METAL PIT INTERVIEW
Greeting Brothers and Sisters,
Scarlet Sins is an all female
band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada that has been Kicking everyone's Asses
and
serving notice that this band is for real and deserves to be
heard.
Their debut cd called "Scarlet Sins" came out in 2007 and has
been making huge waves in the Metal scene while also turning a lot of heads
with their power Metal/Hard Rock sound,unique vocals and catchy tunes.
So
maybe it is time we forget all the stereotype B.S. that has dogged the Metal
world for far too long now,these "Girls" are talented musicians who in my
opinion can stand toe to toe with any of the dudes out there in the scene
today.Without further delay The Metal Pit is very proud to introduce you to
the band.........
Sylvia on vocals
Cristina on guitar
Tanya on
bass
Elie on drums
Metal Pit : Hello ladies, it is Awesome to finally get a chance to speak with you today, both
Blake and I are huge fans
of your work. Can you tell us how this very cool band came together?
Sylvya: It was magic..lol
Cris: I met Sylv through an online classified ad just over four years ago and we became friends right away. It took us forever to find our rhythm section though.
Tanya: I was already friends with Cris and
came in on bass about a year later. We found Elie through MySpace 2 years ago.
Metal Pit : When you started out, did you have a vision of what you wanted this band to be,
or did you just kind of go with the flow and see what happened?
Cris: When Sylv and I first spoke, we were both on the same page in terms of goals and
vision. This is our passion and we both wanted to have a career playing music
from day one.
Metal Pit : As kids growing up, had any of you ever imagined you would end up in a metal
band touring the world someday?
Sylvya: Yes. That's all I ever dreamt about.
Elie: I always knew I would play drums for a living, but that’s all I was sure about. I didn’t care where, what or with who. I’m glad I found Scarlet Sins though because, on top of playing for a living, I get to do it with three wicked friends.
Tanya: I knew deep down that I would end up doing something related to music. But I never would have imagined I would end up going in a heavy rock direction.
Cris: I don’t think I could’ve imagined that it would be a metal band, but I always knew music would be a huge part of my life.
Metal Pit : At what ages did you all start playing seriously?
Sylvya: The turning point for me was 13 when I knew this was it. But I started playing in bands at 17.
Elie: I fell in love when I was five. Music was always a serious thing for me.
Cris: I was five when I first started experimenting with instruments, but it wasn’t until I went to guitar school one summer that I really fell in love with performing live.
Tanya: I was 19 when
I started learning guitar. That would probably be the defining moment for me.
Metal Pit : Sylvya, your voice is quite unique. Is singing something you did as a small child and did you have any vocal lessons?
Sylvya: I've been singing since I was a kid. I would tie a skipping rope to the dresser and put on shows for my family...lol. At 13, I started taking vocal lessons and studied with three different teachers throughout the years.
Metal Pit : Elie, you were the newbie to be added to the band. How did you find out they needed a drummer and were you nervous when you first auditioned?
Elie: My dad found the band on MySpace and saw they were looking for a drummer. So I
emailed them. I wasn’t nervous just because I always get what I want. I worked
really hard for it and I’m glad I did.
Metal Pit : There seems to be a lot of anger and hurt feelings on your first cd. Was it
therapeutic for you all to purge some of those demons through your music?
Cris: I lost my best friend a couple of years before we recorded the CD so a lot of the music was inspired by that loss and the grief that followed.
Tanya: Definitely…music is the best therapy!
Metal Pit : Does the entire band have a say in what goes on the cd?
Elie: Hell Yeah!
Tanya: Yes, this band is all about collaboration. Everyone’s ideas and suggestions are always heard before we make decisions on things.
Metal Pit : Who writes all the lyrics?
Sylvya: I write the lyrics. Cris and T occasionally give me some input.
Metal Pit : You are currently working on a new cd which I cannot wait to hear. How are
things progressing with that?
Sylvya: Things are coming along nicely. It's still very much Scarlet Sins. We're evolving as musicians and with Elie and T this time around it's more of a team effort.
Cris: Yes, the writing process is very different this time around, but it’s great to add more influences to the mix.
Elie: We’re super excited too. Things are coming along really well and it is such a fun process. I’m enjoying every minute of it.
Tanya: The new songs are sounding really kick
ass! People will be pleasantly surprised.
Metal Pit : What can fans expect from this cd and do you feel there has been a natural
progression of your music from 2007 to this point?
Elie: Music is something you feel and live. We all change and grow up, so obviously it will show in this album.
Tanya: The new CD will definitely sound different than our first, but it won’t be going in a completely new direction either. We’ve grown as musicians over the last few years, plus our influences are heavier than they were at that time. It’s bound to reflect in the new material.
Metal Pit : Are you still in that "angry" place as far as attitude and lyric writing for this cd as well?
Sylvya: It's a lot easier to write when I'm in a dark place. I write about the things that surround me so it varies.
Tanya: Haha…we don’t write happy songs too well…
Cris: I’ve always leaned towards music that was more dark or melancholic, but pretty. That doesn’t necessarily mean the lyrics have to be sad or angry though.
Metal Pit : The band has had a few live vids on Youtube but are there any plans to do some new vids in the studio?
Tanya: Yes, definitely for the new album.
Cris: We plan to do videos of everything for our Sinner Circle show on our YouTube channel! Studio footage included, but also tour stuff, just hanging out, rehearsals, interviews, etc.
