Following the release of their debut album 'Embrace the Storm' in 2005, Stream of Passion immediately gained the attention of female-fronted metal fans all over the globe with their unique sound. In 2008, after various European tours and festival appearances, plus the release of the live DVD 'Live in the Real World' and several singles/video clips, Stream of Passion realized it was time to start working on their next album, which would open up a new chapter in the band's history. That album, 'The Flame Within' has been with us for a few weeks now, and is an awesome effort that picked up a 9/10 review on this very website back in May. Here is an interview I have recently had with their front lady Marcela.
For those who may be reading this article that have been living under a rock for the past few years, can we be introduced to the members of the band?
Marcela: Stream of Passion is formed by Johan van Stratum (bass), Stephan Schultz (lead guitar), Eric Hazebroek (rhythm guitar), Jeffrey Revet (keyboards), Martijn Peters (drums) and myself, Marcela Bovio (vocals, violin).
And where does the name Stream of Passion come from?
Marcela: It comes from the lyrics of the song “Passion”, from our first album “Embrace the storm”.
Can you tell us how it all came together in the first place?
Marcela: The band started out as a project between Dutch musician Arjen Lucassen and myself. I recorded a part on one the albums from his renown project Ayreon. Our collaboration was really good, so we came up with the idea of doing an album together. Everything went really well, and the whole thing escalated into us forming a band, going on tour, playing on European festivals… A wild, but amazing ride!
What has been the reaction to the band post Arjen?
Marcela: We’ve received tons of positive reactions from both critics and fans, so we’re thrilled! We also received a great reaction from Arjen himself, which was a great reassurance.
What do you see as the main differences between the old and new band?
Marcela: With the previous line up we had a lot of limitations due to the fact that some of us lived in Mexico, some in Holland, some in Sweden. It wasn’t possible to get together and rehearse when we wanted to, to devote time together in the rehearsal room and work on the songs… With me moving to Holland last year and the new line-up consisting of all Dutchies now we have the chance to really interact as a band, which has not only help us further develop our band sound, but we’ve also built a very strong friendship bond. We’re a very happy bunch of people, and we get on stage with huge smiles on our faces everytime!
Do you still record and write separately, or is it more of a band effort?
Marcela: The initial ideas are still home-studio efforts. I usually start putting a basic idea together, some chords and vocal melodies, and then send them to the guys to further work on it. When we’ve got a more definite idea of what we want then we go ahead and work on it further on the rehearsal room. Eventually it really turns into a band effort, which is something I really like.
You have a lovely voice Marcela. How do you keep your voice in top shape and sounding as awesome as it is?
Marcela: Thanks for your compliments! I’ve taken classical singing lessons for about 7 years while living in Mexico; that technique has helped me be more conscious of what I need to do to produce a nice sound, and strain my voice as little as possible at the same time. Of course in metal there are a lot of screaming moments, but I try to stay in control!
Are any other members of the band involved in or have been involved in any other musical projects, that you would care to let us in on?
Marcela: Last year I had the chance to record a couple of tracks for the new album and EP from The Gathering, which was amazing. I got a couple of instrumental songs from them and received full confidence from the band to make them my own. It was great to work with them and get a glimpse of their ideas over making music.
Anyway, 'THE FLAME WITHIN' is your awesome new album and I personally prefer that record to the debut. Was the recording process simple or did it bring major headaches on occasion?
Marcela: The recording process went quite smoothly actually. Mostly because we had already gone through a pre-production process where we made demo recordings of all the songs and defined all details for all the arrangements. That basically kept us sane while recording, that we all knew precisely what we had to do. In the end it was just a question of putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and thanks to our producers Joost van den Broek and Jochem Jacobs that also went incredibly well.
And can you tell us more about the songs on the album?
Marcela: Our main goal was to make a heavier, more live-orientated album. Songs that would allow us to express our energy on stage, something that we truly love. Lyric wise a lot of the songs are about the whole process of putting the album together itself; we went through a lot of changes and challenges, so that was a big source of inspiration for me.
And how has the album been selling?
Marcela: We made it to the charts in Holland, so I think we’re doing Ok! We haven’t received any specific numbers yet, but we’re rather on stage rocking than counting.
This should not be a problem, but is being a lass fronting a rock/metal band ever an issue?, bearing in mind that some people used to (and still do in some quarters) view metal music as a male orientated domain.
Marcela: I’m very happy to say that it’s never been an issue for me. Maybe I’ve been lucky, but I’ve never felt intimidated, discriminated or anything like that. I am though very used to hanging around a bunch of men, and I can be a bit of a tom-boy sometimes… maybe that helps!
From the live gig perspective, do you still do Ayreon stuff in your live set?
Marcela: No. We did a couple of songs last year, more as a tribute to Arjen than anything else, but we’ve totally cut it out of our repertory.
Musically, what/who do you listen to when you are chilling out or relaxing?
Marcela: I’ve been listening to the latest Tori Amos and The Mars Volta albums a lot lately, they’re fantastic! I also like Beirut a lot to relax, and I’ve got a couple of albums with compositions by Astor Piazzolla that I’m crazy about.
And what hobbies/projects do you partake in when not making music?
Marcela: I don’t have all that much free time, but I like playing Wii, going to the movies and having a few drinks with friends.
Are there any plans to tour in the UK?
Marcela: Not right now, but hopefully there will be in the near future! We still have to compensate for two years ago when we had to cancel those shows.
And are there any plans in the pipline for another live dvd?
Marcela: Not yet, but I think it would be something we would all love to do. Maybe after another studio album…
What are your expectations of the rock scene as a whole in mainland Europe, the USA and indeed the UK? My personal view is the UK should open up to this type of music a little bit more.
Marcela: To be honest I haven’t spent all that much time in the UK, or interacted enough with people from the UK to get a glimpse of their music tastes! Back in 2006 we got a wonderful response when playing in Rotherham and London, so for that matter I cannot complain!
What is the female fronted metal scene like in Mexico? I ask because Mexico is one country that regulary appears in my website hit stats.
Marcela: We Mexicans LOVE female fronted metal. The genre is huge over there (in whole South America actually), and European bands are usually very well received over there. We had the chance to play in Mexico City with Stream of Passion and it was totally crazy! My fellow countrymen will never stop shouting, singing along, jumping up and down and just shedding every bit of energy they have while you’re playing. Amazing.
And what are the future plans for the band?
Marcela: Right now we’re playing as much as we can, enjoying the stages and slowly working on new material. Hopefully we can reveal some tour dates in the near future and visit some other countries.
Well good luck in all what you do, and we at Ravenheart Music wish you all the very best with this latest release. Finally is there anything that you would like to say to anybody across the world via this website?
Marcela: Nothing but to send my kindest regards and good wishes to all rock and metal fans in the UK! Hope we can meet soon on a show and have some fun together!
Dave Smith (Sep 2, 2009)