Interview with Autumn Ni Dubhghaill - Founder, composer and vocalist of Forever Autumn
Somewhere there, in her antagonistic flight towards eternity above the mortals, Forever Autumn band has been born.
And as a mother vulture, she breathed life into the old streets of her town, as a gift of sorrow and penitence.
Acoustic Doom, Blackened Doom. Bodhran and balalaika. Death and Darkness. Where the tears become an ocean, while grief is nothing more than a misty morning within our steps.
This is how I've met "mother Vulture", lady Dubhghaill, and her mesmerizing yet soul-piercing art. Therefore, it has been my duty to bring to you, at least a part of her surreal reality...
Ipsissima verba - Shadows : Greetings. Thank you for accepting this interview. Before anything else, I would love to listen to your story. Who are you as a sentient being, and as an artist, behind your music career? What can you tell me about your background?
Autumn Ni Dubghaill : Hello and thank you for requesting this interview. This question seems that it could go in many directions, but I will stay with what is most relevant to your query. As an artist, I have been creating professionally since 2000, both art and musique. Within regards to musique and background, I can tell you that I am not a trained musician. I cannot read nor write musique and don’t understand the workings of such established notions. Indeed it is difficult for me to regard myself as a musician. I create by sound and by feel. Ev’rything I play is self-taught. It is probably through this self-teaching and discovery that my odd tymings come into being, and my strange unorthodox sounds well up from the natural and organic. Many haunting tones come through direct connexion with the natural and preternatural worlds in which I walk. My visual werkes as well, draw from similar inspirit and often utilize organic materials in their construction.
Shadows : You've started producing music for Forever Autumn in early 2000. What’s behind the band's name? How have you chosen this name? And maybe more important, what was the catalyst when you felt you're ready to start one of the Europeans most haunting solo projects?
Autumn : The story behind the name is rather unremarkable, at least to my own self. The season of Autumn embodies death and decay and the rapid march toward winter, when all is still and silent. Many look upon the season for crisp cool days, and brilliantly coloured leaves. I however am looking more toward the other side of the season; the movement of the cycle, the fading of life, and the bare grey trees forlorn. A ‘forever’ in this state of death and decay, surrounded by the stark beauty of clawing trees and lowered skies. Yes, my name is in there too, but that waes not intentional. Perhaps there is some underlying meanyng of being forever myself that I did not pick up on upon the inception of Forever Autumn. It waesn’t until many years later that I discovered there is a famous song by the same name. I still haven’t listened to it.
When I felt ready to start the project? It came at a turning point in life where ev’rything waes fundamentally changing. There waes a somber beauty to it. There waes struggle and a need for an outlet. I had joined a few bands here or there that never went anywhere nor were they the sort of musique that I wanted to create. So I struck out on my own. Here, twenty one years later, it’s still going, ever stronger than before. Musique saved me from myself. It continues to do so ev’ryday. Still, I remain amazed that my humble strums and out of tune singing have come to mean so much to so many.
Shadows : Since I've discovered your project, couple days ago, I can say Forever Autumn it's in my top 10 band's discovered since world started to crumble two years ago. What attracted me the most to your music is the gloomy rainbow of instruments you've been breeding within the heart of your songs, such as guitar, balalaika, bodhran, doom drum, rattle, and cello. The pure elegance falling in a gentle musical waltz. Therefore, I would love to learn more about what it's inspiring you, and why did you choose these specific instruments?
Autumn : Thank you for the compliment. I am happy to know that my musique is able to hjelp you through this strange tyme. The acoustic guitar seems the mainstay for most songs, though the balalaika haes a good share of it’s own. Many of these instrument choices come agayne through feeling, through sound, and through the best means of expression. I do try to keep the instrument choices from going a little too overboard, just so there is not so much to bring to shows or too many instrument changes on stage. My balalaika speaks to the Slavic part of my ancestry, while the bodhrΓ‘n holds true to my Irish bloed. The rattle moves the shamanic while the cello brings a somber yet dignified aire. The doom-drum is nothing spectacular. It can range from a floor tom to a big bass drum. Basically whatever I can get a big low ‘boom’ from. It brings the energy from the deep places. It would appear that the choices of instrumentation each speak to different parts of the self. It is the blending of these sounds that both honour the ancestors and bring together that which haes come to be known as Forever Autumn.
Shadows : Up to this point, I think my favourite track it's Mother Vulture, of your 2019 album, Howls in the Forest at Dusk. The fragile ethereal simplicity accompanied by guitar and sad lyrics it's, it's overwhelming, at times. Can you tell me more about the lyrical writing process?
Autumn : That is a good choice. Since that song, ev’rytyme I see a vulture soar overhead I begin to sing the song to myself. The writing process, like most of Forever Autumn, is a bit mismatched and organic. Sometymes I write the lyrics first and then the musique builds around them. Others, the musique comes first and the lyrics just flow upon playing the notes. At other tymes there is a mixture of both. I have also noticed little bits of words here and there that may or may not string themselves together to complete or inspire. Some come in flashes, others in dreams. It is just as important for me to write the song as it is for the song to write itself.
Shadows : A wide breadth of vocal expression that ranges from melodic singing to screams, howls, and chants. Yet every song it's so different and unique compared to one another. So, tell me, what's the secret behind your voice, and when do you know if a song needs vocals, and what type of vocals?
