Hanna Tsepesh: Hola (Hello in Spanish) Diego! Thanks so much for accepting this interview! For those who do not know Esenia could tell us a little how it all started?
Diego: Olá (Hello in Portuguese)! Thank you for contacting us. Esenia started, well, the idea of Esenia started in a gloomy after-hour bar when Seo (the bass-player) come to me and ask me if I was interested forming some kind of gothic-metal-band, I said yes and in a couple of weeks we got the first line-up of Esenia including some of the musicians Seo had in mind. That was almost five years in the past. The name of Esenia come when I talk to the other guys about the esenian sect, and I told them that esenian people call themselves "sons of the light" so I think that was a great name to six crazy dark-lovers, because only if you walk across the path of the dark you can find a final light. They agree.
Hanna Tsepesh: What are the inspirations to create the lyrics for Esenia?
Diego: I try to focus on the feelings and human emotions we all have when I'm writing the lyrics. I think that when you're talking about your emotions, love, anger, fear, whatever... if you do it properly, using the voice as a vehicle, you should be able to touch another human who is listening you beyond words, because, in my opinion, music and melodies are a biggest language beyond the words. Once we decided at the beginning of the band that we were going to talk about these emotions, I find in Spanish the perfect way to express myself because the first time I said "I love you" I do it in my mother language. Anyway in the past we made own songs and covers in English and maybe in the future I'll try using it.
Hanna Tsepesh: cool! What are your favorite bands? You have any singer that you admire the most?
Diego: This always is one of the hardest questions you can ever make to a music lover. My favorite bands would be from The Doors to Scar Simmetry passing through: Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Cult, attitude bands like Mötley Crü, Billy Idol... early darkwave like: Bauhaus (Peter Murphy!), Rosetta Stone, Sisters of Mercy... Tool, Filter, A Perfect Circle and even bands like: Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, NIN. Finnish influences: HIM, the 69 Eyes, Sentenced, and Entwine. I don't know, maybe the answer would be I get several favorite songs from many great bands.
About singers, well I love the power on the stage of Bruce Dickinson, the voice of Peter Murphy, the attitude of Johnny Cash, the poetry of Leonard Cohen, the make-up of Jyrki69, but if I have to choose one person who could mix a lot of those attributes, this person would be the king, Elvis.
Hanna Tsepesh: I would like to know if you had or have any singing lessons or any other preparation? You have a great voice!
Diego: Beers and Cigarettes my dear. You're so polite about my voice; I'm only trying to do my best when we are on stage or at the studio. I've never take lessons but this is one of my pending tasks. Maybe one day...
Hanna Tsepesh: Esenia have a new EP call “Noviembre”. I liked a lot, special Noviembre and La Celda songs. Very beautiful songs and melodies! For people who don’t listen yet can you talk about “Noviembre” and what the band want to accomplish with this new EP?
Diego: Sure. Noviembre is the first EP record we made under our new label Silent Tree Productions. For us, the important goal was the sound because when we record our previous albums we were not happy at all with the result, so this was the time to take care about it. In Noviembre you will find, in my opinion, great melodies supported by strong guitar riffs. If you like bands like Sentenced, in this EP you'll find four songs in that way so check it out!
Hanna Tsepesh: The band feels proud with the final result or you think that miss something? Everything went well at recording studio?
Diego: In many ways we feel grateful with the final result. Our young producer, Iago Lorenzo, exploited us so much at the studio, but we like that manners when we work with another person’s because that means that this person is committed with the band, becomes part of it and it was very helpful to guide our ideas recording it. We decided too that the mastering was a great deal so we confide this important task to one of the world best engineers to our kind of music, Mika Jussila at Finnvox (Finland). All the songs were recorded at night in Metropolis studios here in Vigo. The sessions started at 1:00 am and finished just in time to return to our jobs, this may be painful to many people but for our vampire instincts was great. We feel so happy with the result and as soon as possible we'll repeat with our new LP, maybe at the ending of this year.
