"All About The Album - 15 Questions" - the Q&A section at the RockUnited site where any recording artist with recently released CD is confronted with the 'album'  questions (15 of them, duh!). If you'd like to have your material here, email: urban "at" rockunited.com (simply replace "at" with your standard @ )

BLUE SKIES BRING TEARS: "Anomaly"

BLUE SKIES BRING TEARS, Swedish Metal act signed to SuperNova/Scandinavia and they are certainly the pride and joy of any local rocker out of Västervik!!!! Yes sir indeed, they've been messing about and around the Swedish metal scene for the past six, seven years or so (when they first recorded their demo). I believe that four songs from that very first demo survived the trip and are still with us on "Anomaly". Have a go at this if you're into the slightly "down" and Gothic attitude of acts such as Sentenced, Charon, Katatonia and why not HIM?? Tons of influences from Finland in other words. Find out more about the Swedish act and their album... read on!

How has the reaction to your latest CD been?

Overall we have received positive reactions, even if our type of music isn't in high demand.

How long did this CD take to make from start to finish, recording-wise?

We spent roughly eight days recording all the instruments, the vocals required an additional five days.

What kind of 'sound', production wise, did you have in the back of your mind, prior to entering the studio?

We knew going into the studio that we needed to improve on atmosphere. Having rehearsed the songs prior and without keyboards and piano we felt the album was lacking in dimension. We opted for a mix between heavy, pressing guitars, distinct bass and open, airy keyboards. Also, having played the piano, Nick replaced some parts previously played with the guitar with piano to add some clarity to what would otherwise have been a quite bland and fuzzy mix

What kind of input did the producer have during the process?

He had many ideas on how to improve on our sound and was key to finding the right sound. He also presented many ideas surrounding delay effects and drum samples. Those kind of ideas that donÂ’t make or break a song, but add just the right amount of feel.

And are you pleased with the final outcome? (sound - production wise)

Very much so. We had expectations, and they were definitely met.

Did the producer (you) use any (weird) experimental miking and/or recording techniques?

No. ItÂ’s all pretty much from the book. Time and money was a factor and we felt it. was better to play it safe on that part and just focus on making sure the music was delivered the way we wanted it.

How did you go on about capturing your 'live sound' in the studio, or perhaps you didn't

All instruments were recorded individually, however - unlike in most studios the instruments were recorded in what used to be a living room. This has given us a more spacious sound that, while it might not sound as tight, adds to the atmosphere of the album. We have worked more with layers on the album compared to what we can do live. Being short a keyboard player in the band we needed to work more with keyboards and pianos to add warmth to what would otherwise be a very monotonous and chilly mix of heavy guitars.

Please inform us about your favourite songs and lyrical highlights and why?

"Depravation" is a bit of a favorite. For many reasons. It's a song that came very naturally for everyone. Taking Nick only 10-15 minutes to write at home, music and lyrics, and some 30-40 minutes to pretty much finish it up in the rehearsal room. Processes like that are rare and it's always enjoyable when it turns out well. There's a long instrumental passage in the song "Constancy" that tends to induce goose bumps quite often too.

Any overall theme of mood that you're trying to capture while writing songs?

The melancholy of life and how overwhelming some events can be. ThereÂ’s no overall theme to the album though, it ranges from songs about resignation and despair to love gone bad, but weÂ’d like to believe it also hints at dragging yourself through the difficult times no matter what.

Does your vision for coming up with music get affected at all by time?

Not much. Obviously we continuously strive to improve and expand on our sound, but we like what we have going and try to keep the basics intact. Lyrically though, basing most of our lyrics on life events the lyrics have changed in the songs written since this album.

Did the record company interfere with anything on your "sound" and songs?

No. I think signing us they knew what they were getting into. The album has the obvious "hit" and aside from that it doesn't really give many opportunities for pushing commercial appeal.

Are there any 'crazy' behind the scenes anecdotes from these sessions that you can share with us?

While recording we spent a few nights at a hostel that was housed in what used to be an insane asylum. Psych ward rooms aside it wasn't as bad is it might seem. We did however almost set the place on fire when a mattress was unintentionally left too close to an electric radiator. Luckily we came back in time and aside from a singed, smelly mattress the room was ok. There was also an incident with metal rimmed plates in the microwave...

How would you describe the sound of your new CD to any potential new fan?

I would say the album works best for those who are willing to give the music a few listens before deciding whether it’s good or not. The songs are generally built on simple structures but are layered with many guitars and keyboards, mixing heavy guitar work that expands into vast open soundscapes. So in that aspect it’s also a CD you can put on at home and let the music play on its own.

Who are your influences and heroes? (music-wise)

We are quite diverse when it comes to musical influences. Christian and Andreas started out mainly with stuff like Metallica. NickÂ’s favorite band back in the day was Smashing Pumpkins. Since then we have musical heroes ranging from Tori Amos and Swedish band Kent to Dark Tranquility and Dir en Grey. Influences that can be heard in the music would be Finnish rock/metal bands like Sentenced and Poison Black, perhaps a bit of HIM. Katatonia is a common comparison as well. WeÂ’d like to think our music stands on its own, somewhere in between what has already been done by others.

If there's anything you'd like to add, say, please do:

Check out our album and add us on Facebook!
Sincerely,
Blue Skies Bring Tears

Interview by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom,
Photos from the band's website www.blueskiesbringtears.com
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