ELDRITCH (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for answering to our questions. What are you currently up to?
Hi, we’re actually practicing for some headlining shows here in our country… Plus we’re also writing some new stuff…. We’re not able to stand still!!
– First of all, though you guys have been around for several years, if you don’t mind I would like you to make some history of the band or sum up these years of existence.
Wow!! We’re around since 1991!! Let me see, ok, 8 studio albums, 1 double live album plus bonus dvd, 3 re-releases of our first three albums…. this means 12 official releases!! Then tours and appearances all over the world…. festivals, videoclips, tv shows…. We did everything that concerns being a band!
– Why did you pick the name of «Eldritch»?
We heard the name on a song from the american band Watchtower, the song itself was titled “The Eldritch”… It was a name we felt ours at the first touch!!
– Your latest album, «Gaia’s Legacy», came out some months ago. How was its feedback? Are you guys satisfied with it?
Oh yeah, the feedback is great and the sales are awesome!! We’re a smal cult band and we’ll never reach really big levels of sales, but it’s really going good now!!! We’re completely satisfied, all the reviews are great except maybe just 3 or 4… but all the rest are great!!
– It seems with this album you went a bit back to your more progressive roots; was this something planned?
Yes, you’re right!! We felt the need to jump a little bit back to our roots and we also wanted to keep our modern touch…. The result I think is fine….. We are ultra technical, progressive yet catchy at the same time!! The songs are also not too long, the longest reaches 5 minutes…. We don’t wanna be boring to the listeners!!
– Once more, this album shows you don’t have any borders, bleding elements from different music styles so; how could you describe this album in just 3 words?
Original, Catchy, Fresh!!!
– How does the songwriting process tend to be like in ELDRITCH? I mean, is it easy to flirt with different influences still keeping your very own sound?
To be honest we don’t really sit at a table to plan anything… We just write down our feelings and if we hear there’s something too familiar with another song from another band, we cut it out or even just fix it… We don’t wanna seem like anybody else!! I know it’s not easy but i think that Eldritch are Eldritch…. everything starts from eugene Simone’s mind… and it works like this since 1991: he writes the riffs and I (Terence) write the vocal melody and the lyrics….. then each member of the band puts in his own little taste and influence!! That’s why you could hear different genres in our albums..
– This effort was mastered by seasoned Göran Finnberg; are you satisfied with the work done by him?
Of course!!! Goran is a guru, he knows exactly what to do with all our crunchy riffs and keys and vocals!! We hope to work with him again in the future…..
– On «Gaia’s Legacy» we can find two new band members: keyboardist Gabriele Caselli and guitar player Rudj Ginanneschi. What have they brought to ELDRITCH?
Gabriele is an awesome musician, he’s a piano teacher!! Rudj is the best guitar player around for Eldritch (after Eugene). tHese guys are extremelt well prepared in music theory and technically amazing too!! That’s all we need!! This is the best line up since the first era of the band!!!
– We can also find Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND) as guest artist. How did you come uo with this idea?
Well Bob is our big fan!! We toured europe with Firewind 3 years ago and we became good friends indeed.. He loved to play a key solo for us and we appreciated it!! He’s a mastermind of music!!!
– Leaving the sound part beside; could you please shed some light on the album’s artwork (who did it, what does it represent, etc.)?
The artwok was made by a great artist that works for DC comics USA!! He’s Rixx,an italian artist from Florence. It represents what’s happening to our planet due to the global warming issue….. The whole album is a concept about the global warming, the environemnt changes, the causes and the effects…..
– If I’m not mistaken, you released some time ago some of your albums with Limb Music, then move to Inside Out and later you went back with Limb Music. Why did this happen?
We released our first 3 albums on Inside Out Music, then one on Metal Blade, the 3 plus 3 re-releases on LMP and now our 9th (8th studio one) on Scarlet Records… We’d prefer not telling the reasons of our changing-companies, they are personal reasons…… anyway, we always took the decisions!!
– You are now working with Scarlet Records; what prompted that move? And how’s everything going with them so far?
We decide to work with an italian company after 15 years with foreign companies. Scarlet is a great company, honest people, and have good bands and a good taste! It’s a bit early now to tell if things are perfect but so far we’re pretty satisfied….. We’ll see in the next months….
– After all these years with ELDRITCH; what have been both the best and worst moments with the band?
Wow! We had several great moments and just a few bad ones…. We never really had bad music moments but most of all personal problems within the band… Some health issues, some personal things like divorces, fights between members….. The career was always quite amazing…. On the other hand, the good moments were the festivals we played, the first time in the USA, the tv shows, the tours….. the parties…… The meeting with famous artists and the friendship and brotherhood we have with people worldwide!!!
– And what’s left for you to get with it you haven’t achieved yet?
Ha ha, we’d like to become a bigger band, reaching a big status… We’re not too far but still not there yet!!
– We could say you are a progressive band, and this is a music style that seems to be experiencing now a really healthy state, both with stablished bands releasing great pieces as new bands starting with full force. What bands into this style could you suggest?
I adore Fates Warning, Symphony X and Queensryche above all!! Then of course Dream Theater, Seventh Wonder, Opeth and others….. The first 3 ones I mentioned are really the ones that created the genre though!!!
– And about the Italian scene in particular; how do you see it as an insider?
Italians now are really great!!! I mean, we got Rhapsody, Lacuna Coil (the biggest), Labyrinth, Domine, Vision Divine, Secret Sphere, Extrema, Sadist and others… Of course the world is still the hands of americans and english and northern european bands, but italians are getting there!!!! The scene in Italy is only bad regarding clubs, and mentality of some listeners….. The bad thing is that it’s getting worse!!!
– And finally, what are the near-future plans for ELDRITCH?
Well, as usual after a new album we’ll pkay around the world for a year, maybe more and then we’ll put our heads back in the studio for a new album!!! We shot 2 videoclips (Everything’s Burning and Deviation) and maybe shoot another one for a ballad…… Then what else?? We’ll conquer the universe!!!!! LOL
– That’s all, thanks you once more for your time. If you want to add some final words; last lines are yours.
Well thanks for your interest!! We really wish to come to your country!! I think we’ve never been there!!! Rock on!! Terry.
