9th August 2023

Exclusive Interview: Edenfall talk writing and recording “To Gaze Longer at the Earth”!

The return of Gothic tinged Doom Folk Horror Metal pioneers Edenfall nine years after 2014’s “Under Sultry Moons and Velvet Skies“ with the stunning “To Gaze Longer at the Earth” is an absolute pleasure, so naturally we sat down with them for a second exclusive interview. This time out the conversation turns to matters of writing and recording with the bands attention to detail second to none…

How did your previous experiences writing and recording help to smooth the path of the new record?

Rob: “All I can say is this album is a lot less DIY than our first couple of albums. Clare and I basically did everything ourselves on Forever Fallen, then I was still mixing and mastering on Under Sultry Moons. Whilst we did record a lot of this album ourselves, getting Mike Lamb (Sojourner) to mix and master it has resulted in a much more polished end result, which is key for hearing all the complexities in our multi-textured sound, particularly with more elements of extreme metal on this new album – we just could not afford to have a sloppy production, and we are very happy with what Mike has been able to achieve here!”

Clare: “I think that the more you write and record music, the more you pick up on things that you can use to improve your sound. As a vocalist, how I’ve used my voice on this album has changed quite dramatically to previous ones. I learnt that double-tracking my vocals led to a much smoother sound and adding more harmonies, different vocal techniques and different registers can add so many layers, atmospheres and textures to our music. Ironically, there are already a few things that I have picked up on from the recording of this album that we will definitely improve with the next! But, that’s just how it is – you just continue to learn, grow and evolve the longer you go on!”

How does the writing process of a new track start? Melody, riff or rhythm first? How does it evolve from there before you consider it the finished article?

Rob: “For me, believe it or not, I actually often start with a keyboard melody or hook I really like the sound of, then just build around it with the rhythm guitars from there, and everyone else comes in and adds their own dynamics. I do love a good riff though, so often that’ll be the starting point for me, then I’ll just build on the song structure from there.”

Clare: “Writing for me can start in a variety of different ways. Most of the time, I will either just noodle around on the piano or the harp with some basic idea for a melody and then build around it. I usually fill all of the orchestral elements out as much as I can, with a hint towards what chords and rhythmic elements I want in each section and then the guys add their parts – I’m certainly not a guitarist, bassist or a drummer!! In this instance, the lyrics and melody are usually the last thing to be completed. Other times, I’ll just write lyrics and then build a song around the words – it really varies!”

“To Gaze Longer at the Earth” was mixed and mastered by Mike Lamb from Sojourner at Ghost Bird Studios. How did you find working with him and how did you come to choose the gentleman for the purpose?

Rob: “Mike was honestly such a pleasure to work with! He is such a nice, patient and down-to-earth dude, and we are so happy with what he accomplished with the sound on this album. We also have the pleasure of calling him a friend now as well, and really look forward to meeting him in-person eventually, when we happen to be in the same country, at least.”

After working with Aaron Stainthorpe from My Dying Bride as a guest on “To Howl At An Orbless Sky” this time around, if you had the opportunity to work with a guest in the studio next time around, who would you like to work with and why?

Clare: “I don’t think there is anyone particular that comes to mind at the moment. If anything, one thing that we would love to add to our next album is more organic orchestral and folk instrumentation. We certainly would love to add some real cello onto the next one, so working with Jo Quail or Arianna Mahsayeh would be incredible. Another thing we’d love to feature is more traditional folk instrumentation such as the Anglo-Saxon lyre, the nyckelharpa or the hammered dulcimer. So, Einar Selvik (Wardruna), Georg Börner (ColdWorld) or Markust Stock (Empyrium) – you know where we are, haha!”

For us gear nerds out there, can you tell us what you’re using gear wise (pedals, strings, drums etc) to get your sound?

Rob: “Well, I recently changed up my guitar setup a bit. I now use a good old-fashioned Boss HM2 to get most of my tone. I find it works a treat, particularly for those lower chords on the 7th string, in the more drawn-out doom passages; it just sounds super gnarly and beastly! Other than that, being the rhythm guitarist, I keep it simple; the only other pedals on my board now are a noise gate and a tuner pedal. That’s it. Nothing fancy. I run through a Blackstar HT100 Metal amp head and a Marshall 1960A cab. The main guitar I use now is a Solar E2.7C, which I am absolutely in love with – absolute beast of a guitar! As for strings, I have always stuck with Ernie Ball 7-string Regular Slinky (56-10), and we play predominantly with the low B dropped to an A.”

Sean: “I’m not a gear nerd so I like to keep my setup as simple and straightforward as possible, I play a Jackson Rhoads Flying V through a Boss Katana head. I have a lead, rhythm and clean tones that are stored in the head meaning I can get a consistent tone no matter where I’m playing.”

Clare: “For live performances, I love my Boss VE-20 pedal – it gives me great control of my own effects and helps me get just the right level of reverb and delay. It has honestly been a lifesaver, as when you’re relying on the desk in different venues the results can vary so much! In the studio, I also use my trust Dusty Strings Ravenna-26 Celtic Harp – she has such a resonant sound and is electro-acoustic too which makes recording so much easier!”

What difference would it make to you as a band if you could land an endorsement from a gear manufacturer?

Rob: “Oh, I would absolutely love that! Anyone from Solar Guitars; if you’re reading this, I’m sure we could come out with a killer signature guitar! I’m thinking runes as fret markers, a matte black and gold finish. Maybe some folk horror inspired art on the body. Hit me up!”

Clare: “I would LOVE to bring the harp with me on stage, but unfortunately it just isn’t really feasible with the harp I currently play. Switching to electric could make all the difference though – but you know, electric harps are notoriously expensive! Having an endorsement by the likes of Camac or Salvi would make a world of difference – and our performances that little bit more interesting too, I imagine!”

“To Gaze Longer at the Earth” by Edenfall is out now and available over at bandcamp.