I had to take a little break from the album project to prepare for a small tour of Finland, which took place from 3-5 July. On one hand, live performances serve as distractions, but they also remind you that the music you compose means a lot to people, and that it has the ability to bring magic into people’s lives, as well as my own. In that sense, these ‘distractions’ become an essential motivator for the creative process.
I did perform one of the new songs at the shows in Finland, and I believe it went down very well. The lyrics are particularly intimate, in that they deal with my own inner struggle between ‘becoming’ and ‘being’; the urge to strive for more (success, accolade, experience) versus enjoying what I’ve achieved and the wonderful things I have in my life (not least the love and pride of my wife and children).
But now is not the time to halt the process of ‘becoming’. That may be an indulgence for later on. For the next few months I have lots to achieve: A few weeks left to finish demo’ing the songs, then a few weeks of recording, then the mixing and finalising process. And whilst all of that is happening, I must gather the artwork and ‘band’ (me) photos.
Finally, I am now able to reveal the first guest involvement: Thomas Helm of Empyrium, Noekk, Ortnit, Athelas. Those of you familiar with Empyrium or Noekk’s music will know that Thomas has one of the finest voices, especially in the realm of dark, romantic, neo-classical music. Having been a big Empyrium fan for over 25 years, and discovering that Thomas is a Wolcensmen fan, it is my honour to have his assistance on the upcoming album.
Photo by Scarlet Memory Photography