Eneferens

Eneferens is an up and coming one-man metal project out of Minnesota, the brainchild behind the band is Jori Apedaile. The best way I can describe his music as a fan is beautiful, resonating, and very introspective in nature. Jori just released his new album “The Bleakness of Our Constant” that came out earlier in November it is a fantastic album full of great ideas and very relatable lyrics/imagery. He took some time to do an interview with me about the new album and the origins/motivation behind Eneferens. I learned a lot about who Jori is and what motivates him to create such beautiful and sorrowful music.

Thank you for taking the time to do this interview, firstly can you give our readers an idea of the concept and origin story behind Eneferens?

“The project started in the winter of 2015. I had quit all of the bands I was in previously to move to a different city, and inspiration for a new sound emerged with the change in my surroundings. The name Eneferens came to me in a dream one night, and I dissected the root words to form a definition: To carry within one’s self. That resonated deeply with what I was trying to do, and things developed from there.”

What is your creative process in writing your music? Are you more spontaneous or meticulous in putting your ideas together?

“It’s definitely a balance of both. I often start writing a song with something completely out of the blue, but I often have a strong sensibility and can map out where the song needs to go. Other times I surprise myself. I make a strong point to not repeat myself or develop too many songwriting habits, and some of the experimentation trying to steer clear from that has been fairly successful.”

When I am I reading your lyrics there is such a sense of melancholy, and themes of love lost how do you conceptualize your lyrics to make them so simply profound?

“Lyrics are by far the most difficult part of the writing process for me because the music already says so much. That’s a very tough question to answer, because I essentially just ponder a lot, and dig deep into what I’m feeling and just hope that something of value will come out.”

Photo By: Todd Farnham

Nature also plays a part in your themes and imagery why are these metaphors so important to the image of Eneferens?

“The approach to the whole project is to create beautiful and dynamic music. Nature is by far the most beautiful and dynamic thing, so it very easily translates in the music that I make.”

Specifically in “The Bleakness of Our Constant” what made you come up with this title for you newest output?

“Coming up with the title took me a very long time. It was difficult for me to find a name to bring these tracks together because they are all pretty different from one another. I revisited my lyrics and the very last line of Weight of the Mind’s Periapt jumped out at me: The Bleakness Of Our Constant. That was it. To me, the title represents continuing on in a trajectory that is uncertain, can be bleak and difficult, but there is always that stubborn determination to keep going in hopes that things will get better.”

I noticed the sigils on the album artwork what is the significance behind them?

“The sigil is essentially the earth and the sky joined by a very frail thin line. It represents a very delicate sense of balance. Balance is very important in the creation of my music, so I think it is a fitting image to accompany this new record.”

Which bands/artists are you most influenced by and why? Secondly what acts are you currently listening to at this moment?

“I am all over the map. Regardless of what genre an artist is, the ones that influence me the most are those that perfectly convey emotions that I can strongly resonate with. Some of the strong influences that can be found in Eneferens are early Opeth, Alcest, Katatonia (all of their discography), Rapture, and Kauan. Some artists that have emotionally inspired me but don’t necessarily translate in my sound are The National, Neuman, Hundred Waters, Sufjan Stevens, and London Grammar. My music wouldn’t be the same without them even though they’re far from metal. I’ve been listening to a wide variety of music lately: Fleurety, Lantlos, A Winged Victory For The Sullen, mid-discography Ulver, Camel, the list goes on.”

Photo By: Jori Apedaile

It seems like the reception has been quite positive for Eneferens, how do you feel about this?

“I am very grateful for how well things are being received. It’s very validating, and it means a lot to hear that people are connecting to the music on an emotional level.”

There are so many new, interesting and compelling acts in the metal scene these days. Do you think the metal scene has seen a renaissance?

“No, not necessarily. I think things have progressed fairly naturally in the sense that so much has been done before already and that forces bands to either come up with something very unique, or try to do the same thing but better than the last band. It is an exciting time for metal though because some real creativity is emerging in order to stand out.”

After researching, I noticed you do your live shows by yourself how has that been and do you see yourself adding live members to Eneferens in the future?

