Aevum
Interview conducted February 24, 2021
By Dan Locke
The Italian band Aevum is currently working on new songs for the DarkTunes Label, and all new material will be recorded as soon as possible following the evolution of the pandemic situation. “Multiverse”, the last album, realized in March 2020 for Darktunes has received many good comments and it represents a new step further for the band.
What is your upbringing?
All the Aevum members had a different upbringing, someone studied classic music and then discover the metal scene, and others started directly studying their own instruments influenced by rock, blues, and metal music… But we think that it’s good to have different approaches when you play music, especially inside a band.
How did you discover music?
Today we discover music through streaming platforms and social media, but several years ago there were fewer opportunities to listen and discover new songs. MTV was a good way, then the radios and the music magazines were the most important sources. Usually, the best tips came from your friends…. but right now, as we have already said everything has changed.
How did you start to write music?
It’s something that came up naturally when you play music, not for all musicians but for most of them. You just start to improvise and sometimes you can feel that what you are playing and creating sounds good. And this is really exciting
Describe your music.
Hard question. It’s always difficult to define ourselves and it’s easier to let other people to do the job. Well. We started influenced by a classic old fashion gothic style and after a while we quickly evolved to a new modern sound, introducing electro and many other influences. Right now, we are looking for a solid and strong sound, something that is less common in the female metal field. We are sure that with our next album we will totally get this goal
How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
Well, no all the Aevum members got a hehe guitarists start really young and yes… they still have their first guitar
What is your guitar of choice now? Year, make and model?
Our guitarists they use normally an Esp and on stage an Esp ltd
What was your first performance at like?
It was a long, long time ago. But it was beautiful. You never forget the first time, right? We were just at the beginning, with many things to improve and to learn, but we were full of energies and hope for the future.
What makes a good songwriter?
When he is able to induce emotions through his songs
What is the process of writing your music?
Everything starts with an idea, then we build the structure and then we fulfill the sound with all the details, arrangements and vocals etc…
How did your band form?
We were young, so excited to play some metal music. And we started. Just like this, no goals in our mind, and we started in a small rehearsal room and after years of work, looking for a stable line up we were able to set up finally something good.
Is it to have 8 people to work together on music?
It’s not easy, so it’s better to start with a precise idea and then everybody can have a role and suggest or propose something.
How did you get your bands name?
Well, we wanted a Latin word linked to a gothic atmosphere, and the word “aevum” with this complex meaning was the perfect match for us.
Your band has been around since 2008. How has your music change?
It changed a lot, we started in 2008 looking for a classic gothic metal sound (Tristania, Therion, etc)..and we kept this sound till our first album (Impressions). Impressions were made by songs with huge structures and intense atmospheres but at the same time, we started also to fulfill our songs with many other influences from another kind of music (electro, jazz, etc). Then for our second album, we wanted a more powerful sound and we cut the structure of the song to a more common way. For our 3rd album, we wanted something more modern and aggressive, able to catch immediately the listeners attention. And now we are working on something darker, crazier, and aggressive.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
Yeah, in Italy we have an association called SIAE
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
Our First song is “The Inquisition” and it was recorded in our first EP in 2008, and now is quite difficult to find it. So, it’s a rare piece for collector
Tell me about 2020 Dark Tunes?
Proud to belong to the DarkTunes Roster. DarkTunes is a young label that reached important goals for metal and dark wave music. There are many good bands inside this roster, and their official Youtube channel just reached 100K followers some months ago. Then Darktunes is very active where is important to be present today. On social media. So, we are thrilled to continue the work with them.
Multiverse- DC or Marvel? Both have multiverses.
Ahah…hard to say…we are fan of many characters so we would say both
How fun was it to make the video for The Time Machine?
Ahah, it was really, really funny. We wanted to bring to the audience something different. Usually, the metalheads want to depict themselves in a too much serious way. Our idea it was that we can be funny and enjoy life also as metalheads. Then the travel through time, the different historical outfits and the dances we did were really funny, and we enjoyed a lot the making of.
What is your favorite track on your album?
It’s hard to tell you…for sure the singles we realized long the years (Tair, The Elements, The Time Machine) are the most effective songs for many reasons, but there are also other songs that we really like to perform on stage because they express strong feelings
How is the new album coming?
Ah..we are so proud about the new songs, another step forward. The new album will be a further evolution of our sound, starting from our last album Multiverse we will reach a darker, more aggressive and more electro sound. But it will be always crazy and unusual like we are
How do you stay healthy while performing?
