Interview by Miriam C.
Although they never have been properly featured onto the site for many reasons (and for this I deeply apologize), I can proudly admit that about Forever Still‘s future I was right since the beginning. It’s recent news that the Copenhagen based heavy rock combo has signed a record deal with the best metal label out there, the German Nuclear Blast. In conjuction with their new deal, they’ve re-released their debut “Tied Down”, whose original (and indipendent) version was released back in January 2016, with different and interesting bonus tracks. Besides their music, what’s make Forever Still so interesting is their fatalist but neat approach towards the music business and their strenght towards achieving their goals. I must mention that on 20th October 2016, Maja and Co. will embark in an European tour with Italian superstars Lacuna Coil, so be sure to check out if they’re coming in your city but before that learn more about this promising Danish band by reading this interview!
Welcome to Femme Metal Webzine Maja, we’ve been following Forever Still’s career since the self-released EP “Breaking Free” back in 2013 but only now the occasion arose for this interview. Do you mind to properly introduce how Forever Still got together?
Glad to hear that! The band formed when Mikkel and I met at a concert and shortly after began talking about making music together. Mikkel sent over some instrumental ideas and I was inspired to write melodies over it, from the first time I heard it. We met up and started working on some songs, had great chemistry from the get go and together we released, as you know, our first EP “Breaking Free” in 2013.
As I’ve announced before this a special interview because you’ve recently (and I might say proudly) inked a worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast. How and when was your first approach with the label and how did you get signed with them?
Thank you! We got an email from Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger, where he told us, he’d listened to our songs and watched our videos and really liked it and if we would be interested in signing to Nuclear Blast. At first we were a little skeptical, since it’s not everyday, you get an email from the owner of the world’s largest hard rock- and metal label and we actually considered if somebody was pulling a prank on us but it turned out that it was for real, so we met up with the label and sealed the deal!
In addition to this amazing news, you’ve announced some detailed infos about your debut album “Tied Down” that will be released on 21st October. Can you take us through its writing and recording process?
When we started writing “Tied Down”, we quickly realised that this was going to be different. We had a concept in mind about an individual struggling through depression, anxiety and worthlessness and finding hope and finally breaking free from all the negative things holding them down and in keeping with that idea, we wanted the album sound like everything was a little broken and falling apart. We chose to record on analog equipment, because we wanted it raw; everything was initial instincts, first takes, no second-guessing and what happened, was what got on tape.
Forever Still is a band with a DIY mindset if we count that you’ve put your heart and soul into every aspect affiliated with the music. How will these past experiences help you in the future? And will being signed to Nuclear Blast change this?
We have definitely learned early on to work hard and we have lots of practice in realising our creative vision. The cool thing about Nuclear Blast is that they have given us complete creative control, so we will still be making all of our music, recordings, artwork and videos ourselves. What the signing does is allow us to spend more time on the creative things, while we get help with the administrative work that includes promoting the band from the label and funding to realise some of our more ambitious creative projects.
You’ve already unveiled the music video for the opening track taken from “Tied Down”, “Scars”. What insights can you share about this specific song?
The album story starts out really dark and dreary and “Scars” being the first song on the album, makes it one of the angrier ones. “Scars” is about hiding the things that make you vulnerable from the world, to avoid the risk of being judged and the anger in it stems from being mistreated and misunderstood. The person want to be fixed but end up realizing that only they can fix themselves.
According the press release, “Tied Down” “is a journey through emotional devastation, hope and recovery”. Taking this definition as a point of reference, would you like to delve into the thematics of the lyrics?
All the lyrical content is derived from personal experience and emotion, because that’s the kind of music we want to make. We want it to be completely honest and raw, and with that mindset, you have to put your most inner thoughts and insecurities into writing. The songs on the album cover all different kinds of thematics, because you experience a lot of different, strong emotions when going from worse to better and also generally in life as a human being.
If I’m not wrong, “Tied Down” is getting re-released after the first (independent) press announced on January. What will differ from the previous edition?
You are absolutely right. Nuclear Blast really loved the album and thought it was a shame that more people didn’t get to hear it. The new version of “Tied Down” will contain a bonus DVD with all our music- and lyric videos as well as three very unique acoustic versions of “Scars”, “Save Me” and “Miss Madness” as well as a lyric booklet.
In support of “Tied Down”, you’ve published your single “Miss Madness”. Would you like to disclose more about this song and the video?
At first glance “Miss Madness” may appear to be dreamy and uplifting, but if you take a closer look, you’ll see a dark story of deep despair projected onto an unsuspecting character. We shot the music video over the course of 6 months, one half in the summer and one half in the winter, because we wanted to show the contrast between “Miss Madness”‘s dream world, where everything is vibrant and warm and full of life and the empty cold world that is her reality. It’s shot at the world’s oldest amusement park, which is situated in a beautiful forest north of Copenhagen.
Where can your fans catch you in the next days? Do you have any plans for a full EU tour?
We’ve just been confirmed as support for the upcoming Lacuna Coil Delirium World Tour, so we will be playing all over Europe from October 20 to November 29 and we can’t wait to meet all our wonderful fans all across Europe.
So, Maja, it’s time for your parting words – I really thank you for your time – please greet freely our readers and your fans. Thanks again and lots of love from Italy!
We visited Italy for the first time last year and we had an amazing time, so we’re very excited to be back and this time with none other than Lacuna Coil in their home country! Hope to see you there!
Photo Credit
Photos (in order) by Farve Ide Lars and Maja Shining
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