Sarah Jezebel Deva

AM : Sarah, you have been singing with many great bands like Cradle of Filth, Therion, Mortiis, etc, so what are you best memories of these bands ?

Sarah : That’s impossible to say.Ive been been recording with CoF since 94 and I’ve been touring since 97. I mean,do you realise how many stories i have? I suppose I can think of a few with all bands except Covenant. With Therion,it has to be when we toured South America the first time around. The reception we all got was so amazing,fans on the roof of airports,we needed security to hold back fans when we were signing,it was amazing.The most touching moment was when i was singing Rise of Sodom in Mexico City.When i hit my high notes,the entire audience went mad,they were standing up and screaming and claping. I was choked up! Couldnt even finish the part properly! I was so overwhelmed that when i went back stage,i started crying because of the way people had been towards me,not just that night but all the shows in South America.
With CoF? Emmm... there are many many stories..... Nice ones,bad ones,sick ones! I will tell you some sick ones! James and Adrian has a Red Bull drinking competition.They had to down about 15 cans each of Red Bull drink as fast as they could. They kinda did it but had to run out and be sick. While they were being sick,Martin put his hands into James's vomit and rubbed it all over his face! James washed his mouth out with Fox Piss on the Ozzfest and Martin set off fireworks from his arse! Emmm Dave! Who does’nt get drunk very often on tour one night did get very drunk,starting hugging bushes,threw his glasses against a bus door so they smashed and he couldn’t see then started attacking Dani with a vacuum cleaner! Tried hitting him around the head with it. People may not find these funny but when you are there! I love touring with CoF! Anything can happen! Something Serious?... On the road with Mortiis and we had just done a show and the promoter had to sell loads of drugs to pay us the fee,when he did pay us,he paid us in fake money! Also we were passing through Salt Lake City on a day off traveling to another show.We had to stop at Walmart for certain bits we needed.We did our shopping and left the store but 5 minutes down the road,we were stopped by police.Apparently one of the guys who worked in the store claimed i smelt of weed ... It was SO funny! This narrow minded small dick judged us ONLY because we were all dressed in black! I wanted to go back and kick his arse but the police did see through this guys lie very fast! He searched the van we had,did some tests on the driver and all was cool and he sent us on our way! We were very lucky because our driver WAS stoned and he had a joint in the ash tray and a bag of weed under his seat! the policeman just missed it!

AM : How did you meet Chris Rehn, had you already the idea to do your own band before meeting him ? What did decide you to form a band together ?

Sarah : We met on tour together about 5 years ago.I was singing with Therion and Chris was playing keyboards for Evergrey. Me and Chris got on very well and it was me that talked to him about us doing some music together. It actually started with a project,it was like a movie score which everyone loved but we had trouble getting signed because no company knew how to market us. So we decided to form a band. Angtoria!

AM : Hearing the quality of the demo, I suppose you had no problem to get a deal, and that it is you who choose Listenable. BTW you're probably the less extreme band of this label.

Sarah : We had a few offers.Listenable seemed a good deal for us and a good start for us.No band can really judge what is going to be a good lable or a bad label in the beginning,we all have to take chances just like the record company takes a chance with us! And yes... we know we are the less extreme band of all his acts! Thats good i think! Give his label some variation!

AM : You had (and you deserve it) great reviews for the demo, did you expect such an enthusiasm ? How is the feedback so far for the album ?

Sarah : To be honest,no. I didnt expect such an amazing reaction.When i listen to the demo i think "Damn... how did people like this"... and it NOT because the demo is bad! Not at all! Its just not a patch on what we have become on the album.We are so happy with the album.Of course there are a few parts we are not happy with but overall,we are very proud and had many amazing people around us to help us get to that stage! The album reviews are amazing too. We are very happy and hope people buy the album as a result of all the kind and amazing things people have wrote. Its every bands worst nightmare to get bad reviews on their first album.We have been very lucky so far! So thank you! ;)

AM : You now have a full line-up, how did you recruit those guys ?

Sarah : We found them eating out of a trash can! Isnt that how you find most musicians ;)
John was a friend of Tommy and Dave,well ive worked with him for many years now because he plays bass with CoF and Tommy came into the band not longer after we recorded the demo. Tommy loved what Chris and i were doing and im glad because tommy is an asset to Angtoria.

AM : What is the meaning of “God has a plan for us all” ? Do you believe in God or is it cynical ? How about the lyrics of the album, do they form a concept ?

Sarah : No i do not believe in god nor the devil.I believe we are in control of what happens to us.We are alone,make our own choices and take our own paths.The meaning behind "God has a plan for us all" is the a common line religious people give us for when things go wrong in our life.Its the only explanation they can give as to why people contract fatal illnesses or die in car accidents or suffer through poverty and so on! This is displayed in the front cover artwork and
is also covered in many of the subjects ive choosen to write about. The art work displays a young womans self destruction through years of abuse,neglect,depression and eventually leads to her suicide.Its all very complex and not very positive i admit but it covers a lot of subjects we can all relate too.There are som positive subjects also like love and sex and fantasy.The rest are based around what i discribed a few lines up.

AM : The songs of Angtoria are into the gothic/symphonic metal genre, but I think you really managed to bring your own, fresh touch to this, it was important for you to bring something new ?

Sarah : We are not gothic in anyway and i dont understand how anyone could ever class us as this! But we are symphonic/epic metal yes. We havent set out to be anything.We write and perform from the heart and what ever happens,happens! Of course we want to bring something new to the metal scene,we hope we have but that will only be a matter of the listeners opinion!

AM : What is your favourite track of the album and why ?

Sarah : I havent honestly got a favourite track.Its impossible to say to be honest! I love Do You See Me Now and Im Calling.But then i love so many others also! Its hard to pick!! Im proud of all of them!

AM : The cover of Kylie Minogue’s “Confide in me” is surprising from a metal band, how did you come to rework this song ?

Sarah : It shouldn’t be surprising! Carpathian Forest covered "The Forest" by The Cure! That i feel was much more of a shock and they did an amazing cover also.I love covers but only if you can bring something new to the song but not change it too much. You need to find the line. The re-working of the song was done by Chris and Tommy! So i can´t answer this but i know they worked hard! The next cover we do will be 100% better! ;)

AM : Now how about your projects for Angtoria ? Are you still going to sing in other bands ?

Sarah : I only sing for Cradle of Filth. No other bands. I stopped working with other bands about 2 years ago although i did just do 3 guest shows with Therion as a favour to them and im so happy i did it! great people.Yes,i will stay with CoF. As for Angtoria,we just shot the music video in Sweden for "God Has A Plan For Us All". This was amazing and a very proud moment!!

AM : .Thanks for the interview, hope to see you on tour asap !!!!

Sarah : We hope so too!! Thank you!