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Mat: Could you start with a short
introduction of who you are to the readers and briefly tell us of how
the band was started and how you all met?
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Dan: Hello guys, this is Dan Keying from Cydonia,
In 1998 I started to write the first songs, I don't exactly follow
the power or trash typical line but my goal was to create good songs;
in 1999 I began to form Cydonia, calling up Trevor on bass (the bass
player of my old band and friend of mine) and we realized a promo
CD (The King, Land of Life, Confused Future, Masters of Stars) that
Metal Blade enjoined very much.
Now two new members have come in the band, and so this is the band:
Pete Daniels on rhythm guitar, Steve Sguario on lead guitar, Trevor
O'Neal on bass, Stefan Ray on drums, and Dan Keying vocals.
Mat: I think I read somewhere
that Cydonia is a place on Mars where a landform that looked like a human
face was found. Does this have to do with the name of the band? If that
should be the case I assume you have an interest for space and astronomy.
In what ways do you feel that that has had an impact on your music?
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Dan: I'm very happy to this kind of question.
Sure, I have a big interest for space, astronomy, archaeology, and
archaeoastronomy. CYDONIA is region on Mars, still exsisting, where
since the 70s NASA SPACE PROBES took some snapeshots of these incredible
Pyramidal structures, and a huge monument resembling a Sphynx; obviously
science never admitted the evidence, hiding behind stupid explanations,
saying that are simply shadows.
I loved Ufology and other mistery since many years, and I've unified
all this with music in Cydonia. There are things with neither time
nor space, completely opposing the pure concept of matter…
Mat: What were the main reasons
for the change in line-up? Can you tell us something about this?
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Dan: Nothing of particular. We are still friends
with the member of the first album, They are full of commitments to
play their music, and I have different visions of music than previous
musicians. I think that the new guys were what we were looking for.
Mat: You obviously have gone
through a musical change of style since your debut album. Was this an
intentional choice or was it more of a reason due to the changes in the
band constellation? Could you briefly explain the thoughts behind the
making of The Dark Flower and what factors that made it turn out the way
it did?
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Dan: Of course, this an intentional choice,
but also a reason due to the changes in the band constellation ;-)
The Dark Flower is a big goal for me and the band. Anyway we don't
want to do CDs that sound always in the same way. We are very satisfied
to this result.
Mat: How do you think that the
more thrashy sound of The Dark Flower will be received and what do you
expect the fans will think of this "new" style?
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Dan: We hope that our fans will understand
this new direction. Personally, I found the album perfectly balanced
between aggression and melody, the rhythmical sessions were thought
aggressive while the singing naturally came out this way. My goal
was to have very aggressive verses with melodic choruses.
About lyrics are always full with real facts, that I can't explain
in a few words, sometimes I'm tired of the things I see in the world,
I feel like I am imprisoned in an imperfect human; there are doors
closed to us beyond which I would like to see. This is what I tried
to transmit to the readers of my lyrics.
Mat: What's your personal opinion
about your debut-album? Is this a closed chapter in the band's history
or do you expect you will return to that sound and style again some time?
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Dan: I don't know, because I need to close
every chapter, before to open a new way, the whole atmosphere of the
Dark Flower album is much darker than the previous album, and maybe
next work will be different to both albums. About debut-CD, we think
that it's a very good work.
Mat: Who would you compare yourselves
to regarding your musical direction and why those in particular? Do you
feel that you've been compared to some other band/bands that hasn´t
done you justice? I can imagine that being one of many other Italian bands
might have caused a comment or two.... =)
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Dan: Nothing in particular. I love a lot of
different music: Pink Floyd, Eminem, Rammstein, Frank Zappa, Anthrax,
Pantera, Jethro Tull, new wave music 80s, Steve Vai, Soilwork and
others... maybe in my music there is somethings of these bands. The
truth is that I usually never listen to other metal bands. Will be
the people to express own opinions. I think that there are many similar
bands, I don't know very well metal scene, especially in Italy. It
is up to you to choose the most innovative ;-)
Mat: How much of your time do
you invest in Cydonia? Do some of you have to work harder than others
or is it pretty much equal? Do you expect matters to change (for better
or for worse) in the future?
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Dan: I work so hard for Cydonia…and so
invest a lot of my time. I have thrown away many songs because I wasn't
satisfied with them. I often sing the melodies in my mind, then I
record them with the voice and I develop the best ideas with my keyboards,
and prepare demos for the rest of the band. Each member of the band
bring his contribution to the final result. I don't know in the future…
Mat: Your debut album was produced
by Olaf Thörsen from Labÿrinth so obviously you have co-operated
with musicians another band at least once. Have you worked with someone
else besides Olaf before or have someone from Cydonia particpated in any
projects besides your own?
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Dan: Yes, I have co-operated with Olaf in the
past, but only with him. In The Dark Flower album, I have arranged
my music with Pete Daniels completing the work together with real
and efficient guitar riff sonds.
Mat: What bands or albums of
today do you admire the most - if any - and have some of them played a
part in the progress of the band?
Mat: And before we end this interview
some short questions:
Coffee, tea or a Coke?
-Coffee…but I prefer wine and beer
Yes or no to US and Great Britain war against
Iraq?
-No comment…the world is a pure genetic failure
Dreamer or more a down-to-earth person?
-I'm a down-to-earth person…slave in a system of illusions controlled
by soldiers of light
Old fashioned or modern?
-Modern, but ancient in spirit
Name one unforgetable live-gig and why just
that particular one?
-Two years ago, my city. The reasons are: the great feeling for the fans,
and the rivers of beer ;-)
Italian food you heartly recommend?
-The meat-balls of my grandmother…le polpette della nonna (in italian)
Any festival gigs planned for the up-coming
summer or even a visit to Sweden?
-All to decide yet
Mat: And finally - any words
of wisdom or funny facts about the nearest future
you want to share with the readers?
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Dan: A son stè ala fira
et sanlazar..oilì oilà..a son stè ala fira et
sanlazar…oilì oilà…aiò cumprè
du bì pizzon cumieran bin cumieran bon…sò la stanela
e zò I bragòn cumieran bin cumieran bon bon bon barababon
bon bon…;-) this is pure dialect from Bologna…
"Possibility to stop time hides the key
of the limits of the thoughts"
cydonia@dankeying.com
trevoroneal@yahoo.it
That was all I had for now, Dan - the staff at metalcovenant.com
wish you all the very best for the future, and we sincerely want to thank
you for keeping the spirit of Metal alive!
- Thank you Mat for this great interview!!!
Dan
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