INTERVIEW WITH STEVEN WUSSOW (ORDEN OGAN)

English: This interview was born with the desire to collaborate with my friends and colleagues from "Esquirlas de Metal", who offer our interview in the Spanish version and which you can read by clicking on this link: https://esquirlasdemetal.es/2023/10/24/careo-con-s-wussow-bajista-de-orden-ogan/

 Thank the entire "Esquirlas" team for their effort, dedication and this first step to join forces together, which will bear many fruits. Also thank Evgeny Gromovoy (Adamantis drummer) for giving the go-ahead (and correcting when he has played) with the questions in English and Steven himself for his time, kindness and trust. Thanks everyone & Long live Orden Ogan, long live Heavy Metal!

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Spanish: Esta entrevista nace con el deseo de colaborar junto a mis amigos y compañeros de Esquirlas de Metal, quienes ofrecen nuestro entrevista en la versión en castellano y que puedes leer pinchando en este enlace: https://esquirlasdemetal.es/2023/10/24/careo-con-s-wussow-bajista-de-orden-ogan/

Agradecer a todo el equipo de Esquirlas su esfuerzo, dedicación y este primer paso para unir fuerzas juntos, que dará muchos frutos. Agradecer también a Evgeny Gromovoy (batería de Adamantis) por dar el visto bueno (y corregir cuando ha tocado) con las preguntas en inglés y al propio Steven por su tiempo, amabilidad y confianza. ¡Gracias a todos y viva Orden Ogan, viva el Heavy Metal!

 

 

Official photo taken by Tim Tronckoe.

   

"THERE WILL BE A NEW ORDEN OGAN ALBUM IN 2024!"

Rafa Black Phoenix: Hi guys! Thank you for your time, it’s great to be able interview you!

 

Steven: Hey you`re always welcome. Thanks for having us.

 

1) How did the summer commitments go for Orden Ogan?

 

Steven: Well, although we did not play that many shows it was a super busy summer as there was and still is A LOT going on behind the scenes. But it`s still too early to go into details. All I can say is that 2024 will be the year of the Orden ;-)

 

2) This summer we were finally able to redeem ourselves with your show at the Milagre Metaleiro in Portugal, after the coronavirus prevented us from doing so last year. In addition to enjoying a great show, we have seen a line-up of the band in exceptional condition. How has the adaptation process to the band been for Steven on bass and Patrick on guitar?

 

Steven: As with every line up change, we also had a change in the dynamics of the band on and off stage. But I guess much more important when it comes to this than adding Pat as a guitarist and a different bass player is that Seeb is not bound to the micstand and the guitar anymore.

This raises the energy level on stage to a new max. As funny as it may sound… after being in a band together in this line up for a few years now… we are still getting warmed up. We still haven`t been able to play a proper tour together. Only festivals and single shows. But we will take care of this in 2024.

 

3) And the transition from bass to guitar for Niels? And while we're at it... For Sebastian “Seeb” to put aside the guitar and concentrate only on the voice...? I would ask if he misses her, but Arch Demon Seebulon The Origin of All Evil has told me in his dreams that he doesn't... (Laughs)

 

Steven: I always say that Niels is my favourite Orden Ogan bass player …. Hahaha. A MUCH better bass player than I will ever be and what makes it even worse… he is an extraordinary good guitar player. No joke. The guitar is his initial instrument. Therefore, I think he is super happy to be able to return to the guitar.

He and Pat work perfect together. Orden Ogans own Tipton/Downing like twin guitar team.

Well Seeb still plays guitar for Orden Ogan… but only in the studio. Would be a shame if he didn`t. He is quite happy that he can now focus on singing and playing mean pranks to his bandmates on stage.

Official photo taken by Tim Tronckoe.

4) It has merit because then what no one expected arrived: the pandemic. In addition to having to postpone concerts and festivals, the release of your latest studio work Final Days was released much later, altering the initial planned deadlines... What challenges, headaches and opportunities have this nightmare called COVID-19 generated for Orden Ogan? ?

 

Steven: Ok, how much time do we have… hahaha…  Damn, I mean we ALL were stuck in this… situation. Not just us. So everyone knows how much it sucked. Those years have been, just like for everyone else, incredibly hard for each one of us individually and as a band together.

