Interview with:
Neo
Guitarist and founder of the French gothic band Penumbra
Guitarist and founder of the French gothic band Penumbra
There have been many line up changes in the band but Neo starts to
talk about the new record. He is a very open minded person and easy to
talk with. On the garret of ‘Ekko’ there is a good atmosphere. Now and
then he needs time to translate his thoughts into English, but he tries
and it is admirable that he still has the power to go on.
,, When
‘Seclusion’ (2003) was released, we had problems in the band, because
the studio wasn’t available and our guitarist Dorian and singer Kyrsten
had left us. We no longer wanted her to sing on the upcoming album. She
didn’t have the sound that we wanted to put on the album. Dominan was a
musician who had other ideas about the music: there were conflicts. It
wasn’t where he was looking for.”
He takes a drink of water and with a serious tone he continues:
,,Of course it takes a lot of time to get yourself together. We were all a bit down, because Dorian was one of the founders of the band. We spent a lot of time asking ourselves: can we go further? We found a new guitarist and a new singer. Then we started to once again believe in Penumbra. We needed an entire year to think about this, without playing.”
,,Of course it takes a lot of time to get yourself together. We were all a bit down, because Dorian was one of the founders of the band. We spent a lot of time asking ourselves: can we go further? We found a new guitarist and a new singer. Then we started to once again believe in Penumbra. We needed an entire year to think about this, without playing.”
Was it hard to sit down and work out how to go on?
,,It was difficult, because we were really happy about the Seclusion album. The morale wasn’t good, because good friends told us that what we made wasn’t good.”
,,It was difficult, because we were really happy about the Seclusion album. The morale wasn’t good, because good friends told us that what we made wasn’t good.”
When people hear the new album will they think this is a totally new sound for Penumbra?
,,Yes it is more catchy and with more arrangements. We have definitely changed our style. For me it is a very good album. I really like it!” He starts to laugh: ,,I enjoy playing it and there are good songs on it. Tonight you will see: it is very powerful."
,,Yes it is more catchy and with more arrangements. We have definitely changed our style. For me it is a very good album. I really like it!” He starts to laugh: ,,I enjoy playing it and there are good songs on it. Tonight you will see: it is very powerful."
Then he goes further with the story: ,,That
is why we spent so much time before we could enter the stage again.
Also we are not going to release an album for the moment, because I
first want to play more ‘Seclusion’ on stage. We didn’t have the
opportunity to do that. I want to play it for two years before I will
make a new album. I want to take enough time to believe in ourselves
again. We are growing up, that’s ok: we have a good structure now. I am
really hopeful for the future."
The recording process of Seclusion wasn’t easy and he smiles when he says this. ,,We
are now starting to compose new songs for the next album. We spent one
year on the last record. That is why I said two years: one to take the
time, because there are new members. We need to know exactly how we
want Penumbra to sound. Of course a new member doesn’t know how the
band sounds. We are working on it. And two to play the songs live.”
Gothic scene
Penumbra has arisen from the ashes and have an album that shows that they can grow further. ,,I don’t feel ashamed when I compare it with bands like Epica. It has the quality and dimension to go further.”
Penumbra has arisen from the ashes and have an album that shows that they can grow further. ,,I don’t feel ashamed when I compare it with bands like Epica. It has the quality and dimension to go further.”
With all the bands coming up in the gothic scene it can be difficult to be noticed, but Neo isn’t afraid of that:
,,It isn’t that hard in the gothic scene. Of course there are the big names who are touring a lot. I also see more people who like the music. There is Nightwish: untouchable, then there is After Forever a little bit, but there are many who are so talented.
When we talk about the French scene: that doesn’t work at all. We have a good fanbase in the Netherlands, but in France there is no interest for this kind of music. There is in Mexico and a bit in Germany. I really want to play there, but we don’t have the contacts.”
Since January the
band has played a lot. One of the gigs was at the Wave Gothic Treffen
in Germany. They also toured with Epica and played at the
Eurosonic festival. ,,That festival was amazing. We played with admirable bands such as Moonspell. They were an inspiration to us in the past.”
Now
I am curious about the Penumbra’s influences. With the choirs, the
vocals and the instruments they have their own sound. Neo is willing to
reply: ,,There are a lot of influences. We are trying to let the new
musicians express themselves and contribute to the sound. We don’t want
to say: ‘Ok you have to do the same as the other members.’ So there are
always new ideas. The main writers are the singer and the
keyboardplayer. The bassist and myself write the structure of
the songs. After that the new members can add things.”
Music
,, I am a sound engineer so I have the chance to do it live. I work with a lot of bands, so I know a lot of musicians. That is why you hear new elements in our music. I pick up something from musicians who play flutes, violins and everything. So I bring these influences to Penumbra to add little things in the songs. It is not much, just little arrangements."
,, I am a sound engineer so I have the chance to do it live. I work with a lot of bands, so I know a lot of musicians. That is why you hear new elements in our music. I pick up something from musicians who play flutes, violins and everything. So I bring these influences to Penumbra to add little things in the songs. It is not much, just little arrangements."
Enthusiastically he starts to tell how Penumbra writes their songs: ,,We
start with the structure of a song: with guitar, bass and drums. After
that we say: the main singer here in the music, the choir there, the
bagpipes here and then we put everything together. We have to plan it to make it balance."
