Ashes You Leave is a band that comes from Croatia and makes a music that can be difficult to describe ( they prefer to be called Ashes You Leave instead of being categorized in narrow categories such as doom, death,etc. ). We spoke to Neven that explained us their music and ideas.

Are you considering replacing Dunja since she left the band? Have you any candidates?
We already replaced her with this great singer, Marina. I think that our
fans won't be disappointed because she has quite a mesmerizing voice, while
Dunja often had a cold voice.

Do you consider yourself a doom metal band or do you think this term is too narrow to describe your music?
I resent people labeling us as this and that, comparing us to all these
bands. We are Ashes You Leave. Period.

How important are instruments like violins and flutes to your compositions?
Violins often bring sadness to a song, whether it be that the instrument is
opposed to distorted guitars or just an acoustic part. Flutes on the other hand are great for bringing atmosphere to a song. It's like taking all these green dew-sprayed and fog permeated mountains and putting them into one instrument. It's all that. Just great.

How is the Croatian metal scene? Are there other bands that you would
like to mention?
There are a couple of bands that try to make it in the music world but they
are not getting too far. A couple do have a chance if treated properly,
Manifest for one thing.

How are the songs in Ashes you leave composed?
Depends. Often either Bero or me would come up with a part and then we'd work around it in the rehearsals. Sometimes we jam and a great part comes out of it and we make a whole song around it. It really depends on what mood we are in.

What do you think of "The Passage Back To Life" your debut album?
People compare it to My Dying Bride at their prime. Maybe. But it's such a
powerful record because the female singer can often bring more sadness thanthe male one. I love playing the title song, it's a very fierce piece and we
always put a hundred and ten percent of ourselves into it when we play it.

Are new songs being composed? Are they going to be very different than the ones in the three first albums?
Yeah a bit. We found a darker voice, a kind of a harder side to everything.
I love the combination of power with emotions, it always got me on my feet whenever I heard a band like that. the new songs are like that, filled with
everything we are.

Can you explain the content of your lyrics? They seem to be very
profound...
One word: life. The lyrics are about everything that is the least bit inspirative. Whether I have an interesting encounter with someone, something, whatever or go through something enchanting, I will write lyrics about it. That's who I am.
And I turn to myself in all of my lyrics because that is what we should all
do. Just reach into our deepest and grab a handful. I imagine one could find
a lot.
Don't idolize, be yourself.



Which are the musicians that have influenced the band?
My Dying Bride and a lot of doom heroes in the early stages.
Now, the band progressed to find it's own voice. You should hear it to know
what I mean.

How do you see Ashes You Leave in the future? How do you consider the evolution of the band is going to be?
We will venture onwards the roads we have built. I believe people are
starting to get the hang of what we really are. that's what I've always
wanted, to play to an audience that just knows what we know and thinks how
we think. A silent agreement.

Any final words for people in Argentina?
Send me an airplane to take me to Argentina, I'd like to see how it is out
there. Just kidding, take care all you AYL fans, the funeral band is late.

Interviewed by Federico Marongiu

THE PASSAGE BACK TO LIFE - CD (1997)

DESPERATE EXISTENCE - CD (1998)

THE INHERITANCE OF SIN AND SHAME - CD (2000)