Like I said this line up is now together for almost 4 years and we haven`t played a proper tour. FINAL DAYS became kind of our lost album as we decided to release it despite not having any proper opportunity to promote it with a tour in the middle of the pandemic. We had to get it out to the people.

Everything we had planned had been torn to shreds. No tour, no bigger video production… but hey, it was the same for everyone. I don`t want to whine and look back on this mess.

We made it through, we are still here and we are more than ready for what`s to come.

 

5) Of course, and then the war in Ukraine came... How much did it affect you? I'm talking about extra costs like gasoline for example...

 

Steven: Oh yes, how could I forget about that one… hahaha

You have to find a way to deal with the circumstances. You have to be a bit more creative when it comes to putting together a touring package, travelling and when to play in which country or region.  

The next tour we have lined up is a package tour with Feuerschwanz and Angus Mc Six for example. A killer package, as we think, that is going to be super interesting for the people. So this might be our idea to deal with what`s going on at the moment: putting together a nice line up and travel as smart as possible. 

 

 

6) You have also released Final Days: Orden Ogan & Friends in 2022, with notable vocalists such as Peter “Peavy” Wagner (Rage), Stu Block (ex-Iced Earth, Annihilator), Chris Boltendahl (Grave Digger), Elina Siirala (Leaves Eyes) and a long etc. It also included a new single, December, and the orchestral version of Fields of Sorrow. How has it been received by the public?

 

Steven: Guess people liked that experiment a lot. It was never planned as a “full album” release. It is more a “hey we are still here, still rocking hard” kind of release. Just to give the fans something nice to shorten the timespan till the release of the next studio album.

It was absolute cool and weird at the same time to hear your own songs sung by someone else. This gives the songs a completely different flavour. I think ALL guest vocalists have done a killer job. No fillers! And December, well it has already been one of my personal favourites during the recordings of FINAL DAYS. So now the fans can enjoy the full package.

 

 

 

 

  

 

7) Let's go to the immediate present: what state is the band in right now? What roadmap do you have planned for the remainder of 2023 and for all of 2024? Will we have a new album for '24?

 

Steven: As I already indicated… we are pretty busy behind the scenes. The recordings of the new album are almost done but will keep us busy until the end of the year. So to make it short: YES, there will be a new ORDEN OGAN album in 2024!

 

8) It is curious to see how every good German Heavy-Speed-Power Metal band has had the legendary Andreas Marschall among the pencils of their works. In fact, he is responsible for legendary covers on albums considered masterpieces by giants such as Blind Guardian, Grave Digger or Running Wild. Except Final Days you have always counted on him. Will you do it again in the future?

 

Steven: We all grew up with Andreas Marshalls artworks. They are ALL classics and we super proud that he did some extraordinary stuff for us in the past too. It is still FAR too early to give you any details about what you are going to see on the next one, but I am absolutely sure that everyone will love it.

 

 

9) To finish… For those who don't know or are approaching you for the first time… Who is Alister Vale, your “pet”? Is your story about him united on each album or are they independent of each other?

 

Steven: Alister Vale is kind of our mascot, our “Eddie” if you want to compare it that way. Vale is always put into a new setting with every new record and he is always mastering new challenges. We are always adding new chapters to his personal story.

Therefore, Alister Vale and his story are the recurrent themes in the Orden Ogan universe. And there is so much discover if you read the lyrics properly. But that`s up to the listener ;-)

 

10) In the future you might be encouraged to write a novel about it... I would buy it...

 

Steven: Absolutely, I would buy it too.. hahahaha!

There have always been super loose talks about doing something like this and there have been comics with the albums topics in the past. So who knows… If a day had 48 hours, we would be in within a second... hahahaha But not now and not in the foreseeable future. Sorry!

 

Guys, it's been a pleasure! Thank you very much again and we are waiting for you soon in Spain and Portugal with a new and successful album, although personally, something tells me that we will see each other again soon in 2024... ;) Hugs!!

 

Steven: Hey, we have to thank you! I can already promise that we will return with our new record! So keep your eyes open and see you somewhere on the road!

 

Remember that Orden Ogan will be touring their native Germany side by side to Feuerschwanz & Angus McSix in the spring and in the summer they are currently confirmed for these festivals. Where will you see them?

 

 

Rafa Black Phoenix