Chad Bowar: Give us a short history of Equilibrium and how you got together.
We started in 2001, initially only for one show. We wanted to play Black Metal in a church. Our leader René gathered us for this event. We knew each other for quite a while then. After the second show we knew that we'd like to go on with Equilibrium. So we first did a demo record (2003) and made a first album in 2005, called Turis Fratyr. 3 1/2 years later the second album came out: Sagas
What has the response been so far to Sagas?
It seems that people like the sound. I have underestimated how many people try to compare the first and the second album. But we can be satisfied.
There are a lot of different elements to Equilibrium’s music. How do you describe the band’s sound or genre?
There are influences from all over the world: Bolivia, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Ireland, Scandinavia and so on. But we do not dare put Equilibrium in one drawer. When somebody wonders what we play, we usually say epic metal. This is not perfect, but it fits more or less.
What are the lyrical subjects of Sagas?
Lately it's almost only freestyle fantasy stories. For example there's a story about a guy, in English his name would be something like "Root Guy." He walks around the woods and plays his jolly but all the animals listening to the sound instantly die. Then he finds some long-haired people around a campfire and they go crazy on that sound. Must be metalheads!
Other songs are about personal experiences I had during travel, for example. It is very mixed up. If you'd like to read more, I made translations of the lyrics and put them on our website.
Do you plan to continue having all the lyrics in German, or will you do songs in English as well in the future?
As you might have noticed by now, my English is not perfect. So I would rather stay by the language I know best, German. I just can express myself best in my own language.
What are your upcoming tour plans?
There's a tour coming up this fall, it will lead us across Europe: It's the Heidenfest Tour.
Any plans of coming to the U.S. to tour?
Not now. We have no chance to get enough time off work. Maybe next year? This would be really, really great.
What has been your most memorable tour or gig so far?
That's easy: Wacken Open Air 2005. Imagine Saturday evening, 10 p.m., a huge audience. Unbelievable!
What are the largest and smallest crowds you've played in front of?
On the one hand it was Wacken, 8,000-10,000 people in front of our stage. The smallest one was 2003 or so in my hometown. There were 4 or 5 people left when we played. If you have a chance to watch our bonus DVD, there's a small snippet of this gig.
What was the first concert you attended as a fan?
Manowar during the Louder Than Hell Tour 1997. I still have the tee shirt.
Any tour horror stories?
Once I fell onto the stage and had a laceration on my head. This was not so bad, I fixed it with gaffer tape later at the hotel. But a few weeks later I became aware of a small black dot in my right eye. You can't see it from the outside, but a few nerves died by this crash. It looks a little like these old LCD computer monitors with the damaged pixels in it.
You’re also in a band called Reign Of Decay. What type of music do they play, and how did you become involved with them?
I met those guys through a friend. When we first met he told me that they looking for a singer. I went there and tried my best. After that we had a few great years together, but meanwhile the thing has died. Nobody seems to be interested in old death metal anymore. Our last gig was in front of exactly 10 people. And anyway I think this band will die sooner or later.
How did you get started in music?
I was drunk, sitting on a lake, drinking beer with a couple of friends. We were talking like it would be nice to have a band. The next day I drove to Munich and bought a bass guitar and amplifier. I played in two bands and a handful of gigs. Then I met René and the Equilibrium thing started.
Was there a song or album that inspired you to want to perform music?
Not really. I just liked metal music itself. And back in those days I would have never thought that I would end up as a singer ...
Who are some current artists you admire?
Have you listened to latest Amorphis album? This guy really knows how to sing! And a few weeks ago, I saw Attila together with Mayhem . This was very, very impressive.
What’s your all time favorite album?
C.J. Boyd – Like No Tomorrow. I once met this guy in the city center of Munich in the middle of the night. He had his accoustic bass guitar with him and because I had to wait one hour for my train, I stayed and listened to him. I was blown away.. He's American by the way.
What do you do for a day job?
I am a so called "flame artist" which means I do TV commercials, visual effects, and stuff like that.
Is it something to plan to continue, or do you aspire to play music full time?
Well, I think this will stay a dream. Imagine doing concerts the next 40 years. Where's the fun?
