INTERVIEW WITH SEPULTURA'S ANDREAS KISSER

Ahead of Sepultura’s first show in Egypt set to take place on June 4^th in Cairo, guitarist Andreas Kisser was interviewed by Metality’s managing editor, Habib T.

Habib: Hey guys! Might I say that it’s an absolute honor to interview legends like you!

Andreas: Thank you!

So how does it feel to be playing in Egypt for the first time? What are you looking forward to?

I’m very excited to play in Egypt for the first time. Very happy that finally we have a chance to meet our fans in Cairo. I want to get to know the city of Cairo, to taste the food and drinks. It will be a very special show; we will play the whole history of Sepultura.

Do you ever plan to play elsewhere in the Middle East?

We would love to go everywhere. We played in 75 countries so far in a 32-year career. Egypt will be our 76th country, and hopefully we will have the chance to go to different countries in the region.

Has the Middle East in its culture or history ever had any influence on your music? If so, in what specifically?

Yes, ancient Egypt is a very strong influence in what we do in music. I love the scales and the rhythms coming from Egypt and the region. My first band before I joined Sepultura was called “Sphynx”. This topic has always interested me.

Speaking of live shows, do you prefer large shows with larger audiences or small, intimate bar gigs?

I love them all. We have the privilege to play in all of those situations. The important thing is to be on stage and have a great time with our fans.

You guys have been touring the world for years. What was the weirdest or most awkward thing ever to happen on tour in other countries?

Maybe it was when we were in Indonesia in 1992. We went for a radio interview there, and we had more than two thousand people waiting for us, so it was total chaos, and the interview was very short and noisy. It was really crazy!

Can you give us any updates on upcoming releases? Hints on a release date or what it would sound like?

We are working on a new album and are finishing recording it in Sweden with the producer Jens Bogren. The album is coming out at the end of October through the Nuclear Blast label. It’s a new sound for Sepultura. Every album, we bring something different; it is hard to explain in words but I believe it’s the best album of our career!

The metal scene in most of the Middle East is pretty underground. What advice do you give to up-and-coming metal bands in the region about making their music and keeping metal alive?

Keep the fire going. Play the music you like! Metal is one of the most popular styles of music in the world, and it’s great to see that regardless of politics and religion, metal is very strong everywhere. You’re not alone; we fight for metal every day, and it’s a privilege to play for you guys in Cairo!

Any words for your fans in the Middle East and for the readers of Metality?

I’ll see you all at the show on June 4^th. It’s a very important date for the history of Sepultura. Let’s have the best time together. See you all in Cairo! Thanks for the support!

Sepultura will be playing live in Cairo on June 4th with Nader Sadek, Gorynov, Perpetual Ferocity, and Mephistophilis.

Visit the event page here.