Entrevista a Gwydion: 'Es nuestro trabajo poner a Portugal en el mapa con respecto a la escena metal.'
junio 09, 2021
Gwydion es una banda de nuestro paĆs vecino Portugal, y que vienen haciendo un folk/viking metal con tintes sinfĆ³nicos. Ahora cumplen la friolera de 25 aƱos en activo y lo han querido celebrar con la salida de su quinto Ć”lbum de nombre homĆ³nimo (puedes leer la reseƱa aquĆ)
No perdimos la oportunidad de hablar con Daniel CĆ©sar, teclista de la banda que amablemente nos atendiĆ³.
ESP.
Muchas gracias por la entrevista, ¿QuĆ© tal estĆ”is?
¡Estamos bien, mejor y mĆ”s fuertes que nunca! ¡No hay problema! ¡Somos nosotros los que agradecemos el interĆ©s de tenernos aquĆ!
¿CĆ³mo estĆ” siendo la recepciĆ³n del Ć”lbum?
Hasta ahora el disco ha tenido una muy buena acogida. Algunas crĆticas muy buenas y lanzamos tres singles muy diferentes para preparar a nuestros oyentes para la diversidad que tiene el Ć”lbum y creemos que la gente entendiĆ³ la idea. Es un gran Ć”lbum, no solo en el tiempo de reproducciĆ³n, sino tambiĆ©n en la experiencia. ¡Es una celebraciĆ³n de 25 aƱos despuĆ©s de todo!
¿CĆ³mo fue el proceso de escritura y grabaciĆ³n del Ć”lbum?
Es algo muy orgĆ”nico. Aportamos ideas cuando nos reunimos en nuestro estudio de ensayo y luego tratamos de hacer coincidir. A veces hay riffs completos ya escritos y luego agregamos baterĆa, o algunos teclados y algunas ideas ambientales y comenzamos desde allĆ. Todos tienen su opiniĆ³n sobre nuevas ideas y las hacemos crecer a partir de estas. Algunas resultan ser canciones completas, otras resultan ser borradores para futuras ideas y usos. Pero para resumir, ¡todo va bien y sin presiones!
Es vuestro 25 aniversario y ahora publicais vuestro Ć”lbum homĆ³nimo. ¿CĆ³mo resumirĆais estos 25 aƱos de carrera?
Bueno, ha sido un viaje increĆble, muchos momentos buenos y malos, pero la mayorĆa de ellos son extremadamente positivos.
Gwydion es un grupo de amigos que tocan mĆŗsica metal, siempre ha sido asĆ y todavĆa continĆŗa hoy en dĆa, incluso con los cambios de formaciĆ³n a lo largo de los aƱos nos mantenemos en contacto con todos los que tocaron con nosotros.
Tuvimos muchos momentos de fiesta que no tienen precio, nada en el mundo podrĆa pagar la alegrĆa que tenemos de pertenecer a esta banda y ¡realmente esperamos poder hacer otros 25!
Pero aspectos destacados como la primera gira, el primer contrato discogrĆ”fico, tocar con algunas de nuestras bandas Ćdolos. Son sueƱos que tuvimos la oportunidad arriesgĆ”ndonos. SueƱos que tuvimos y que nunca fueron posibles de lograr cuando comenzamos la banda cuando solo tenĆamos 15 aƱos.
¿CreĆ©is que estĆ”is ante vuestro mejor disco hasta la fecha?
En este nuevo Ć”lbum, Gwydion, decidimos conseguir un enfoque mĆ”s Ć©pico y melĆ³dico, pero manteniendo la pesadez del Ć”lbum anterior. Usamos mĆ”s elementos sinfĆ³nicos, convirtiĆ©ndolo en un gran Ć”lbum en tĆ©rminos de sonido y atmĆ³sfera. QuerĆamos que nuestros oyentes sintieran dentro de sĆ mismos la aventura y la Ć©pica.
¿Si es nuestro mejor disco hasta la fecha? Creemos que sĆ, cada vez que lanzamos un Ć”lbum siempre queremos que sea mĆ”s fuerte que su predecesor, ¡y afortunadamente estamos teniendo Ć©xito con eso! Hemos puesto todo lo que tenĆamos en este, y el resultado final nos agrada mucho.
