EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Sarah Jezebel Deva

Not having talked much to Sarah Jezebel Deva after the last interview I had done with her in October of 2010, the increased activity on the band’s Facebook page did peak my interest and I scribbled her a few sentences to see what she was up to. Chatty and bubbly as always, Sarah agreed on a review of the upcoming album The Corruption Of Mercy and this follow-up interview in no time at all, giving us all an inside into the new line-up, the inspirations behind and dreams for the future.

Your previous album, A Sign Of Sublime, only came out last year and you already have the new release, The Corruption Of Mercy, lined up to hit shelves in June. How on earth did you get material this strong in such a short amount of time?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: I think when you listen to the metal tracks off A Sign Of Sublime, you know why! ;) I think I have listened to that album two times and ONLY cos I had to. Don't get me wrong, I do not hate it but I strongly dislike it - we all do.

I was happy with the non metal tracks, wouldn't change a thing about them but due to over editing, missing files and lots of other fuck-ups on the record [company's] part, at the time of the mix at Escape Route Studio's, we were left in the hugest amount of shit. Pardon all my swear words ha ha... some times only swear words will do ;)

The term "You can't polish a turd" really springs to mind and I am trying to find a way of making this whole saga short and it’s hard.

Everyone that took part on this album was unhappy. Max [Blunos] and Ken [Newman] in particular due to the over editing. There was no room for any ambience on their instruments and when you put so much hard work into something and for it to turn out the way it did and then you have to play this music live - knowing how bad it went, well... you know you have to then prove something to the world, to the lovers and haters.

During the mix/master of that last album, Dan [Abela] (who owns Escape Route and whose name is changing to Legacy London soon) and I got on so well, I mean, we had five days to mix/master but as we were going through the tracks, the mess we had to deal with, you wouldn't think it - but the mix/master process ended up taking over two weeks. Anyway, after all the fuck-ups we encountered, not to mention sorting out missing files (and lots of them) and I had to re-record some vocals and the countless shaking of heads and face in palms of hands, we could only do so much and from that moment, I knew another album had to follow soon.

Dan and I chatted and decided to join writing forces. Ken got treated a bit crap and decided to walk and I don't blame him, he was a session musician and it was made sure that he knew that but not by me. I have spent many years dealing with that attitude of "You ain't in the band, you have no rights, but please bend over backwards while we shaft you". Max moved on cos he had another band and Dave [Pybus] couldn't commit due to Cradle Of Filth, so I had to re-evaluate everything, and I mean everything, and this time, make sure their were no snakes in the grass. I trust way too fast you see, but if Dan and I hadn't have gone through all that, we would never have produced an album like The Corruption Of Mercy.

So yes, this is a long reply to your question, but it gives you an insight as to why this happened so fast. We couldn't just sit about waiting for life to grab us by the balls, we had to grab it by the balls and work our arses off. Dave and Martin [Powell] were gonna get involved again, but this time we knew we needed a solid line up, no session people and just work and work and work and we have done that. We are so proud and even if people hate the album, we know we are happy, extremely happy and that’s what counts. Our happiness. We do not dread reviews this time. 

Having heard ‘The World Won’t Hold Your Hand’ on your band page before we got to talk again, I was amazed about how much the sound has matured. What was different in the writing process this time around? Was it all a matter of the chemistry between you and Dan Abela being just right?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: [For] A Sign Of Sublime we did everywhere other than park bogs ha ha ... Guitars were recorded in Ohio, USA, my vocals were recorded in the UK, Sweden and Oz, keys in the UK and Sweden and Bass and Drums in the UK. That should have said to me right there "ALARM"!!!! But, I was desperate to do that album, to be a front woman. We did not work as a band due to me hiring people, friends.

Before we started touring ASOS, I got Ablaz involved, the bass player, and he brought a lot to the table, he worked so, so hard, tabbed stuff and just did so much without wanting anything back and he stunned Dan and I and that's what made me realize that this is how a band should be. No back stabbing, no lies, and it was nice to work with someone who didn't want something with a price tag attached to it. Much like Dan, I was using Dan's studio for free because he - I suppose - believed in me?

So long story short... Dan joined, Ablaz joined, Jamie [Abela]  joined on drums and although all the writing was predominantly done by Dan and I, we all gelled as a band and a pro one, too. Dan, in my eyes, saved me.

