Band: Leaves Eyes
Interview by: Joost
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- Into Your Light - TekNoir
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- Njord - Chantal Lodewikus
The new album 'Njord' has a very new sound compared to older work of LE. Was this a clear choice for you?
Liv: A lot of things have been going on this during the last years. We've
been extremely busy. However, this time we needed much longer than with
earlier productions. We started to compose in 2007, and we had planned to
release the album in 2008, however we just built a complete new studio
from the ground as we had to leave the one we had rented before. Moreover,
we were forced to renew the complete studio equipment and recording system
after moving into the new studio. This took about at least a year. In the
middle of all this, we had to produce our DVD, which is a "monster"
project of six hours playing time. Of course we had troubles finding a new
bass player and drummer, as our two former members decided to concentrate
on their other jobs. However, we needed to get through these extremely
busy and hard times to get a new perspective on things, and to settle
down. Since the first demo recordings for "Njord" we have been able to
achieve goals that we thought back in 2007 would be quite impossible.
"Njord" was, like every album, recorded in our own studio "Mastersound",
and it was produced by my husband and singer in the band, Alexander.
Alexander did a fantastic job being our producer. He is the one who had
the most sleepless nights, installing the new recording system on our new
studio computers, and being responsible for the mix, as already mentioned
above. There are three perfectionists in the band, and we are artists that
give 110 % into our art. Everything we do comes from the heart! "Njord"
has a power to it that even is more intense than any previous production
I've been part of. Technically, we constantly have new ideas and aims. We
have our own studio and therefore we have the opportunity to specialize in
technical tasks concerning album and DVD productions. "Njord" has even a
more bombastic but delicate sound that "Vinland Saga", because techniques
allows it. Moreover, the classical recordings done in this huge formation
is something we hadn't done at least to this extent on the previous
albums. The hardest thing was to mix the orchestra "Lingua Mortis",
directed by Victor Smolski, which we recorded in Minsk, Whiterussia,
consisting of 40 instruments. The writing and composing process was not
complicated at all - it was fantastic to observe how ideas develop. In
the end we had 18 songs, which is really a lot for one production. All
songs can be heard on our EP "My Destiny", or on the album "Njord".
Is Njord also inspired on a specific tale of the Vikings like 'Vinland
Saga' and 'Legend Land' or is it about Vikings in general?
Liv: I always let the music "get" what it needs and demands to reach an
authentic character. I never plan to sing in this or that language, or
about a certain theme or plot; it just happens as I start writing my
lyrics. The lyrics for "Njord" mainly deal with characters from northern
mythology (e.g. Njord, Fröya'sTheme, Nine Wave Maidens, Ragnarok), or with
places and historical happenings (e.g. Scarborough Fair, The Battle of
Maldon, Emerald Island, Irish Rain, Les Champs de Lavande). This is why I
found it necessary to deal with all these different languages. "Vinland
Saga" is based on Leif Eirikssons discovery of America, even the EP,
Legend Land, which followed soon thereafter. "Njord" has a much broader
concept, travelling through history, and into Nordic mythology. It has
always been important to me that our sound and art is authentic, and that
our audience really gets the feeling of being on a wonderful journey. For
me history has always been extremely interesting. As I left my home
country Norway after 20 years and moved to Germany 12 years ago, I had
more books about the Vikings with me than clothes and shoes. Yes, I am
still searching for interesting books. Moreover, I was lucky to visit
York's Viking Museum last week-end. I will always stay Norwegian in my
heart. This feeling became even more intense after I became a mum in 2003.
I think that's a natural process. I travel to the north as often as
possible. Before we retire, we will return for good!
Is there anything special you can tell us about the background of the
album and its tracks?
Liv: My first idea for the concept was rooted in Irish history and
inspired by Celtic art. However, as the composing continued, I realized
that the songs demanded that we travel across Irish boundaries. I just
sensed that I needed to expand and that "Njord" would be a multilayered,
deep-going and complex album.
In the booklet we can read that Tosso was also responsible for the bass
play on the album, may we ask why this choice was made as Alla is your
bass player?
Liv: The reason is simple. Alla joined the band after the bass had been
recorded by Tosso.
You use many different languages in the album, why is that? Does it
enable you to express yourselves better?
Liv: The lyrics are written in 8 languages (English, Middle-high German,
Old-English, Gaelic, Norwegian, Icelandic, French and one "self-made"
linguistic fictional phonetic sequence)...I even sat down to study a bit
French to be able to write one French lyric. I did study Old-English and
Middle-high German, so it was really nice to be able to use this
knowledge. Gaelic is completely new to me, though, but fortunately I found
a wonderful person who helped me. "Njord" is an album that demands an
expansion in linguistic terms. My extremely "fine" hearing tells me what
kind of "language" and expression a tune needs to reach the ears and the
hearts of our audience.
Does the clip of the single 'My Destiny' tell the story behind the
lyrics of this track? It is a very sad tale.
Liv: Yes, the video tells the story of the lyrics - and I really love the
result! It's both sad and beautiful! The single was decided about by the
band and Napalm Records. I think it's both a powerful and well-structured
song which really sticks on to your mind. The video for "My Destiny" was
shot some weeks ago in Gothenburg, Sweden, with the team Revolver and its
boss Patrick. We are very happy with the result, and the actors playing
Vikings are fantastic! We had fantastic weather in the Swedish forest and
finished the whole production in time. I was happy to return into my
sneaker-shoes after the last shot was taken. High-heeled shoes are not the
best equipment in the forest, really. The three swords, which we can see in
this video and on "My Destiny" cover, we can also see in real life in
Madla near Stavanger, exactly where I grew up! They symbolize a point
around 800-900 when Norway's tribes fought against each other in a huge
and massive battle in the fjord there called Hafrsfjord. Herald Fairhair
won the battle and became the first Norwegian king uniting all tribes up
there.
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