De meeste metal heads kennen de Engelse progressive thrash metal band Seventh Angel en de doom metal band Ashen Mortality wel denk ik ! De man achter deze bands was Ian Arkley, deze bands zijn inmiddels verleden tijd maar deze man gaat maar door en heeft 3 nieuwe bands/projecten opgericht The Other Window, Century Sleeper en My Silent Wake, die laatste band volgt hier een interview mee en wel met de heren Jasen & Ian en de dame in het gezelschap Kate.

(TMR) Hello to to you from 'the metal resource' Holland, how are things going there in the UK ?

JASEN: 'So far, so good, so what'. Things are good, thanks. The British summer has not arrived as yet so it's all good for musical melacholy. I expect we'll just be hermits and spend some more time on new material.

(TMR) Can you Introduce yourself and your band please ?

JASEN: plays drums and percussion and also shares vox with Ian and Kate. Right now he's focussing on vocals, and will be more vocally involved with the new material, as he has sustained an injury to his left wrist.

Ian: Lead vocals, lead guitar and ebow
Andi: Guitar, ebow, vocals, bass, mandolin
Kate: Bass, cello, keyboards, piano, vocals, and various other things!
Alan: Bass
Steve: Drums and sound engineer.

(TMR) Can you tell us something about the origin of 'My Silent Wake' ?

Jasen: Essentially, it all started when Andi and I played with Ian in Ashen Mortality back in 2004. When one of the founding members of AM left not long after Andi and I had joined, it was only natural to conclude on that note. It was then that Ian asked me and Andi if we were interested in starting a venture together. Later on in 2005 Alan joined which is when we put out our demo. Not long after that Kate got involved and it was then that we recorded our debut album which was released in the spring of 2006.

(TMR) Who writes the music/lyrics in' 'My Silent Wake' ? .. how do you get in the mood for writing music? And which bands/situations have influences you for writing music and lyrics ?

IAN: I write the majority of music and lyrics, but that will change on the next album, as there is a lot of input from other members. On The Anatomy Of Melancholy there were some songs with parts written by Kate and Andi as you will notice on the lyric sheet. This helps give things more diversity and variety. There are a lot of good writers in this band so I am happy for everyone to be involved. Personally I do not need to get into a certain mood to write. When I feel certain ways, the lyrics flow. They are written from the heart and mean a lot to me. Often I am inspired more in difficult times. As for inspiration, it comes from many, many things both musically and from life in general.

(TMR) How do you describe the music of 'My Silent Wake' ?

JASEN: To put a handle on it from an industry point of view, its Doom metal. However, I feel that the music is many things due to the vast and varied influences found within the members of the band. It can be emotive, brutal, energenic, melancholic, medieval, Gothic, Deathy and even Black (with mine and Andi's influences). I hope that our listeners would agree with this as I think we use many parts to make it's sum.

(TMR) How does 'My Silent Wake' stands in life till events in the world, religion and politics and in which proportion stands that till your music and lyrics?

JASEN: Our stance is mostly from our own personal experiences. We don't use the music for any ends except to share where we are and have been. And in this we hope that people can find something in our music to resonate with. As such we don't really deal with world events, politics and religion. As individuals we have varied backgrounds and beliefs. I think what's most important to us, and I say this at the risk of sounding cliched, is that we are real with ourselves, our environments and each other and hopefully people can see this expressed in our music.

(TMR) For a lot of bands the lyrics are just a accidental circumstance, but for some bands they use them to communicate ! ..can you tell us how that is for 'My Silent Wake'?

IAN: It is a form of artistic expression, which is equally as important as the music. I hate bad lyrics and lazy lyrics. Look at Leonard Cohen for the master of songwriting!

(TMR) What is the message you want to bring with 'My Silent Wake' ?

IAN: I hope that our music helps people to know they are not alone at the worst times and that others have been there too. I hope they find it comforting. There is no preachy message, just thoughts and ideas and emotion.

(TMR) Is there a highlight you will always remember, since the beginnning of 'My Silent Wake'??

JASEN: For me it's not really a MSW event but an AM gig we played in Norway. It wasn't my best performance on the drums but because this was the first time Andi, Ian and I played live together, I feel it was the first time we really communicated on a musical language level. I believe it was from this musical communication that MSW was conceived. Ever since then our communication has grown. With the addition of Alan, Kate and Steve, I feel our musical language has only gotten better, as a whole has become broader, increased in uniqueness, strength and quite honestly is very fun. Another gig is the one we played in Switzerland where Andi, Ian, Kate, Steve and I played together live for the first time - again, at this gig, I felt that our musical language is just growing and growing.

(TMR) and is there something you dont wanna think of anymore (a situation with 'My Silent Wake' or something) ?

IAN: No. Personally it has all been good so far from what I can remember. These people are my close friends and I think the world of them.

(TMR) The new album 'The Anatomy of Melancholy' sounds realy heavy,

KATE: Yes that was the intention!

(TMR) What more can we expect in the nearly future from 'My Silent Wake'?

KATE: We have just been filming a couple of promo videos for a possible DVD release in the near future. Hopefully it will include some live footage and footage of the recording of The Anatomy Of Melancholy.

(TMR) One last question (for Ian), many old metal bands who were seperated are coming back together for a reuniun concert or some, is there any change we can see 'Seventh Angel' live on stage again ? (that should be really great) !!

IAN: You never know.

(TMR) Guys thanx for your time and the interview !! we wish 'My Silent Wake'
all the best, and we hope to see you sometimes on a stage here in Holland !!
......is there anything you wanna say at last ?? (any final statement ?)

JASEN: Thanks to all those that support us - our family, friends, and ALL those that support our musical endeavours!