With their current album „Requiem For The Indifferent“ the Dutch Symphonic Gothic Metal specialists and vocalist Simone Simons 2012 were able to clear up a broad range. Exception-guitarist and world traveler Mark Jansen makes his personal retrospective of the year for me.

Your top 5 albums 2012?

„1. Anathema - ‚Weather Systems‘
2. Muse - ‚The 2nd Law‘
… for the rest: I haven't been blown away by any other album.“

Most promising newcomer 2012?

„They're not a newcomer anymore but I enjoyed Insomnium from Finland a lot on our recent US tour.“

Best song 2012?

„‚Untouchable, Part 1‘ - Anathema.“

Most irritating song 2012?

„Basically everything what's getting airplay on the radio and definitely all those songs from those "wannabe a superstar" programs. Horrible.“

Best own concert 2012 ?

„Paris - Bataclan. 29-4-2012.“

Worst own concert 2012?

„Rockstad Falun, the gig wasn't that bad but many things went wrong that day.“

Best festival 2012?

„Graspop.“

Best movie 2012?

„‚The Dark Night Rises‘.“

Worst movie 2012?

„‚Prometheus‘.“

Best TV serial 2012?

„I like scientific programs on History Channel.“

Worst TV serial 2012?

„All want to be a Rockstar kind of programs.“

Best styled artist 2012?

„Simone Simons (I think she always has great outfits) even though it's kind of lame to name a band member of your own band, haha.“

Most tasteless artist 2012?

„I don't know and if I knew I wouldn't tell.“

Personality 2012?

„All people who are there for each other and help each other.“

Idiot 2012?

„Mitt Romney.“

Surprise 2012?

„The greatness of the mayan sites in Mexico and Guatemala. I had the opportunity to visit 26 of them and I enjoyed it a lot. 1 month travelling around, I should do that more often.“

Disappointment 2012?

„No solution for financial crisis, the few bulky rich do not see that we have to spread the wealth in a better way. Egoism won’t pay off in the end.“

Most disastrous (alcoholic) intoxication 2012?

„I had lyme disease, known as lyme borreliosis, earlier this year caused by a tick bite. That really sucked! One month of antibiotics.“

© Markus Eck, 07.01.2013

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