Artist Bio
Out of Lorraine, France, we find excellent newcomers EDEN SANDS who recently released their debut album 'Living Kills'. Formed from the ashes of Northwind, I asked singer Stefan Tudela what got him into to signing. 'I think that I've been singing since forever, but I was thirteen when I realized that I wanted to become a heavy metal singer. I remember that I was ill with fever in my bed listening to music, it was Iron Maiden’s crazy fans singing louder than Bruce Dickinson on 'Fear of the Dark' on the 'A Real Live One' album. Since then I know what I was made for. I discovered many other singers in my childhood, like Mickael Kiske, Blackie Lawless, Andre Matos, Russel Allen, Andy Deris, Robin McAuley, etc. These are the singers that made me discover Heavy Metal on the greatest side.'
Stefan formed his first band Hell On Wheels in his late teens and covered songs by Iron Maiden and Helloween. Soon after the band began to write their own songs. 'We had a lot of success at this time in south of France, we were almost signed by French record label NTS but the band split up right before.'
At the beginning of this decade Stefan made an album called 'Seasons' with the band Northwind which was released through Z Records. Why did the band split up? 'Vinz and I were both in Northwind,' he explains. 'We began to make shows live to introduce the album 'Seasons' with the new line up. Our live shows seduced critics and fans that were expecting something real good for the second album. Chris Savourey decided not work with Z Records anymore. Unfortunately, we were already signed with them so no other label records could take the risk to propose a deal with us.'
Chris felt frustrated by that situation and decided to stop playing with the band and stop playing heavy metal and change to playing blues. Chris was one of the guys who formed Northwind. When he spoke with me about his decision he said to me that I could carry on with Northwind if I had the guts to. I thought about it and realised that Northwind without Chris was senseless.
We are still friends and I was first afraid he had stopped playing with us because of us. No way! He was just fed up with heavy metal and had the feeling that an impassable wall was standing in front of him. So then I formed Eden Sands and purposed to Chris to work with me on a few tracks and we did it.'
Stefan is very proud of 'Living Kills'. 'The album is not only the work of a band but also the work of a whole team. We wanted to create a particular album very similar to us. We gathered around us talented people who we have known for years. So a lot of our friends met each other to restore our state of mind in the album. They were all professional and everything on 'Living Kills' is artistic choices ratified by Vinz and myself.'
'I think heavy metal is turning round in circles a little bit,' says Vinz, 'so we decided to bring something new in the area, sound perfections, effects and stuff like that which gives the album a more natural, more real sound. What you hear is what you get, no bullshit.'
The CD took almost a year to complete. 'It was a great experience even if we weren't happy everyday because of things going wrong in the studio. Music works in a mysterious way.'
'Living Kill's was recorded in the south of France at Le Woots Studio by Michel Garcia and the mix and mastering was completed in Alsace by Renaud Hebinger who has worked on the three albums of the band Karelia which are opening every Scorpions live shows in France this year.
Stefan's favourite track is 'Mother'. 'It is not the most commercial track but it is quite personal to me.’
The band also hit the live circuit and has a good following. 'Most of the rock fans that come to our gigs already know some of the tracks by heart and sing along with us. I'll be able to figure out how are the UK fans react when we come over this or next year.' In the meantime the band are gigging hard and writing the second album. 'It will take another direction because artistically we need to grow each time.’
Check them out www.myspace.com/edensands and www.edensands-band.com
