Honestly speaking, musically "Sinnocence" definitely isn't the kind
of stuff I expected it to be, especially taking into account the fact you're a black metal band's frontman. What aroused you to come up with a gothic / dark wave project of yours?

- Well, also honestly speaking, only very few people will quite understand this, why I did the RA thing. It was actually always there, it was a part of me all the time. You know, before AGATHODAIMON I already founded DRUSUS, which later metamorphosed to RA. The first RA Album, "Geniu Pustiu", was a bunch of old tracks I put together for the sake of (Romanian) poetry. Most of the lyrics were written by Romania's most famous poet Mihai Eminescu, whose works meant a lot of an inspiration source for me. "Geniu Pustiu" was a special kind of record, released in a limited number, and I thought that now is the time for a normal one, a little bit oriented to the mainstream. This new material on SINNOCENCE is kinda the way I feel in the new millenium, the way I am somehow at this very moment, yet of course influenced by past encounters and philosophies. It is a straighter album, that really rocks. And yes, it has nothing to do with AGATHODAIMON, but… if one can analyze the structures and the songwriting done in both bands, one should actually recognize my style. Besides, we never claimed to play black fucking metal, you know… Though I think that people who like Agatho, gotta check RA too, cause I am pretty sure, they'll gonna love it after hearing it a couple of times. Either they'll love it or they'll hate it. In the end, most of the material of Agatho was composed by me, and I'm responsible for RA too, therefore, there shall be a hyperlink or something between these 2, but rather unconsciously.
 
Why "Ra"? Do you get high on Egyptian mythology, or these are simply your initials?

- As I already claimed, RA means Rusu Andrei and nothing more. RA is a project, where I play with some session musicians, all friends of mine. Though, all composition are mine, unless otherwise indicated… Regarding the Egyptian mythology, you were right, I preserve an immense interest on that topic and not only on that. But my interest is strictly non-musical, it's only for my own sake.

By the way; why did you decide to name yourself Vlad whilst being in
AGATHODAIMON, simultaneously staying Andrei Rusu when it comes to RA?

- Back then, in 1995, I was studying at home the Romanian history in the period of Vlad Tepes' reign. He was a very powerful character, capable of changing the history. His deeds were based on his morale code, on his beliefs and these were very noble. There were no thieves, no betrayers or such scumbags in that time in his kingdom. I could say that his ethics are still part of my guide lines for life and surviving. In spite of all rumours, he was not a murderer, nor a blood-sucking creature of the night, like in Bram Stoker's or other fictive movies. He was fighting for his beliefs, defending his land and his people. By that time, the imminent threat of the Otoman Empire affected us very deeply. Nevertheless, Vlad was a brave and wise leader, and, although his manpower was outnumbered by the turks, his armies resisted a very long time because of his intelect. All is fair, in love and war!

As far as I recall, "Higher Art Of Rebellion" by AGATHODAIMON comes with a pretty average sound execution, whilst "Sinnocence" appears as a far better kind of recording (if we're talking about production, of course). Why haven't you recorded "Higher Art…" in the same studio "Sinnocence" was executed at?

- Well, we (AGATHODAIMON) didn't want to have another crystal-clear and straight productions as on the first album, as it seemed to be a trend to have this very good production as witnessed on albums recorded in some well-known studios. And this kind of very clean pop-like production didn't quite fit into our plans for the "Higher Art Of Rebellion" CD. We wanted to sound different, though we didn't have a clue how. I guess I messed up the things there a little bit, as I co-produced the album, but regarding the efforts done and the problems we had in the making of this album … I must say we did a fine job. For the outsiders might be just another avarage production, but we know what we've been thru, as a band, and it wasn't that easy to stick together and continue…as a band. So… Concerning SINNOCENCE … I spent 3 moths in a studio, where I learnt, step by step, to produce it by my own. It is up to 90 % enginered and mixed by me. It was goddamn hard, but I kinda achieved what I wanted. Nobody could know better how it has to sound than myself.

"Sinnocence" isn't the CD you've made your debut with, huh? What 'bout enlightening us a bit regarding the very first work of yours?

- As mentioned in the first answer, the debut of RA, G.P., was a record dedicated to the poetry and the sake it. There was pretty much material haunting my mind since the "death" of DRUSUS and I thought I could record a full-length. So … I did it. I got Byron on the vocals, a great musician by the way, and I began recordings the structures on my home-synth. The sesult was so unexpectedly good and fascinating that we immediately entered a studio. A friend of mine couldn't stop praising the material, so he put up a label just to release the album. Unfortunately his actions had to be stopped after the release, so I steadily pursued my dream, to found a own record company. After a while of preparations and so on I succeeded and here are the fruits of my struggle. TRIBAL PRODUCTIONS will gonna re-edit and re-release the first RA album. It is completely remastered and it comes a avery cool package.

