If you ask around for a Metalband in Turkey, I guess the first answer will be PENTAGRAM. With Unspoken the band made the first CD that gained some bigger attention in Europe as well, it was released under the name of MEZARKABUL because of some copyright problems, but the band is, and will forever stand as PENTAGRAM. As I've vistited Turkey very often listen to them for several years now and so it was clear, that I wanted to ask some questions. Unfortunatelly bassplayer Tarkans answers weren't that long, but still I guess you can find out some interesting details...

Dunja: Congratulations to your album Unspoken, finally you also reached the European crowd with your music. How do you feel about the good reactions coming from here?
Tarkan: Thank you, Unspoken is really special for us. We feel good about being able to record this album, and about the feedback we receive.

Dunja: Your first CD Pentagram was released 12 years ago in 1990. When was your band formed and how old have you been? I guess it's hard to get out of Turkey and become known in Europe as well, otherwise I can't understand why you weren't known in here before, because I think your previous works are brilliant - how do you think about that?
Tarkan: We are together since 1987. I think, to be well known is mostly a matter of marketing. Music is our occupation for long years but we've never taken it as business. I mean, we are not against it when a record company promotes our work but we just don't like to focus on the commercial side.

Dunja: Your style changed a lot - beginning from very thrashy Songs, that reminded on DESTRUCTION or POSSESSED on your self titled CD, Power-Metal orientated Songs on Anatolia and finally a mix of Oriental Music and Metal. Will you keep this style or will you change it again?
Tarkan: Well, the band is fifteen years old. Naturally, our experiences in life reflect to our music, as they reflect to our personalities. There's an old saying like; When something is not changing, then it's not alive. So I think that our style will keep on transforming all the time.

Dunja: One thing I really dislike when I listen to your album Trail Blazer is the terrible sound - do you maybe think about a re-release with a better sound?
Tarkan: You are right, unfortunately we've recorded Trail Blazer in poor conditions. Maybe we can re-record some of the songs from that album.

Dunja: I bought your CD Bir in Turkey and I liked it more then Unspoken, because it feels like it's what you really want to do - am I right, or do you like to sing in English the same way?
Tarkan: It's great to hear that you liked the songs in Bir. Actually, language really doesn't matter for us. We like to write songs both in Turkish and English. I must admit that we're unable to feel the difference in the way you feel it.

Dunja: Why is Bir only available in Turkey? Do you think that people in here won't understand it because of the 2 Turkish classics you covered there? Or do you wanted it to be a special gift for your Turkish fans?
Tarkan: I really don't know if European metal scene will be interested in Bir. We are going to send some copies to Noise Records and they will decide to release it or not.

Dunja: On Anatolia you played a Metal Version of Gündüz Gece, on Bir you covered Seytan Bunun Neresinde and Bu Alemi Gören Sensin. Can you translate us the titles and tell us what they are about and why you did choose these songs, do they mean anything to you?
Tarkan: All three of these songs are folk songs from the last century. They have really wise lyrics about the meaning of life and how people are blinded by the conditioning of the society. The similar translations are Gunduz Gece: Day and Night Seytan Bunun Neresinde: What's the devil got to do with it? Bu Alemi Gören Sensin: You are the one who see it all

Dunja: What does "F.T.W.D.A." stand for? It reminds me on "G.S.T.K.P." (Give Me Something To Kill The Pain), any connections?
Tarkan: It's originally in the Unspoken album. The full name is For those who died alone.

Dunja: Are you satisfied with your label deal with Noise Records? You also have a deal with "Böcek Yapim" for your Turkish releases - so will you go on releasing Turkish stuff in Turkey only?
Tarkan: We are doing great with both labels. They are officially allowed to release any of our work. It's up to them to decide which one is marketable for their territories.

Dunja: Did someone ever tell you that your Live-Album Popcular Disari sounds much better then the studio albums? At least I think so... do you think you are more aggressive on stage or is it just the atmosphere of the fanatic Turkish fans that make the Live CD sound so powerful?
Tarkan: Well, you must come to one of our shows and see for yourself. I think we'll be around Germany in February 2003 (ed. Dunja - and I hope in Austria too!).

Dunja: How did you feel playing in Wacken? The atmosphere must be completely different compared to Turkey, where the fans are really fanatic.
Tarkan: Not really. We've surprisingly found out that we have dedicated fans also in Germany. We've had priceless moments like singing Dark is the sunlight together with thousands of metal heads, by the sunset at Wacken.

Dunja: Do you plan to tour through Europe and if yes, will you also play some old stuff or just the new MEZARKABUL songs?
Tarkan: European tour will be after a new release in August 2003. Before that, we'll play a few gigs in Germany in February.

Dunja: How would you describe the Turkish Metal scene? Are you involved in it, or do you have normal lives? Which bands would you recommend? What do you think about bands like INFECTED, OMINOUS GRIEF, PAGAN, CENOTAPH etc?
Tarkan: There's a big young population here and there are lots of people who listen to Heavy Metal. But most of the kids are not motivated to be creative in their daily lives because of the economical and social structures of Turkey. The bands that have started at the same years with us do not exist anymore. By the time being, COMA, KNIGHT ERRANT, THE CLIMB and RADICAL NOISE are some of the new bands we know.

Dunja: 1999 there happened a bad thing with Satanists in Istanbul, that killed a virgin and I heard, that all kind of people wearing black and also Akmar Pasaj were supervised by police. What do you think about the whole thing? Is it dangerous to listen to Metal in Turkey?
Tarkan: I don't think that it's dangerous to listen to Metal in Turkey. That particular event was really tragic and we all felt sorry for the people who were involved. But the media was too much provocative and that's why people have a little bit over reacted.

Dunja: Do you like living in Turkey? I know that it's very hard to get outside for vacation and stuff like that and also that it's hard to find a good job, but otherwise a lot of Turks are happy to live there. How do you feel about that? If you could chose, where would you like to live?
Tarkan: Well, the major difference is; in European countries the problems are never that serious but people always give great importance, In Turkey the problems are always serious but nobody cares. When we lose our conscious and get attached to some future projections, life becomes really miserable for us. But when we focus on enjoying the experience itself rather than the results, it becomes even special sometimes to be a Metal band in Turkey.

Dunja: You decided to keep your name PENTAGRAM in Turkey. Is that just because you got so used to the name, or do you have some special relations to it? What does the sign of the Pentagram mean to you?
Tarkan: You're indirectly asking if we are satanists (ed. Dunja: No, I wasn`t), and the answer is no. This symbol means a lot to us for its spiritual meaning but it's got nothing to do with Satanism. Pentagram is a 6000 years old Sumerian symbol and it represents the elements of life. We print another name (Mezarkabul) on the international releases because of copy right problems but the original name of the band is always PENTAGRAM.

Dunja: Which Turkish soccer team do you support? I'm going with Besiktas, Altay and Sariyer Istanbul, so don't say anything wrong! ;-)
Tarkan: Hakan and Murat like Galatasaray, Cenk and Metin support Fenerbahce and I'm a fand of FC Barcelona.

Dunja: Which places would you recommend a tourist who listens to Metal when he comes to Istanbul, except of the usual sights? Any bars, places or happenings that you MUST see there?
Tarkan: You can find rock pubs and record stores on Istiklal str. in Taxim. And don't forget to check if there's a Pentagram show in the city, during your visit.

Dunja: So thanks for answering my questions. I really hope to see you playing Live in here as soon as possible. Do you have something you want to add at the end?
Tarkan: Well, I'm really surprised how much you know about us and about Turkey. Thank you very much for your interest and support.

Novermber 2002, Dunja Edelman

http://www.mezarkabul.com