The name of the eight-member folk/metal band Avven comes from Welsh mythology, but the group itself is from Slovenia. Last year they released a new album, Kastalija, and recently completed a large European tour (they didn’t skip Slovakia 🙂 ). How it went, whether there will be another album, and other information was revealed by the singing guitarist Anam.
Hello Anam, so let’s go. What would you say about Avven to someone, who have never heard of you before?
Anam: Hello there! Well, I would most probably say that he’s been missing a lot of fun and great music. And invite him or her to check us out 🙂
I see that you finished your European tour few weeks ago. What are your feelings of it?
Anam: Well acctually it was quite a successful tour. Feelings and emotions are still present in our hearts and heads and we hope that we will return back soon as possible. It is a great pleasure for us, being on the road and presenting our music to the audience every night!
You had a session guest in this tour – violist Špela Pirnat and you thank her for the cooperation on your web. Will you continue in cooperation with her?
Anam: Špela was actually only a temporary replacement for our formal violin player Barbara, because she became newly minted mom and she had to stay at home with her young family. In that time Barbara is already back on stage with us.
Is there any chance to hear her on your next albums?
Anam: If we will need original sound of viola on our next album we will call her for sure 🙂
Besides you visited some towns also in Slovakia and Czech republic. What were the audience’s reactions?
Anam: They suprised us totally. They sent us so much energy back on stage that we still get goosebumps. We were singing in Slovenian language and that is why we were really shocked how good were reactions from the people. Some of them acctually knew the lyrics, and it was such a great support for us. It acctually felt like home… 🙂
Can you shortly describe the story about birth of Avven?
Anam: Avven was established in 2003. First there was five people playing in this band.
After that we had some line-up changes and now band consists of seven members. In 2006 we released our first album Panta Rhei. Second and most successful album Kastalija was born in 2011.
What does word Avven mean?
Anam: Well, Avven comes from celtic word „Awen“ which basicaly means inspiration. Some kind of creative power in life. It seemed appropriate for the bands name.
How does creative process of your songs look like? Who usually writes lyrics, music, arrangements?
Anam: Usually I write all the lyrics, since I also sing. On second album Kastalija our bass player ierlath wrote english lyrics for the song Tarak. Regarding music things are different. One of the member usually brings an idea to rehearsal place and then we try to complement him.
At the end we decide together if this music part works or not. Recently we started working a little bit more organised, we acctualy changed our rehearsal room into a studio with basic equipement, so we can record the ideas immediately, build the songs as it goes.
I think all of us are in some case involved within the creative process, and i consider this as a good thing for the band.
Are there any special plans for next Avven’s album? When it eventually could be published?
Anam: We have acctualy a really big and difficult plan for our next album. We will try to join two different genres into one and build some kind of a new age modern sound, but at the same time stay with our roots, which is derived and influenced also by folk music.
Many similar bands to Avven are using growling style of singing in their songs. Did you think about it? (I don’t like this style but my visitors maybe would be happy to know J J)
Anam: This was also one of the big suprises that we have discovered on our last tour. Majority of audience liked our melodic vocals. At first they thought that folk metal music can not exist without growl vocals – we showed them the opposite and they really liked it! For sure we will continue with melodic vocals. Maybe just for some parts we will use also growl vocals.
Can you tell something more about Slovenian metal scene for Slovak metal fans? (bands, concerts, interest of medias and place and status of Avven)
Anam: The biggest problem in Slovenia is that there is no interest of media for rock and metal music. Mainstream journals, radio and TV stations don’t support new age bands in this genre. There is also no underground media that would support more alternative music.
On the other side we have a lot of great bands in Slovenia. I think that our band, after releasing Kastalija and becoming more famuos in our country, has a little better status in media, but it only improved recently.
The thing we noticed is that we also get a lot of support from non-metal scene. Our music is wide, and also people who usually don’t listen to metal, sometimes like it. Speaking about concerts we have a big metal festival in Tolmin called Metalcamp and we will also perform this year!
Do you eventually plan gigs out of Europe?
Anam: Yes, of course. We would like to visit Japan and USA. I think that Japan is one of the best country to present our music. Also a lot of our CD’s went to the land of the rising sun.
What is the greatest success in existence of Avven?
Anam: Every day is a success for us, since we really love what we do. But if I have to name some special occassions, first would be the release of Kastalija and second playing in front of over 10.000 people at Congress square in Ljubljana.
What do members of Avven do in civilian life (jobs, interests, hobbies…)?
Anam: Some of us are working in companies, some are still students. We have different hobbies like sports, graphic&video design, motorbikes and others…
Could you tell us something about your musician’s beginnings?
Anam: The band started in a group of friends. We always wanted to create own music and we didn’t really understand why bands were playing covers. It was such a mystery for us! J We just started from nothing.
We didn’t knew how things are going in music bussiness, we didn’t knew how to get a gig, nothing. And we actually created some really interesting music back than. I really remember our beginnings with great pleasure and wouldn’t change anything.
Which music, albums or interprets brought you to the way of metal music?
Anam: In my opinion each of the member has his own role model. My is definitely Metallica.
What was the biggest pleasure and what was the biggest disappointment for you on the world metal scene this year?
Anam: Uhhh…difficult question. I have to say that I was really fascinated by Metallica Black tour with laser show this year. I can not remember any disappointment on metal scene this year.
OK, thank you for interview, I wish you and your band good luck and please let some message for Slovak metal fans.
Anam: Dear Slovak rock and metal fans – stay heavy and join Avven! We will come back soon to your beautiful country!
Links:
Oficial web: http://www.avven.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/avvenband?ref=ts
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