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Schmier - The German Panzer |
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Sound the death knell! Prepare for the freakshow, the ultimate Schmier campaign is here! Let it crush you like a Panzer, a plague to send you straight to Hell! For those not in the know, bellicose bassist Schmier has partnered with two of the blind ragin' members from Accept: exceptional lead guitarist - Herman Frank and demolition drummer - Stefan Schwarzmann. They have manifested a Power Trio of total destruction. This virtual collision of raw talent just released their debut effort - 'Send Them All To Hell' for Nuclear Blast Records. Once again, I had the distinct honor to speak with Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer all about his collaboration with this new band; something he has been wanting to accomplish for quite some time. Join us as we bleed for your sincere approval. Kill the posers! Hail to the Metal! MettleAngel: Hey Brother, I was very excited to speak with you after hearing all about Panzer. What a superb idea to combine one of my favorite Teutonic Traditional acts with one of my most esteemed German Thrash acts! Please tell me how this all came about, and how it happened so expediently?
MettleAngel: Damn, it did happen very rapidly. How did this collaboration even formulate?
MettleAngel: That is precisely what you accomplished. How did you decide on the name Panzer, or as it is also called "The German Panzer"?
MettleAngel: I cannot believe that there would be legal issues. Everytime I go Online, I discover another band called Slayer, Overkill, Sacrifice, etc. I am amazed these bands have the audacity to call themselves that, then I realize that they had the name for decades. Panzer is the perfect name for this band. Actually, I also thought it was an homage to the UK act Tank.
MettleAngel: You have got to be kidding me! What is up with these idiots. They are exactly what your song "Mr. Nobrain" is all about, how can they be so daft!
MettleAngel: You cannot let them get to to you. The band for which I write lyrics called The Porridgeface has a song which addresses this very topic. It is called "Box Of Issues". It is all about how these people just bitch and nag about everything. It is just like what South Park spoke about on a recent episode where they referred to how we live in a world filled with commentary. Everyone is blasting their Bull$hit opinions on the Internet. This is why I refuse to engage in social media. Fuck Twitter!
MettleAngel: I am a big supporter of those. I am very familiar with your lyric style, and the first video I watched was for "Mr. Nobrain". I am amazed how anyone can criticize those efforts. Afterall, the song "Panzer" itsefl is about the Ebola Virus, right?
MettleAngel: There never appears a tank, only helicopters. I am surprised because the news announcement which follows is self explanatory, as well as the lyrics, referencing a river in Zaire, and comparing the virus itself to a cancer. Although the word plague, I think, is mispelled.
MettleAngel: Yeah, but I get the idea that you are aligning the idea of a juggernaut attack by a panzer battalion to the epidemic of a virus like Ebola which wipes out the entire populace.I respect how you write, which is why before this interview I went to Metal-Archives to read some of your lyrics, as I only have a digital promo, and already I could tell that whomever posted your lyrics on line was inaccurate.
MettleAngel: Take for example a song like "Why?" The words "incarmet coal" are listed. I assume the person who posted these illegally downloaded the album, then did his best to guess what the lyrics are. I would assume you are saying, "incarnate goal". There are other egedious errors too.
MettleAngel: I totally agree. I got the new Tankard digitally this summer, so I did not have the lyrics. However, I know how Gerre writes. When I saw the lyrics posted on line I laughed, because I knew they were dead wrong. When my friend bought the CD and I compared the words in the booklet with what appears Online and at the Archives, I realized just how off they were; so my assumption was correct. I have always admired how you write your lyrics. With Panzer, I feel perhaps you are leaning more toward the Headhunter style.
MettleAngel: I accept that, and there are some dark themes coming out of Germany, as of late. I just watched the new U.D.O. video for "Decadent" and it was really shocking, showing just how corrupt society has become. Did you also assist with writing the music, or was it all Herman?
MettleAngel: This is why Panzer is such a killer collaboration. I noticed that you sing a bit more straightforward than with either Destruction or HeadHunter. Your enunciations are a bit different.
MettleAngel: Herman's solos are just amazing. Those licks and leads combined with Stefan's drumming really make for a wicked remedy.
MettleAngel: You mean the Gary Moore cover of "Murder In The Skies"? Yes, my digital version includes that track. I have to admit I am not too familiar with the original though. Did you decide to do the cover to honor him, as he passed away in 2011?
MettleAngel: I always appreciate how you handle your covers, whether they be Dio, Saxon, Motörhead, or even Skid Row.
MettleAngel: Wow! I did not realize this. Yeah, with North Korea, and all the madness in the world right now things are definitely coming to a boil. It seems like now, more than ever, we definitely need a Panzer to crush them and send them all to Hell!
MettleAngel: As usual, it has been such a great conversation. I realize that you are inundatd with interviews this close to the Holidays. Thank You for taking the time to share with me.
MettleAngel: That would be great! My son had a blast seeing Destruction last time. He was singing, "Nailed to the fucking cross!" the whole next day, much to the teacher's dismay.
MettleAngel: Yeah, I even have the set list from that show for which I did a live review on the door of my bathroom, with your signature. My wife had fun too, and is proud of her Destruction shirt. We always enjoy seeing you. I remember how courteous you were to allow me to interview you impromptu all those years ago. I really enjoyed our time spent together on the premiere "70,000 Tons" voyage.
MettleAngel: All your ace hard work has paid off, in spades. I would not worry about your detractors. I agree that Panzer is nothing new, but after several listens, the album sinks in, and it really registers. I for one am grateful for this project, and I look forward to hearing more.
MettleAngel: Have a good Holiday, and I will catch up to you soon.
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