INTERVIEW:
While this same month you can read a review of the debut of Stranger Aeons, it is of course way more interesting to read what the band has to say about themselves and their music. This is what interviews are for, and thus we have Justinas Jakubauskas, first-class drummer and percussionist of the band, answering questions and revealing some interesting statements about this new progressive promise from Lithuania.
Text: Bart
Welcome to this website! Could you introduce yourselves to the readers, as your debut came as a total surprise (a welcome one though)?Well, we are a progressive metal band from Lithuania. Actually, the roots of the band reach out as far as the beginning of the 21st century (year 2002). However, the band's name, band members and musical style were all really different back then, so we’d like to consider 2009 as the birth year of Stranger Aeons. One of our first gigs as Stranger Aeons was Devil Stone Open Air 2009 with bands like Sepultura, Keep of Kalessin, Sinister, Leprous, etc. So that was a really good new start for us. The band title itself is kind of spawned from these lines of H.P.Lovecraft: "That is not dead which can eternal lie / And with strange aeons even death may die.", though it is not a straight derivation. The title kind of reflects the strangeness, crookedness and deformity of our age (i.e. aeons). Still, I guess, anyone can interpret the title in one’s own way.
You emerge from Lithuania, of which the only band I got to know as a reviewer so far is Soul Stealer, which is also on you record label. Is there a lively scene in your country, which enables you to for instance perform live frequently?We definitely have more than two metal bands here. Some of them have even gained international recognition. However, the metal scene in Lithuania is not as lively as we’d like it to be. Of course, there are several huge festivals, like Kilkim Žaibu Open Air or the aforementioned Devil Stone Open Air, that attract international bands and audience, but that is about it. There are but a few tolerable clubs that invite heavy bands, so live performances are held in small pub-like clubs, usually without proper stages and sound equipment. This, however, doesn’t mean we don’t like performing live. On the contrary, gigs in small clubs let the performer interact with the audience more closely, and feel the listener’s reaction to the music.
Your record 'eNneagon' is a very diverse records, without becoming eclectic: you simply take the best elements from rock/metal traditions and merge them. Did this approach grow in time, or was it thought out by the members?I guess the diversity of any record depends upon the influence of the artist. Our influences stretch from classical to rock to metal music; hence it would be really difficult to avoid all of these elements in our compositions. Nevertheless, we never write music by determining what we are going to do next. All tracks on 'eNneagon' were “born” naturally, without putting the pieces together artificially. It’s just the way we felt at the moment. Moreover, some parts of particular songs were jammed in the recording studio, because we wanted them to be spontaneous. Maybe this is our way of paying tribute to progressive rock bands of the seventies that adventurously jammed on stage as well as in the recording studio, thus creating infinitely pushing and natural music.
The album seems to have a strong concept that connects the songs. Could you tell some more about the thoughts behind the songs?The funny thing is - there is no story-like concept in the songs. However, the concept is more of thematic and musical nature. The album’s lyrics deal with despair, fear, uncertainty, paranoia and lies – all those things that are becoming an artefact of a modern age human. All the things that once were significant and sacred are now trodden upon or even entirely forgotten. This is what we are, but is it what we should be? Musically the album is also tied into one knot. We lightly used the classical formula of leitmotifs and repeated passages throughout the album that makes it feel more like one piece of work, not a collection of individual compositions.
The concept is also expressed in the title of the album. 'eNneagon' comes from Greek “enneagonon", meaning “nine corners”. The enneagon symbol on the cover of the album symbolises this nine-angled maze with no way out. Just like human vice. The nine corners or angles of the album are the nine compositions within it. Moreover, the symbol of nine is met all throughout the album. There is a certain hidden nine character phrase that is repeated in almost all tracks in one way or another. I’m not telling you what it is, because it might be interesting to find out. By the way, most of the album material was composed in the year two thousand and NINE ;).
The playing on the record is really top-notch. Are you perhaps all graduated from some music school, or is this mere talent and experience that we hear?The majority of band members have graduated from music schools, one is still studying at the music conservatoire, and some of us teach others to appreciate music. So, yes, we’re kinda related and addicted to music in one way or another.
The vocals greatly balance out the attacking approach of the instruments; still, even though the voice of your singer has a great timbre, sometimes I feel myself wishing for some more 'balls' or power in the vocal delivery. Do you think you can agree with me, and does perhaps the (by the way excellent) production have something to do with it?It is actually strange that sometimes (or even always) we’re received as a female-fronted metal band just because our singer is a woman. C’mon, does having a woman for a singer really make you a representative of a different music genre? Of course, bands like Nightwish, Within Temptation or Lacuna Coil construct their music around their lead singer, thus making them a clear example of what a female-fronted metal band is. The situation in Stranger Aeons is different. We never worked under the scheme vocals+all other dudes. We are all a part of the music, so our scheme is like this – guitars+bass+keys+vocals+drums – and in none particular order. We are not “fronted”, we are “compounded”. The vocal style on 'eNneagon' is just what we wanted it to be – well-balanced with the music, perfectly conveying the concept behind it. By the way, thanks for the appreciation of the production. We’ll let the right people know.
As a finishing question, I would like to ask: would you please come around on a tour around here? I can assure you, we won’t miss the chance to play in the Netherlands if we have one. That would be a new ground to conquer!
Thanks for answering my questions. I leave the last words of the interview to you:We’d like to thank Lords of Metal and all the Dutch fans for taking interest in the Lithuanian heavy music.
Lords of Metal link"eNneagon" review:Bart: Stranger Aeons from Lithuania enter our world with their debut 'eNneagon', which is a surprising ride from beginning to end. Now of course as a reviewer it is my task to more or less describe to you what this ride is like then. I do actually feel the strong urge to just say "well, find out yourself!", because I dare to bet that this record has enough diversity for anyone to like at least a few passages. And if you're into firm rock and metal with a progressive edge, if you like greatly duelling guitars, and if you like to be surprised by a female vocalist that this time around doesn't feel the need to go all soprano on your ass, you'll LOVE this record. The singer has a low and relaxing voice, balancing out the very forceful and hungry band.
One of the very positive things about this record, is that it keeps on grabbing your attention. Every time you think you get the song, there is some bonus twist to keep you intrigued. This band doesn't only focus on decent song structures, they also manage to build a great web of details within the songs that lift them up to a much higher level. As they told us in the interview that you can also read this month, they consider a band to be about all its members in equal proportions, creating a sum that is more or less about nine times more than the parts. Thus we get a record that goes from growling slow riffs to up tempo swinging rock and metal attacks, from very atmospheric and melancholic to heavily energizing. Take your time for it and check it out!
Rating: 92/100 (details)
Lords of Metal link