"Sin" & "innocence"… Kinda incompatible notions, don't you think? If they've ever became a certain kind of amalgamation, what would it be alike?

- It's a strange element, "Sinnocence" I'd rather describe as the global, overwhelming desire of all flesh. It has a deeper meaning though, but I let the listener creating his own view and find his own answer.

By the way, when it comes to what christians used to name "sin"… What is "sin" to you, figuratively speaking?

- Sin? My definition? Hm, sin is regression, sin is greed and lies, sin is organized religion, sin is this futile life. Also a woman can be so sinfully beautiful. The poetic meaning of it goes behind all frontiers, it is very complex. Some of my lyrics reflect this chaotic game between innocence and guilt, other emphasize the way of all flesh, the undoubtely struggle of living. Guilt, like innocence, is a matter of time…

If I'm not mistaken, the first album of yours, came with lyrical canvas composed in your native language. Is that correct? Why have you decided to write all the verses in English this time?

- For this kind of album I didn't sense the match of Romanian lyrics, really… I guess I composed all this thinking of english verses… It was a mere feeling that I gotta do this, and it turned out pretty well, right ?? I also wanted to reach a larger audience…

Isn't it Byron who appears as the RA's singer? Are both of you going to keep on collaborating with AGATHODAIMON in time to come?

- Well, Byron sang on G.P. only, but the new singeer in RA is J.J. He did all the vocals for SINNOCENCE. He's a very good friend of mine and the frontman of a local band called ANTRACT. Byron will still participate to the recordings of Agatho, but we don't know yet, in which ammount his colaboration will be. The new Agatho CD is scheduled for October and the studio time is to start in July. You see, we got some time though, to clear up who's doing what…

Have you resolved the problems with the Law you recently had? I mean, will you be the one who's responsible for all the vocal lines when it comes to the third AGATHODAIMON's offering? Are you now able to leave Romania?

- The problems with the fucking law??? Hm, rumours are ciculating very fast on this globe. But, no, I still got something on with the police and the stupid government, so from time to time I gotta visit this motherfucking court-house. This fucked up system won't cut me loose, you know… Anyway, I am now able to leave country, whenever I want..

I'm rather curious who's responsible for all those samples and synth-lines, "Sinnocence" features?

- Some were my ideas, some J.J.'s. I didn't want to have too much synth on "Sinnocence", I went for the guitar-based structures…

What were you aiming to reach, once starting a project of your own?

- My noble aim?? Fame and fortune, hehe.

What's life in Romania alike nowadays? Any comments on the current activities and policy of your government?

- I'm fed up with the politics. Society sucks, people are a disease and very primitive, uncivilized and dumb. Top of it all, there's too much fucking subborn religion wrapping up a romanian's life day by day. All in one, fuck'em….

Deaf? Blind? Mute? A suicide? What would you prefer?

- I'd rather prefer a jacuzzi…. right now. And an erotic massage done by Cindy Crawford and Teri Hatcher. Any other preferences?? Oh yes, many… I'll put them on my wish-list, ok??

Could you please comment a couple of statement, such as "To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure", for instance?

- Oh shit, man, I quit giving a damn about philosophy, that's bullshit… It's just confusing our tiny mindsinducing us in desillusions and long-distance hopes. Broken hopes… you know, hope is a dangerous thing. What about Death ?? It ain't a toy, it ain't neither an adventure. Who the fuck knows what it is anyway ??? Only dead people know it, and they stay dead. Maybe it's just an end, maybe not, I don't care now.  I am living, at least I hardly try… I always believed LIFE IS DEATH POSTPONED. But hell no, life can be cool, if you know how to use it, how to organize it. Unfortunately we still depend on each other, on compromises and so on, and this life's definition is not quite the way I think life can be. Fist of all the religion is dragging us down, it put a barrier in our strive for progression and development. My own philosophy now is … live your fucking life, do something great with it, achieve as many goals you set and do what thou wilt. Death??? Death can wait!!!

Would you agree with the following: "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months"?

- Fashion… Fuck, I had several girl-friends being models. Don't ask me about this crap... I puke…

Here comes the last question, this one regarding Tribal Productions. Isn't it a label of your own? Do you consider it more or less a serious venture?

- TRIBAL PRODUCTIONS is a very serious company. It's my baby and I'm gonna raise it well. All I do now is only for TRIBAL, I put an enormuos ammount of time, energy and money into it. Where are her to rock, to show the world that we got interesting stuff going on. We want to expand and conquer… the market. Our releases will always be something special…

Do you know anything regarding Russia? Any metal bands coming from the country of mine you've heard lately?

- Nope, sorry… Don't know any bands…

What's for the end?

- This is not the end. It's not the beginning, either. It is the end of the beginning. Thank you…

RA contact -
Website: www.tribal-productions.com
Email: vlad@agathodaimon.de
       info@tribal-productions.com