Interview With Edenbridge
Interview By Melissa Smith
XS BS: Why did you choose to post tracks from My Earth Dream online prior to its official release?
Lanvall: Well, It´s important to post sound samples before the release to let the fans listen to the new album. We put 4 one minute samples on Myspace and did 40 second samples of the other songs on our homepage. The promo CD has 3 songs without voice-overs, the rest is with voice overs which is absolutely necessary in today´s times.
XS BS: You stated that the goal is to make each Edenbridge album different. How do you think that My Earth Dream is different from its predecessors?
Lanvall: Very different of course. All our trademarks are still there of course, but the new face of the band is much much heavier due to the use of 7-string guitars and also much more symphonic because we used a real orchestra this time.
XS BS: How did your collaboration with the Czech Film Orchestra develop?
Lanvall: Of course the orchestra was something very exciting on this new album. It was my long time dream to be able to work with a real one sometimes and now this idea came to life. So we hired the 65-piece “Czech Film Orchestra” which also did recordings for Hollywood movies in the past and recorded all the orchestra parts within 9 hours at the Czech Television in Prague.
All in all it was a very stressy day cause you need to be 100 % prepared and you never know which things are happening, one wrong note in the score and it´s minutes to solve the problem and the studio clock is ticking. But finally it was great experience listening to your own music played by a real orchestra.
XS BS: Would you consider a project with the Vienna Art Orchestra?
Lanvall: I don´t really know the Vienna Art Orchestra, I know it by name of course but nothing of the music they do.
XS BS: Due to the symphonic nature of your sound, do you find that you have listeners that usually would not listen to metal?
Lanvall: I think so. I think we have to ability to combine fans from metal to gothic and to people who are not into metal at all normally. This of course depends on how good the music is promoted.
XS BS: You have moved from US based Sensory to German label Massacre, and now you have been with Austrian label Napalm for the last two years. Is there an advantage to working with a label located within your own country?
Lanvall: Well, Sensory only licensed our first 2 albums for the American market. Our long-time label was Massacre Records who released all our previous albums in Europe and had the world wide rights. 1 year ago we signed for Napalm Records with whom we are in touch for a couple of years now. They also licensed our last album “The Grand Design” for the American market. I think there are a lot of advantages with a label from your country. The mentality is similar which makes working much easier and it´s only 1,5 hours to drive when you have to discuss things that can not be discussed on the phone.
XS BS: You have only done one cover, “For Your Eyes Only” from James Bond. Will you record any more covers?
Lanvall: At the moment there are no plans for that. But who knows.
XS BS: Why do you think there is such a huge metal following in Northern Europe?
Lanvall: I think it´s not only Northern Europe, it´s nearly whole Europe. Europe and especially Germany was always a good market for metal, cause the fans are very loyal here and not so trend orientated maybe as in other parts of the world, very similar to Japan.
XS BS: Your material includes Star Trek references, your only cover is from a film, and now you have collaborated with the film orchestra. Do you have any desire to write film scores or contribute to soundtracks?
Lanvall: Writing music for films would be great. At the moment I am totally focussed on Edenbridge of course but maybe the new album generates some interest in the movies scene, if people from this scene have the chance to listen to it, cause there are some huge orchestra things on the album which could also be from a movie.
XS BS: This is your ten year anniversary as a band. How will you commemorate the occasion?
Lanvall: I don´t think we will commemorate in a special way. Now it´s time for touring and hopefully it will continue like this later on in the year. But there is no plan for something special like a DVD. Maybe it´s time to do something special in 09/10 cause 99 we recorded our first album which then came out in 2000.
XS BS: Some of your lyrics on My Earth Dream suggest a nostalgia for the past when the threat to nature was not so pronounced and yet your band is known for its SciFi references. How do you reconcile those two interests?
Lanvall: That´s not difficult. I am loving Star Trek, especially DS9 and Next Generation because of its humanistic aspects. There are no wars and no need for profit gains anymore on earth in the 24th century, therefore there is no more rapture done to Mother Earth. This is what mankind has to develop to survive and mankind can only survive with an intact nature.
XS BS: Two of your members list New Zealand as a dream holiday on your website. Would you consider a tour in that part of the world?
Lanvall: Of course, if we get an offer to tour there it would be great. We toured in Asia twice and Oceania would be another dream to be realized.
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You can check out the latest release from Edenbridge on their website:
www.edenbridge.org
www.myspace.com/edenbridge
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