Interview by Erwin Van Dijk

 

 

 This interview is with Melissa Koch, who is the singer on the Adyta EP. Femme Metal did an interview with Melissa one and a half year ago. A lot has changed since then and her most recent work is a collaboration with Adyta so I thought it would be time for an update interview.

Before we start with the interview, that's a little resume about Adyta and Melissa, that's it a little excerpt from Adyta bio :“The Norwegian symphonic metal band Adyta was founded in 2008, by Joakim Severinsen who had left to pursue his own goals. Adyta can be described as symphonic metal with female vocals and the music contains elements from film and folklike music to extreme metal. The name Adyta is a latin word which refers to something that is not to be entered. In some cases the innermost sanctuary or shrine in an ancient temple, whence oracles were given. The derives from one of Epica's prologues. Joakim chose this as soon as he figured out it wasn't already in use for serious band purposes. After rehearsing with various musicians Joakim had not found the right ones and Adyta still remained a bandproject. Luckily he got in contact with a few musicians which agreed to support Adyta as session musicians on the The Rose of Melancholy EP. Amongst them, Melissa Ferlaak, former Visions of Atlantis and Aesma Daeva singer, will appear as this EP's main vocalist.”

In an interview I’ve asked Joakim how he got in touch with Melissa Koch. His answer was: «I just sent her a message on myspace and asked if she would be interested in doing the vocals for my EP as a session singer. So, she wanted to hear some full length stuff, which I sent over, and she found very interesting! From there everything was done in our home studios and files were transferred through a FTP server. »

And the last question for Melissa for the Femme Metal interview was about her plans for the future:

«Well, as maybe some of you know, Wolf and I are getting married in May. He is moving here in two weeks finally. We have some songs already actually.  I don’t know what will come of it, but it will be music that we can make without any limitations or directions placed on us. So far it’s shaping up pretty nicely! So, you will hear of something with that within the year we think. And well, I am putting a bit more time into my classical work, but not shifting completely out of metal for it.»

After a little resume, it follow the interview with Melissa :

What has happened with you since the last interview with Femme Metal in 2008?

Well, my life has changed in every way it possibly could! :) Wops and I got married on May 3rd last year and got pregnant with our darling daughter, Carmen AnnaRose a month later. She is now 5 ½ months old! Musically, things with Wops and I got put on hold because I ended up doing a lot of guest work for other bands and got up on stage a few times with my old band, Aesma Daeva and sang with a local opera scenes group. So…..I’ve been busy with music while still trying to learn how to be a mommy and wife. ;)

Do you receive many questions for guest appearances for bands?

Here and there. A lot last year and early this year. There were a few I turned down for various reasons and some that I just really wanted to be a part of given what I heard.

And why did you accept Joakim’s request?

I believed in it and felt that Joakim’s music really needed to be heard. He had been having a hard time finding a permanent singer and asked if I would be a guest singer. As he mentioned, he sent over some longer songs and I thought they sounded fresh and innovative. Thus began the partnership!

One of the songs, Gjennom Tiden is in the Norwegian language. Was it easy for you to get this song right?

Yes!! Ha ha! Well, I had a Skype conversation with Joakim so he could talk me through the correct pronunciations. I know it still sounded like tourist Norwegian though. ;)

And how did you prepare yourself for these songs? I guess it will be easier for a singer who did not wrote the music and lyrics to be in the studio with the writer instead of being separated with the Atlantic Ocean.

Well, at this point, I’m pretty used to working through distance with composers. He sent me the songs, lyrics and vocal lines. I recorded rough versions, sent them to him for critiques, got them to a place for final recording and then recorded them. Technology makes it so much easier to work this way. Fifteen years ago, it wouldn’t have been possible!

 

 

 Another question: will you keep “Melissa Ferlaak” as your artist name (like on the Adyta EP) or will it be Melissa Koch now you are married?

Yes. I use Ferlaak for all music related things and Koch for personal things.

Besides Adyta you are also working with Beto Vasquez Infinity. Can you already reveal some details about this project?

It was great to be asked by Beto to participate on a project that lots of other great musicians have been a part of. The song I’m working on is currently titled "Epic Travel" though I don’t know if that will be the final title or just a working title. The song was written by Beto and the lyrics/melodies by me and partially Beto. The song is sort of like a version of Dante’s Inferno, if you know the book. But this version is more like going through the rings of hell and discovering the closer to the center you gets, the more you discovers it’s populated by poets, philosophers and great minds. So its like, I’m in hell, but hell’s actually where I would rather be.

You have also uploaded a demo track with some excerpts of your work with other bands.

«Hey! Just a note to let you know I've uploaded a demo track for studio work. Over the last year especially, I've been working as a guest singer for many different bands and am always open to possibilities to work with other bands or artists. I've uploaded a sample track to give an idea of my voice, the things I've done and can do best. If you are interested in my voice for a project, send a message! 

Thanks!

Melissa

Track list contains excerpts from: 

• "Unquiet" by Withering Soul (duet vox, solo)
• "The Secret" by Visions of Atlantis (duet vox, chorus)
• "Sons of Heaven" by Aesma Daeva (lead vox, soft)
• "Flow this Desert" by Visions of Atlantis (lead vox, heavy)
• "Sirens" by Aesma Daeva (ambient vox)
• "Lifeless they Lie" by Withering Soul (ambient vox)
• Duet from Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti (classical live)
• "Habanera Hybrid" by Melissa Ferlaak (sensual plus ambient spoken)”»

Why did you choose these parts and songs?

Well, I mostly chose them because they show different angles of my voice, from solo to ensemble, to ambient, to live etc. That’s really all. :)

Besides metal you have also a "classic" side. Do you have any updates about this?

Well, again its been hard since Carmen’s been born…she takes up a lot of my time. But, I’m probably going to be singing with the opera scenes group again this year on some upcoming gigs. I have a lot of ideas for an aria album, but like many things, it remains just a dream for now until I get some free time!

And, besides the Beto Vasquez Infinity Project, what can we expect from you in the future?

That’s a good question and one I really don’t have an answer to. I’d like to work on some of these dream ideas I have, I’d like to keep doing guest work and I’d like to get on the stage again. But time will tell.

 

Links

Melissa Ferlaak Official MySpace

Melissa Koch Personal Page

Adyta Official Site

Adyta Official MySpace

Beto Vazquez Infinity Official MySpace