Ethereal Metal Webzine

Interviewed by Jessica Clingempeel and Brian Kelman
© Ethereal Metal Webzine
1/23/2017

We had in
interview back in 2016 with Alexander Krull of Leave’s Eyes and Atrocity.
Finally…here it is! 🙂

I know your album “King of Kings” hasn’t been released long,
but is there writing going on for another album at this time?

Yes, we are writing already new material for Leaves’ Eyes!
We have just released our new EP “Fires in the North“ with our new female
lead vocalist Elina Siirala. "Fires in the North“ is going really well and
the EP was already sold out several times.

Do you think “King of Kings” is your best album to date?
Were there any disappointments?

Production wise "King of Kings“ is probably the best
and biggest album we did so far. I’m very proud that we could also work with
some extraordinary artists like the London Voices Choir e.g. who are featured
on a lot of great blockbuster movies a.o. "The Lord of the rings“ or
"Star Wars“. "King of Kings“ does really well, the album was entering
the TOP 15 German album charts and getting great feedbacks world wide. No
disappointments! Only afterwards, when the split-up with Liv happened mutually
last year and suddenly disgusting rumors and gossip were spread in the
internet. But that’s over now. We look forward and let the music talk! We just
have been out for 7 weeks in North America and did a great tour with Sonata
Arctica! In April / May we will return with Sabaton to USA and Canada! All the
shows, festivals and tours we played with Elina in Europe, the Full Metal
Cruise, Asia and North America have been going excellent so far. We got really
great responses from the fans at the shows.

How was it working with Simone Simons and Lindy-Fay Hella?
Did you have any other musicians in mind to work with on this album?

Both collaborations went really well! Simone returned to
Mastersound Studio to record her vocals here. We worked together on the Sons of
Seasons album, the band of Oliver Palotai who was also guest on "King of
Kings“ by the way. It was really great to meet and work together again.
Lindy-Fay recorded her vocals in Norway and she did a very good job. I love
that atmospheric parts with her in "Blazing Waters“.

I really enjoy your "We Came with the Northern Winds/En
Saga I Belgia” documentary/live DVDs/CDs set. Is there a project in the
works for a live release in the future? Like maybe recording your performance
at the Metal Female Voices Festival 2016?

Thank you!! And yes, the big show at MFVF 2016 in Belgium
was recorded but we haven’t seen the result yet as we have been on tour in USA
and Canada right after the festival. But there’s a big chance we will release
something on DVD in the future, maybe as bonus for the upcoming album in 2018!

Speaking of the Metal Female Voices Festival, I understand
the Viking ship was once again on stage?

Yes, it was fantastic to perform with Viking ship again!
This time we had even a bigger Viking horde on stage, too! 40 people have been
involved in the whole show production with tons of visual effects and pyros.

To my ears your production and mixing work for Leaves’ Eyes
and Atrocity albums is as good as it gets. Who are the producers that you have
learned from and that have inspired you the most over the years?

My first producer jobs were in the early 1990’s. After doing
some demos I produced the first album of SINISTER “Cross the Styx“ in
1991. From that time on I was also responsible for the productions of our own
albums and I studied audio engineering in Munich. I worked with some very good
musicians and other studio engineers. Once I worked with Mastering legend
George Marino (RIP) at Sterling Sound in New York, that was a very special
experience. He worked with Metallica, Guns n’ Roses, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin etc.
After working 6 years at the record company Massacre Records and doing also
some studio jobs, I became full time producer at Mastersound Studio where I
worked with a lot of bands like Belphegor, End of Green or Totenmond.

How would you say your music in Leaves’ Eyes has evolved
since your first release of "Lovelorn” in 2004?

Wow, actually a lot of things were going on on our musical
journey since then! But we always kept our original idea in composing dynamic
rock music, combining the musical contrasts of atmospheric, symphonic &
folk elements and powerful metal. Female and male vocals as well as the lyrical
concept with strong connection to Northern Mythology, legends and nature are
also part in the world of Leaves’ Eyes.