Hanna Tsepesh: The EP cover is very interesting… Can you explain to us little bit about the concept? Who is the person behind this work? You think the cover transmit what “Noviembre” are?
Diego: Well, the cover-art is responsibility of our guitar player Adrián, as all the visual stuff of the band. I talk to him when the lyrics were already finished and I tried to transmit the ideas to the cover. Basically the idea was the corrupted love in which things turn off when a relationship ends, that’s why the girl with the mask. The landscape of the forest represents the fall, the idea of November, the ending. I think he did a great job.
Hanna Tsepesh: How has the response been to the EP by the media and fans?
Diego: Maybe it's too early to know about the response because the EP is reaching the stores by now. Anyway, the fans that listened the songs at our website or watching the new video-clip of Noviembre said that they like the new stuff, they think we're reaching a new level in our career, so that’s cool and help us knowing that this music we love is respected even in a country like Spain.
About the media, we are noticing that international webzines like yours are being the first contacting us, as I said, Spain is not a country with a mainstream support to this kind of sounds, although the songs were singed in Spanish. Well, we got time to see what happen.
Hanna Tsepesh: If one of our readers wants to buy your EP safely, what they can do?
Diego: Here, in Spain you can find the record in many music stores like Fnac and in other malls like El Corte Inglés, but I don't really know about all the sell points, I only know that Silent Tree is contacting with their distribution chain in our country and with their international partners. But you can also get your copy from the webstore of the band or via paypal.
Hanna Tsepesh: what is your favorite music in this EP and why?
Diego: I coincide with you; my favorites are Noviembre and La Celda. Noviembre because is easy-listening, it was also easy composing and is a great opening and single. La Celda (The Celd) has oppressive passages and beautiful melodies in contrast with potent drums and riffs, I think is one of the songs most shocking to the band and in many shows we try to open with it, is like a statement of what you going to see and hear.
The other two songs: En el Desierto and Mi Redención are great songs too, many fans said they like them so much, but if I have to say one or two, my options would be the first.
Hanna Tsepesh: The band is thinking about a European tour? You guys have plains to include Portugal in your tour or something? Did you like to come?
Diego: We got an attempt on April when Silent Tree organized an international gig around France, Belgium and United Kingdom in several cities, but almost a week before taking the road we got to suspend it because our damned oppressive jobs...
Anyway, we're working in a new gig that would be from the 25th of September to 13rd of October around south and center Spain, and yes, of course, the first dates will be in Portugal.
Hanna Tsepesh: One little curiosity: How are the things about metal in your country (Spain)? It is easy for metal band to get support in there?
Diego: I have to say that in Spain we don't find many support, ok I'm joking, we don't find any support. It's a really shame to a country that claims to be part of the European Union. In matters of culture we are behind the majority countries in Europe, is like the underground people are not part of the cultural scene. We love countries like yours, it's true, because anytime’s we like to see a band we like live, and we got to move to Portugal.
Hanna Tsepesh: Wow, really?! I am very surprised…
Diego: I also have to say that in Galicia (where we live) the metal scene is far from death, here the bands are rally committed with our music and lifestyle, helping each other, in that way was born the Gallaecian Metal Compilation and the Gallaecian Metal Fest.
Hanna Tsepesh: Do you want to send any message for the people who going to read this interview and for fans out there?
Diego: I will like to thank you reaching this point. It's an honor to me talking you about our contribution to metal and rock scene, and if you like Esenia's songs you will be very welcome. Cheers and attitude friends!
Hanna Tsepesh: Thanks o much for your answers and time. THE GATES OF METAL wishes the entire band a great success with”Noviembre”! We hope to see Esenia very soon in here…
Diego: Thank you so much Hanna and all the people from THE GATES OF METAL, it will be a pleasure to meet you soon... Stay Dark!
Hanna Tsepesh: You are very welcome! Thank you and all the best for you and Esenia.
By: Hanna Tsepesh
To listen to some ESENIA music’s and for future information’s go at:
www.myspace.com/grupoesenia
www.esenia.org
