One of our strong contenders for 2015 Album of the Year is Alesana‘s Confessions which is the final installment of their Annabel Trilogy. The album was released in April through Revival Recordings. It takes you on a journey through love, self reflection and so much more. It highlights the creativity of Alesana as they balance between heavy and melodic rock delivering a dose of what they call, Sweetcore. We had the opportunity to talk with Shawn Milke (Vocals, Guitar, Piano) about the album and he gave us a track by track detail. Check it out here:
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Music Junkie Press: Thank you for taking time out to talk with us here at Music Junkie Press about the new album, Confessions. Incredible work guys!
Shawn: Thank you for the kind words!
Music Junkie Press: How about we let everyone know a bit more about song with a Track by Track guide. Can you tell us about the storyline behind the album? It truly takes you on a journey of love, doubt, self reflection, loss and so much more.
Shawn: It is the conclusion to our trilogy which we have dubbed The Annabel Trilogy. This is the installment where we find out that not everything is as it seems. So many of the plot points and storylines we built up to this point get thrown into disarray, a lot of intentional misleading. If you go back after experiencing Confessions you can actually see some of the foreshadowing. We wanted to drive the point home of not believing everything that you see. Sometimes the answer to life, and our problems and desires, lies right in front of us but we are too busy wanting and craving more that we fail to see the beauty and love right in front of our faces.
Music Junkie Press: First off the album kicks ass with a fierce punch that It Was a Dark and Stormy Night delivers. Love the intro which has a lullaby vibe to it. How did that come about?
Shawn: I wanted the intro the record to be both creepy and yet somehow endearing. Telling, yet mysterious in its way. It was actually the very last thing I wrote for Confessions. I was sitting at my piano and staring at my two sons, Sebastian and Julian, playing on the floor when I realized I wanted the intro to have this lullaby type feel too, but almost in a creepy manner. Like you walked into a time and place you had never been before and this beautiful yet haunting piano riff was just eerily playing in the background.
Music Junkie Press: The Acolyte continues on with fast paced electrifying energy. What can you tell us about this song?
Shawn: This song is all about describing the future world that Annabel and her one true love, The Acolyte, inhabit. A bleak and dreary place made so by the melancholy art created generations before by an influential artist, we learn of two people who are afraid yet motivated, unsure yet driven. They have a vision of a perfect world and the one in which they live is not it.
Music Junkie Press: Comedy of Errors highlights an intensity with the guitars and drums as well as displays a great anthemic style. What was the inspiration behind this song?
Shawn: Musically, I wanted Comedy to be theatrical and progressive. This is the direction I want to move towards in future Alesana releases and this was as good a place to start as any. I wanted to really capture the bizarre concept of time travel in sonic form. This is also the point of the story where our time machine is complete and we realize it is not The Acolyte who plans to travel but rather it is Annabel.
Music Junkie Press: The Goddess is another one of my favorites. It has some great narrative in it that highlights the song. Can you tell us about how this song came about?
Shawn: This is the first of our alternate worlds that Annabel experiences and, here, everything is euphoric. Kindness and peace are paramount, the sky always a perfect blue, the breeze endlessly cool and gentle. This place is temptation. Annabel realizes true love can not be realized without true loss and, after remembering this is not why she left, she presses on.
Music Junkie Press: Next up is Oh, How The Mighty Have Fallen. Very well crafted production, with the intro just preparing you for a wild ride and build up. What was your message or story behind this one?
Shawn: Ahh, the tesseract. Time travel is not as safe as it seems. Annabel is trapped in a tesseract, in between worlds and universes, and is forced to fathom an existence that has no end. She sees the worst in herself, she sees the best in herself. She sees everything and she is not certain how to make the torture end.
Music Junkie Press: The Puppeteer has a heavy deep metal vibe on the intro that draws you in. I have to compliment you about how you guys seamlessly balance the clean vocals amid the growls and screams. They each compliment eachother in such a way without taking away the focus on either. This song truly highlights that. Can you tell us who is also singing on the song with you guys?
Shawn: The Puppeteer is far and away the most progressive approach I’ve ever taken with a song. It is a long and winding road that gets as heavy as Alesana gets and as gentle as Alesana gets. I wanted a song that takes you on a journey all by itself and, considering it sits in the middle of the record, it felt appropriate. In the clean bridge, my sister Melissa once again sings. She has sung on every Alesana release to date.
Music Junkie Press: Fatal Optimist is another stand out track and captures such emotion of self-reflection and doubt. It is like the anthem for the lost souls. What was the inspiration behind this track or any back story on this song?
