Known more than six thousand years ago, opium is still used today to rid the body of pain. And it is from this ancient substance that the inspiration for the lyrics for “Opium“, by Neverwinter (Brazil) arises. Present on the debut album, “Air Castle” (2019), the song takes on new life with the acoustic version starring Fernanda Zys (singer) and Higor Hoenig (guitar, maraca, cajon, piano and bass). The welcoming performance was recorded in the band’s home studio, which also worked in production, recording, makeup and mixing.
“The lyrics are essentially about fear. It is proof that everything can be seen in a poetic way and that the inspiration for music can come from anywhere. Because of ballet, I had a problem with my toenails and had to undergo two surgeries. The second was very invasive and my thumbs were all stitched, it was six long months of recovery and a lot of pain. In one of the worsens, I felt so much pain that my doctor had to prescribe opium-based painkillers for me, it was the only thing that improved the pain“, remembers Fernanda Zys, songwriter.
Although today is Neverwinter‘s most popular song, the song “Opium” was received with astonishment by the bandmate, Higor Hoenig. “Higor’s shocked face when I came to him and said he was writing a song about my newly operated toe! It was something like ‘what the fuck are you doing with the band’s songs?’. But I said ‘relax, I’m writing in a very poetic way, it’s going to be okay’. And really, it is our most heard music.“, says the singer.
While the lyrics were written under the influence of opiates, hence the name, the melody was thought to be simple and objective. “The introduction is serene and ethereal, both because of the melody and the effects used on the guitar, which are chorus and reverb, and when the distortion enters the scene it is as if something awakens in the music. The differential of her instrumental is in not having a solo guitar but having a very calm and engaging bass solo. The bases on the guitar are well defined and objective to give more focus to the vocal, and few accidents on the scale to bring a certain tension to the melody. “, analyzes Higor Hoenig.
The track “Opium” is the first in a series of acoustic versions to be released by Neverwinter. The songs will be part of an acoustic EP, scheduled for release next year. The idea of the acoustic, according to Fernanda, is that the music could be sung entirely with the guitar.
“The original version has overlapping voices that were sung in different takes, divided between bass and treble. To make it as natural as possible, the vocal was recorded in one take, with this alternation from low to high occurring naturally.“, he adds.
Created in 2018, in Curitiba (city in southern Brazil), Neverwinter was founded by multi-instrumentalist and composer Higor Hoenig. With strong influences of symphonic metal, melodic metal and power metal in the melody, the lyrics created by Fernanda Zys are inspired by 19th century literature. For compositions, the soprano seeks influence from Joy Division, The Cure and HIM.
Watch the acoustic version of Opium: https://youtu.be/Fbsrabd5sXw
Listen to Opium in the streams: https://song.link/br/i/1488043920
