Singer Anna Brunner talks about the new album.
Interview by Craig Newman
Now as trio that is: Clémentine Delauney (Visions of Atlantis), Anna Brunner (League of Distortion) and Marina La Torraca (Phantom Elite).
This album has original and cover songs which includes guest vocalist Marko Hietala (ex-Nightwish), gracing the album with his distinctive voice.
Moving further along the path where the first album Rhapsodies in Black left off, EXIT EDEN picked the next selection of international super hits – transforming them into their very own creation with six original compositions. With one exception (“Dying in my Dreams”, co-written by Marina La Torraca), the remaining five original songs were brought to life by Anna Brunner and Hannes Braun (Kissin’ Dynamite), who is also responsible for recording, production and mixing.
The album was mastered by Jacob Hansen (Delain, Amaranthe, Volbeat, Destruction and many more). Still paying reverence to the originals on Femmes Fatales. “It’s a Sin” (Pet Shop Boys), “Separate Ways” (Journey), “Desanchantée” (Mylène Farmer), “Poison” (Alice Cooper), “Alone” (Heart) and “Kayleigh” (Marilion), re-arranged as undoubtably striking rock/symphonic.
IMM: Good to talk you. I want to start off asking about the first album released during 2017, was it to be a one album or planning to do more when your schedules allow it?
AB: It was planned to do more albums defiantly and was a new thing back then to these pop songs as a cover in the version of the symphonic metal style. This wasn’t our personal idea, this came from the record company/production company I worked with and how I got to meet Amanda, Clemmy and Marina and is how we got into this whole project. So the idea was coming from someone else but continuing to have a second album is something we pushed for. It was a thought not to have this one record but there was a label change and the Covid and things were left behind and we wanted to have a second album.
IMM: This was album is great and good that are some original songs with the covers. Who decided which songs to cover?
AB: We all had a huge list and I had huge list on my phone and ideas as this would be a good Exit Eden version. And this would be crazy and this would be funny. But when it came to the album process we notice we didn’t want to have really, really crazy stuff and styles push together into one. So we actually decided on the covers to fit the symphonic metal to our style concept to Femme Fatal. It was decided by our producer on his own the record label. So it wasn’t our ideas to have these specific cover songs but when they always threw a new cover song out, it was like yeah! That was is cool. Or oh man, I should of thought of this one.
So we are absolutely happy with the decisions.
IMM: Some of the covers have been covered so many times though you all did great job by putting a different taste to them without diluting them. The song “Run!” (feat. Marko Hietala) of Nightwish how did he get involved with this song and video?
AB: Yeah, we didn’t have plans to have him featured on the song and video, We were in the studio recording all the parts, just the three of us and when I sung the ‘C’ part, “rush get away” I remember Marina in the studio with me at the same time, our producer said sing it a little bit more like Marko would sing it! We were looking at each other going Oh that would be a crazy idea! And to ask Marko to be a feature and this is where the idea came up and our producer and the label reached out to him and don’t know what went on but he is featured in the song and was at the video shoot. He was totally into it and gave his all and such a laidback and nice guy. And I think he also had fun doing it.
IMM: The one song that stood out to me when I hear it“Kayleigh” (Marilion), was it the producers that brought this song to record? Or you gals bringing it to the producers to record?
AB: Yeah, this was from the producers and it was one of the first songs chosen to be recorded as a cover. And actually gets picked out a lot as being someone’s favorite and different from the original. It is a cool version I like to listen myself and compare it to the original. It’s a nice version that came out.
IMM: It compliments each other. Also there is one “Desanchantée” by a French singer (Mylène Farmer),that the producers brought over?
AB: Actually yes, though Clémentine would have chose and actually loves the artist and that she being from France and also listened to Mylène Farmer as a child or teenager and was totally into that artist. When the producers chose this song and the label said that is a cool idea, she was like I can’t believe you chose this song and means so much to me! Also she never recorded anything in French and for Clémentine makes it more personal for her to sing this song.
IMM: That’s great! Now the original songs the producers and musicians composed for you ladies to sing?
AB: Not quite. Actually I wrote the songs with our producers so I had many ideas from the start and also had ideas with Marina back during 2019 and also has a song she wrote with our producer to have Exit Eden to have on this record called “Dying in my Dreams”. Most of the other songs I wrote with our producers and sometimes I had the initial idea or got together and sent ideas back and forth and that is how those got created.
IMM: Will there be any videos for the original songs?
AB: Yes! So we have “Run” out now which is a orginal and there will be another video for a original song which you can guess which one it
will be though I am not suppose to say anything yet though which is obvious that the title track becoming a video and a single. I hope I don’t lose my job (Laughter).
IMM: You won’t. On the album cover, who decided the layout? Was it production or you ladies having say on how the design to have shot and wearing the dresses?
AB: This one was coming from us ladies. To be honest it came more Marina and Clémentine than from me because I am not so much into dresses and outfits so they had great ideas and designed a mute board and put all these ideas together. And super crazy also, is we are wearing designer clothes from French and German designers we were able to get them for this photo shoot and meant it a lot to them to wear big names for this Femmes Fatal photo shoot. Then we got together with our photographer on set and figured out some props and is how we designed the artwork for the press photos and stuff like that.
IMM: Depending on your schedules for live performances at Europe?
AB: We hope so, absolutely hope so. We are excited to see the reactions on this second record with the original songs and hope to play some festivals and hopefully come to the U.S. someday because we get asked perform there.
IMM: To go back to the first album regarding the group name, who came up with the name?
AB: That was Amanda. I remember us having a bunch of ideas and the production team back then thinking of name and Amanda with her friend fiddling with names with Exit and said Eden so that is how we got the name.
IMM: Recording the album started about two years ago?
AB: The song writing started during 2020 was blocked due to Covid and not knowing what was going on with this band and our bands .For the recording sessions with Marina first and I during 2021 and had to wait again to find the perfect moment to release this record.
IMM: To end our conversation, who decides to take the lead vocals on the songs?
AB: We really try to have this split up in a way. It’s not one person taking the lead or sometimes a person taking the versus or I usually do the shouting parts here and there which is a shorter appearance but defiantly a stronger appearance too that I don’t have much but be the way that I am. I would say we try to have it equal which doesn’t mean we have the same amount of words or lines but for the feeling we are three front singers and we want to be seen as Femmes Fatal. On this record we want to be three front women and not this one and these are the two background singers. With the pictures we had this in mind we want to show the people and realize . Though on the song “Désenchantée” sung in French it turned out to be Clémentine because we don’t speak French that well. And apperar as the bombastic ‘C’ part on the track and only solo vocals on this record. And as for the next records could be someone else having a solo song and there is so much more we can do.
IMM: Well it was good talking to you.
AB: Yes, and being relaxed.
Femmes Fatales will be available in the following formats:
1-LP Gatefold MARBLED RED/BLACK – ltd. to 300 copies worldwide
1-LP Gatefold BLACK
1-CD 48pages Earbook – ltd. to 300 copies worldwide
1-CD 6p Digipak
Bundle 1-CDs DGS + Shirt
Digital Album
1 Femme Fatale
2 It’s a Sin
3 Run! (feat. Marko Hietala)
4 Separate Ways
5 Buried in the Past
6 Désenchantée
7 Dying in my Dreams
8 Poison
9 Alone
10 Hold Back Your Fear
11 Kayleigh
12 Elysium