¿CĆ³mo os influenciĆ”is a la hora de componer las canciones? hay temas del Ć”lbum que son autĆ©nticas joyas como por ejemplo "The Chair of the Sovereign"
Principalmente Gwydion reside en la relaciĆ³n personal que tenemos dentro de la banda, somos 6 amigos que todos remamos del mismo lado, por lo que es mĆ”s fĆ”cil componer y llegar a grandes ideas. Todo el mundo disfruta de mucha historia y cosas medievales, asĆ que intentamos extraer elementos de diferentes culturas y ponerlos en nuestras canciones. Me alegra que pienses que "The Chair of the Sovereign" es una joya, pero intentamos que cada canciĆ³n se convierta en un himno y signifique algo para cada persona individual.
VenĆs de un paĆs como Portugal con una gran comunidad metalera ¿CĆ³mo ves la escena metal allĆ, es difĆcil para un mĆŗsico de metal abrirse camino en un paĆs como Portugal? En EspaƱa la cosa es complicada.
Portugal tiene una fuerte escena de metal underground con muchas buenas bandas que luchan todos los dĆas para marcar la diferencia. Creo que lo mĆ”s difĆcil para una banda portuguesa es tocar en el grandes festivales europeos, etc., a veces sentimos que nuestro paĆs estĆ” algo olvidado. Bueno, es nuestro trabajo poner a Portugal en el mapa con respecto a la escena del metal.
¿CĆ³mo os ha afectado la pandemia? ¿HabĆ©is podido presentar el disco en directo?
Esta situaciĆ³n fue de hecho un duro golpe para todos nosotros, personalmente y como banda. Fue estresante que todo saliera bien. Con el estudio cerrado durante algunas semanas debido a las restricciones del gobierno, tuvimos que trabajar mĆ”s duro e inteligentemente para mantenerlo todo en marcha y de acuerdo con el plan original en tĆ©rminos de grabaciones. Pero como decimos, "¡un guerrero nunca se rinde!" y finalmente tuvimos la oportunidad de tocar este disco el sĆ”bado pasado en Lisboa, ¡fue muy bueno volver al escenario frente a nuestros fans!
¿TenĆ©is fechas cerradas para este 2021 o 2022, habrĆ” posibilidades de venir a EspaƱa?
Esperamos muchos conciertos y giras, algunos de ellos ya planeados. Estamos ansiosos por mostrar el Ć”lbum al publico en directo porque este disco no solo merece ser escuchado, tambiĆ©n merece ser sentido! Hasta que pase esta situaciĆ³n de covid-19, vamos a hacer algunas transmisiones, eventos y conciertos de menor asistencia para compensar la falta de eventos en vivo. EspaƱa estĆ” justo aquĆ, asĆ que, por supuesto, planeamos hacer algunos conciertos en EspaƱa, ¡porque siempre nos divertimos mucho tocando allĆ!
Por nuestra parte es todo, sentiros libres de dirigiros a vuestros fans y esperamos poderos ver pronto por EspaƱa.
Una vez mĆ”s, gracias por la entrevista, y estamos seguros de que nuestros fans disfrutarĆ”n mucho de nuestra nuevo Ć”lbum y realmente esperamos que todos estemos juntos pronto para celebrarlo una vez mĆ”s! ¡Cuernos arriba!
Portugal tiene una fuerte escena de metal underground con muchas buenas bandas que luchan todos los dĆas para marcar la diferencia. Creo que lo mĆ”s difĆcil para una banda portuguesa es tocar en el grandes festivales europeos, etc., a veces sentimos que nuestro paĆs estĆ” algo olvidado. Bueno, es nuestro trabajo poner a Portugal en el mapa con respecto a la escena del metal.
¿CĆ³mo os ha afectado la pandemia? ¿HabĆ©is podido presentar el disco en directo?
Esta situaciĆ³n fue de hecho un duro golpe para todos nosotros, personalmente y como banda. Fue estresante que todo saliera bien. Con el estudio cerrado durante algunas semanas debido a las restricciones del gobierno, tuvimos que trabajar mĆ”s duro e inteligentemente para mantenerlo todo en marcha y de acuerdo con el plan original en tĆ©rminos de grabaciones. Pero como decimos, "¡un guerrero nunca se rinde!" y finalmente tuvimos la oportunidad de tocar este disco el sĆ”bado pasado en Lisboa, ¡fue muy bueno volver al escenario frente a nuestros fans!
¿TenĆ©is fechas cerradas para este 2021 o 2022, habrĆ” posibilidades de venir a EspaƱa?
