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LS7

13 August 2020

I remember coming back home tired and happy after the first leg of the “Wasteland Tour” in the autumn of 2018. Right then, as a part of recovering, I started thinking about… a new album.

“It’s time for Lunatic Soul”, I thought. “This one, why don’t I make it… green.”

I sat down comfortably with a notebook I had just bought in order to plan out the new album, like I always do. I was a bit annoyed because I couldn’t find one with clear pages and a green cover. I went for an odd grey one. But there was an element of a forest on the cover, an owl, so I thought my inner balance might be alright after all, in spite of the lack of green.

A green Lunatic, and so this time… sylvan, viking, slavic in nature…

That would obviously call for something free of electronics – because the forest, because we’re going back to the roots. There would have to be only live instruments, just like on the first two albums, but maybe without wastelandy-oriental moods for a change. This time, it would have to be more Scandinavian. I would have to create something viking, dark folk, a little slavic, but, naturally, in my own way.

I liked the idea, especially that I myself come from the land of forests and lakes, and I love dark folk music. Besides, damn it, Lunatic Soul was conceived, among others, because, apart from Peter Gabriel and Dead Can Dance, I had always liked bands like Hedningarna or Garmarna.

At that time, I was playing Skyrim for yet another time on Playstation, and I had just finished the “Blood and Wine” expansion for The Witcher 3. I had also just heard about Netflix plans to do the series. Yes, it was another sign.

“OK then, let’s create a ‘Lunatic soundtrack for The Witcher’,” I thought to myself and opened the notebook.

***

Before I picked up my acoustic guitar, I remembered what it’s like when I have completely nothing, not a single sound for a new album, and how much I want in such moments to travel into the future to the time when the album has just been finished. Wouldn’t it be great to go to the exact day, and sit down on a couch, put your headphones on and close your eyes…

***

Let me tell you something, travelling in time is a truly incredible experience.

MD