Interview with Edenbridge - Lanvall

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Infernal Masquerade: Thanks for taking time to answer our questions, and let’s get started. The band’s latest release “Solitaire” will be released in July in Europe and the USA. Can you tell us more about the ideas and the overall concept of this release?

Solitaire is about the process of questioning old dogmas and the correlating paradigm shift we are in between.

It´s about the universal power within us, which has been present down the ages and will exist forever, a diamond connection which is undestroyable. This part in us is unique and is finally shown to advantage in the chain. Like each water drop is unique and forming to the sea in connection with other water drops.

Solitaire bundles all the symphonic and heavy elements of MyEarthDream and brings in a lot of new aspects into our sound. It is our most atmospheric and melancholic album so far. We continued working with 7string guitars and the symphonic parts have much more richness in detail. The new album only consists of 7string guitars tuned down a half step to Bb. I love writing in the Bb keys because they have this dark and melancholic vibe. When the orchestra appears it´s most of the time a blast. All in all Edenbridge have never sounded more varied than on Solitaire.

I.M: The cover features an eye with a diamond inside. Can you please tell us what the concept behind it is?

The eye stands for awareness in the mystic context. On our cover the eye stands for recognition that the essential part of every life form (symbolized through the diamond) stays undestroyable in the circle of birth-life-death.

The symbol of the open triad stands for the circle of birth, life and death.
The Celtic mystic proves that when we are facing this symbol we recognize this circle and our intuition reveals our own infinity, what stands behind and what is undestroyable.

Apart from the fact that the symbol is appealing me very much, it has a deeper meaning. Listening to your inner self, to recognize the inner voice is something very essential in our turbulent times of change. If something should change for the better for us, we have to go about this in unison with our inner self. Music is the best companion for this way. We only have to listen, look and empathize consciously.

I.M: The band’s sound has been very consistent over the years, do you have any plans of ‘shaking it up’ a bit and changing some elements in future releases? How do you think it has (minimally) evolved during the years?

I think we have integrated a lot of elements over the past years. Take the album “Aphelion” and listen to the predecessor “Shine”, or take “The Grand Design” and follow “MyEarthDream”, then you will clearly see the differences.

We can have thrash metal riffs like in “A Virtual Dream ?” alongside ambient soundscapes like “Out of this world” without being in the way of each other. The musical universe is such a big cosmos and using this cosmos as an infinite pool of inspiration is the best what can happen to a composer. I think this is the reason why the album sounds so varied and still has a great flow.

I.M: With “Solitaire”, the band has released 7 studio albums. Does it get easier with time to write them and record them? Where do you guys go for inspiration before creating an album?

I simply wanted to write excellent songs with no particular intention
where to go. I simply let the inspiration flow and see what would come out. This worked perfectly.

A lot of things inspire me. Being out in the nature, going skiing in winter and mountain hiking in summer or just have a walk through the woods can be very inspiring, and of course the music itself. I also love watching movies where I get a lot of ideas lyrically.

I.M: In previous albums Edenbridge has used an orchestra, many choir arrangements, and guest appearances. What did you guys used (or who) for “Solitaire”?

The team was pretty much the same as on our last album. We know Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69) for more than 10 years now. He was part on all albums. The first 4 he mixed and then he contributed backing vocals to the band´s sound. Robby Valentine is one of my favorite musicians and the way he is doing choirs is outstanding. He contributed choirs for the 3rd time now and both Dennis and Robby are blending so well with Sabine´s voice. I always know which part has to be sung by whom. Dennis stands for the rocky edge and Robby for the epic one and sometimes they are also singing together which is really huge then. Astrid is my sister and a great violin player, so whenever I need her for a part I call her. She already appeared on several albums of our career.

We didn’t work with a real orchestra this time. There are less orchestral parts on the new album. In the mean time I have some of the best available orchestral samples at home. As on the last album I did all the orchestrations on this album again. Working with a real orchestra costs a fortune of money and the sad thing is that most people do not recognize if it´s a real one or not so you always have to hold the scales.

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I.M: Will there ever be a live orchestra dvd/album like other bands have been doing?

That would be great. Still you have to find the right partners/promoters who are willingly to do this. It would be quie easy cause all the score for the last album and the new one is there, so there is not much preparation in advance and we could play both albums in a row.

I.M: What do you think you guys want to achieve with Edenbridge? What are you the proudest to have achieved with the band so far?

The proudest we have achieved so far is having a great constant fan base all over the world which is following us throughout the years. It´s wonderful that we can still do the music we love and do not have to follow some trends to be successful. Of course there are still many dreams ahead to be realised. Playing in the US and Japan would be great. On the other hand we have achieved a lot in Asia. We will tour Indonesia next month which will be our 4th Asian tour after visiting China and Taiwan and Korea twice and there are plans for more shows in Asia later this year.

I.M: The band’s sound is very bombastic, how do you think it transfers to the live setting? Do you guys think that using samples is good or bad in terms of a live show?

To reproduce the sound we have to work with samples but they are not that dominant than on the album. A live show is something different. First of all the energy of the band has to come through. But of course the orchestral sounds have to be there cause they are an important part of the band.

I.M: If you could make a super band with any musicians dead or alive, whom would you pick? And what kind of music would you play?

Difficult question. Maybe it would look like this

Mike Baker (Shadow Gallery, R.I.P.) – vocals
John Petrucci – guitar
Marco Hietala – bass
Neil Peart – drums
And I would play keyboards in this band (hehe)

I think the outcome would be interesting

I.M: Anything else you want to add for your fans and our readers?

Thanks for your support over the years. Go and have a listen to “Solitaire” on July 13, when it´s gonna be released in the US !!!

Thanks for the interview, Lanvall
www.edenbridge.org
www.myspace.com/edenbridge

I.M: Thanks for the time and good luck promoting the album.

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