Esperamos muchos conciertos y giras, algunos de ellos ya planeados. Estamos ansiosos por mostrar el Ć”lbum al publico en directo porque este disco no solo merece ser escuchado, tambiĆ©n merece ser sentido! Hasta que pase esta situaciĆ³n de covid-19, vamos a hacer algunas transmisiones, eventos y conciertos de menor asistencia para compensar la falta de eventos en vivo. EspaƱa estĆ” justo aquĆ, asĆ que, por supuesto, planeamos hacer algunos conciertos en EspaƱa, ¡porque siempre nos divertimos mucho tocando allĆ!
Por nuestra parte es todo, sentiros libres de dirigiros a vuestros fans y esperamos poderos ver pronto por EspaƱa.
Una vez mĆ”s, gracias por la entrevista, y estamos seguros de que nuestros fans disfrutarĆ”n mucho de nuestra nuevo Ć”lbum y realmente esperamos que todos estemos juntos pronto para celebrarlo una vez mĆ”s! ¡Cuernos arriba!
ING.
Thank you very much for the interview, how are you?
We are just fine, better and stronger than ever! No problem! We’re the ones thanking you for the interest in having us here!
Thank you very much for the interview, how are you?
We are just fine, better and stronger than ever! No problem! We’re the ones thanking you for the interest in having us here!
How is the reception of your album being?
So far the album has been very well received. Some very good reviews came in along the way and we released three very different singles to prepare our listeners for the diversity the album has and we think people got the idea. It’s a big album, not just in play time, but also in experience. It’s a 25th year celebration after all!
So far the album has been very well received. Some very good reviews came in along the way and we released three very different singles to prepare our listeners for the diversity the album has and we think people got the idea. It’s a big album, not just in play time, but also in experience. It’s a 25th year celebration after all!
How was the writing and recording process for the album?
It’s a very organic thing. We bring ideas when we get together on our rehearsal studio and then try to match up. Sometimes there are full riffs already written and then we add drums, or some keyboards and ambience ideas and we start from there. Everyone has their input into new ideas and we grow them from there. Some turn out to be full songs, some turn out to be some drafts for future ideas and uses. But to summarize everything goes smoothly without pressures!
It’s a very organic thing. We bring ideas when we get together on our rehearsal studio and then try to match up. Sometimes there are full riffs already written and then we add drums, or some keyboards and ambience ideas and we start from there. Everyone has their input into new ideas and we grow them from there. Some turn out to be full songs, some turn out to be some drafts for future ideas and uses. But to summarize everything goes smoothly without pressures!
It is your 25th anniversary and now you publish your self-titled album. How would you summarize these 25 years of career?
Well its been a hell of ride, lots of good and bad moments, but most of them are extremely positive.
Gwydion is a group of friends that play metal music, it always has been like this and still goes on nowadays, even we with the several line-up changes we had during these years, we still keep in touch with everyone that played with us.
We had lots of party moments that are priceless, nothing in the world could pay the joy we have to belong to this band and we really hope that we can make another 25!
But highlights such as the first tour, the first record deal, play with some of our idol bands. are dreams we had the opportunity to risk from our lives, dreams we had and never though they were possible to achieve when we started the band when we were just 15 year old boys!
Well its been a hell of ride, lots of good and bad moments, but most of them are extremely positive.
Gwydion is a group of friends that play metal music, it always has been like this and still goes on nowadays, even we with the several line-up changes we had during these years, we still keep in touch with everyone that played with us.
We had lots of party moments that are priceless, nothing in the world could pay the joy we have to belong to this band and we really hope that we can make another 25!
But highlights such as the first tour, the first record deal, play with some of our idol bands. are dreams we had the opportunity to risk from our lives, dreams we had and never though they were possible to achieve when we started the band when we were just 15 year old boys!
Do you think this is your best album to date?
On this new album, Gwydion, we decided to get a more epic and melodic approach but still maintaining the heaviness from the previous album.
We used more symphonic elements in this one, making it a huge album in terms of sound and atmosphere. We wanted our listeners to feel inside the adventure and epicness themselves.
Well if it is our best album to date? We think so, everytime we release an album we always want that is stronger than its predecessor, and fortunately we are being successfull with that! We have put everything we got on this one, and the final result pleases us a lot.
