Interview by Tony Cannella
The band Eklipse is made up of four ladies playing classical interpretations of pop and rock songs. Their debut album is titled “A Night in Strings”, and while it may not be strictly a metal album, there is no denying the talent that this band possesses; besides they are opening for Nightwish, which is a cool thing. Recently, the Viola player Viola was kind enough to answer some questions and give us more info on Eklipse.
First of all, congratulations on a unique album (“A Night in Strings”). For those who don’t know, how would you describe the music of Eklipse?
Thanks for the compliment on our album. We are a string quartet playing the beautiful themes of the great bands and composers of contemporary music.
How did Eklipse first get together?
We met at a festival in St. Petersburg. We got to know each other at a party and immediately knew that we had something in common. We searched for a way to combine our classical background with our love for pop music. It’s wonderful how everything came together that night and how well it is going ever since.
How do you feel about getting press from metal publications, even though Eklipse are not really a metal band?
During our musical career each of us did a lot of different musical styles. We have a strong connection to the gothic and metal scene, so we are proud and very happy that our music seems to fit so well.
You covered a wide variety of rock and pop songs. Some well known, some not. How did you decide which songs to cover?
Each of us has ideas which songs she wants to cover and we try a lot of different songs before deciding which one works the best. It’s important that there is a story behind the songs; something that connects us with it.
Are there any songs you would have liked to cover for “A Night in Strings”, but didn’t get around to it?
Yes, there are many. We tried a lot and we still have some arrangements that are waiting to be recorded. At the moment, we are concentrating on our live performance, but our next album is already planned.
Might those songs end up on your next album?
They might. But right now we are discussing what the album will be about. We are thinking we might do a theme or try a slightly different concept. But nothing can be announced yet. So, you have to be patient. ?
You were chosen to open for Nightwish. How excited are you about this opportunity?
We are very excited. We like Nightwish very much. It’s an amazing band which over the years managed to stay unique. That’s something that is not easily done and we hope for ourselves to be that lucky.
What can fans expect when they come to see Eklipse live?
We are always as passionate as possible in everything we are doing. We want to create a mythic atmosphere on stage. For us it is very important that everyone can drown in their own imagination.
Do think you will ever add guest singers to some of your songs like Apocalyptica does?
We have many ideas on what to do and we don’t want to decide yet. But for now, we are not done with our recent concept and are very excited for the things to come.
You filmed a video for your cover of the Justin Timberlake song, “Cry Me a River”. Why did you choose this song?
It’s a beautiful song! It’s very percussive and it was a challenge to transfer it to the strings. Also, the strings emphasize the melancholy of the song. It’s always a miracle how a song changes in the process of arranging.
Musically, there is no doubt that the members of Eklipse are very talented. Please tell us a little about your musical training.
We started playing as children and had classical training. We all had a lot of different musical experience over the years and always wanted to find something unique, something we can relate to in many different ways. Eklipse is a perfect project for the four of us because we can be creative on more than the musical level. Our optical output – the photos, the videos, our outfits and everything to come – is very important to us because it is one more creative need that we are able to fulfill.
How has the reaction to “A Night in Strings” from the media and fans been?
It is just fantastic. Most of the reactions we get are very positive and enthusiastic. There had been a few pretty critical reports and comments on the internet, but that’s great too. We are happy that we are not just another “nice” band but actually have a controversial side.
Are you afraid that the media and fans may focus more on your sexy image rather than the music?
No, we are not afraid of that. As we said before, the outfit is part of how we want to present the strong emotions of the songs. We don’t want our private lives to be strongly involved, so instead of telling our personal background, we have chosen this way to reveal parts of our personality.
Who are some other musicians and bands that you are influenced by?
We love all kinds of music. It’s quite a wide range of musicians and bands that are important to us.
What are your plans beyond the Nightwish tour?
We are playing some festivals in the summer and maybe there will be another tour soon.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Is there anything you would like to add? The final words are yours.
Thank you. We hope that we will entertain a lot of people with our music.
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