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Kaltherzig, Belarus based band which formed in 2008 as Kalt and under this name released one album entitled The First Cold in 2011 and a couple of singles. Later on the name was changed into what it is today because of another band with the same name from Germany. In that period Kaltherzig was labeled as “Eastern European Blutengel”, after the main influnce. Kaltherzig or better said the mastermind of the band Alexander Krupp took some years and made some radical changes in the sound. The new full-length album, Songs Made Of Solitude And Pain, heralds a new era in the story of Kaltherzig and shows, that it is still possible to create a very own sound today. Musicians decided not to stop there. They also reconsider the stuff created before and integrate it into the new stylistic reality. There are still no guitars, but real drums rock catchy and expressive vocal lines supported by the bright melodies of synthesizers and classic instruments (piano and strings) sounds. Alexander gave us an exclusive "song by song" commentary to get a bit more of insight into his creation named Songs Made Of Solitude And Pain.
With: Alexander Krupp
Edited by: T.V.
Release date: 28 March 2014
Label: Cold Insanity Music
Tracklist:
01. Scream Of Pain
02. Single
03. Memories And Dreams
04. Songs Made Of Solitude And Pain
05. Time To Say Goodbye
06. Messiah
07. Confession
08. Islander (feat. Rebentisch)
09. Runaway (feat. Margret)
10. Hoład
11. Rebirth
12. Nature's Wonders
13. More Than Saint
Songs Made Of Solitude And Pain by Kaltherzig
1. Scream Of Pain
Why the album starts with this track? It’s a catchy and light song. I wrote the music a long time ago, but there were no normal lyrics or vocal lines. So, it was one of the four tracks saved by Nika Noname. She wrote the words and vocal lines. Song became brighter. I have two special stories about the song. During one of the rehearsals I’ve haven't heard "I scream of pain" like original sounds, but "ice-cream of pain". We had to stop our session for 30 minutes, because of laughing. Another interesting moment... The bridge "you and me... we are free..." we created when Alice sang with us, but she decided to stop singing and a trouble appeared. The part didn’t fit to Nika Noname's voice, so I had to record high-notes part. So now Terra Relicta audience knows that, but others will think that there are female vocals.
2. Single
Our style has started with this song. I wanted to try real drums and asked my friend to play. At the same time the studio we were working with bought some tools for multi-channel recording and drum-mics set. So, we took the possibility and test the new hardware and real drums with my synth-goth song. The result was very doubtful. But we weren’t prepared much. Anyway the direction was defined. It is unusual song and one of the first which was played with triplets. The lyrics are telling about search of new love. You leave everything behind and try to find something more that perfect. Possibly the search will take more than eternity, but you have no way back.
3. Memories And DreamsI can say that this is the song with beautiful melody on refrain. But no one knows how hard it was to compose the track. I took a long break after first verse-refrain-verse construction was done. The song didn’t want to develop for a year. But the breakthrough was radical and I’m glad that it has happened. Also we recorded vocals on refrain twice. We were not satisfied with first session and successfully rerecorded vocals in another studio. As you can hear from lyrics, sad song ends with a piece of hope and light: "...and soon the Sun will come to me".
4. Songs Made Of Solitude And PainThe song was composed with guitar. I’ve caught the intro line and developed it. This is the rare song about song-writing process. My friend who read lyrics first told me that it’s something psychedelic. I can’t agree, one should not understand the words so simple and straight.
5. Time To Say GoodbyeOne can find the longest intro on the album here... The song’s intro is a bit less than 2 minutes and only then verse starts. Wide tunes... The song starts almost like previous track; one can suppose that 4th track started to play again. Possibly it was our mistake when we made the track list. Anyway this is another love song. It tells about how people betray their love and start to think that it doesn’t means as much as it really does.
