LH: Greetings from the miserable northern town of Huddersfield! Currently I’m listening to your new album ‘For Lies I Sire’ for about the 10th time and very much enjoying it! While still early days, the few reviews I have found have been really positive. Has the feedback been about what you were expecting?

Aaron: I’m glad you like it, thanks. I try not to pay too much attention to reviews as I’m far too sensitive. My songs are like my children and I’m proud and attached to them and I’d hate to see someone being negative toward them, which will happen no matter how good your music is. Naturally I hope for positive reviews but you can’t win them all.

LH: You recorded the album at Future Works in Manchester which is more or less a brand new studio which you were the first to use to record an album, working one again with Mags. How did the whole recording process go?

Aaron: Very smoothly, it’s a wonderful studio, right in the city centre so lots to do when you get bored of listening to your own voice all day. It’s very modern with excellent facilities so were all felt comfortable there.

LH: I found that as with other albums of yours the more you listen the more you reap the rewards, although I was reading that you thought this was a lot more accessible and also that you’re not trying to challenge anyone. I would say now it’s quite a bit harder to challenge the listener, without changing too much to the point where you would risk losing what makes your sound so appealing. Would you agree?

Aaron: It depends on what the listener wants from an album. The casual listener wants a fairly quick fix with memorable riffs and melodies and isn’t too bothered with depth and feeling. We have several lovely melodies and dare I say a few catchy riffs so it appeals in those areas to the casual. However, we still keep it heavy in both music and lyrics, giving the more indulgent observer the chance to get their teeth into our music and peel away the many layers in order to sample all the delights, many of which are not always immediately obvious.

LH: Yet again, the album contains some really beautiful lyrics, such as those on ‘Fall With Me.’ They have a very introspective feel to them, and certainly seem more melancholy than your last album ‘A Line Of Deathless Kings.’ Where did you find the inspiration for the lyrics on the new album?

Aaron: Well it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where inspiration comes from these days because I can often wake up one morning brimming with idea’s which grew in my dreams and simply have to get them down on paper. I suppose it’s a collective of all my thoughts gleamed through the literary works I’ve enjoyed recently as well as media like TV, film and the arts.

LH: I’m sure some people are under the impression that you wallow in misery 24/7, which (I’m guessing!) isn’t the case at all. Would you consider music to be a necessary release for you to channel negative emotions into so that they don’t overrun your normal everyday life?

Aaron: For me it is essential to release any pent up misery through some form of creativity which then allows me the chance to live a ‘normal’ life. Keeping things locked away in the darkest corners of your mind will only drive you mad. Listening to music is a great way to let off steam and can often be a calming influence on the mind & body and I’d like to think that My Dying Bride offer a degree of similar therapy for some people, which is nice.

LH: I wasn’t too surprised to read in another recent interview that when you are up on stage you always delve within yourself to find those emotions you felt when you wrote the songs. I can imagine how difficult and painful that must get, and is a hell of a commitment, especially as I’m sure quite a few frontmen just go through the motions on stage. Is this something you inadvertently do through performing the songs, or is it your conscious choice to make the performance 100% authentic?

Aaron: Well I’m in control for part of the performance and the rest is driven by emotion and passion – ingredients that are the very soul of this band, which means I do get a little carried away from time to time, but that’s a good thing from an audience point of view as it makes for a much more intense experience. It is difficult to stand on stage and open your heart to hundreds of people you don’t even know but it’s a ritual that I perform in order to keep the rest of the band happy, not to mention all the devoted fans.

LH: The album sees some new band members enter the fold, and the one everyone is talking about is Sarah’s replacement, Katie Stone. As well as taking over on keyboards, she has heralded the return of the violins, which haven’t been a part of your music now for 11 years. After such a long break, I was wondering; why now? Were you actively seeking to bring the violin back into the music, or was it more a case that Katie was right for the role on keyboards and just happened to be able to bring this extra talent in with her?

Aaron: We’ve never actively looked for a return of the violin as we never really felt it was a vital part of the music, just a good way of embellishing what was already written. When we got Katie on keyboards she announced that she could also play violin and so naturally she got the job. It is very nice to have it back I have to say as it does add another layer of emotion to an already lavish display of melancholy.

LH: The melancholic nature of the violin suits your sound perfectly, and having the real instrument brings something into the mix that is more authentic than just having keyboards replicating the sound; I especially like the violins on ‘Bring Me Victory’ and Sanuario Di Sangue.’ From your point of view, does having a live violin bring anything significantly new to the table in terms of the live setting, or in the studio?

Aaron: In a live capacity it certainly does as it makes the stage performance more dynamic and captivating. We have re-created the violin sound in the past with keys but the real deal is much more vibrant and effective. For the current LP this instrument has been used to emphasise certain areas of music but I hope that in the future it will actually be used as a means of writing.

LH: The album is also the first studio recording which Lena and Dan have contributed to. How much input have they had in terms of songwriting on the album, and how well have all the new members jelled within MDB?

Aaron: I think Lena & Dan have taken a bit of a back seat for this album, probably not wanting to tread on the toes of the core writers but I hope that will change as they settle down with us. I’d very much like to hear their contributions up front and as bona fide writers within the group.

