EDENBRIDGE INTERVIEW

So how many bands from Austria within the metal scene do we actually know? Well, not many ... right?!!! But here comes one of the more interesting newer Austrian metal acts - the melodic/progressive metal band Edenbridge lead by charismatic guitarist Lanvall and his girlfriend Sabine;

Interview by Benjamin A. Genach

What is your own opinion of the new album

"I love it (ha,ha). I think the production is much better, cause we had a much more higher budget this time. From the song writing point of view I also made a big step forward. My main goal was again to focus on the vocal melodies and strengthening the arrangements around them. I think there´s also a good mix between the different kind of songs, I guess you´ll find a lot on the album."

You have achieved a lot of success since your debut album, what do you believe is the major reason for this.

"Well I think the songs were strong enough so the record label could do a tremendous job in promoting the album. The album was licensed to all important markets of the world (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, South and North America) which caused fantastic reactions from those countries and the sales for a debut were also great. Now it is time to build on this."

Why did you give up your solo-project?

"Simply because I am totally busy with Edenbridge and that won´t change in the next years I guess. But there will be another solo album sometime."

Before Edenbridge you played progressive rock, how can it be that you have changed you style of music so radically

"Well, I think the change wasn´t so radically, it was a natural development. I listened a lot to prog rock in the beginning of the 90´s but a certain time most of those bands bored me to death."

Why have you chosen to use your wife in the band.

"Actually she´s my girlfriend, we´re not married. Sabine entered the project before Edenbridge in 1996 and I´ve been working together with female singers since 1994. The main point at that time was that it was impossible to find a good male singer with a high voice in Austria. So I tried it with female vocals and it perfectly fit. I couldn´t imagine Edenbridge with a male singer. Furthermore Sabine´s voice is totally unique in the metal scene, cause she has no metal voice."

How is the metal scene in Austria, compared to the rest of Europe?

"There is no real scene, especially for melodic metal. Austria is a small market, 7% of the German. Many bands from here are copying trendy styles and have no originality. As an Austrian band you have to look beyond the frontiers."

The media often attacks you to be a copycat of Nightwish, what is your opinion to this?

"It´s bullshit. Everyone asks this question, although nobody says it itself (ha,ha). In all of the reviews of the big magazines they said we have a very original style. When all the people would listen carefully they would hear the big differences. The vocals are totally different and also the music especially the whole arrangements of the songs too."

What are your expectations to the new album?

"The release is on November the 19th and I hope we can enter the German Top 100, but that´s not easy. The record label wants to double the sales, so I am very confident."

Where do you picture yourself in the metal scene in a couple of years?

"I can´t say anything different than as far as we can get. My aim is to bring this band very far, cause that´s what I´ve been working for."

Do you have any plans for a Scandinavian tour?

"No plans, but we would like to. Maybe one of the packages we can jump on will lead us there, I hope so, cause we also got a lot of mails from Scandinavia. There are different opportunities at the moment, but nothing´s fixed. I guess we have to wait another 2 weeks."

Thank you very much for the interview, Lanvall - www.edenbridge.org