Although the intension was to drop their fourth album in March of this year, logistical reasons caused production delays for Spanish symphonic metal band AGAINST MYSELF and therefore they had to postpone the release of “Tides Of Insanity” to April 21st (via On Fire Records). “Tides Of Insanity” could refer to the crazy times we are living in right now, but who else than singer Elizabeth Amoedo of AGAINST MYSELF can explain better what the title means. So we asked her that… and a whole lot more.
INTERVIEW BY: HENK VAN NIEUWENHOVEN
Bueno Elizabeth, ¿cómo estás hoy?
Hello!! I’m doing quite well, enjoying a Sunday afternoon with the blanket after walking around town. Hope you are well!
In 2019 AGAINST MYSELF released the very meritorious album “Unity”, their third at the time, with former singer Irene Villegas. Did you listen to that album before you joined them?
Actually I was already a fan of the band since practically its beginnings, so I knew and enjoyed the whole discography for many years before being part of it.
Not long after the release of “Unity” Irene left the band and you stepped in. What do you remember of the first single you did with them, “The Tempest”?
I remember perfectly well that I was the most nervous of the group. I wanted people to enjoy the new sound and not be afraid of change. To this day I am very grateful for all the support the band and I received and the warm welcome I received from the fans.
A year ago, you and AGAINST MYSELF guitarist Unai Iglesias Lecuona threw yourselves into a version of the classic “The Phantom Of The Opera”. Have you seen the video that Nightwish released with Floor Jansen and Dutch opera singer Henk Poort? (https://youtu.be/TM23gaT4zkY)
Of course I have heard it! She is one of the most versatile singers in the metal world! On the other hand, I also try to keep up to date on releases in general.
AGAINST MYSELF first launched three singles and videos from the new album of which that of “Sweet Chants Of Death” is almost a short movie. How long did you have to stay in the bathtub for the video?
It took about two hours in the early morning. By the way, the water was cold, so it was quite unpleasant, like the rain or diving into the lagoons in the “Beyond The Deep” video. At least in this second video we didn’t forget the towel, hahahaha.
Personally, the story represents life itself, the attempt to move forward in any aspect and how everything is complicated and everything can turn negative despite our efforts.“
– ELIZABERTH AMOEDO –
On February 24th, a fourth single from the album, “Providence”, came out and again with an official video. The location is wonderful, but since you’ve almost covered half the album with singles already, will it be the last one or can we expect one more on the album release date?
We don’t have any more releases scheduled before the release of the album. We do have in mind to continue generating content from the album, not before the release, but some time after to explain the story and continue to bring history to the music.
By the way, why was the release of “Tides Of Insanity” postponed to April 21st?
As we said in the official press release, due to logistical reasons we have suffered production delays and had to postpone the release date. Sometimes things don’t go as expected and force you to take that kind of decisions. We want to thank everyone for their understanding and support always!
Is “Tides Of Insanity” a concept album and are we humans living in times of insanity, seen what’s happening in the world today?
Of course it is a concept album. It’s the band’s first and definitely won’t be their last. The story can be understood either in a fantastic way or in a more metaphorical way of what is happening in the world today. Personally, the story represents life itself, the attempt to move forward in any aspect and how everything is complicated and everything can turn negative despite our efforts. When it seems that something is going well or a little better, something new comes along, worse than the previous one, over and over again. A fantastic and crude representation of life, I would say.
Unai’s guitar plays a prominent role in AGAINST MYSELF’s music. Is he responsible for all the songwriting, including the lyrics?
All the lyrics of this album have been written entirely by me, except for the collaboration of Alejandro (Fung, bassist) in “Sweet Chants Of Death” and the old members in “The Tempest“. Regarding the music, all that was written by the rest of the band.
I haven’t been able to listen to the other five songs on the new album yet, so what can you tell us about them? Especially the last one, title track “Tides Of Insanity” with its five subchapters, fascinates me a lot.
In this album, in addition to the singles already released, we will find orchestral interludes, an instrumental track, a ballad and a 20-minute track to close the album. The ballad is not about typical love as we know it, but about another kind of love that should also be kept in mind and that we did not want to leave forgotten. The last song narrates the last part of the journey on the ship, how after surviving a storm and other creatures, everything can become even more difficult but you have to continue if you want to reach your goal… or at least survive.
The cover art was drawn by Spanish illustrator and concept artist Martin de Diego. How long did it take him to finish the drawing and what the hell is that thing waiting below sea level :-P?
Beyond the deep, a strange power sleeps… or not, hahahaha. Some sailors call it a giant squid, other religious people Leviathan, other adventurers Kraken. We call it a creature, because we want the listener to imagine himself on the ship and decide which beast he is going to face. The illustration process took more than half a year and several attempts to achieve the result that convinced us to represent the story in the artwork.
Are AGAINST MYSELF and your label On Fire Records going to promote the new album in Spain only or will we see you in other European countries as well?
On Fire Records works in Spain and Latin America at the moment, but we would be happy to play outside Spain if the opportunity arises. It’s all a matter of time and if there is a possibility.
Besides AGAINST MYSELF, you are also the front woman for Selenia and Unliving Sin. Any news from that front? Or perhaps a tour with Mägo de Oz?
Selenia is my solo project. I am currently working on an album for this project with the collaboration of my dear musician friends. We are making music and making progress, but mostly experimenting with compositions and trying to improve as artists. On the other hand, Unliving Sin is inactive indefinitely due to the lives and other projects of all the members. At the moment there will be no news or movement from that band. Regarding Mägo de Oz, it has been a pleasure for me to collaborate with them on their last tour due to the illness of their singer. In case of singing with them again, it will be announced as soon as it is official. As a surprise to accompany the release of our album, I have the enormous honor of participating in the new album by the band Saurom, also Spanish and also very big in the world of folk metal. I sincerely hope that the song with them will be liked as well as our new work.
Thank you very much for your time and interest! A big hug!
WEBSITE: https://www.against-myself.com/home
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/againstmyselfofficial