The Official HANKER Web Site - Interviews - PowerMetal.de: Interview with Pascal Cliche

HANKER have been in the metal underground for a long time. The band has existed for almost twenty years now and is thus very experimented in the music circus. Known for their fanatic love of Germany and its metalheads, I interviewed HANKER's singer and guitarist Pascal Cliche, who gave me more information about the strong material on their newest album Web Of Faith.

Alex - Hi Pascal, first of all, let us go to the beginning of the Hanker story. HANKER has a great history with tops and with flops. Can you tell us something about?

Pascal - We have been there for a while!!! But, we started when we were very young and we had a lot to learn. We have done bad and good moves... We have been lucky and unlucky... I think this is the way life is; therefore, you have to keep on trying and to keep on doing your best!! But, I am pretty sure that things will go well for HANKER!! We finally have a record company (Skyscraper Music) which believes in us, and we have been meeting GREAT people for a while and they have been all contributing to the Hanker project!! Furthermore, we went to Germany last summer and we had a blast!!! That was a long time dream that came true!!!!

Alex - The last twenty years have not been easy for heavy metal bands in the USA. What has been changing in the last couple of years? Is the American metal market opening for a bigger crowd of metalheadz?

Pascal - We all know that!! But, we have never surrendered and we keep on believing in metal music!!! Some people have tried to have us changed our music, but we haven't!!! We have been playing with our heart during all these years and we won't change our style that's for sure!! I can easily say that people from Germany have always been there for Hanker (many great critics, etc.) and this fact has helped us a lot!! So, in order to keep on doing the kind of music we love, we arranged our life to be able to do it. Nevertheless, we know that in North America metal is not as strong as it was in the 80's... But I think that this kind of music is coming back because people have been tired of one-CD-success group! They want true music and they will get it with this genre.

Alex - It seems the Americans are finally more open-minded for classical old school metal. Right?

Alex - Can you tell me something about the line up of HANKER in 2004? Could the members possess something musically beyond HANKER?

Pascal - Patrick and I have been playing together since high school. Luc joined the band in 1990, and Denis has been with us since 1998. Patrick and Luc and I have never played in another band before Hanker. Before Denis joined the band, he was playing in a tribute to Metallica. We don't have any side projects because it is not good for a band to do so (it is only my personal opinion). I cannot picture myself in another band!! I would feel like a betrayer!

Alex - The new cd Web Of Faith is a wonderful tight metal album in the vain of old IRON MAIDEN, their ex-singer BLAZE, older HELLOWEEN and the great JAG PANZER. What do you think about this?

Pascal - This is very nice of you to compare us to all these great bands!! Even if we don't have any Jag Panzer albums??

It is very funny because I have just recently listened to some Jag Panzer songs (it is very good!!) It was because we have been compared to them for a while, but I swear that we did not know this band before... It is very funny to be compare to something you haven't heard!!?? Anyway, we are aware that we haven't invented a new kind of music. And as I said above, it is a great honour to be compared with such great bands!! We are just trying to write true songs!!

Alex - Does a lyrical conception exist on the album or do the songs stand by themselves?

Pascal - It is almost a concept album... The theme is the faith you have in life... It talks about religions and all of the world believes... It is strange because every nation has their own believes and religions and all of these believes have been preaching to be good and to do good actions... Nevertheless, we have been fighting and killing people (wars) for the same Love and Peace believes!!?? This is really strange to me...

Alex - Tell me about the lyrics on Web Of Faith.

Pascal - I have just talked a little about the songs above, but all the lyrics are about questions about believes and religions and wars, etc. Stupidity of human behaviours... Just to talk about a few, Empower is about the world after September 11th and about the fact that we should have to fight for love... It should be in everyone's heart. Stigmata talks about Jesus... In this song, it is like he is talking back to us saying that kingdom is not in the sky but in everyone's heart!! Stop doing wars for me and start being good human beings!! Under Cover of Darkness talks about the fact that the world's history is often written during the night just before the news paper is out in the morning... They often decide who is the bad guy and who is the good one and the people in general believe everything they read in the newspaper... So they can fix everything as they want, so we live in a web of lies!!! Oh! By the way, it is only music... So don't take it too seriously!