The other thing was when I got back from Oz, I had no direction and looking back now, I threw that album (ASOS) together in the wrong frame of mind and when I did wake up, the album was done and nothing could be changed. Dan and I have been writing this album (The Corruption Of Mercy) on and off for a year, as it had to fit around his studio work and the bands he is recording. Even Gian [Pyres] was with us for a while live, but sadly he had other stuff which I felt needed to take priority in his life before the stress and commitment of a band, so Jonny [Gray] joined us after the writing of TCOM.

So yes, we have matured, I have matured and we, as a band - a solid one - have a goal! More so than ever. And the reason this album did work so well is one main key factor: it was recorded in the same country! (Apart from keys... but that I will talk about later... go get another cuppa.) ;)

Musically, this album is much more refined and somewhat more sincere than its predecessor. I know you mentioned that you were not 100% happy with A Sign Of Sublime, were you and the guys beating yourselves up even more in the studio to end up with something you were all satisfied with?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: Well I explained a lot in the first question, but I will say no. I trust Dan, we had the same visions, we were with each other a lot and wrote together, he would write riffs, play them and I would decide there and then if I could give anything to the riff.

I would say this album was very well thought out but it was done over a long period of time due to his studio commitments. But no missing files, no miscommunication, it worked very smoothly. As I said, I knew we had to wipe the floor with this new album, it had to PISS over A Sign Of Sublime, I mean, I feel sorry for Dan having his name credited on that last album, but we live and learn right? What doesn't weaken and kill ya will only make you stronger.

Pzy-Clone [Amund Svensson] has been heavily involved in the making of this album, being the one who arranged all programming of orchestration and mixing - I believe - as well. Who approached him with this request, or did he put up his hand and say he wanted to be a part of this?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: Pzy and I were in The Kovenant together and did the album Nexus Polaris. He knew I was doing a new album because I told him a lot of stuff when we played the Inferno Fest in Norway. He offered to help because he is giving like that. He said he wanted me to have something to be proud of and he is beyond amazing at what he does.

He has fully pro sound banks and does adverts and film scores, he is just the dogs Bollocks! We owe him a lot and we hope he will definitely be part of the next album! And no: Dan did all the mixing, Joseph Smyth did all the engineering and editing... the long, long days spent in the studio... ha ha... I think we went through at least 300 cigs, at Dan's expense ;)

I found that this time around the dynamic has changed - as well as the pace - with the exception of a couple of songs. Jamie, being on drums, must have been sweating like an animal putting his tracks down? Was it somewhat of a friendly battle between him and Dan on guitar, trying to out-do the other?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: Jamie shocked me. He was 20 when he started drumming with us and you wouldn't believe that someone so young can do what he was doing in the studio. Sometimes, he was nailing entire songs in 2 or 3 takes after hearing the song 1 time in his car ('The World Won't Hold Your Hand' is perfect example).

When he gets older, he is one to watch for sure. His drums hardly needed editing; hardly any mistakes and well, he shocked his own brother too, on many takes during this album. Jamie is an asset to any band...

And Dan, God, he is gonna have a HUGE head after reading all this but its true, Dan has heart... he has passion. He did start off as my sound guy because he seriously is a man of many talents, but whilst writing this album, I felt he needed to be on stage, playing this stuff, so this is one other reason why I said "JOIN"!!".

When Dan writes and records, he is 100% sure that what he is doing is right and sounds right. But no out-doing each other, just totally professional and they both have the same goal, to make the music they love.

Ablaz, true or false: I thought to hear that his bass was tuned down for the cover version of ’Zombie’. Was that just my imagination? If I am correct: do you like tuning it down from time to time to get your sound just that bit more heavy and dirty?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: Yes it was tuned down. Dan wanted to make it dirty and more doom like and it worked. This is the only song tuned down that low, but we didn't have the intention of playing this song live. It's an amazing song and I am anti-war and we all like this song very much. It seemed the perfect cover and I was so happy to be singing it. We are planning on playing it on the next bunch of shows but it needs a 7 string and obtaining two 7 strings = money. But one day we will, I think it would be great at festivals.

