- Since I have no band biography at my disposal, and the information in the Displeased web site is quite unhelpful, I'd like to begin with the customary, trite question of describing some of the background of the band. Can you assist us?

Even Song was formed in the summer of 1997. The founders were:
Agnes Toth - female vocals, violin (now: female vocals, synth)
Mihaly Szabo - vocals, guitars
Hajnalka Vincze - synth (ex-member)
Gabor Olah - lead guitars
Gabor Vegh - drums&percussion
Gergely Cseh - bass
In the autumn of 1997 we recorded our demo called Lost Tales. With this we could contract with Displeased Rec.In the september of `98 we recorded our first album Path of the Angels. It came out in the march of `99 at Displeased Rec.Our new album Of Man`s First Disobedience (Expulsion from the Divine Abode) is ready now. It will out in may of 2000.

- Has the taste of the band progressed over time from one genre to the next, or has it always been more of a linear advance? What types of music doesn Even Song draw influence from predominantly?

We progressed continously ,I think.The next step of our progression can be hear on our new album which will out soon. Every album show what could we make then. Influences? Nowadays some classical music,Arcturus,Death.

- Has the response to your release on Displeased been satisfactory to you? Could you have predicted the way it has sold?  Were there any difficulties in the material seeing the light?  Finally, not to start conflict, but has the partnership with Displeased been acceptable?

Yes, the partnership is acceptable ,but we could be better informed. We don`t know how the album goes. The response was good, they said they like this album.

- I've read in some obscure report that I chanced upon, which may very well be false, that you actually have another album that you've recorded some time ago on a different label.  Is this true, and if so, can you explain some of the details surrounding this?  How would you view that release taking your current state of knowledge?

We only have a demo called Lost Tales ,which was recorded in 1997. It could be bought only in Hungary. We made it on our own. It`s not bad, but don`t show our current state of knowledge.

- As a Hungarian band, could it be that finding a place to play your music, and a niche for your work is more difficult than a band in a larger country where doom has a greater reception?  Are the individuals in Hungary more understanding of your work than in other places, you think?  Where does Even Song's music receive the most acknowledgement in your experience?

There are few good clubs in Hungary to play, but the public is very good. Most of the clubs (not the good ones) have no- or very poor sound technics. But I suggest all the bands to come and play gigs in Hungary, they surely won`t be disappointed. In my opinion our music could be understandable everywhere altough the Hungarians are a little biased against us. Perhaps in Hungary receive our music the most acknowledgement, but I`m not sure.We get a lot of e-mail from the entire world, a lot of come from South America. It seems that our music is popular there.

- How are things generally going in your country?  I'm curious since it's a rarity that I talk to someone from Hungary.  Is metal music more or less accepted as a viable entity in the music world?

The prizes are too high and the wages are too low. The economic situation isn`t too good but acceptable. Unfortunately, the position of metal music is bad. The media don`t play it, only some newspapers and fanzines write about it. There is some short metal-programme in some local radios, and a one-hour/week metal-progamme in the Hungarian music-channel called Z+, but it isn`t too much. The metal bands have a very few possibility to find a label.

- Is metal music easy to acquire in Hungary?  How is the market there?

There is some shops in the country (the most of them in the capitol, Budapest) where you can buy every kind of metal albums (if you have enough money). But, in the smaller shops in smaller towns you can buy only the popular metal albums. There is a very little cenzorship on music in Hungary you can buy the most brutal and bloody T-shirts and albums.

- It would appear that Even Song is a band that feels a kinship to the nature surrounding her.  Does Even Song receive inspiration from the landscape surrounding?  Are there vistas in Hungary that are particularly remarkable? Or areas that are most conducive to tranquility and inner rest?

Yes, sometimes we take inspiration from the nature. We live in plain, it isn`t too exciting, but have a special atmosphere. The mountains are not too high, but there are beautiful forests on them. There are a lot of beautiful areas in Hungary, I suggest You to come and see them.

- Some bands coexist together for reasons of practicality, finance, or what-have-you ? they are not truly allies, they are merely part of a team that only converges for practice or band play.  Could this be applicable towards Even Song?  Or is it more of a 'family business'?  What does being 'in' a band mean, both physically and mentally?

We found this band `cause we like this music that we play. This is not a business, this is our hobby and work together. We are all friends in the band, we are together from the start. Being in this band means not only going to practice, play gigs or go to studio, you can live out your creativity and you became a member of a circle of friends.

- The foundation of Even Song is one of unease, solitude, desperation to some degree, it would seem to me ? but never the succumbing to weakness in spite of untoward circumstances.  Do the emotions of melancholy and depression affect the individuals in Even Song in their everyday lives, or is it a channeling of emotion that is left exclusive to music, like the case of the guys in My Dying Bride?  To what benefit is playing a depressive quality of music to you?

The primary object was to make something what`s in our mind. We make our music to ourself, and this is a good thing that there is some other people who like it. We wanted to make something really individual, and with our new album (Of Man`s First Disobedience) we managed it, I think. In the everyday life we are sometimes depressive and melancholy, like everybody else but we don`t feel always thiese emotions. We let them fly away with the music.

- A level of nihilism is hinted at in the lyrics. Is this a correct assessment?  Is there some particular philosophy or idealism that you would like to convey in your words?  Or do you feel that lyrics are essentially secondary to this type of music and aren't worthy of any primary consideration?  How are lyrics a component of the music of Even Song?

I wrote only one poem (the track Evensong), otherwise Mihaly Szabo is responsible for the lyrics, but I feel the lyrics aren`t secondary.The music and lyrics must make one unit together.

- Has anyone in the band received a formal musical education? Although the musical structures are rather simple, the sense of melody, to my ears, is simply too advanced for it not to be so.  Were any relatives of the band musical?

All of us have a basical music education, but not too serious. Agnes is the most educated among us.

What other bands from Hungary would you recommend someone with a small conception of the country's scene to look out for?  Any unsigned groups of interest?

A band called Sear Bliss. They play individual black metal.

Where would you like Even Song to go in the future?  Will there be any additional releases after "Path of the Angels"?

As I said before we are ready with our new album called Of Man`s First Disobedience (Expulsion From the Divine Abode), and it waiting to come out. We recorded it in the Harrow studio in Holland and we are very satisfied with it. It became more complex then our previous album. The style changed a little, we call it avantgarde metal-opera. We would like to go and make a tour, but I don`t know when. Perhaps we will play on some Festivals if we would be invited somewhere.