What was the beginning pint for your music career? How did it all start?
Stefan Lange / Callider: Well, my musicianship began through my father. There was always exciting stuff going on on our record player at home. Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash, Jethro Tull … That’s what I grew up with. Musically, I experienced my most decisive moment as a teenager, when my father arranged to go to a Deep Purple concert with a few work colleagues, but then spontaneously couldn’t go. Without further ado, he sent me to the concert – and thus ignited my enthusiasm for making music. Seeing Steve Morse working his axe on stage really clicked something in my brain. I picked up the guitar, became a part-time guitar teacher, worked as a dance and contract musician in various formations and founded the melodic death metal formation Gatecrusher, with which we released one album. In addition to the guitar, I play various other instruments in low perfection.
Was there any bumps on the road? What kind of challenges did you have to deal with?
Stefan Lange / Callider: For the project I was able to work with some awesome very professional musicians that we able to deliver exactly what I had in mind. Challenges of a solo project are obvious though: a lot of project management, decision making, marketing and providing the budget for everything really did cost me some nerve, haha.
What was the most fulfilling and satisfying moment so far?
Stefan Lange / Callider: Getting “Southern Stars” out is a big weight off my shoulders and I am really proud I did it. It took a long time producing and even longer planning and projecting the publishing so now I am really happy that here it is.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Stefan Lange / Callider: Not reinventing the wheel for sure, my music can be labeled “Melodic Death Metal” certainly.
I enjoy writing music that combines the key features of melodic death metal with a broader, rock-oriented spin that makes it easy to listen to. Scandinavian-style melodic death metal has been the genre most cherished by me since my early adulthood. My musical foundation however was laid by my parents whose record player delivered artists like Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash and Jethro Tull to me from my earliest years on.
What is your creative process like?
Stefan Lange / Callider: I typically start of with a guitar riff I came up with, then decide if that would be a good verse or chorus riff or whatever. I add one more riff and then go into drums or vocals instrumentation. I then successively add more parts and layers until the song is done. This goes over a longer time period, depending on my free time and creative battery.
I write all instruments and vocal passages at home and put them into MIDI notation at a very detailed level which later helps in production.
If you were asked to give a piece of advice to upcoming bands, what would that be?
Stefan Lange / Callider: Do with passion what you like doing, but bring professionalism into it to make it effective. Plan ahead, work with the most professional people you can get your hands on and pay them the money they deserve. Also, successful music making requires a great deal of good project management. Get some skills in that I recommend.
What has been the best performance of your career so far?
Stefan Lange / Callider: Playing in the renowned “Backstage” music club in Munich with my melodic death metal band “Gatecrusher” at the time felt really good.
What is new with the band at the moment? What are you currently working on and would like to share with the world?
Stefan Lange / Callider: I am currently producing a new album which will be released about in one or two years. It has got some more rocky aspects and also two very fast and heavy tracks so there should be something in it for everyone. I am also working with a small brass ensemble for two of the tracks which is quite rare in the metal scene and quite exiting. Keeping it to a reasonable level though, haha don’t worry.
