"WHEN I'LL STOP SINGING... I'LL STILL BE SINGING"
an interview with Anna Volantzky - the vocalist of Monastery

Is Monastery a fleeting band or stable music stop with a future ?

- Monastery is not stop - it's more like a destination...

Thrash metal... Has it still any chance in the musical branch? How do you see Monastery in all that ? Is this the kind of music you're playing ? Old and good ?

- What you mean is the comercial side, right?... I remember the times when practically every metal was on top. It was so popular... everyone wearing long hair! I could shed atear... It seems nowadays death metal dominaties, it's just another trend - no offence (I myself admire some of the groups!). Well, some people create the fasion, others follow. Both, the creators and recipients of their ideas must notice the repetitive pattern, another wheel turn (bell-bottom jeans, mini skirts - ha!ha!). So, following that, let's hope that in some two years the time will be more favourable for thrash metal. I'm not saying it's going to be a boom, but I think (and I count on it) that people would be fed up with a single music style and they would want something different... fresh and good!

You are one of few thrash vocalists in our country. How do You feel about that ?

- Well, I'm not gonna shit you.How should I feel? Fucking good! There's proverb about one-eyed man being a king of the blind...

Monastery are three guys and girl with character......

- That's right! ha!ha! Somebody has to rule! But seriously, you've got to ask the boys how is it for them - I am just the one shouting here !

How long have you been singing? As far as I know you've had quite an experience...

- Let's not exaggerate. Just look at Tina Turner. The first real vocal material with Monastery I recorded in 1996. However, I had worked for them earlier as... text translator. I made my debute with quite untrained voice, and not wven singing... merely speaking - one sentence! That was few years ago (????!!!! Shit!)

When you enter the stage is there a distance or you get right on ?

- When I get on stage I just can't wait to start! I have only stage fright in the famous town of music critics - our Świebodzin..

You scream in music, what are you like in everyday life ?

- In life I don't like noise, chaos or scum. I like harmony, cleanness and order. Poland says I am a pedantic psychopath. Well, sometimes I am forced to tell him off 'cos he's a messmarker, in this "branch" he's a top-shelf artist. Oh, and I scream when I have orgasm! Aaah! Aaah!

What's singing for you ? A kind of therapy ?

- Yeah, sort of. When I sing I feel my body emanates huge amounts of positive energy. When I'll stop singing... I still be singing.

Thrash brings to mind long hair, black leather pants, jackets ect. That kind of company... Aren't you a naughty girl?

-In that case we are way from the stereotypes. We are so unleathery - more cooton fans. We like being comfortable. But we're naughty in other way(!). I sometimes think we're just funny. The fact we have sense of humour makes us rather unserious, not pompous and certainly not arrogant satanists or something like that. Ehr, so as not to lie, we're just having good time.

Your musical image takes courage. Is this what you are like ?

- Sure! I have courage in blood! ha! ha! from some time now the band is saving in piggy-bank for my new implants!

In every, even most crazy girl there is a regular woman...

- I don't quite get your point... My shrink says I'm not crazy! ha!ha! Well, about being feminine... do you want me to show it to you? ha!ha!

Let's talk aboute the band. When and where was it established ?

- Our band was created in wiebodzin a the beginning of 90's, in the metal boom period. There was a lot going on for several years - records, concerts. About 1997 something died and the group wasn't active for about 3 years. But finally the band is back and here we come-strong, ready and able.

Where does the name come from ?

- It could be "chair", "fork" or "guts", but I think "Monastery" sounds better. Just kidding! The name is a result of Madieval fascination - monasteries, religious orders. On the covers of almost every record there's an image of a mysterious monk or something of that sort. I've heard a story that the first leader had read an incredible thriller "Monk" that just shook him deeply - he couldn't sleep after that(the same with me after "Necroscopie"). Besides the word 'monastery' or 'monastyr' mean "a male religious order"(!) That's it. So what am I doing here - a monastery? For men?

Future plans ? A new record ? What's it about ?

- A new record is about to come up, another thing to deal with. The demo's already there. It contains five damn good pieces. There's gonna be nine or ten tracks. Right now we're talking to publishers. I don't think it's gonna be a Polish company, 'cos nabody seems to understand us - I mainly sing in English or Polish-English (please - learn languages!!!). The new record won't be about someone's tits or no borders or that I am sorry for not getting drunk or other shit. It will be typical for Monastery good and worth listening music. Dynamic, heavy-duty, with charactristic schemas, often tempo shifts and lots of melody (baroque). Lyrics are rather fact-based, we tell about things, sometimes about us, but we don't give any ready answers, you are free to make your own choice.

Who are the fans for you ? What do you think, can they appreciate your music and your artistic image ?

- The fans... I relly don't know, some do understand what's the bitch saying, some come to the concerts to get drunk, some to see if Poland's belly got bigget. There's few real fans who are sort of support for the band, that are there for us and belive in us. But I'm glad to know they are there, and they must either faithful or... just love me! ha!ha! Generally, people those days just stay home. There's so much gibbering about family values that people stay at homes watching TV. People are poor - they say they would have come but have no money for the ticket - they alredy spent in on booze - can't afford one and the other. After all you don't need the music as much as to drink!!

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