Shawn: This felt like the appropriate time for Annabel to reflect on herself, her love, her loss, and who she really is. One thing we love to do is tell stories while also allowing the lyrics to transcend into the realities of our listeners. Annabel has been assigned the task of saving an entire world. She is taking all the risks and is beginning to think that maybe she has bit off a bit more than she can chew. It is only normal to question her true motives, question how she got here to begin with. I think anyone can relate to these thoughts and emotions.
Music Junkie Press: Next up is The Martyr and I have love the harmonies that take you right into the heavy verse. It gives a ferociousness dose of the fast paced drumming and double bass. I can only imagine the energy that was felt during recording. How was it when you recorded this track and can you tell us more about this song?
Shawn: In terms of writing and recording, I treat all of the songs as one big piece as opposed to eleven, who however many, individual pieces. I think the art of making a record as opposed to individual songs is dying and it is sad. I want to do my part to maintain the beauty of the approach. This song we finally see Annabel arrive at her destination but her task of making The Artist fall in love with her proves to be something she may not be ready to handle. What crazy alternate plan will she concoct?
Music Junkie Press: Paradox highlights the love storyline in the album and the pivotal moment. Can you tell us about this song?
Shawn: While it may seem like a song about love it is actually a song about power and lust. Fatima Rusalka will stop at nothing to get what she wants. She thinks she is almighty, she thinks she is a God, she thinks she is invincible. This could not be further from the truth and perhaps the most key plot twist of all is revealed…
Music Junkie Press: Through the Eyes of Uriel starts right off with the nostalgia of a childlike sing song that I just love. This song bleeds such emotion through the vocals and screams. The creativity elements in this song are spectacular and the vulnerability and innocence of the childhood sing/song chorus is the highlight. How did that come about?
Shawn: Much like the intro of the record, I really wanted to convey that, deep down inside, we are all just children. We have fears, we have love, we have those we turn to in times of need. Through The Eyes of Uriel is a pivotal point in the story in terms of the real world connection we are trying to convey. The chorus is almost like a realization that things as they were pretty okay and now I’ve destroyed everything striving to fix something that maybe wasn’t broken. Everything is about perspective. Live life, be happy, find love, and do what makes you happy. But most importantly, enjoy the ride. Don’t let greed, lust, and evil forces change you deepest desires. “Give int o the pleasure, make it last forever, hold on to everything we are.”
Music Junkie Press: We come to the finale, the Catharsis. Just as this album brought us on a journey filled with a range of emotions, the album brings out the final curtain with Catharsis. It opens the path for hope, rebirth, renewal. Can you tell us about this song? And also about how you brought the opening intro of the album into play at the ending?
Shawn: Full circle. Everything comes full circle. Hope, rebirth, renewal are all definitely themes here but let us not forget about denial and consequence. Annabel made a choice to leave love in search of a false happiness and her punishment is an eternity of reflection. Bringing back the intro is a metaphor for time; it can not be defeated, it is eternal. Just when you think you’ve reached the end you find yourself at the beginning. To quote The Goddess: “Stand up, walk away, don’t fall into the trap.”
Music Junkie Press: Lastly, what is something you would like everyone to know about the making of this album and the storyline? The album is filled with songs that each carry a depth of its own character and personality.
Shawn: I have never worked harder, nor been more proud, of any artistic effort I have ever been a part of. Working on the music with Patrick, just like in the old days, was special. Writing stories and lyrics with Dennis is the most important artistic relationship I have. He is my muse. Confessions marks the end of a journey. Dennis and I set out to write a trilogy and we have done so. I am damn proud of that fact. Please check out Confessions. It is as honest of an effort as you will find in all ways, shapes, and forms.
Music Junkie Press: Congratulations on such an amazing piece of work.
Shawn: Your enthusiasm and appreciation is beyond kind and very rewarding. Thank you.
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Make sure you head over to http://www.merchbucket.com/category/alesana.html and pick up your copy of Confessions. You will instantly be drawn into the world of Annabel as the music will take you to new heights while awakening all your sense!
Alesana are heading overseas for their Confessions tour. We hope that our German correspondent will make it out to their Munich date and bring you full coverage.
Make sure to visit their social media sites and stay up to date on their latest news. You can also pick up some cool merch and we are excited to see that they will be releasing Confessions on vinyl as well.
~ Marisol
Information & Links:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alesana
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alesana
- Merch: http://www.merchbucket.com/category/alesana.html
- iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/confessions/id980914526
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