How do you influence each other when composing the songs? there are songs from the album that are real jewels such as "The Chair of the Sovereign"
Mainly Gwydion resides on the personal relationship we have inside the band, we are 6 friends that all row to the same side, so it’s easier to compose and reach out to great ideas. Everyone enjoy a lot of history and medieval stuff, so we try to dig out elements from different cultures and put them on our songs. I’m glad you think “The Chair of the Sovereign” is as a jewel, but we try that each song becames an anthem and means something to each individual person.
On this new album, Gwydion, we decided to get a more epic and melodic approach but still maintaining the heaviness from the previous album.
We used more symphonic elements in this one, making it a huge album in terms of sound and atmosphere. We wanted our listeners to feel inside the adventure and epicness themselves.
Well if it is our best album to date? We think so, everytime we release an album we always want that is stronger than its predecessor, and fortunately we are being successfull with that! We have put everything we got on this one, and the final result pleases us a lot.
How do you influence each other when composing the songs? there are songs from the album that are real jewels such as "The Chair of the Sovereign"
Mainly Gwydion resides on the personal relationship we have inside the band, we are 6 friends that all row to the same side, so it’s easier to compose and reach out to great ideas. Everyone enjoy a lot of history and medieval stuff, so we try to dig out elements from different cultures and put them on our songs. I’m glad you think “The Chair of the Sovereign” is as a jewel, but we try that each song becames an anthem and means something to each individual person.
You come from a country like Portugal with a large community of Metalheads. How do you see the metal scene there, is it difficult for a metal musician to make his way in a country like Portugal? In Spain, it is complicated.
Portugal has a strong underground metal scene with lots of good bands that struggle every day to make a difference. I think the most difficult thing for a Portuguese band is to play on the
major European festivals and so on, we felt sometimes that our country is somewhat forgotten
on this corner. Well it´s our job to put Portugal on the map regarding the metal scene.
How has the pandemic affected you? Have you been able to present the album live?
This situation was indeed a strong blow in all of us, personally and as a band. It was stressful to keep everything going smoothly. With the studio being closed for some weeks due to government restrictions we had to work harder and smarter to keep everything on track and according to the original plan in terms of recordings. But as we say “a warrior never quits!” and finally we had the opportunity to play this album last Saturday in Lisbon, which was very good getting back on stage in front of our fans!
Do you have closed dates for this 2021 or 2022 and will there be possibilities to come to Spain?
We’re expecting lots of concerts and tours, some of them already planned. We’re eager to bring this album to the public and live, because this album does not only deserve to be heard, it also deserves to be felt! Until this covid-19 situation passes, we’re going to make some streaming events and smaller attendance gigs to compensate on the lack of live events. Spain is just right here, so of course we plan to do some gigs in Spain, because we always have a blast playing there!
For our part it is all, feel free to talk to your fans and we hope to see you soon in Spain. Thank you very much!
Once again thanks for the interview, and we are certain that our fans will really enjoy our new
album and we really hope that we all be together soon to celebrate once again! Horns up!
Portugal has a strong underground metal scene with lots of good bands that struggle every day to make a difference. I think the most difficult thing for a Portuguese band is to play on the
major European festivals and so on, we felt sometimes that our country is somewhat forgotten
on this corner. Well it´s our job to put Portugal on the map regarding the metal scene.
How has the pandemic affected you? Have you been able to present the album live?
This situation was indeed a strong blow in all of us, personally and as a band. It was stressful to keep everything going smoothly. With the studio being closed for some weeks due to government restrictions we had to work harder and smarter to keep everything on track and according to the original plan in terms of recordings. But as we say “a warrior never quits!” and finally we had the opportunity to play this album last Saturday in Lisbon, which was very good getting back on stage in front of our fans!
Do you have closed dates for this 2021 or 2022 and will there be possibilities to come to Spain?
We’re expecting lots of concerts and tours, some of them already planned. We’re eager to bring this album to the public and live, because this album does not only deserve to be heard, it also deserves to be felt! Until this covid-19 situation passes, we’re going to make some streaming events and smaller attendance gigs to compensate on the lack of live events. Spain is just right here, so of course we plan to do some gigs in Spain, because we always have a blast playing there!
For our part it is all, feel free to talk to your fans and we hope to see you soon in Spain. Thank you very much!
Once again thanks for the interview, and we are certain that our fans will really enjoy our new
album and we really hope that we all be together soon to celebrate once again! Horns up!
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