You’ve been bandmates and friends with Thorsten Bauer since
the 90s I believe. His amazing skill playing the guitar is obvious. What other
qualities or skills does he bring to the band that are not so noticeable to the
average fan (like on the production side or the writing of the music to go
along with Liv’s lyrics, for example)?

Yes, we are best friends, reliable loyal band mates and a
fantastic working team. Indeed Tosso has amazing musical skills, not only for
playing the guitar. He has a very good musical taste and great understanding
for music in general! He knows what the compositions of our both bands demands.
Working together as a songwriter team couldn’t be better. We share a lot of
ideas and the passion for our music and both groups which is very important to
do all the work in such a professional way!

As a Dad, how much fun was it to work with your son Leon in
studio and on the video shoot for “The Waking Eye”?

I’m very proud of my son Leon! I like the part when he
speaks the introduction of the young Harald of the “King of Kings“ album.
It was a fantastic time at the video shoot, too! Leon was taken part in some
movie projects for kids before here in our home town. So the role of being the
young king Harald I. also in our official music video clip was just a perfect
match.

I can’t think of more talented parents to learn from but is
Leon showing an interest or aptitude for following in Mom and Dad’s footsteps
in the industry?

I think he will go his own way. Leon is very creative. He
just turned 13 years old and in the moment he is very much into filming, making
his own videos and stuff like that. But who knows, what comes next?

I really liked "Okkult”. When can we expect the
next Atrocity album?

We are just about to do the last recordings of the 2nd
“Okkult“ record! It will be a killer record!  We hope to finish the album very soon, so it
still could be out in 2017!!

If given the chance or time permitting, have you given any
thought to composing and/or producing the soundtrack for a feature length film,
TV show or video game?

Yes, we have been contacted by film producers and our music
was already used in trailers on TV. By the way I made a soundtrack for the
short movie "Eigenleben“ back in the 90s with my old project band Corpus
Christi.

What football team do you support in the Bundesliga?

VfB Stuttgart, of course. We played two times with Atrocity
in the Stuttgart stadium to open a game for my favorite team in front of over
50.000 people! A big honor!

I’m sure you don’t have a lot of time aside from music but
do you have any hobbies?

I’m very interested in history, football and movies, but of
course I love to spend my free time with my son Leon. We share some interests
like football, Star Wars or playing together video games haha!

If you were exiled to a deserted island and allowed to take
only 3 or 4 albums with you what would they be?

Damn, this is a very hard question….I have no clue…maybe
Slayer, Iron Maiden and Pink Floyd…

Any advice for new musicians and producers?

Always follow your own visions, no matter what anyone says.

There is a Canadian/Irish co-production of a TV series
called ‘Vikings’ seen in Canada and the USA…..Are you or Liv aware of it or
watch it (I would expect) online?

Oh yes, I watched all episodes so far. They even brought in
the character of Harald I. since the last season, the legendary first king of
Norway and main character of our "King of Kings“ album.

Who are your top five inspirational musicians?

Wow, another difficult question…Deep Purple and Pink Floyd
were the first rock bands I listened too – and this was very inspiring for my
whole musical career.

What is your favorite or most memorable placed toured so
far?

We toured in 50 countries and 5 five continents…. again
it’s very hard to say. I guess the last Leaves’ Eyes tour in North America was
very intense, playing 35 shows. But I remember some great tours also in the
past, like our first Atrocity Euro tour together with Carcass… I even
organized it together with former guitarist Matze including 5 legendary Death
Metal festivals with Entombed, Pungent Stench and Disharmonic Orchestra on top
of the bill— indeed the golden times of Death Metal.

Who would you like to tour with and what places that you
have yet to see would you like to tour?

Japan! There were already two shows in planning, so we are
hopefully going to Japan on our next tour circle!

You were recently pictured with Tarja, any chances of a
collaboration together?

Yes, I worked together with Tarja on her latest album
"The Shadow Self“ and engineered, recorded and edited the pianos for the
single hit "Innocence“. Tarja is a fantastic artist and wonderful person!