Metal Pit : You have done some pretty serious touring for a relatively new band and shared the stage with some heavy hitters as well, such as Doro Pesch, Kittie and Motley Crue. Who are some bands you would love to tour with in the future?
Sylvya: Anyone that wants to bring us with them. I'm pretty easy.
Elie: Lamb Of God, Nine Inch Nails, Shinedown
Tanya: Metallica, Tool, Trivium
Cris: Metallica hands down!
Metal Pit : Is there one special place the band has always wanted to play and why?
Sylvya: It doesn't really matter as long as we play. It would be cool to play in Europe. I was born in Poland so it would be nice to play there.
Elie: I really want to play at Madison Square Garden or in any of the huge European outdoor festivals!
Tanya: In somebody’s backyard for all I care…I just wanna play.
Cris: Anywhere and everywhere!
Metal Pit : You were hand picked by Motley Crue themselves to open for them at the "Sarnia
Bayfest" show in Ontario. How did that all come about and what was that whole
experience like?
Sylvya: We applied through Sonicbids. The promoter received over 600 applicants. From the 600 they narrowed it down to five and sent the finalists to the Crue. It was definitely a dream come true when we were told the boys chose us.
Elie: I forgot we even entered that contest. It was so out of nowhere and unexpected. I think that made it even better. I still remember getting the call from Cris.
Metal Pit : Did you get to chat with any of the Crue and how were they during your set?
Elie: Oh hell yeah! I looked at the side of the stage at some point and saw freaking Motley Crue watching. So surreal! I will always remember Tommy’s face and the drummer cheer I got right after the 2nd fill going in the second chorus of Strangelove. OMG. Priceless.
Tanya: Nikki and I said hi to each other backstage. It was an amazing experience to see them on the side of the stage watching our show and grinning…something I’ll never forget.
Metal Pit : Ok, this is a potential "VH1 - Behind the Music" story ready to unfold right
before our eyes right, haha?
Sylvya: Sure…bring it on… LOL
Metal Pit : Any other crazy stories from the road that you can share with us?
Elie: Two words: Tanya Nicklaus. LOL!!! Loads of entertainment right there!!
Tanya: Gee…thanks Elie…biatch!!
Metal Pit: You also did a tour with your mates from Canada Kittie, any plans to tear up the stages of the world with them again?
Tanya: If the right opportunity comes up, we’d definitely consider it. Even though our styles are different, we still fit well together.
Cris: Those chicks are cool! Many of our fans are also Kittie fans so it would be a good time. Tara, Morgan and I could do a three-part harmonized solo! What do you think?
Metal Pit: What is the metal scene like today in Toronto compared to maybe five years ago?
Sylvya: It's still pretty strong. The good thing about Toronto is that there are a ton of venues to play at and get your music heard.
Tanya: Other than the big touring metal bands that come through town, the metal scene in Toronto is pretty underground. I would love to see more of more of it and more often.
Metal Pit: As a female metal band that actually does have talent (sorry ladies, no offense but there are a few of them out there that do not and they know who they are, right?), what is your opinion on women in the scene today?
Sylvya: We need more.
Elie: I think there are more and more ladies involved in the metal scene in North America and we’ll just see more and more. There are a lot of talented female musicians out there and I can’t wait for the day when people stop caring whether it’s a female or a male musician.
Metal Pit: Do you think when the dust settles only the bands with real talent will still be around?
Sylvya: At the end of the day, you need good songs. It also depends on marketability and promotion. There are some great bands that don't get a chance and get lost in the shuffle.
Elie: The concept of instant artists is dated and people are done with this. It takes time and hard work to be noticed and for people to remember you.
Cris: Because there are so many bands waiting to be discovered on the Internet, the cream of the crop will inevitably rise to the top. With the Internet, the power is back in the hands of the fans.
Metal Pit: As strong women in the scene do you see yourselves as role models for young girls out there who may be thinking of doing this as a profession, and what would be your advice to them?
Sylvya: Don't let others stop you from living your dream. If rock n' roll is what you want to do then go out there and do it. It's a lot of hard work, but at the end of the day, you're doing what you love.
Elie: I don’t know if we are or not. We just do what we like. One thing I will say is have fun, take risks and believe in yourself. If you can dream about it, you can have it.
Metal Pit: When is the new cd going to be finished and available to the fans?
Sylvya: Right now, we are still writing. We hope to go into the studio later this year and release the CD early 2010.
Metal Pit: Any plans on a major tour supporting the cd?
Sylvya: We hope to. At this point, we can’t confirm where we’ll go. You’ll have to wait and see.
Metal Pit: What about any outdoor shows this summer?
Sylvya: Our main focus is writing right now. We have a few shows booked, but they are all private functions.
Metal Pit: Ok, ladies I am through boring the hell out of you. Is there anything you might want to add to this interview? Don’t hold back now…
Sylvya: Thanks for reading. We love all you sinners. See you on the road.
Elie: Can’t wait to play for y’alls!
Cris: \m/
Tanya: If you wanna know more about us, check out our website at www.scarletsinsonline.com!
Metal Pit : On behalf of myself and The Metal Pit I just want to really thank you for taking time for us today.This band is so talented and
we know you are going to be a force to reckon with for a long time to come.Thank you ladies,good luck to you all.
Horns up Brothers and Sisters....
Nick.
Scarlet Sins Website www.scarletsinsonline.com
Scarlet Sins Myspace www.myspace.com/scarletsins
