Interview with Lanvall, Edenbridge (October 28, 2004)

1. Hi, first off I just want to congratulate you on your new album. To new fans could your please fill us in on the history behind it all?

Lanvall - Edenbridge were formed in 1998. Sabine, Kurt Bednarsky (our former bass player) and myself played together in another project before and when drummer Roland entered the band the line-up for our first CD-production was complete. We recorded “Sunrise In Eden” in 1999 on self-finance basis and sent it to about 30 labels around the world. Two weeks later Massacre Records offered us a deal. The album was licensed to all important markets of the world (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, South and North America) and was a great success. In late 2000 we were on European tour with our labelmates Pink Cream 69 and Axxis. In 2001 we recorded our second CD “Arcana” which marked a big step forward. Then we went on tour with Metalium here in Europe, which led us from Spain to Scandinavia. Right after we went to Korea to play a show on the International Busan Rock Festival in front of 20.000 people and a double-headliner show with Sinergy in Seoul. In January 2003 our third album “Aphelion” saw the light of day followed by a triple-headliner tour with Trail Of Tears and Sirenia through Europe. A show on the famous German “Summer Breeze Festival” in front of 12.000 people followed. In April 2004 we played our first shows in Moscow, Russia and 2 shows in England on the Bloodstock Festival, which were a huge success. Then our first live-album/DVD “A Livetime In Eden” came out and now our new album “Shine” is gonna be released.

2. How has your new album been received by the media?

Lanvall - Fantastic. The reviews are very good up till now and all the media with whom we talked seem to like the album very much. But the most important thing is that the fans will like the album and therefore we have to wait a bit.

3. I know artists are not happy to categorize their music, but how would you describe your music to an outsider?

Lanvall - I think Edenbridge´s style stands for itself meanwhile. But to describe it to somebody outstanding I would say it’s bombastic metal with an angelic female voice. 

4. Where does your inspiration come from, both musically and lyrically?

Lanvall - I love classical composers like Anton Bruckner, Antonin Dvorak and Richard Strauss. In hard rock/metal it’s bands like Dream Theater, Threshold, Royal Hunt, Robbie Valentine, Shadow Gallery and Marillion I love. Then soundtracks, musicians like Vangelis and of course traditional music from Ireland and far-eastern music.

In general it’s very hard to say where the initial inspiration for a song comes. The best songs always come when you let everything flow.

Lyrically it can be a lot of things. Movies, books, nature.

5. What topics do you deal with in your lyrics and why?

Lanvall - Lyrically this time I was inspired by a lot of movies. “The Bicentennial Man”, “The Legend of 1900”, “October Sky” and “The Canterville Ghost”. My faible for Star Trek also came through again in the songs “Move Along Home” and “What You Leave Behind”, 2 DS9 episodes.

In general Edenbridge stands for positive music, thoughts and feelings from the beginning on. 

6. Who has produced and mixed the album, and are you pleased with the end result?

Lanvall - I produced the album and Dennis Ward mixed it. Normally as a producer you can’t hear an album after it’s finished cause it accompanied you for a long time in all its details. “Shine” I can really enjoy after it’s finishing and that’s a very good sign. I am totally happy with the end result.

7. Who has done the artwork? And how important do you feel it is to have a great cover?

Lanvall - Thomas Ewerhard did the new cover. He did a fantastic job and I really love the new artwork. I think today it’s extremely important to have a cover that is an eye-catcher.

8. Do you have any touring plans?

Lanvall - At the moment there is nothing fixed. We had some offers for touring, but we refused them cause the package didn’t fit. Touring just for touring reasons doesn’t make sense for me anymore as long as the package doesn’t fit. But there is something in plans for next year.

9. How do you feel about the co-operation with your label, and are you satisfied?

Lanvall - Massacre did a pretty good job for us over the years and there is also a good friendship relation to them, so we can’t complain.

10. The Internet is a very important source for many music fans - how do you use the Internet and how important is it for you and other bands?

Lanvall - I couldn’t imagine doing all without the Internet anymore. Answering fan mails and nearly all the organisation is going over e-mails. The good thing about the Internet is that you find all the info you need.

11. How do you see the heavy metal scene at the moment?

Lanvall - Every style has its fan base I would say. This is the big difference in comparison to the 80´s and 90´s where trends came and go. The problem is surely that the market is totally overfilled. Everyone who just learned to hold a guitar seems to think he can make a record and that’s the problem.

12. To finish things off - could you pls. make a all-time Top 5 or sort of the 5 most important albums in your opinion?

Lanvall -

1. Dream Theater - Images And Words
2. Robby Valentine - all
3. Royal Hunt - Live 1996
4. Shadow Gallery - Tyranny
5. TNT - Tell No Tales

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www.edenbridge.org

Thanks for the interview, Lanvall

If you are into progressive power metal with a female vocalist, then I suggest you to check out Edenbridge's new album "Shine" out ...

Edenbridge - Shine

Album on Massacre Records.

Click on the album cover to see more info on Edenbridge.