Alex - The cover artwork seems inspired by computer-stories like MATRIX or JOHNNY MNEMONIC. Tell me about the idea to show your music in such a painting form.

Pascal - We wanted to have something refreshing for the fourth CD. We did not want any dragons and fire, etc. I thought about the concept and we tried it with a painter but it did not work out. Meanwhile, our photographer, who had heard about my idea, sent me one of his friend school works he had done last year. Surprisingly, it was exactly the picture I had in my head!!! Therefore, we decided to work with this guy (his name is David Faucher and he is a very nice guy!!) and we worked, starting with his first work and it has become the best Hanker cover booklet ever according to us!! For the computer aspect of it, in the lyrics I talk about the fact that the new Jesus could be the Internet if you want... You can find everything on it, and you can find answers, etc.

Alex - Please tell me something about the recording process of Web Of Faith. Where did you record it and who produced the album? Any problems during the recordings and were you rushed with the time schedule?

Pascal - We had so much fun doing it!! Even though it was really a hard schedule (we were working long hours a day and we had to go back to work at our jobs, etc.) Jeff Dagenais (Kataklysm's guitarist) produced the album with us and Skysraper music. We had a few technical problems, but everything went really good!!! But, while we were recording it, we realized that we were doing a very great album and that everything part of it was fitting perfectly!! We have started working on new songs!!! We don't know when exactly we will be in studio but we have started preparing it!! It shouldn't be too long for Hanker to be back in the studio again!!

Alex - The music of HANKER is very classical. Somebody could say HANKER only play true metal. But in my opinion HANKER fit their classical power metal with bay area-inside riffs and many feelings of musical darkness. Why this pessimistically attitude?

Pascal - I would say that it is more realistic than negative... As in the Metallica's song, it is often sad but true!!

Maybe it is because I've been surrounded by death since I was 8 (I found my father dead on his bed... And many of my friends and family members have been dying...) Therefore, death is still very mystical to me... Is there life after death? Do we face God when we die?, etc. For the classical part of it, we have been influenced by the greatest bands (Iron Maiden, Helloween, Judas Priest, Metal Church, etc.) And they have been playing classical and true stuff and it shows in their music! We are just trying to be honest and to write true songs!!

Alex - Tell me about your attitude towards life in general.

Pascal - I've had a weird life. I've always had love from my family and friends and music has helped me finding my way in life... For a while, my life sucked and I went very low... But I went back to school and I'm now an English teacher in High school!! My students love me because I sing in a metal band!! They find that very cool!!! Life is good. You have to believe in yourself and you can do what ever you want!! Don't ever forget that every cloud has its silver lining!!!

Alex - Could we see you in the next time live in Germany? Any plans?

Pascal - WE WISH!!!! We will try to be back in Germany next summer!!! We loved it so much and fans from Germany are so into the metal scene!! Germany is like being in paradise for us!!!

Alex - Please introduce the music of HANKER in your own words and make a picture for our readers: what can they expect on a live gig of HANKER.

Pascal - Hanker music is honest and energetic!! You will find all kind of emotions in Hanker music!! Live, we just love it!! When you realize that all the people is singing your songs and really enjoy them, it is like magic!!! I love to have people sing along with us during a show and one of my main goals is to have you singing one of our songs while you are heading back home!! It is like you have a part of Hanker in your life!!!

Alex - Thanx for the interview. Let me know the news around the band and come over to Germany. Web Of Faith is a great album... I wish you a successful year. Any last words?

Pascal - Thanks a lot for the interview!! Your questions were really cool to answer!! We will be back in Germany for sure (your beers are too good!!)

You can go on our Web site. This is a wonderful Web site done by our long time friend and fan Pierre Bégin. Finally, I wish you that Web Of Faith leads you far beyond you were expecting!! Take care! Germany rules!!!!

	- Interviews - PowerMetal.de