Hi, first off I just want to congratulate you on your new album. To new fans could your please fill us in on the history behind it all?
Lanfear - Lanfear was founded in late 93. We released a demo, a self financed album and two label albums over the years. Our fourth album “aNother gOlden rAge” was released two weeks ago and defines Lanfear as it should be. For an in depth biography feel free to check out our website at www.theLanfear.com.

How has your new album been received by the media?
Lanfear - We have great reactions so far and it seems that the public interest grows rapidly. We’re very satisfied at the moment.

I know artists are not happy to categorize their music, but how would you describe your music to an outsider?
Lanfear - I would say it’s US influenced Power Metal with maybe some slight progressive edges without being “un”catchy.

Where does your inspiration come from, both musically and lyrically?
Lanfear - Lyrically you have to ask our singer, I just can’t say that. Musically it’s almost everything that is listenable. Of course we’re mainly metal freaks and we know more than only those standard bands. Maybe you can say it’s the scene as a the whole that’s inspirational. We’re listening to everything we like, from top sellers to the underground and below ;)

What topics do you deal with in your lyrics and why?
Lanfear - The new album is a concept which deals with the evolution of a small, own world. Tobi started to write down his first ideas in the title track of our last album “The Art Effect” which is a kind of summary of the beginning of the story.

Who has produced and mixed the album, and are you pleased with the end result?
Lanfear - As always, Jan Vacik at Dreamscape studios, Munich. We’re very satisfied with his work and love the great atmosphere there so we’ll definitely work together with him on the next albums.

Who has done the artwork? And how important do you feel it is to have a great cover?
Lanfear - It was the same guy who also did the cover for our last album. I think it’s important to have a good cover, but of course it’s impossible to create a cover everybody likes. I personally would like to try something completely different with the next artwork, we’ll see.

Do you have any touring plans?
Lanfear - Yes, it’s planned to do a support tour in spring. I think we know more on that at about two to three weeks.

How do you feel about the co-operation with your label, and are you satisfied?
Lanfear - Yes, I’m satisfied. They have a good distribution and lots of great bands and they know the scene very well which pretty much helps in promoting the albums. We’re also glad to get in contact with our management Intromental, they also try to push everything forward and help us a lot.

The internet is a very important source for many music fans - how do you use the internet and how important is it for you and other bands?
Lanfear - I don’t want to go deeper in all the downloading things, I think we all know that there’re positive and negative aspects. The internet as a whole is one of the most important invention in the last century, I simply couldn’t live without it anymore.

How do you see the progressive rock/progressive metal scene at the moment?
Lanfear - The thing is that most of the fans don’t start to listen to this kind of music just because they think “progressive” means, that it’s impossible to get into it. I personally think, that there’re many bands, who could have a bigger following, but are ignored because the people think they’re to complicated, which is indeed not true. I use to say we’re playing normal Power Metal, I think we sell much more CDs then ;)

To finish things off - could you pls. make a all-time Top 5 or sort of the 5 most important albums in your opinion?
Lanfear - Oh man, five hundred albums would be better!!!
O.k., five albums which mean a LOT to me:

• Dream Theater – When Dreams And Day Unite

• Fates Warning – Awaken The Guardian

• Secrecy – Art In Motion

• Tori Amos – Little Earthquakes

• Mike Oldfield – Five Miles Out