rockyourlyricsHow do you usually write the lyrics of your songs?
Federica: When I came into the band in 2011 most of “Enlighten” lyrics were already written, except for few songs like Devil’s cave, Enlighten, December Flower and The promise inside.
Federico wrote the melody for all the vocal tracks, and I just wrote what the music inspired me in accordance with the vocal melodies.
We have made a beautiful team work for the new album, and I think the lyrics are really well made.
Federico gave me the guide lines for the development of the story of Alba, and the main theme of each song. I remember we had really long talks about the meaning of the songs and I tried to draw fully from my personal life and experiences.
It was a huge work of introspection.
Federico and Dino, our sound designer, also gave me indications about the better choices for syllables (strong, sweet ecc..) and metrics.
So I wrote the first writing of the lyrics and we corrected them together again and again in order to find the perfect ones.
What is the best verse you ever wrote?
Federica: There are a lot of beautiful lyrics in Alba, and there is a lot of work behind them;”My Temptation”, “Forgiveness”, “Across the sea”, “Alba”… they all have really strong and touching lyrics; but I want to be predictable:
“Too many times I’ve been caged by the promise inside” (by The promise Inside)
It’s not the best but it’s probably the one I love most, because it’s taken from our very first single and also because well it’s really heart-felt: it’s really hard for me to say“goodbye”.
Even if it hurts I try to hold on and it not always right. Sometimes love, affection, devotion (not only to someone but also to something) can become cages, and it scares me.
And the one of your favorite song (not written by you)?
Federico: I have a lot of favorite quotes but I can write down one I really like from the last album by Katatonia
“For every dream that is left behind me
I take a bow
With every war that will rage inside me
I hear the sound
Of another day in this vanishing life
Returned to dust
And every chance I’ve pushed away
Into the night” – Katatonia – Old Heart Falls
Can you tell us more about the song “Where The Light is Bleeding”?
Federico: Where The light is Bleeding was the first song I composed and wrote for Alba and it represent a good passage between Enlgihten and this new album.
The song is structured in 2 main parts: the first one where we are talking about a dark “world” surround us and we have a lot of questions about ourselves: “The bleeding darkness in me is tying my feet and I can’t go on I’m lost in the deep”.
Then the second part where something is changing, the music changes and shows more hope: “feeling the light and trusting It’s not all in vain, by now A burning fire is growing and warming my mind”.
This songs talks about the moment in your life you can’t see anything else then your problems and all bad things, but something happened to you and shows you a new way.
You don’t understand it, but you have a flash of inspiration and you start to follow it.
What inspired “My temptation”?
Federico: I think the most important word in My Temptation is “Obsession”: everything in this song is around this word from music to lyrics and it is word that inspired that song.
My temptation talks about the moment of your life you have to make a choice and you have to choose a path: one is the right one but it is the hardest and the second one, deep in your hearth, you know it is wrong but at the same time you are attracted to it.
So in fact I choose to compose the choir part, at the end of the songs, female voices and male voices are in counterpoint where female choir (that represent the Temptation) invites to follow and the “wrong” path, and the male voice (that represent the Consciousness) are trying to keep you on the right path.
At the end a solo cello will play the melody of female choir.
You new album “Alba” will be released at the beginning of November, is there a link that connects all the songs lyrically speaking?
Federica: Yes there is! It was a Federico’s idea: the new album is a real concept based on the story of our protagonist, Alba (which means “Dawn” in Italian) who has to go through the darkness in order to reach the Sun and give it back to the world.
Our single “Fire & Ice” is its prologue!
So in “Alba” each song can be releated to the other in a bigger drawing but you can also consider them individually.
Of course there is a strong metaphorical meaning behind Alba’s route and this gave us the opportunity to face really profound matters and deep feelings;
Federico: No, there is not real connection. I love november, its amazing colors and the cold wether, but there is no a real connection with lyrics.
I think at the end a good period that could be connected to Alba could be February because it is winter time but it is close to the spring and this album at the end is looking forward to the light, passing by the darkness, the winter.
Do you remember the day you wrote “Across the sea”?
Federica: As we did for all the other lyrics, we discussed a lot before I made the first writing, and when I wrote it, it was special.
It all came naturally. We had a title (cause “Across the sea” was already the title of the instrumental version of the song), and the clear image of Alba, exhausted, sailing lost and lonely in the sea of her remorses.
I felt exactly like her (I am sure we all did once in a lifetime); I know how hard it is to realize that you got wrong.
I thought to combine the idea of sailing with this kind of Queen’s downfall; then I only had to “feel” and start writing.
There are a lot of metaphors in “Alba” about water, sailing, drowning; “Across the sea” is one of the most indicative in this way. While Enlighten has a lot of metaphors about flying and wings, and height, for “Alba” we wanted to find something which could express the idea of depth.
Water images are always connected with our unconscious and deep emotions so they fit perfectly with “Across the sea” themes.
Federico: Across the sea represent the moment after you made a wrong choice and you realize it.
It is an intimate song written for string quartet and piano, just to give more importance to this moment with yourself.
I don’t remember the day I wrote it, because it needed more than a day, but the period when the song was born.
I had really dark days because a lot of big and unexpected changes in my life were happening so I think I feel really close to this song and what it represent.
What does music mean to you?
Federica: living among human beings is not easy, communication is not easy, and a lot of time people fight because they don’t understand each other; music can create the perfect kind of communication.
When I listen to music and also when I play music, I forget my weaknesses, my limits, my sense of inadequacy.
When I sing I am nothing but a voice, a vehicle of pure emotions.
There’s no misunderstanding.
It’s a perfect circle of “giving” and “receiving” and I feel part of it even if I am so far from being perfect.
What makes you happy in life?
Federico: Music is makes me happy.
Writing music and producing music is my daily job, but at the same time is my confort zone, my safe place.
When things are going bad or not in the direction I want, music makes everything better.
So yes, it is my safe place
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