6. MessiahPossibly the most unusual song of the whole album. Drums were not prepared. It was something like improvisation. Also it is the only song I’ve recorded drunk. During the recording session I’ve drank some beers prepared for the evening. We had vocal-recording session with Nika Noname and she spent more time than I expected, so, I was bored and the beer was opened. I don’t think that it is the significant part I had to tell. The lyrics are what makes the song really unusual. The word can hurt Christians; the words can hurt some other people who have strong trust in some charismatic idol. "Messiah" can be the most aggressive Kaltherzig song ever. I’ve tried to tell that strong persons can lead you to nowhere and you have to be a strong person and believe in yourself, even if someone’s trying to make all your dreams come true. And this topic of your own way will pass through the next song, but from a different perspective.
7. ConfessionIt is the last song which was composed for the album and another one with a rock vibe. Triplets, fast rhythm, epileptic outro piano parts make the song very special. The song tells about last moments of life. You have to hold high things and feelings inside your soul anyway, then you won’t fear, all this treasure will stay with you forever here or after death, it doesn’t matter.
8. Islander (feat. Rebentisch)I’m so glad that I’ve found Sven Rebentisch. I couldn’t personally perform the song like I want to hear it. Refrain vocals weren’t fat enough, so I’ve discovered my Facebook friend-list and found Sven. His voice blends perfectly with mine in this song. I can notice that here’s also rap-like interlude. It’s a nice experiment in my opinion, just listen. I’ve got additional expression with this step. Expression means a lot for me. And the song is about lonely man who has a hole inside own soul and heart. I’ve described this with Robinson Crusoe image. You are alone on your own island and try to survive waiting everyday for a ship in the distance, waiting for real love which will fill your life.
9. Runaway (feat. Margret)This ballad had two versions. Initially I wrote lyrics, but I was very unsatisfied with them as well as with vocal lines. So, it was another situation where Nika Noname saved wonderful song. She should record her own vocals and she did. But during the recording session we had a conflict, so she didn’t finish the song. I’ve re-recorded my vocals three times in three different studios and the last version of vocals was recorded only in July with guest vocalist Margret Aleshkevich. She has her own style which is more mild and smooth than Nika Noname’s one. I was worried that this song won’t sound like it should. But Margret recorded vocals fast and professionally. I hope that the idea of Nika wasn’t broken with that.
10. HoładThis is a cover version of pop-rock act
Mumiy Troll song “Голод” (1996), which was firstly performed by a Russian synth-pop band
Депеша in 1989. This cover-version was prepared in 2010 for Russian-rock tribute we were invited to take part in. I’ve translated lyrics into Belarusian and make adaptation of the music, so the song with gothic lyrics started to sound gothic. I like this song in this state. Possibly we’ll be able to discover this song to audience and spread wide with this cover version. What can I say: Love’s like a vampire..., sometimes...
11. RebirthVerses belong to Nika Noname and I wrote refrains. It was difficult to wrote lyrics for this song. Possibly the refrain is not as bright and hot as verses, but it is a good song with some very different parts. I’m obsessed by the bass line in the second. Well, my favourite part of the song is that verse at all. You know, I don’t want to repeat, but here we can see another contrast. The song tells that you will be reborn after deepest depression, and if something ends then you’ll find new beginning soon. Time goes by and you have to leave some things behind to get something new and more.
12. Nature's WondersThe kindest and brightest song of the whole album. Maybe it is the oldest song of the album. I can’t remember when I wrote the music.
Possibly it was even 5 years ago. I had no lyrics and it is the third song which is here thanks to Nika Noname. This motivational song prepares you for the greatest breakthrough in you life. It sounds like you left all the bad things behind and knock on door of happy tomorrow. Nika should sing this song alone, but in the last moment I’ve decided to develop vocal line a little on the final refrains. Now you can hear my back vocals there. Also the reason for that was that I needed some extra expression and accents.
13. More Than SaintThis is one of my favourite songs on the album, ballad to the bone: Love lyrics, echoes, sweet melodies,... The text was inspired by the video of my friend and my high hopes. Real love will never die and no one knows what life will bring. It looks like we’ve recorded 13 depressive songs full of love and hope. Please, try to listen and find some true deep feelings there. Now I’m afraid that people who read this will think that it is very sweet music and there’s no need to listen to them.
Kaltherzig links: Official website, Facebook
