SOURCE – When did you starting writing the songs that became When I Die, Will I Get Better?
Serena Cherry (guitar, vocals) – We started writing this album over 2 years ago! We are quite slow at writing and tend to really labour over each song for a long time so that we can get it as good as it can possibly be. The first song we wrote for this album, I believe, was Silent Restraint back in 2018!
SOURCE – What’s makes this album unique in your discography?
Serena Cherry (guitar, vocals) – The soft bits are softer and the heavy bits are heavier, haha! But seriously, I definitely grew more confident as a lead guitarist and I feel my guitar leads are more intricate on this album. Then there’s the abundance of clean singing! We’ve always dabbled a bit in clean vocals, but this was the first time we put clean singing over heavy sections, like in Open Wound. I’m very pleased with how that turned out.
SOURCE – Which of the songs on the new album (When I Die, Will I Get Better?) has the most emotional meaning for you?
Serena Cherry (guitar, vocals) – They all do. I can’t not write from the heart and all the topics of my lyrics are things which have deeply affected me in one way or another. If I had to narrow it down to one particular moment on the album, the chorus of Click Bait where we all repeatedly shout “FUCK OFF!” definitely makes me want to punch the air in victory when I hear it back now.
SOURCE – Over the years Svalbard developed a style of its own which the fans cherish. How do you manage to find a way to meet their expectations and fulfill your own artistic ambitions at the same time?
Serena Cherry (guitar, vocals) – I can’t speak for the rest of the band, but for me personally, I am a very selfish creator. I write leads that I love, the ones that strike a chord in my heart when I play them. I don’t worry too much about what other people may expect from me as a musician, because you don’t want your output to become by the numbers and predictable. I don’t like to look at creating music for Svalbard as a process which has a predetermined formula for success based on fan opinions, I just write from the heart.
SOURCE – Seeing the way the music industry has changed with digital platforms and especially the rise of illegal downloading, how has that affected you as a band, as that is something that wasn’t there the first time.
Serena Cherry (guitar, vocals) – If we were a band in the 1990’s, and all of our streams were record/cd single sales, we would be able to make a living from doing this band. Instead we have to try and balance day jobs around trying to write and tour as much as possible, which can be difficult. One thing the internet has done is made it much easier for people to discover new, smaller artists which is something I’m sure has helped us. So I guess it’s merely a trade off between the pro’s and cons of the digital age for music.
SOURCE – Are there any of your albums that didn’t get the response they deserved at the time, but in retrospect have really held up well?
Serena Cherry (guitar, vocals) – I try not to pay too much attention to what response our music gets, I don’t believe we are entitled to anything in terms of good reviews – like, I’ve never read a review for one of our previous albums and believed it should get a higher score or whatever. It’s totally up to others how they rate our music.
SOURCE – How has the coronavirus pandemic changed your perspective and outlook on life – especially as a musician?
Serena Cherry (guitar, vocals) – It’s made me want to quit music. I worked in 0 hours temp jobs to be able to tour as much as possible, and now I have lost my job due to coronoavirus, have no security, am struggling to find another job and struggling to pay the rent. All because I prioritised music and touring. Wish I hadn’t. Wish I had chosen a stable career and kept music as a hobby. That’s the brutal truth of it.
SOURCE – What else is going on for Svalbard for this year into next?
Serena Cherry (guitar, vocals) – We’re hopefully going to film a Live Stream concert soon, we’ve got some visual plans in mind to try and make it something really special. We’re also booked for lots of summer festivals next year, so fingers crossed they will be able to go ahead and we can get back to doing what we love – playing live! We’ve also started writing a few new riffs…
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