen album.
We can say that the evolved sound of ´Dramas
...´ is closer than ever to what we
really feel.
What can somebody who buys the album
blindly expect of it?
Kevin: We offer them 8 songs, each one made
with passion and rage and it’s the
best Keen cd ever done, a train in a box!
What is your favourite song of 'Dramas
in Formaldehyde' and why? And what is your
all-time favourite KeeN song?
Kevin: I love all 'Dramas ...' songs because
each one is different from the other, and
each one makes me feel a different emotion.
I think that if people want to have an idea
of what Keen is doing now, they have to
listen “Dead In Vain” and “Stuntman”.
There’s not really an all-time favourite
song for me, I love all Keen works.
Now lets talk about your live show.
According to the live pictures, you seem
to have a quite powerful one. What can a
stranger expect when he visits a KeeN live
show?
Kevin: We always try to offer more than
´just´ a concert... A real show
with many lights and special effects. We
think that it’s important to satisfy
not only the ears of our audience, but also
their eyes! If you come to our concert,
you have to have fun!
You already managed to become openers
on an Italian Marilyn Manson tour date.
How was it to share the stage with someone
like him? Did he gave you any good feedback?
Kevin: It was a great experience to work
with professional staff people and sound
engineer on the Manson’s stage. We
will never forget it. It was also ecstating
to share with him 15.000 crying guys inside
the “MAZDA-PALACE”. Then Manson
told us that he likes our music and he has
all our songs on his I-Pod, and that was
great! We respect him and all his works!
He is a very good artist.
Talking about the Marilyn Manson
show, I've heard some terrible rumours about
the audience at your gig, they were throwing
rocks to the stage and stuff...
Kevin: It’s the Italian way to share
love with you... Ahah!
Many Italian talented industrial
acts try to find their luck out of Italy,
because they had terrible experiences with
the local scene over there. What are your
personal experiences, next to the thing
on the Marilyn Manson gig?
Kevin: You know, Italian love song dominate
our country. Maybe people are not yet prepared
to our music... and the metal-rock act is
always underestimated.
What can we expect of KeeN in the
year 2007?
Kevin: The only thing we can do is work
harder and harder. And we are sure that
in this way we will reach a label deal very
soon!
The interview ends here, thank you
for your time answering my questions. If
you have some final words to add, you can
do it here.
Kevin: Stay tuned! And if you feel an earthquake
under your feet, maybe KeeN is coming!
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