"I don't think it was our intention to wait seven years," says Seven Impale saxophonist Benjamin Mekki Widerøe as he ponders the considerable gap between the band's album releases. "Our last album, Contrapasso, was made at a point where we had more free time, I think. Most of us were studying or working part-time. And there were no children involved. So yeah, we had more time then to make music and just record albums and keep the ball rolling."
Almost following to the letter John Lennon's famed observation that "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans", the six members of this Norwegian prog jazz behemoth found themselves recalling the advice of Enslaved drummer Iver Sandøy, who produced both their 2014 debut album, City Of The Sun, and Contrapasso. (He's also credited with mixing and mastering their latest.)
"We were actually warned by him that we should record as much as possible, as fast as possible, before life gets in the way," continues the saxophonist. "And he was very right about that one."
Not that real life should be viewed as a bad thing when it comes to Seven Impale. This is a situation that the band embraced, and looking at their circumstances between the release of 2016's Contrapasso and this year's Summit, it becomes hard to disagree with their attitude. While some members became parents, others finished their education. Elsewhere, singer-guitarist Stian Økland spread his wings with a career as an opera singer after graduating from the Grieg Academy Department Of Music at the University Of Bergen, while keyboardist Håkon Mikkelsen Vinje lent his dexterous skills to prog metallers Enslaved.
As bassist Tormod Fosso explains, Seven Impale are, first and foremost, close friends with a bond that goes deeper than music.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 141-Ausgabe von Prog.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 141-Ausgabe von Prog.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
JAKKO M JAKSZYK
King Crimson's vocalist and guitarist shares anecdotes from his revealing new autobiography, discusses his lost career as a footballer and reveals what he said when he met the former king of pop.
A Part & Yet Apart
Sheffield-based 80s proggers Haze have returned with a new studio album, The Water's Edge - their third since their 2013 comeback record, The Last Battle. Prog catches up with threequarters of the band to discuss Haze's DIY ethos, the curse of prog and playing to Cumbrian sheep farmers.
CONTROLLED AIRSPACE
He's about to embark on Dream Theater's 40th Anniversary Tour, but keyboard maestro Jordan Rudess has taken time out to discuss his soaring new solo album, Permission To Fly.
On The Wing
Birds, break-ups, big choruses and the Charlie Chaplin effect can all be found on In Murmuration, the ninth album from Finland's Von Hertzen Brothers. But as they embrace their power pop influences, have the Finns cast off their prog wizard cloaks once and for all? Mikko von Hertzen talks about the Seattle influence, songwriting secrets and sax solos.
Fourth Dimension
The stock of melodic Northumberland-based proggers Stuckfish has been rising since they formed six years ago. Their fourth studio album, Stuckfish IV, represents an important watershed in the band's musical evolution. Co-founders Adrian Fisher and Phil Stuckey tell Prog about the diverse influences that have helped to shape it.
Symphly The Best
In the 70s, Barclay James Harvest almost bankrupted themselves by performing with an orchestra, but, several decades on, they’re celebrating last year’s performance with the Slaithwaite Philharmonic, captured on their latest live record, Philharmonic! The Orchestral Concert. John Lees reminisces over the band’s ambitious early years and bassist Craig Fletcher fills Prog in on JLBJH’s upcoming “progtastic” double album.
We've Not Been Expecting You
The unpredictable Frost* are back with Life In The Wires, a bold double concept album that revisits the mood of Milliontown. Bandleader Jem Godfrey tells Prog why he rolled out the solos on a record he describes as the most fun since their dazzling debut.
FAR HORIZONS AND PANORAMIC AMBITIONS
Dutch five-piece Lesoir have been steadily gathering momentum over the last 15 years, and they hope to build on that with their latest release, Push Back The Horizon. Vocalist/ instrumentalist Maartje Meessen and guitarist Ingo Dassen discuss the creation of their sixth album, working with Muse's production team, and their dream of bringing their intricate music to new audiences.
'I mean, what is classical nowadays?'
Tony Banks reflects on his role as a 21st-century classical composer.
There Can Be Only One!
Never meet your heroes, or so the saying goes, but Opeth have had a blast working with Ian Anderson on their latest, The Last Will And Testament. Bandleader Mikael Åkerfeldt and guitarist Fredrik Åkesson discuss the band's proggiest album to date, the return of the growl and why blood isn't always thicker than water.