Past
When Penumbra released their first album ‘Eliminate’ they had a totally different sound. Are you still proud of it?
,,I am a very critical person, but I am still proud. All bands need to start and of course there were mistakes, but we learned and I think we are not ashamed by any album we have done. I am a bit ashamed about the production. Actually that is not so good. Of course it could have been done better, but we didn’t have the material. The second one was better: we are pleased to do it, because each time we are discovering new things on each album.”
When Penumbra released their first album ‘Eliminate’ they had a totally different sound. Are you still proud of it?
,,I am a very critical person, but I am still proud. All bands need to start and of course there were mistakes, but we learned and I think we are not ashamed by any album we have done. I am a bit ashamed about the production. Actually that is not so good. Of course it could have been done better, but we didn’t have the material. The second one was better: we are pleased to do it, because each time we are discovering new things on each album.”
Choir
“We try add new things: at the moment I have ideas with Arabian music from the East. I think we will do more with it on the new album. When you hear the ‘Seclusion’ album the first song is the introduction and you hear Eastern influences, but also we still love the choir. When we have the money we would like to go on stage with them. It is huge when you hear the choir and to write it. You have to write all those lines when I compose the melody for the choir. You have to think about the organisation: what kind of voices you want to use, so it is always a big project. It takes a lot of time to do it correctly.“
“We try add new things: at the moment I have ideas with Arabian music from the East. I think we will do more with it on the new album. When you hear the ‘Seclusion’ album the first song is the introduction and you hear Eastern influences, but also we still love the choir. When we have the money we would like to go on stage with them. It is huge when you hear the choir and to write it. You have to write all those lines when I compose the melody for the choir. You have to think about the organisation: what kind of voices you want to use, so it is always a big project. It takes a lot of time to do it correctly.“
Neo speaks with an enthusiasm and passion when talking about composing.
,,That is why I admire Nigtwish, because with their last album ‘Once’ they have done amazing things. The composing with all the orchestra, really mature. Composing takes a lot of time: we need the inspiration and we need the rest. I lock myself up with some other members in our room with a computer. We record our ideas and send it to the others. When we have the structure I then add all the arrangements: the vocals and choir.
,,That is why I admire Nigtwish, because with their last album ‘Once’ they have done amazing things. The composing with all the orchestra, really mature. Composing takes a lot of time: we need the inspiration and we need the rest. I lock myself up with some other members in our room with a computer. We record our ideas and send it to the others. When we have the structure I then add all the arrangements: the vocals and choir.
For the founder of Penumbra it is hard to
describe what he has in his mind when he gets an idea: ,,Most of the
time I hear the band in my head. I try to produce what I hear by each
member. After that I think about how Penumbra would have done it and
change things. There are a lot of melodies in my head from all kinds of
music. For myself I like the beat of Rammstein – he knocks with his
hand on the table – I think you can hear that a little bit on the last
album: some catchy arrangements.”
Vocals
On the last album Penumbra don’t use the classical high vocals, but a female vocalist Anita Covelli who has a strong low voice. She also appears on their first record.
On the last album Penumbra don’t use the classical high vocals, but a female vocalist Anita Covelli who has a strong low voice. She also appears on their first record.
Was it a choice to use a different kind of vocals?
,,She has a beautiful timbre. She had also sung on two songs on the ‘Last Bewitchment’ and we decided to ask her to participate on the new album. The new singer is more lyrical. We are looking for someone who can do it perfectly. It is difficult to find someone. We had a lot of singers, why? Because we never find the one that we wanted to have… and that is almost impossible. For example Sharon from Within Temptation: she is beautiful, kind, always smiling and has a beautiful voice.
,,She has a beautiful timbre. She had also sung on two songs on the ‘Last Bewitchment’ and we decided to ask her to participate on the new album. The new singer is more lyrical. We are looking for someone who can do it perfectly. It is difficult to find someone. We had a lot of singers, why? Because we never find the one that we wanted to have… and that is almost impossible. For example Sharon from Within Temptation: she is beautiful, kind, always smiling and has a beautiful voice.
Kyrsten
was a good singer, but she has a difficult character. So we decided to
stop working with her. We only want to play and have fun. A lot of
women don’t understand that. When they are on stage then she is the
leader, but they are not the real leader of the band. So we try to find
someone who understand that all.”
What is the real Penumbra sound?
,,It is more catchy with the choirs, but it is difficult to say. It is the ‘Seclusion’ album: the strong guitars. For the new album we changed that: more simple, straight guitar lines. It is really tough to play heavy lines with both guitars, but for the moment I don’t know if we will keep that. I can guarantee that the continuation of ‘Seclusion’ will be our sound in the future.”
,,It is more catchy with the choirs, but it is difficult to say. It is the ‘Seclusion’ album: the strong guitars. For the new album we changed that: more simple, straight guitar lines. It is really tough to play heavy lines with both guitars, but for the moment I don’t know if we will keep that. I can guarantee that the continuation of ‘Seclusion’ will be our sound in the future.”
So it is a real
new start? ,, I think so. The ‘Last Bewitchment’ was for example also a
great record, but with a different sound. We are not that romantic
anymore, but more catchy now.” It is for sure that we will hear more about this french band in the future.
Copyright Pictures: Linda Aarts and Sander Brugman.
You may not use their pictures without contact them.
I want to thank Penumbra and Sabiene from Season of Mist.
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