A cappella metal band Van Canto recently released their new album Dawn of the Brave through Napalm Records, which impressed Andrew Rawlinson a lot when he reviewed it (see here). Andrew asked Stefan Schmidt (lower Rakkatakka vocals and wahwah solo guitar vocals) some questions.
(((o))): So, you formed in 2006. How did you all meet?
Stefan: We knew each other from our former bands. Bastian and I played together in a band for more than 10 years and played gigs together with the bands of the other singers.
(((o))): Who are your influences as a band?
Stefan: We don’t have a idol band, but to get an idea which music we like you can have a look at our cover songs.
(((o))): At what point did the idea of doing an ‘a cappella metal’ move from one person’s crazy idea to starting an actual band?
Stefan: The moment Bastian joined the tribe in 2007 and we opened for Nightwish in front of 10.000 people 3 months later. This was the point it felt like a band, and not just like a project.
(((o))): How do you learn/practice the vocal guitar style?
Stefan: We do this since 2006, so we are quite used to what we do. There is no special practice, but of course we have to warm up like every singer has to.
(((o))): When was your first gig and what was the reaction of the audience and other bands?
Stefan: Our very first gig was at Bochum Total, a big city festival in Germany. The reaction was great, and it was good for us that it was not a pure metal festival. So all people attending the shows had to be quite open minded to have fun on the festival.
(((o))): How do you go about choosing what famous songs to cover?
Stefan: First of all we have to like it, so the lead singers can keep up with the original. Apart from that there has to be a lot of melodies in it so we can arrange it for 5 singers.
(((o))): How do you go about writing process to create an original song?
Stefan: It’s not that different from a regular band. We write a song on guitar or piano and translate it into an a cappella metal arrangement afterwards. For Dawn of the Brave there also have been some parts that were written by just singing them.
(((o))): Several of your covers have included the original bands vocalist as a guest (such as Sabaton’s Joakim Brodén on 'Primo Victoria') how did these partnerships comes about?
Stefan: Well, we asked and they joined, haha.
(((o))): On a similar note have you ever asked an original bands guitarist(s) to perform an ‘a cpapella’ guest spot
Stefan: Yes, we did a guitar battle with Victor Smolski (RAGE) on the song 'One to Ten' from the Tribe of Force album.
(((o))): You are playing London on April 2nd, what should people expect form a Van Canto show?
Stefan: Many voices, a lot of power and energy. And don’t be surprised that we are loud!
(((o))): You’re given the opportunity to create your own festival. What would be the first five bands on your list?
Stefan: Van Canto, Manowar, Europe, Metallica, Iron Maiden. That's a cool billing actually.
(((o))): Are they any places you have yet to play that you really want to?
Stefan: Of course, an US tour, Australia, Asia, …
(((o))): What are your goals for 2014?
Stefan: Have fun being on the road to perform metal a cappella.
Dawn of the Brave is now out on Napalm Records.
