Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Elbereth’s Grace

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

Andy:

My earliest memory is of my father’s LPs standing around the apartment; they just looked so cool. Even though the music itself wasn’t really my thing, the album covers for Meat Loaf, Barclay James Harvest – Gone to Earth or Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds were incredibly captivating. They were definitely the first stepping stones on my musical journey.

Jasmin:

To be honest, my parents had terrible taste in music. But I do remember being at a festival as a child where a rock band was playing, and I didn’t want to go home at all.

“How did your passion for creating music begin?

Andy:

I started with my band, Black Jade, back in 1999, and I’m still active with them today. That’s where it all began—back then, our philosophy was to be as ‘evil’ as possible. Now, 27 years later, that darkness is gone. Today, I simply want to channel my creativity and express it through both music and imagery.

Jasmin:

I never used to compose; I might have written lyrics once in a while. It wasn’t until 2025, with our wonderful project, that I was finally able to take part in the songwriting process.

“What’s the story behind your current music project?

Andy:

The story goes like this: back in 2011, I started integrating female vocals into my music with Black Jade. From that point on, the music became a mix of heavy ‘Tolkien Metal’ and an increasing number of mellow tracks. By 2021, the album was a 50/50 split between heavy and calm songs—which, of course, didn’t exactly make it easy for the listener. That’s when Elbereth’s Grace was founded, to give those quieter songs a home under a new name. That is how it all started, but by now, the whole thing has found a real groove and is a lot of fun.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

Andy:

Our music is extremely positive Melodic Fantasy Metal that defies genre boundaries. What makes it special is its consistently uplifting message; Elbereth’s Grace stands for light, hope, and courage, but also carries a political message—one that is left-wing and feminist.

Jasmin:

I can definitely back up what Andy said. Our music is sacred, but not religious. It carries a powerful message; it encourages you and gives you strength. But we shouldn’t overlook the fantasy theme—the lyrics are often heavily inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien or tell stories from the books that Andy writes himself.

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

Andy:

If we limit the question strictly to Elbereth’s Grace, then it’s crystal clear: using AI is incredibly fun.

Jasmin:

I’ve learned that it makes sense to just try things out. To simply go for it. It’s worth being brave, perhaps even being a little crazy and breaking your chains.

“What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

Andy:

Honestly, nothing works without Cubase; I’ve been using the program for 20 years and couldn’t live without it. We also get a lot of mileage out of various Toontrack programs. But with Elbereth’s Grace, we naturally use many AI tools as well, which we use to process, mix, and master all of our pre-productions.”

Jasmin:

I don’t have a clue about all that stuff, but I love the Symphobia: Lumina plugins—they sound so beautiful. As a singer, though, I absolutely love VariAudio, because it lets us fix my messed-up vocal takes.

“Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

Andy:

I have a very broad taste in music, but since we’re talking metal here… I’ve been a big fan of Amorphis since the 90s, and I still love that whole 90s Death Metal scene. On the other hand, I really enjoy ‘fun bands’ like Gloryhammer or Alestorm. I listen to a lot of female-fronted bands—some of my favorites are Ankor, Battle Beast (with the original singer), Beyond Frequencies, Cold Kingdom, League of Distortion, and so many more.

Jasmin:

When it comes to metal, I like Metalite, Sumo Cyco, or Within Temptation. Other than that, I’m currently listening to Clara Sophia or other more mellow music that has nothing to do with metal

“How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

Andy:

I definitely think so. I was fed up with all that negative, evil, satanic crap—and just as much with the far-right swamp. That’s why I decided to establish a clear and shining counterpole with all of my bands. Our music is a lighthouse within the dark scene. Where others preach death and destruction, we lead hope and light into battle. We create metal with a shimmering message, and we are incredibly proud of that!

“What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

Andy:

I’ve mentioned it more than once, but I’m more than happy to keep repeating it: Elbereth’s Grace stands for light, hope, courage, love, openness, and feminism. Our music shows time and time again that it is worth standing up for what is right and kicking evil’s butt. Our music is a call to take a stand—clearly on the side of good, of compassion, and, of course, as far to the left as possible.”

Jasmin:

Courage. In these dark times, I want to encourage people and show them that it is never too late to stand up against evil and raise your voice.

“What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

Andy:

Always do what feels right for you, break all your chains, and follow your own path.”

Jasmin:

Doing is better than just thinking about it. Sing, dance, enjoy yourselves, and don’t let anyone talk you into being ‘normal’.

“What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

Andy:

My last tour was back in 2003. I really love those intimate club shows, and I’d love to do a club tour again. But other than that, it would definitely be an incredible experience to play the main stage at the Summer Breeze Festival one day.”

Jasmin:

So far, I’ve mostly sung in churches—either in a choir or with my last band in small pubs. I’m not even sure if my nerves could handle a big stage, haha!

“If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

Andy:

I’d love to do something with Britta Görtz. She is such an incredibly nice person—she’s simply amazing! If we’re talking about a band, then it would have to be Warkings; I’d say they are my absolute favorite band.”

Jasmin:

To sing with Hayley Westenra just once—that would be incredible. Or a song with Lindsay Schoolcraft; I’d really love that.”

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)

Andy:

Most of the information can be found on our website (https://www.blackjade.ch/elberethsgrace-music). On the site, you can also support us directly by listening to our music or buying it digitally for a very small fee. That, of course, helps us more than anything else. Otherwise, you can find us on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/0bsenaTOevHVBgUBr8xBiY?si=NxK1hLBATnObZ1DN6PibzQ) and all other streaming services, as well as on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/blackjade_official/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bjswissofficial).

“Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

Andy:

We’ve already had much more success than we ever expected. But we would love to reach even more people and continue to spread our message. And of course, I hope that our upcoming albums and EPs find many new fans.

Jasmin

Yes, we’ve received so much wonderful feedback, especially because we are so open about the hybrid AI approach. I would be thrilled to gain more fans in the future, so that our music can spread even more joy and positive vibes.

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

Andy:

It’s important to us that listeners know that while we use a great deal of AI, we are not a ‘pure’ AI band. We create pre-productions for every song with up to 30 tracks. That’s why we call it ‘hybrid.’ My hope is that more and more people will recognize and learn to love the beauty of AI-generated music.”

Jasmin

I’ll be happy when people know our name and our message.

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