I found that ‘Pretty With Effects’ has been one of the three songs I kept on going back to. The Dead Lay Waiting vocalist Luke Sibthorpe wrote this song, how did he get involved in all of this? Yet another good friend wanting to contribute?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: We did a tour with The Dead Lay Waiting last year and on one show, there was a piano back stage and Luke was just sitting there playing and it brought tears to my eyes. Again: young, 20 yrs old and he had this hidden talent. Just shocked me... so I said "do a track with me for the next album please" and he said yes.

He wrote the piano and of course a melody came straight to me. He came down to the recording studio and recorded the track. He also did a few other small parts like the piano at the end of 'Zombie' and the keys in 'The Eyes That Lie'. He will go far... not only cos of his talent but because he is a lovely, kind and giving person. We have a lot in common.

The topic of ‘Pretty With Effects’ is rather real and concerns a lot of women in today’s society. Was the rather soft piano and almost whispered vocal part chosen on purpose to stand in stark contrast to the lyrics?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: I wanted this track to be haunting, to hopefully make people stop and think. This track is about any kinda of violence in any kind of relationship, sexual or even between friends. It’s about not recognizing the person you thought you knew. I know the lyrics speak for them selves.

How long did Sarah Jezebel Deva spend boxed up in the studio, re-taking tracks and fine-tuning and tweaking on things? Did it take longer to get to the stage where all of you looked at each other whilst listening to the final mix and said “That’s it, we’re done.”?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: It was mostly Dan, me and Joe in the studio, days-on- end. But all the hard work was done by them two. Hats off to them. Dan knew this album had to beat the crap out of the last one and because he also wrote and played on it, he had that added connection. This was our baby. I wouldn't say it took that long but it's all the tiny little things that take ages and they are the parts that take up the most time, like editing, I know that makes ya eyes bleed ha ha and even when it's mastered, you still then have to sit there, listen on a few stereos to see how it will sound - I think it got mastered 2 times because we just wanted it to be correct.

Nothing any one does will ever be perfect and perfection is over rated. Perfection is measured in different ways and all that mattered to us was that WE were happy. Even 99% happy and we are.

Looking back over the last time we talked back in October ’10, there were a couple of new additions to the line-up. You mentioned back then that it was not a permanent line-up due to most guys in the band having other commitments with other bands. Do you feel that with Jamie, Dan, Ablaz and Jonny you now have a group of people around you that you feel comfortable with and it might stay like this for a while?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: We all get on, we all have fun, we laugh and there is no pressure, no stress. I say we are all happy. But bands these days - they change, people have things happen in their life and sometimes what is right for us now may not be right for us next year. But for us, for now, we are all happy.

Writing the next album is high on the list and that will happen late summer. The state of the scene, well: you can't wait around - I did that with Angtoria, I favored Cradle Of Filth over my own band and look what happened. We haven't done anything since, because life’s priorities change.

You have shows coming up this weekend and another few festival appearances in the summer, are you looking forward to standing onstage together with the guys and put the energy you seem to have into live performances?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: Yeah, we have our video shoot on Friday for 'The World Won't Hold Your Hand' and we can't wait. We have 2 shows right after that and then another in Germany, June 10th and we are all excited - we love the stage but I am still learning how to be a front woman.

The scattered shows do not help; I need to do a 2 month tour! We are always learning though: I am not nervous but I am so used to being a backing singer. I will get there, in the end I will. Everyone else on stage though, they are amazing... lots of energy! They actually help me.

Last but certainly not least my dear: when the hell will you find yourselves a promoter to bring you to Australia? Or a band you can support?

Sarah Jezebel Deva: You know, I LOVE OZ!! And my dream... Soundwave... If only... Oh my if only!! But you know its ALL about money and money is the root of all evil!!

Now that we have the review and this in-detail interview, it is probably time to tell you that Voltage Media will be streaming 'The World Won't Hold Your Hand' - which has been up on the band's page for a few days now - and Sarah has also granted VM a world exclusive: to stream the so-far unreleased song 'The Corruption Of Mercy' from the upcoming album of the same name!

Keep your eyes and ears open as both songs will be up and streaming right here at Voltage Media on Thursday 26th!

Visit: www.myspace.com/jezebeldeva

Image - KHYRIAN