Admirabilis interview: Admirabilis are a great rocking band comprised of 2 women and 2 men. I want to thank Anh very much for taking the time to do this interview, well done!!! I also hope you will all check out their music using the links below, sure to please!! :) - Mikki 4/08

Anh: Well, it started out with Mike and Steffi wanting to realize a project they had in mind for quite a while to make the transition from rock music to something darker. So, they asked me to record some classical vocals for a few songs they were working on. The songs actually received pretty good feedback both on- and offline and so we recorded more and finally decided that we wanted to perform them live, as well.

So we went searching for a drummer and a bassist and founded Admirabilis.

The name is Latin and we actually just skimmed through my old dictionary looking for a cool word. It means “admirable”, but also “strange”, so it actually fits us pretty well.

DML: Your biography mentions that the band was "born out of love for metal and wave" but, at the same time, you refer to yourselves as "gothic rockers". Could you please better describe your music for the uninitiated and what messages you want to give to your listeners?

Anh: Well, the origins of the band lie in the love for metal and wave, but the music we make now is mostly not trve enough for metal heads, too dark for your next-door-alternative-rocker and yet not dark enough for the cliché goth. And Steffi and my vocals add a lot of non-wavy and non-metal nuances to it, so I think we have our very own mix of styles that, if any, best fits the category of Gothic Rock.

DML: What artists have influenced you on your musical path?

Anh: I think, within the band, we have a lot of different influences.

You can hear Mike's wave-gothic background pretty clearly and Patrick's into Metal and Medieval Metal. Steffi listens to a lot of rock stuff, a lot of raunchy female vocals and I listen to many different styles: at the moment mainly singer-songwriter stuff and sometimes even some pop.

DML: Does Mike write both the music and text or do the rest of you also contribute to the song making process? Have you ever considered using German lyrics?

Anh: Well, Mike mostly starts out on his guitar and puts it together with some samples and drums on the computer. Then all of us work on parts for the song, Patrick figures out the bassline, Steffi and I work on the vocal melodies and harmonies and I mostly write the lyrics.

And we have actually thought about using German lyrics before, but on the one hand, German lyrics can easily sound awkward or cheesy and on the other hand I spent a year in the States and I like to express myself in English.

DML: Who plays the electronic elements in the band?

Anh: They are programmed by Mike for the recordings and we use samples on stage, as many bands do.

DML: Has Aaron officially replaced Dominik as drummer or are you still looking?

Anh: We're still looking! Aaron is helping us out as a friend when we play live. He's involved in a number of other projects so he can't join us full time.

DML: Your biography also mentions that your debut album, "Unbelievable" was very successful, especially online. I notice that you are only selling your CD's at concerts or through your website. Selling through places such as iTunes doesn't interest you?

Anh: It actually does so a lot, we just haven't skimmed through all the terms and conditions quite yet. But we will offer more online-stuff in the very near future.

DML: I also see that you are unsigned right now, although you seem to have a very professional sound. Do you prefer to remain on your own or would you be interested in a contract given the right conditions?

Anh: Well, given the right conditions, who wouldn't sign a contract?

Seriously, we've tried to get by without being tied to a contract for a few years now and in parts it worked very well. But we've come to the point where we think a good record company could help us take the next step and we're interested in that. So, if any of you reading this has an interesting offer - bring it on!

DML: Your new album, "Above & Beyond" just came out & is very good!! But 3 years is a long time, why did it take so long and what do you think are the most significant differences between it and "Unbelievable"?

Anh: Well, inbetween the album releases a lot of things happened: Our drummer emigrated, a baby was born, Steffi and Mike moved, we built a new studio and practice room - and by “we” I actually mean us with our own hands, songs had to be thought of, written, recorded and produced and we took quite a while to get the perfect artwork for the CD.

So, considering all of the above, I actually think we were quite fast. ;)

The most significant differences would be that our sound got a little rougher and a little more intense. "Unbelievable" was more playful and "Above & Beyond" comes across more serious even though the overall-message is a positive one.

DML: What are your favorite songs from either album and why?

Anh: Oh, that's a tough question…I think the guys don't really have a preference, especially to Mike they're all his babies… Steffi likes “And I you” most because it's the hardest and wildest. To me, I'd have to name a few where the lyrics were very important, like “Back Where I belong” and “All I am”. For a live Gig it's definitely “Stay” because it's so much fun to perform!

DML: Please describe a typical Admirabilis concert to encourage us to check you out live!

Anh: Well, we start with an instrumental intro to get people's attention, it starts out pretty slow and then transits into the title track of our new Album “Above and Beyond”, which is when Steffi and I enter the stage.

So we start off pretty powerful and get the crowd going with a few hard numbers. When we feel that they need some sort of a break, we mix in some slower songs like “Back where I belong” and keep it mellow for a few minutes, but we usually end with something hard rocking - mostly “Human Error”, when you hear that, the concert's definitely over, cause it messes with my voice a bit!

DML: What have your best and worst experiences while playing with the band?

Anh: Hm, it's not exactly about playing, it's more the not playing in 2007 that really got to all of us. We love being on stage and it was hard to everyone of us that circumstances prevented us from it last year!

The best experience… That's a tough one. Probably the two times we finished the album and presented it live for the first time. And then there were a few concerts, like with Subway to Sally or Xandria where the bands we played with were great and the crowd really felt us.

But we had a lot of really great moments!

DML: What goals do you all hope to achieve with Admirabilis and when does the US tour begin? ;)

Anh: Well, we would love to play way more gigs than it is the case right now, which is a bit tough having two kids in the band and a long-distant-singer as I always have to drive a bit to get to band practice.

We're also currently looking for a suitable record company and/or distribution and booking agency to help get us out there. And if anyone wants to pay for flights, food and venues, we'll come over right away!!

DML: Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview!! Is there anything you'd like to add?

Anh: First off, we'd like to thank you for your interest and for giving us an opportunity to introduce ourselves. We'd just like to invite all your readers to visit us online, either at the myspace where you can listen to our songs pretty easily or our official website for more info or to order the CD!

More at:

• Official
• Admirabilis on MySpace