MAYAN INTERVIEW
Mayan was formed in early 2010 by versatile musician and Epica mastermind Mark Jansen and keyboardist Jack Driessen. The other members of the band are a Frank Schiphorst on guitar, Drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek and guitarist Isaac Delahaye.
Soon guest vocalists Henning Basse from Firewind, Laura Macrì, Simone Simons from Epica and Floor Jansen from Nightwish became a part of the adventure. Not long later, they were followed by bassist Rob van der Loo. In 2011 Mayan released Quarterpast through Nuclear Blast. In 2013 Laura and Henning joined Mayan permanently.
In 2014, Mayan released their second full-length album "Antagonise". In 2018 Mayan recorded their new album "Dhyana" with a live symphonic orchestra, this was funded through IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign.
We got to talk to Laura, Mark and Jack from Mayan about their new album and more
TM - What can fans expect from your new album Dhyana?
MAYAN - Fans can spit expect an album full of heavy and symphonic music.
TM - What was your writing and recording process for Dhyana?
MAYAN - It was stricter done before our last album. Antagonise was putting all the music together at the last minute and this album had way stricter planning which was needed because we have many more musicians on this album, we also had a whole Orchestra joining.
TM - How did you pick the final songs on your album?
MAYAN - We started writing some stuff in our studio and then started involving more band members. We wrote about 20 tracks and chose the best 14 I worked on our album from there.
TM - What instruments do you use on stage compared to in the studio?
Jack - u track for backing tracks andayamaha those together define the live sound recording of the orchestrations and the keys cause obviously you can't play everything live
Mark- In the studio, I use a custom Ibanez IGA guitar that was built as a prototype with a 26 and a half inch neck
TM - What's your favourite tour memory?
MAYAN - When we go to the beer garden together and have something to eat and have a lot of laughs.
TM - If you could have any band play one of your songs which band which song and in your style or theirs?
MAYAN - Pantera doing one of our songs
TM - You're originally an opera singer what made you want to get into metal music?
LAURA - I had a friend who was listening to Nightwish in 2009 and I was studying Opera and he said listen I found this music that combines opera with drums and I was very interested and fell in love and then I started to listen to symphonic metal.
TM - How did you come to join the band?
LAURA - I meat Mark at a festival and we had a conversation, I mentioned I was an opera singer and then Mark asked me for a video so he could show the other members of the band and then they called me to join us a guest for their first album and the band.
TM - How did you come to get signed to Nuclear Blast?
MAYAN - Mark worked with them for a long time with Epica, so we sent them a music said we want to do this and they were cool with that.
TM - Anything else you want to announce to your fans?
MAYAN - we are excited for the release of our new album and hope we can bring to the show to Australia as soon as possible
TM- We would love for you to come to Australia! Hopefully you get to come out soon.
Album Release - https://www.twinmusix.com/mayan
Pre Order - https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/label/music/band/about/71113.mayan.html