Krystal system interview
for Zillo musik magazin, July 2011

How would you personally describe the step you made between your debut and „Nuclear“, where do you see the biggest differences musically? And how did you evolve on a personal basis ?
Seven : I think the biggest difference with Underground is that this new album is entirely built as a double CD. The CD 1 is made out of metal/rock/electro (with a bass guitar that has an important place) while the CD 2 (named Nuclear, electonik projekt) is electro-only. By sort of splitting the CD in two different parts, we wanted to try something new.
On a different note, I didn't evolve very much on a personal basis. I'm as stupid as I was one year ago.
Bonnie : Same to me :)) The other difference is it's been recorded at Studios d'Or in Paris. Seven has been deeply involved into this album for the music of course, but also for the production and all the visual artwork. We had the chance to have great bands and DJs who made remixes for us, but we also made 5 remixes (and one unreleased track) with new vocals and synths lines especially recorded for this CD 2 of remix.

When you started this album, did you have a certain idea of how the result should be? Like for example heavier or darker or lighter than the debut? Or did things 'just happen' sporadicly/naturally while working on it?
Bonnie : After our 1st album, we made a pause for a while, the songs were still close to us and we didn't want our new tracks to be a repeat of Underground
Seven : No kidding :) After Underground we didn't make any new song for about a year ! I really had the feeling we had to stop to make something new... But I'm afraid we sort of fall asleep, instead. So one day, we suddenly woke up and turn the booster on :)
Bonnie : That's right :)) But when we started we knew exactly what to do ! It's like walking on a path in a landscape you have chosen. As you go along, the scene changes and what you' re looking at is new... But you're still on the same path. In the same way, when we started to write new songs, everything went as an evidence.
Seven : Right. We had the feeling we had caught this new angle we were looking for. We didn't work the same way than for Underground, it was easier.

What was the album's most difficult song or moment when you worked on it?
Seven : The track World is calling is about the feeling of being trapped in a dead world full of people calling you to be part of the crowd. And you feel like there's no escape... It's something that makes me sad, maybe not the best day in my life when I made this song.
Bonnie : The track we spent the most time on is definitely Nuclear Winter. With such a lyrics, we made a heavy metal music full of harsh sounds and growling synth. But we were not satisfied of the results, like something wasn't at the right place. So we worked on it untill we made something really different and smoother.

Entitled „Nuclear“, of course one has to think of the recent catastrophe in Japan. Is there any relation to that event? Can you reveal what the album lyrically is about and how the themes relate to the album title and the cover artwork? Is it a concept album?
Bonnie : If there's a relation between the disaster in Japan and our album's title, it's not studied as we announced it would be named Nuclear three months before the catastrophe...
Seven : On the other hand, the album is all about a nuclear disaster. The track "Iron Song", for instance, tells a story about a city raised to the ground by a nuclear explosion while "Nuclear Winter" can be understood as the quest for the ultimate light. A search for something that atomise and burn all our known references that makes us predictable people. All the artwork (cover, booklet, video clips) is designed like a post-nuclear thing so in a certain way, yes it's a concept album.
Bonnie : For sure it's a concept album :) Our lyrics are about conditionning, all kind of inflected things that pollute and about the fight to wake up and refuse this burden... With Nuclear, we talk indeed about the danger of using force we don't get under control only for a short term benefit, but we also talk about this fight, this quest for a light that would purify us.

What was the biggest inspiration when you wrote the lyrics, certain books, movies, or just reality?
Seven : Mmm.. I don't have a TV and never go to the cinema so for me, inspiration comes from reality and from dreaming. From where I see it, dreams make us what we are and help us being close to ourselves, so it's the best inspiration we can get.
Bonnie : Definitely reality.

The limited edition bonus disc features some remixes as well as the song „Dead World“. A quite apocalyptic title. Can you tell us a few words about the track's content? Do you believe mankind will continue destroying the world, or is there still a chance things will get better and that we actually learn about our mistakes/behaviour?
Seven : Do we learn from our mistakes ? Do we do the same error again & again ? The way we destroy our earth is the same way I destroy myself. I mean, I don't think we're wise and evoluated people so we'll keep on breaking the toy as long as we can. It's what History teaches us and what our own behaviour keeps on showing us. But there's always a hope : fighting to try to wake up or, at least, beiing aware we're just sleeping people. That's the Hope.
Bonnie : I also think the world can only change if we become aware of ourselves, of our own poor qualitiy. Starting from here, we can have a true education and try to stop the carnage, at least of our life's :)) Everything's going down in this world because we are self-centred, disrespectful and powerless. There can be no solution in such an illusion. Dead world talks about that.

If you'd have the possibility to shoot a movie based on the album – how would it look like, what would the main story be, whom would you choose as director and actors?
Bonnie : I'd see a science-fiction movie in a post nuclear world ! Survivors would try and survive and some gangs would raise. They'd have to face undead mutants as well as ghosts from people not prepared to their sudden death and who would be trapped between 2 worlds... They would try to feed on energy from the living when a bunch of survivors would come and try to pacify this nightmarish world...
Seven : Wow wow wow ! Relax Bonnie :)
Bonnie : It 's only the beggining !
Seven : In a small way, we've made a video clip of Nuclear Winter that goes to that direction (although there's no zombies in it)

After the release of „Underground“, you participated in Alfa Matrix's tribute to Depeche Mode compilation with the cover of „Master And Servant“. Why did you choose that song, what does particularly that song mean to you, and what does Depeche Mode generally mean to you? What's your general opinion about tribute/cover releases (compilations)?
Bonnie : It's such a challenge to make a cover of bands such as Depeche Mode that are soooo good. What can you add to the original song that worth it ?
Seven : Master and servant is maybe not the the track Depeche Mode's fans like the most. I mean it sounds a bit „poppy“ and not as deep as, let's say, Never let me down again. So we thought it would be cool to add big fat metal riffs to try something new on this song.
Bonnie : I like Depeche Mode a lot ! I love the way they design their song, their creativity and of course, the vocal of Dave Graham, one of my favourite male vocal ever.
Seven : Yes, and years after its release „Some great rewards“ remains a perfect album. A timeless album, isn't it what all musicians are seeking for ?

What on your schedule for the rest of the year?
Bonnie : We're going to play in Belgium at the Shadowplay festival in July. There's a great program with bands such as Clan of Xymox, Agonoize, Hocico, Diskonnected (like that band a lot), Suicide commando... and next year, we'll be touring in the USA for a Nuclear tour.
Seven : Yeah, that's a bunch of things to do and I swear this time we won't slumber between 2 albums.