“Playing live by myself has been very empowering and it has been received well. I did a northwest U.S. tour earlier this year and a common comment was that they were impressed how big the sound was for just one person. I would eventually like to put together a full live band to make the experience more captivating. We will see what happens in the future.”

Photo By: Jori Apedaile

If you could describe Enenferens to someone who may not be familiar with your music how would you best describe it?

“It’s a combination of many of my influences- black metal, doom, shoegaze, folk. As cheesy as it is, I sometimes call it “beautiful metal” because that’s really what it is. Strong melodies, dissonance when necessary, plenty of atmosphere and a very delicate balance of light and dark.”

Do you have any parting thoughts for our readers?

“Never fear to be different! The best things of all are always one of a kind. Cheers.”

Bandcamp: https://eneferens.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eneferens/

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I have spent a seemingly long time trying to figure out my place in this world, so much has happened in my life and I started seeing myself getting lost in indifference. The world buzzed by while I was stuck in a nucleus of numbness, and loss of self. I know I could always turn to metal to help through these movements in life. But lately I have started to feel indifferent about the music I have been listening to lately. The music didn’t move me as much as it used to do. And then when I thought there was no turning back for me I found a solo black/doom metal project called Eneferens.

The brainchild behind this project is Jori Apedaile out of Minneapolis, MN. I was first introduced to Jori’s mindset when I heard him talk on Jason Walton’s podcast “I Hate Music” his taste in music reflected my own tastes and when I learned more of his solo-project Eneferens. I heard a track off his album “In the Hours Beneath” and I had this illumination that this is a project I needed to dive into more. I purchased both his albums “In the Hours Beneath” and the “The Inward Cold” and spent a good chunk of time really being floored by the emotions, thoughts and feelings found in the music. There were feelings of anger, regret, indifference, mortality, nature and most importantly a resonating sense of love lost and love ignored. Every single one of these elements in these albums fit me and the struggles I have been dealing with for a couple years now. As I got lost in the music and looking into my inward self I had a chat with Jori and he mentioned that he was working on a new album and it will be coming out soon. This album ended up being his newest opus “The Bleakness of Our Constant” and this album came out at the right time for me.

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I have been dealing with deaths in my family, boredom at my job, searching for love, and being constantly reminded that the person I care deeply for has no idea how much I do care. I have found myself in a place that is just darkness, and loss that is both unfamiliar and confounding. My thoughts were all jumbled up like a jigsaw puzzle without corner pieces. I could not find rationale or reasoning behind these thoughts in my head. Then, like a sudden thunderstorm “The Bleakness of Our Constant” came out and as soon as I heard the first guitar chords in “Leave” I got lost once again in the brilliance of Enferens. Every song hit every feeling and thought I had about this current moment in my life.

The thoughts of loss, and wishing for something that cannot be while longing it to be. I can picture in my head while hearing tracks like “Awake” and “Weight of the Mind’s Periapt” a woman of beauty that is positive, energetic and just seems like the right fit even though you cannot put your finger on why you feel this way about her. Though instead of her there by your side she is in the distance, aloof and hazy. You are trying to make her aware but because of second thoughts, and your own insecurities she will never know how you truly felt about her. “The Bleakness of Our Constant” really hits home on these thoughts, images and feelings. If you have ever been in this type of situation this album will really help you understand how to navigate it and find closure even if it seems so far away.

Listening to a “The Bleakness of Our Constant” can be painful but profound. Being reminded of past failures and the guilt surrounding it helps you grow like it did for me. I am still in a daze most nights and days and as I piece together these threads in my life I hope to be whole again. The music, vocals, lyrics and imagery in “The Bleakness of Our Constant” hits highs and lows as well as darkness and light. It is an album that gives imagery of misty woods, old houses, mourning lovers, unrequited romance and the sadness found in being ignored. This is a very personal, vulnerable and thought provoking album and as soon as you complete it in its entirety you will come to find out that you are not alone in these feelings. I highly suggest you give not only “The Bleakness of Our Constant” a listen but pay a visit to Enferens’s other brilliant albums “The Inward Cold” and “In the Hours Beneath”. As you get lost in these beautiful albums you will start to find a way out of the darkness through the cold light of the stars above.

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