LH: Until quite recently, you had designed all of MDB’s cover artwork, and always had a very distinct style that fans grew used to seeing on your covers. Why did you decide to stop creating cover art yourself and to bring in other artists?

Aaron: My work was becoming a little surreal for continued use in My Dying Bride so we collectively decided to have a look at other artists to see what their interpretation of an MDB cover would look like. I still enjoy creating imagery for my own pleasure and from time to time, for other bands too.

LH: After much digging around I discovered the new album cover was done by an artist called Rhett at The Machine Room. Excuse my ignorance, but I am not familiar with this artist, although I actually thought his style was very similar to Travis Smith. What made you choose to work with this guy, and do you intend to work with him on the next album or would you rather give different artists a chance?

Aaron: I saw what Rhett did for Epochate and I loved his style so got in touch. He has a very smooth clean look which appealed to me immediately and was something I thought we could utilize as it captured the often calm, serene moments in our music. I have no idea if we will use him again but we worked well together so perhaps we will.

LH: Obviously the style is a lot more digital and has quite a cold look, which seems to have divided opinions, as it’s not typical of MDB album covers at all. Was this something you particularly were aiming for? Did you have an idea what you wanted from the artwork; did you give the artist any ideas to work with and do you think that being an artist yourself makes it easier to put across what you want from another artist?

Aaron: One of the first things I asked Rhett to do was to create a single image that was his interpretation on My Dying Bride, which he did and it was great. I then gave him the lyrics and the album title and told him to go for it. Contrary to your question, I think it is typical of a My Dying Bride cover, imbuing all the correct style and quality one would expect from this band.

LH: You do have your own website, www.azzron.com, which has a gallery of your artwork including previous album covers on there. I’m assuming that you still continue with your art for personal expression rather than on a professional basis, am I right? Do you plan to ever return to album sleeve design, either for MDB or for other bands?

Aaron: I very much enjoy creating images and certainly will continue to do so as long as I am able. I do them all for myself though and have never designed a cover for anyone, though others have used them through prior arrangement. I can’t work to another person idea’s, it’s too constricting for me. I need to do what I feel is right and whether or not someone wishes to use an image is neither here nor there. These are two-dimensional representations of the thoughts in my head and so can be quite surreal and personal and not for everyone. I’m not interested in the critique people may offer toward my work as I’m not in it for commercial profit, but for the feeling it gives me, and that is the single most important aspect of art.

LH: I’m sure at the start of your career you didn’t expect to be around almost 20 years later, and it’s quite an achievement! At the start, your sound was quite uncommon, and through the years you seem to have been quite an inspiration on a lot of bands who want to replicate your sound. I imagine you are quite proud of this?

Aaron: I am proud yes. Knowing that we have influenced many bands fills my heart with a comfortable sense of fulfilment. However, I never let this get to my head and never go around bragging about how lesser bands wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for us. After all, if it wasn’t for Celtic Frost, Candlemass and Bathory, perhaps My Dying Bride might not be around today.

LH: You’ve certainly got a very distinct sound that has stayed fairly consistent, although obviously there has been some deviation along the way with albums like ‘34.788% complete’ and also ‘A Line Of Deathless Kings’ which was a lot more riff oriented. I was reading that you try not to listen to much by other bands while you are writing music to avoid getting influenced by their sounds too much. What else do you think has helped you stay so consistent without getting stale?

Aaron: Probably actually enjoying the great sense of creativity song writing gives me and the fulfilment of composing attractive music which has a strong visual appeal too. A lot of bands try to keep up with trends in order to be popular, or perhaps their label pushes them for a more commercial sound, and so their style can often be wayward from what they actually want to sound like. We don’t give a toss about commercialism and concentrate on the art of crafting good music, and thankfully, our label seem to be singing from the same song sheet!

LH: Are you planning to tour or play any festivals in the UK in 2009?

Aaron: You’ll have to keep checking www.mydyingbride.org for live details as I have a tendency for forgetting. I should think we will play in the UK as it’d be a crime not to!

LH: I know you were especially keen to get over to places like South America and Russia as you have not yet conquered those places. Do you think you will get over there soon, and more to the point, what has prevented you from doing so sooner?

Aaron: It’s always nice, whether you’re gigging or not, to go to a new country and soak up the culture, meet the people and sample the delights of a far-off land, and South America seems to be calling me right now and so we’re heading down there nearer the end of the year, which I’m very excited about. Russia, Australia and Japan are also on my ‘to do’ list but so far no concrete dates have come up for those places. The main hold up is always money. There are six members and 5 crew in My Dying Bride and getting us all around the globe is not cheap, but we’re hoping the new CD will open a few new doors for us.

LH: That’s all the questions I have for now. Thanks for the interview and all the best with the new album!

Aaron: Many thanks and have a lovely day. Cheers!

For more on the band check out http://www.mydyingbride.org/
http://www.peaceville.com/mydyingbride/forliesisire/
http://www.myspace.com/officialmydyingbride

Interviewed by Luci Herbert

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