MARY ZIMMER!!! THE APPLE OF TEMPTATION!!

By Darkzen

02/04/13

 

Hi all! This time one of our dear friends Mary Zimmer gave us a brief but interesting interview! a great singer of heavy genres like Melodic Death, for all the fans here a bit of it!

 

 

She has a powerful voice and a beautiful angel! that combination!

 

 

Mary Zimmer is a vocalist from Madison, Wisconsin. She is most well known as the former singer of the Madison-based metal band, Luna Mortis (aka The Ottoman Empire).

 

 

She released two albums and one EP with Luna Mortis (two as The Ottoman Empire).

 

 

Mary is a classically trained singer who holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She has also studied additional techniques for screaming and singing with the Zen of Screaming creator, Melissa Cross.

 

She is also an active member of the Eve's Apple professional community of female singers on Facebook. Eve's Apple is a collaborative group of female metal singers (some co-members include Lisa Middlehauve, Charlotte Wessels, Melissa Ferlaak-Koch, Gogo Melone, Zuberoa Aznarez, Claire-Lyse Von Dach) who present articles and interviews designed to encourage female singers in rock and metal.

 

well so here go with the interview!

 

 

Darkzen: Hi Mary!

 

 

Mary Z: Hi Roberto! Thanks very much for the questions

 

 

 

1. First of all, who is Mary Zimmer???? Who is she on and off stage?

 

*Mary is a professional singer, I suppose. On stage it really depends on what type of music it is. I tend to change my performance and image to fit the genre. The way a front person or vocalist can perform is really dependent on musical style. For example a dance group wouldn't headbang necessarily. I do the same thing, if it's rock or metal it directly determines how the performance will go. Naturally, I can get a lot more involved and get the crowd more involved if the music is more "metal" and heavy.

 

 

 

2. How was your journey to get to this genre??? Because you chose?

 

*Well, I didn't discover metal really until about age 18 - I was always in musical theater until that point. I discovered metal when I was training to be a classical singer - Tarja reminded me a lot of myself and I was so impressed to hear a REAL opera singer with a heavy band. Then I got into darker bands like At The Gates, Arch Enemy, Carcass, Cradle of Filth and I knew I just had to do this genre of music. I've been doing it ever since...

 

 

 

3. What music influences you??? In addition to what it says in your bio

 

*I listen to all kinds of music. Every genre out there. I am super well-versed in metal, I kind of feel like a walking music catalog and when you get to know a genre SO well, you start looking for other things to listen to. I listen to everything. Outside of metal I probably listen to gothic/synth/new wave the most. Artists like London after Midnight, Sisters of Mercy, Peter Murphy etc.

 

 

 

4. That's what he likes to do to Mary Zimmer after a good concert, your hobbies???

 

*After a show I just like to hang out, I have been known to be a bit of a party-er in the past and have definitely been ejected from a venue or two after the show. I try not to do that anymore, I'd rather just have a good time and chill...the wild side gets the best of us all sometimes, I think!

 

 

 

5. Mortis Moon behind that name??? And even still playing together or definitely not??

 

*Luna Mortis is the name we changed our band name to because our former record label, Century Media, wanted us to change our name from "The Ottoman Empire" to something else. We did it, we liked the name and we're still going to use it, although, there are fans who still know us as "The Ottoman Empire" and like that name better. We created the name Luna Mortis, so we do like it but in the end, artists should just stick with what they want. A label can tell you to do all sorts of things you shouldn't and leave you hanging out to dry in the end... As far as are we together or not, well, that question is being asked a lot these days. Our full song catalog is now uploaded and available for sale/streaming and we are presently toying with the idea of a reunion in summer of 2013. We have been officially dissolved since 2010.

 

 

 

6. Because the group was dissolved? Problems genre???, Is initiating as Progressive Thrash after, and finally Power Melodic Death, You are a pretty talented singer and voice!

 

*We don't have any issues with the genre, most people can appreciate different aspects of our music. There are a lot of styles pulled in to create the Luna Mortis sound and we attract a variety of fans/listeners to the music. Thanks for the compliment on my vocals, I do find it very useful that I can do multiple things (singing, screaming etc) it allows for a lot of options. We do not, however, use my classical or upper register for Luna Mortis as it is too operatic and doesn't go with our sound. We did try that in the past and didn't like it at all so that is one limitation we have chosen that I agree with.

 

 

 

7. What was the most representative album of the band and why???

 

*I would say the most representative album is "The Absence", our final release as Luna Mortis. It shows what every member of the band can do at the top of their game and the songs are some of my favorites. It is the most well-produced album also, and the sound is very huge.

 

 

8. What do you think of the phenomenon of Women in Metal, of the role is taking a female voice in the music scene in all genres????

 

*Women are becoming a mainstay in metal and are reaching out to all sorts of genres, vocal styles and instruments. I think nowadays people are getting beyond the novelty of having a female in the band and audiences are really looking at bands for the band itself. If they like it and the singer happens to be a female, excellent, but I think at the end of the day female or male, fans are looking for good music, period.

 

 

 

9. Already a member of Eve's Apples, which projects in conjunction with some of them on your mind???

 

*I have a web series and a one-song recording project with my co-apple VK Lynne. We are called "Glittermortis" and there is an entire Facebook page for this project and web show.

 

10. Any new music or video clip for this year?? Alone or together?
You also singing instructor??? How about classes Melissa Cross Master?

 

*Yes, this year I have my project with VK Lynne, a secret band that is yet to be released/announced and a possible Luna Mortis reunion. There are lots of new things coming and I'm constantly updating Facebook and Twitter about these things. I am a vocal instructor for about 9 years now and do voice lessons via Skype. I have studied with the amazing Melissa Cross and I recommend her lessons/dvds techniques to anyone -singer or screamer.

 

 

11. In another genre you like to experience???

 

*I pretty much tend to stay with rock, blues and metal as a singer. I will do some guest work with classical vocals and I am experimenting with an electro/industrial project at the moment, so that is fun.

 

 

12. Thank you very much! For your time! The last words are all yours to all our readers

 

*Thank you for your interest in me and for the interview! It was a pleasure. To the fans, keep in touch this year because come mid-2013 my page will be exploding with big announcements.

 

Thank you very much to you! Mary! you are great!

 

 

More info

 

https://www.facebook.com/evesapple

 

http://www.myspace.com/lunamortismusic