Autumn : Yet another good question. There feels no secret behind my voice. As it is I feel like I cannot sing properly and at tymes feel a little self conscious because I cannot do so. Then I play a show and numerous people comment on the ‘range’ of my voice. That hjelps me realize that perhaps I do have a wide range of vocal expressions and must be doing something right. The choice of voice or none, comes agayne with how it feels and if the musique is enough to express what is needed. The type of vocal expression is determined by the feel of the song. Some songs are more fragile and require that defeated, vulnerable crack, while others may request a high shriek or scream to really bring home the feeling of that tormented wail. It all seems to depend on what is being expressed and what voice best represents it. Howls as well, have their place in the hauntings. I don’t quite know where all of this comes from but I utilize it to the best of my ability. Maybe there is a secret that remains hidden even to myself?
Shadows : On September 3rd you're going to release your 4th studio masterpiece, Hail the Forest Dark. You've mentioned, and I quote, "this work is intended as a temporary departure from traditional Forever Autumn. " Taking in account the acoustic doom/blackened death folk et alia dimension of your music, what does this "temporary departure" means for you, as creator, and for us, as universal accepted souls in your reality? 
Autumn : The ‘temporary departure’ is meant to say that this is not a new direction for the band, and that we have not abandoned all acoustic means in favour of distorted electrics. I felt the need to express that. There will be influence from ‘Hail the Forest Dark’ that will echo throughout my creations and it is important to recognize those contributions moving forward. The disclaimer also provides space for Forever Autumn to move and grow and know that expression takes on many forms. It allows for future experimentation. It is also important to let new fans know that this is not the only expression. ‘Hail the Forest Dark’ highlights the Black and Doom metal influences in my werke. Those influences have always been there but may have been invisible to many. These recordings take a more overt approach to honouring influence. It is important for both established fans and new fans alike to know from where we come and how we will use that to create a new future.
Shadows : The album features a guest appearance from Aaron Stainthorpe of the legendary doom band My Dying Bride, who also has written additional lyrics on 'Listless Pacings of the Haunt'. I, myself, find inspiration and pure sense of art in Aaron's vocals. Then tell me, why him? What it's the connection between him and Forever Autumn?
Autumn : Aaron and I have made good friends over the years. He likes and believes in Forever Autumn and I have been a My Dying Bride listener for a very long tyme. We had spoken a few tymes over the idea of working on something together. I waes writing ‘Hail the Forest Dark’ at the tyme and had a perfect place for him. There waes a part that I waes unsure how to express properly but when Aaron’s voice entered my mind, I knew the narration would be the place for him. Now with the narration on ‘the Firmament in Absence’ covered I moved to the other issue in the song; Cernunnos. I needed male vocals to express this otherworldly figure and Aaron waes happy to take the role. It did not feel right to just have him for that one thing and be done, so I invited him to experiment and back-up my vocals on the other two songs. He had some great words that tied in well with ‘Listless Pacings of the Haunt’ and I decided to use them. It waes important to have Aaron on all the songs and to feel more like a part of the project than just a guest with a small role. We had a great tyme working together and maybe, just maybe, we may see him agayne on a future release.
Shadows : A must-say, I'm one of your fans. And I can't wait for the new album to be released. What are your deeper views upon the upcoming release?
Autumn : Thank you. I am happy to have you aboard. I am excited about this release. I have had a good feeling about it for a long tyme. Because of that good feeling and the countdown ‘til release, I find myself getting a littler nervous. Yes, it is another release in a long line of releases. I’ve done this before so it shouldn’t be a big deal, but judging by my feelings and the overwhelmingly positive reactions and reviews, I must admit a little nervous energy. I do hope that it does well, and agayne, with the reactions I do not know why it would not, but there is always that chance that it goes nowhere. This record feels near the most honest and revealing to-date. There is a different aire surrounding ‘Hail the Forest Dark’. It haes the chance to usher in great and positive change. There is a need for a shift in this life, a movement to the new and exciting. I am confident and exposed. 
Shadows : To respect the old tradition, I shall ask you, any future plans for the upcoming album?
Autumn : The plans are so far simple; release the record, promote it, and cross fingers. I would like to perform. I miss it dearly, but we have nothing lined up during this strange tyme. We will make a new musique video or two, hopefully in the coming months and that can be exciting. I have already started writing the next album, so there will be that to work on as well. A small tour would be nice, but I’ve spent all my resources getting this record completed. If the record does well, and the pandemic starts to dull, maybe we can see you on tour.
Shadows : Well, we reached the last question of this interview. It's been a pleasure and I want to thank you once more for your time. Would you like to add anything else for your friends, fans...?
Autumn : Thank you, I have had a great tyme with these well-thought out questions. Thank you readers for taking the tyme to go through my long winded responses and remember, ‘Hail the Forest Dark’ releases on the 3rd of Septembre. We have plenty of vinyl and CDs as well as a host of other merch and a cassette to come. Thank you for your tyme and be well in your days.
That concludes my interview with Forever Autumn band.
Pre-order her new album here: Hail the Forest Dark
Looking for some cool merch? Here: Forever Autumn/ Merch
You can follow, stream and support their music via the following links:
Bandcamp: https://foreverautumn.bandcamp.com/music
Doom regards,
Ipsissima verba - Shadows
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