Angelwings: Symphonic Metal Intrigue From Gibraltar

Angelwings: Symphonic Metal Intrigue From Gibraltar

Angelwings is a grand and glorious symphonic metal band from Gibraltar ready to intrigue an entire world with their breathtaking reveries.  Fans of acts such as Nightwish and Epica are sure to discover a brand new favorite when exploring the mighty sonnets Angelwings has to offer.  They’ve played with music legends ranging from Saxon to Duran Duran, and have just unleashed Primordium, their latest magnum opus, via Pride & Joy Music.  Highwire Daze recently interviewed Angelwings‘ captivating front woman Davinia Cano to find a whole lot more about the vibrant Angelwings and their Primordium masterwork.  Read on…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Angelwings, and how long the band has been together?
Hi there! I’m Davinia, friends and family call me Divi and I’m also known as Lilith 😉

I am the singer and front woman of the band. I am the creator of the storyline we have going from the very beginning and usually any visuals/ photos/ videos made stem from my vision and I have a lot of fun doing it but it’s also very time consuming!

The vocal melodies are also created by me and generally once the music is pretty much finished. Lastly the lyrics are what I have most pleasure in doing!

And although we have had lineup changes along the way, the band has been together since 2013.

Where is the band based out of and what was the music scene like prior to the pandemic?
The band is based in Gibraltar and the metal/ rock music scene here is practically nonexistent but there is plenty of other music to enjoy here, that’s for sure. For us it’s about gigging outside of Gibraltar where our music can be more appropriated.

With Angelwings starting out as a Nighwish cover band, had you ever met or been in contact with any members of Nightwish?
I haven’t been a longtime fan of Nightwish like Glenn has been (keyboards) but wow would it have been incredible to have met any member out of Nightwish!

Although we believe our music to be quite different to theirs, we have certainly taken our own direction but we have experienced the magic of playing their songs and we have such high respects for them and their music! Maybe we should think to contact them, what a dream if something came out of it!

How did you wind up signing with Pride & Joy Music?
Back when it all began, we were getting so many offers from different labels, some we came across but many had contacted us personally.

We were fortunate to have come across a label like Pride and Joy Music, they were the best fit for us and what we wanted and our interactions from the start with Birgitt were very good and she also made us feel sure that it was the right choice to make. We are very grateful to them.

Thank you to Pride and Joy Music for believing in us and our music!

Is there any overall story or concept behind the album title Primordium?
I love answering questions about the story behind our music. I always knew I wanted a concept story and when I found the myth of Lilith, it all came together for me! My topic choice is stories of mythology, I read through them until I can find what fits best the ideas I have in my head, I change some details in order for it to make sense and also coincide with my own life story and experiences. It’s quite the task and there’s so much thinking involved!

So ultimately it’s about this mythical creature Lilith and her encounters in life.

She is my alter ego and the story will always be able to continue on, for Lilith is immortal!

Select two songs from Primordium and what inspired the lyrics.
I’ll pick Sail Away and Lies and Secrets.

Sail Away was a hard song for me to write, at the time I was going through one of the toughest breakups of my life and it was about moving on, about finding a better place, so it was tough!

And I’ve always felt very excluded in my country, I constantly get the feeling that I’m just not good enough no matter what I do here or who I meet (with a few exceptions of course).

So I express in this song how I would love to find a place where I am finally accepted and truly loved. It’s about getting away, travelling, enjoying life and what it has to offer, from something as simple as a sunset, to the stars up in the sky at night. And in the end, no matter what storms come my way, I will go on with all the strength inside of me. It’s a beautiful song, so uplifting. I hope people can find their own meaning and relevance in this song as I find this to be quite a common feeling.

The main idea for ‘Lies and Secrets’ came from me, so I’m especially proud of this song!

So many of us go about our lives putting up a front and social media helps us hide so much truth about our lives, about who we truly are, what we really look like, it changes how we are perceived and also for some- like me in particular, it feels like I need to show my best and strongest self in order not to crumble under the pressure of others or society itself, almost like I can’t be myself and need to constantly hide under a smile.

At times, I’m the demon in someone’s story but others see me as an Angel.

No matter how you see me, don’t judge me because I sin differently to you 😉

I think most of us will find we can relate to this one!

Who produced Primordium and what was it like working with them?
Mixing and Mastering was done at Tower Studio with Brett Caldas-Lima in France.

We learned a lot throughout this experience, it was great to have the band altogether this way for the first time too and Brett needs a medal in patience!! It was great working with him and I’d like to say that we all made a good friend- we made so many wonderful memories and we shall never forget our time at Tower Studio!

Who did the stunning cover art for Primordium and how much influence did you have on it?
The Artwork was done by Thomas Ewerhard Artwork, he’d done such a great job for our debut album that it was a no brainer.

We wanted to give Thomas as much freedom as we could on this project but indeed there was a theme to stick too and when it came to the art for each individual song, we would say that there was more freedom for him there but as far as the cover art went, we was a lot more specific with it and it’s details. He made my vision come to life once again and I am very grateful to him for his hard work and dedication to our project! It wasn’t an easy one!

What could one expect from a live Angelwings show?
Personally I like to be quite visual when possible, if it’s a big stage and we have a long set, definitely expect an outfit change from me! There’s also not been one concert where I haven’t worn my wings yet apart from this one small gig we did at this pub because it was a very small space where we all just about fit!

I always try to have my high stool with me too, for performance reasons as well as personal ones.

Now with our new album out, you can expect a lot more head banging too!! Beautiful symphonic sounds and changes in atmosphere. I think it’s always worth seeing us perform live! It’s the full album experience come to life:)

What has it been like opening for bands as varied Saxon and Duran Duran? And did you get to meet or hang out with either band at all?
It’s amazing when we get these kinds of opportunities, I think any band would agree! Seeing and much more performing on the same stage with any known bands and musicians is a thrilling time but let’s not forget all the other emotions that come into play too, like feeling those nerves mixed up with all that excitement and hype! I personally got to meet the musicians from both bands but I remember my time with Saxon most as we all sat down for drinks together too! Very cool moment that goes down in the books for me!

If Angelwings could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
I think we would all pick different bands here, we are a very diverse group!;)

But for me, it would have to be Evanescence because Amy Lee is someone I have admired since I first heard her music and that powerful voice reached my ears. They also tell me I can sound a lot like her when I sing her songs and it’s a compliment I hold on to very dearly – she’s definitely a great influence of mine!

For me it’s strange if I know every single album/ song for any of the bands I like/ love but with Evanescence it’s pretty much everything! I impatiently wait for new music, always looking forward to it and always loving every track!

What do you the rest of 2021 brings for you, for Angelwings, and for the worldwide music scene in general?
We hope that when this pandemic is under control and no longer a threat to us, the music scene worldwide will go improving until it’s all back to normal again. But for now things are still uncertain and we must take precautions, we can only do as much as permitted for the moment, keeping within the guidelines to ensure everyone’s wellbeing but we do hope for a better future, one where musicians can get back on the road and spread their music with the world, meet people and enjoy festivals/ concerts/ gigs without fear.

Any final words of wisdom?
Nothing is impossible, for one is only limited by their imagination!

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!
Thank you for taking an interest in us and I hope everyone will enjoy the read. We hope we found some new Angelwings fans! Rock on!

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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Pride & Joy Music on Facebook