http://www.loudtrax.com/ - LoudTrax.com What is the �concept� and main theme behind this new album?
Zak Stevens It�s a complicated and very deep concept about things happening that we don�t really have much control of, and about a character who is centrally involved, against his will, into this cycle of madness, power, and a lot of crazy things. More on the story later on as things come more together with the music....
LoudTrax.com �Consequence of Power� is a concept album. Do you have your own favorite concept album or any concept albums that inspired you on this one?
Zak Stevens Well the nature of the concept on �Consequence of Power� talks more from a street level then from some giant conglomerate force, so the wealth and power we see are from the mass of money coming from private firms into the hands of let�s say the blue collar man. It�s harder to track from a law enforcement standpoint. I mean I have to admit I�m from a time where Queensryche�s �Operation Mindcrime� was a huge influence on me. I was learning big time about how the be successful in music and that album was just sort of overwhelming at the time. I think that�s gotten a hold on me but it�s hard to say how it will affect this album, if any. But I guess we will see...
LoudTrax.com You performed back-up vocals with http://www.loudtrax.com/Artist/TransSiberianOrchestra -
Zak Stevens I would say a big part of it was getting our favorite WickedWitch songs on a �real� record to hear them in their own power and glory. We had to change the name of the band due to a legal dispute, but we overcame that stuff with MOG. And truthfully I must tell you when we walk up there to perform �MOG� songs, I really think and get fired up to go on stage and perform �Wicked Witch� songs, because that�s what they really are to me, and what they really meant to me, and that is the times we played and lived in. And it was an unbelievable experience up in New England that I wish I could do again....Maybe we are.....
LoudTrax.com I saw that you have European tour dates for Machines Of Grace planned. Are you guys playing on festivals or doing your own headlining gigs? Where can fans find the tour dates?
Zak Stevens Well I don�t have details on that part yet but let�s just say we�re working on a lot of different things for this summer and fall....
LoudTrax.com There is a Circle II Circle tour planned for USA, South America and Europe. Will that be in time for the Fall release of �Consequence of Power�? What else can you tell us about the C II C tour?
Zak Stevens Well we�re going to most likely start in Texas do about 5 shows or so then and then go out west like Los Angeles, and Phoenix, AZ, and New Mexico. We�re going all over the Midwest, and back through the South so it should be a great US Tour with some great gigs for us. We�re going to Europe too on a pretty extensive run, and then devote a few weeks trying to expand from Brazil to Argentina and maybe Chili and more places like that over in South America.
LoudTrax.com Thanks for taking the time to do an interview for LoudTrax.com, the rock, metal, punk download site.
Zak Stevens Thanks Antonio!
Have a great weekend.
Zak
Here is a video of Zak performing the classic "Sirens" with Jon Oliva, Alex Skolnick, Plate and Middleton in 1994 in Japan. One of my favorite Savatage moments.