With a newly signed deal with Pavement for the American release of Endorama, Mille took the time to answer a few questions…

The production on Endorama is excellent.  Did you do anything differently this time out?
We took more time, especially on the guitars and vocals and everything.  We are a lot more prepared this time, too, than any time before.  In the past, most of the times we didn't even know what we wanted when we went into the studio and we figured out how the songs should sound in the studio.  This time we had a very clear vision of how the final production should sound.  So, it was hard work, but it was worth it.  Like I said, we took over three months with just the recording and that paid off.  You take time and go back and use a different guitar here and a different amp there, mike up the guitar a different way.  Especially for all the clean stuff, the picking stuff, we used like 4 or 5 different guitars, 12-string guitars, everything.  When you take the time to do that, the final product is a lot more detailed and a lot better.

Will you self-produce next time, too? 
I think so, because it doesn't make sense to find a big-name producer who is only cashing in money and I don't think it is necessary anymore to work with a producer.

Would you ever produce another band? 
I've had a couple offers to do other bands, but to be honest, I think that it only makes sense if I can really help a band.  If I had a band that was okay and the songs were good and they needed a producer, I would do it.  But most of the bands that offered me a production spot on their records, I had the impression that they didn't need a producer for what they wanted to do.  So, it needs to be a good band and some band that really wants me to produce their record because I could help a band do a great album, give them my experience and help them not make the same mistakes that we did.  But it's gotta be someone that really wants me to produce their record and not just because I'm in Kreator, but because they like what I do.

How did you decide upon the name Endorama for the album? 
You know, the word doesn't exist, 'endorama' - there's no such word.  To me, it means a certain end that comes to everyone and everything that ever existed.  Of course, nowadays with the new millennium coming up, a lot of people have this apocalyptic vision of how the world is going to be or how it's not going to be.  I think Endorama fits the music a lot, it's a perfect title for this record.

The credits list a vocal coach.  What exactly did they do for you?
Basically, it was my vocal teacher who came into the studio with me and she was helping me to get where I wanted to be, with my vocals and my voice.  She figured out where my strong points and where my weak points are, and she knew how to get me where I wanted to be with my vocals.  It was amazing, a whole new experience.  In the past, the vocals came last and I always had to suffer through the vocals, but this time it was a lot of fun.  That was the main difference from previous productions - this time I actually enjoyed doing the vocals.

Have you worked with her for a while?
Yeah, for the last year before doing the record.

Was all the orchestral stuff done with keyboards? 
Yeah, basically.  It would have only made sense for us to get a real orchestra in if we would have had even more time, you know.  That would have been a little over the top. (laughs)  Maybe next time…

Do you think you will do more of that kind of stuff in the future?
Yeah.  It's a whole new way to explore music.  Once you open up for new instruments, there are so many possibilities.  There's so much we can still do and we definitely want to do more in this direction on the next record.  It's just so amazing and exciting.

Did you play any of the festivals this summer?  How did they go? 
We did, we played a lot of festivals in Europe.

Any upcoming tour plans?
Yeah, we're planning on coming to the States even, next February.

Kreator has gone through a few different labels over the years.  Is your current situation pretty solid?
I hope so. (laughs)  You never know.  For us, we're very easy to work with, as long as the people that we are working with are putting the same energy into their work as we do into writing the music.  The people from Pavement seem to be really into the band and have been very supportive so far and, as long as it works like that, there is no reason to change labels again.

Last couple years has seen many retro-thrash bands come along, many copping a sound very similar to early Kreator.  What do you make of this trend? 
I do respect that, if people take the influences from what we've done in the past, that's cool for them.  But for us, it wouldn't be interesting nowadays.  We want to go in new ways and set new standards instead of going back in time and repeating ourselves, it's senseless.  Of course, it is cool if people get inspired by what we've done in the past.

On the Morbid Angel tour you expressed some concerns about the rather right-wing attitudes they presented to the audience.  What do you make of the even more extreme views of some of the so-called 'elite' black metal bands?
I think it is just these things come along because a lot of people are uncertain about their own personalities, so they need to follow something.  When you're not strong enough to stand as an individual, you submit to something bigger than you or what you think is bigger than you.  Some people think that their personality expands by joining the right-wing movement, that they are better people or whatever.  Those people are just insecure, in my opinion.  I don't think they are very educated when it comes to politics, if you ask me, and I really wonder where a lot of these people get their information.

No doubt a lot of it is just for shock value, too.
Yeah, exactly.  That's why I don't really take it seriously anymore, so I don't want go 'oh fuck them!' or whatever, I just don't care. (laughs)

I understand there's a tribute to Kreator coming out soon.  Have you been involved with it at all? 
No, I haven't.  It's something that they put together, some label - Full Moon Productions I think.  I only know who is playing on it, but I haven't heard it.

What do you think of tribute albums in general?
There have been some very good ones and some very bad ones, and I hope the Kreator tribute album is gonna be a good one.

You've managed to evolve with each album without losing the trademark Kreator sound.  Is it something you are conscious of when writing?  Do you ever write songs and think 'that's a good song, but it just isn't Kreator'?
Yeah, that happens sometimes, but I think that any song I write is somehow linked to Kreator.  It's the same voice over all these years and the same attitude.  We still feel the same way toward our music and about our music, so I guess anything that we release is going to be released under the name Kreator.  It makes sense because we've never…  You know, there are people who like the new records and people who prefer the old ones, but no matter what you say about any of them, none of those records were fake.

Would you say your outlook on the world in general is more positive now than when you started out or more negative?
Hmmm…..I can't decide on that.  Sometimes even more positive and sometimes even more negative than it used to be.  Somewhere in the middle maybe. (laughs)  At the moment, right now, I'm feeling okay, but there are times when I feel very negative and I have a very negative outlook on things.  But then, the next day, everything is forgotten, just like anyone.  I don't think there's a big difference between me and other people.

Have you been able to make a living out of Kreator?
Yeah.

You released a single for the song "Chosen Few" off of Endorama.  Is that the first single you guys have released?
Yeah.

Was that your idea or the label's?
The label's.  It was our idea to put the videos on it.  I don't know if you have that version…

I don't have it yet, but I was going to buy it just to see the videos.
Is it available in the States?

No, but you can get it from CDnow and other mail-order places.
It's interesting because in the States there seems to be no TV station that play videos of that kind of music, so we put these on the CD so that people with a computer can watch the videos.

Can you tell me a bit about the videos?
One is for "Endorama" and it has me and the guy from Lacrimosa.  The other is to "Chosen Few," which has footage out of a movie that comes out in Germany soon called Trek.  It's kind of a road movie, very brutal, very aggressive.  It fitted the song for some reason, so we gave them a couple of our songs for the soundtrack.  I don't think it is every coming out in the States, but it should be out here pretty soon.

Would you like to do more soundtracks in the future?
Oh yeah, that's always fun.

Do you like doing videos?
Yeah, it's a lot of fun.  I love the new videos.  I wish I had more money to do the videos, though.  Maybe one day, we force our record label to give us so much money that we make the video that we are completely happy with.