Mathes, Guitar (and background vocals on Race To Oblivion and Sanguine Predicament)

Do you have any idols that changed your outlook on the world or how you perceive it? And how did they influence you?

There's no explicit answer to it. Idols are certainly philosophers and musicians but there are many of them. Musicians influenced my style of playing guitar and composing music. Just to name a few of different music styles : Petrucci - the filigree finger style - Dimebag - the brutal and crazy riffing and Leo Brouwer - the crazy classical style. The list could be even longer.

Why is music so important to mankind?

It unites the most different people.

What would you change if you were any politician of your choice?

Forbid every dumbass to write a book. The most effective way to save our rainforests.

If you had 1 Billion €uro that you HAVE to spend, what would you do with it?

1 Billion : A big tree house in Sweden with built in recording studio.

Ehmm, and what would you do with the remaining 997 Million €?

Buy Sweden!

Hmm ok, well, all right, let's go on with the next question. If the world was gonna end tomorrow, how would you spend your last 24h?

Try to find the place you have the best view when the blue marble breaks into pieces. Perhaps skydiving a few minutes before countdown is complete.

Was there any defining moment in your life when you actually changed?

The moment when I saw, at the age of five, Karl Ernst Kantor while he was playing classical guitar. I was flashed and so I started to take guitar lessons. The reason why I may perform on stages nowadays.

What would really kill for?

To get H.R. Gigers drawing skills.

What would you die for (and I dont mean icecream)?

A good ballad an awesome guitar riff or 2min shredguitarsolo - plus - beer and headphones on at 2am in the morning.

What is your favourite quote?

"Always make the audience suffer as much as possible." Alfred Hitchcock