Training is the key to stay healthy.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
Streaming is the evolution of music today, you have just to embrace the evolution and prepare yourself for the future. Sure, we all were used to listen to the albums. Now is more focused on playlists, and so singles and that’s all. You have to be more effective and it’s hard to grab the attention of the listeners. But this is the market, and we have to play with its rules.
The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, [ or (in North American usage) pound sign. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag.
Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?
Unfortunately, yes, but we are happy to belong to a sort of Elite that still know what this symbol means too
Digital vs. vinyl?
Both…we like the old fashion Vinyl sound. But it would be not wise to refuse the progress and the new modern sound that we achieved through the digital
Both (Pfizer and BioNTech) and Moderna have conclude Phase 3 Study of the Coronavirus vaccine. With the both vaccines, it takes two shots. How many people do you think will take it and how many will forget to take the second shot?
We don’t know but we hope to go back soon to a normal life thank to the vaccine
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
One year ago, the first gigs were canceled in Europe due to the covid, so Yes, the Covid killed the live scene, but like the phoenix, we hope that a new scene from the ashes will be born. In our opinion, the music business will be different after the covid, new opportunities will come and a new world will be on.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
It was a weird period for everybody but we survived well and now we are just eager to go back on stage
How is it to use Twitch?
It’s a new tool for the bands, a new wave to get in touch with your followers, to show a different and more personal side of you. So, it’s a good opportunity. Our label Darktunes is working on, and his Twitch channel is growing really fast.
Why all the Xmas videos?
Lol…it’s a sort of tradition for us… we started in 2013 and we still continue to make every year a new funny Xmas video. Like for “The Time Machine”, we wanted to show that also a serious metal band can laugh, and have funny moments. Xmas it was a good occasion to do something different and borderline ..so..this is how is born
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
It was a good occasion to play our instruments and practice more than usual
95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?
No favourite streaming channels
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will include [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
Facebook has changed many times his policies during its life and this time won’t be the last one.. for sure there will be an impact on users.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
The pandemic was a good occasion to change and evolve the approach for bands with their followers. Social media give us the opportunity to stay in contact and find different ways to promote our self, also in a more private and personal way
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
Why not? we mean…for us it would be unuseful to try to stop the evolution of the society and of the technologies. Maybe ten or fifteen years ago it would have been weird to think to be delivered at home with food, now is more and more common. So maybe Holographic concerts will be a new way to bring directly the music wherever you are. Then, you miss a special atmosphere to be in the crowd, to feel the energy of the audience, to go and wait to see your favorite artist on stage. But as we told before..we can’t judge the evolution of the society..we can just embrace it
In the past if a musician stop doing music, they find a new career. For example, David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants. If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?
Actually, we never had the chance to do just music in our life, all of us already have a principal job..like 85% of the members of all metal bands in the world. But we are artists and we like to do always something related to the arts
What is your happy place?
Each of us could give you a different place but our common answer it would be just one..to be on Stage
Spotify just deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists. Was your saved?
Yes, we are saved, we belong to an important label like Darktunes, then we are lucky to have a good amount of followers and monthly listeners, not huge numbers but big enough to be saved. All the music deleted belonged to artists that didn’t have streams at all.
Sony Music in November and Warner Music Group in December, The ByteDance-owned video app revealed on (February 8) that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?
TikTok is an important tool to stay connected with the new generations. We tried in the past but we didn’t’ spend enough time. Maybe in the future, we will retry
Danny Wimmer Presents just announced their 2021 Festival Calendar: Which includes the following live shows:
DWP Partners With Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival For July 23-25 Event In Mansfield, OH
Louder Than Life Set For September 23-26 With Newly Added Thursday Night Celebration In Louisville, KY
Welcome To Rockville Expands To 4 Days And Shifts From Spring To November 11-14 In Daytona Beach, FL
Aftershock Set For October 7-10 In Sacramento, CA, Almost Sold Out
Would you be willing to play these shows and what precautions would you like to have in place?
Actually, we are eager to return on stage and it would be already wonderful to play in our own country. There is just one solution to return to a normal life. And this is to get the herd immunity through the vaccine process. so, we hope as soon as possible.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
We would like you to thank you first for this beautiful interview and we want also to thank all the supporters and ask to continue to support us on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, following us, liking our post and sharing our music all around the world.
