The Sounds of Aeterno...

 

I put a lot of love into Aeterno.  A lot. Of. Love.

It was the final chapter in a tormented family's epic story.  I wanted to make it as raw and as real as I possibly could.  

I spent an obscene amount of time researching the American Revolution.  The history of Concord, Lexington, Boston.  The side stories that were not in your average textbooks.  And the little "gray area" of history; hundreds of years after the "shot heard 'round the world" and still no clear answer of who fired it.

I have my own personal theories.  You put a bunch of inexperienced farmers in a field with loaded firearms and a blunder is bound to happen.  

That's what I believe did happen.  An accident.  And the ensuing chaos broke through the thick tensions that had begun to run high in New England since the first taxation was called to order.  The ball had begun to roll, and there was no stopping it.  

America was at war.

  But I wanted to take advantage of the "not knowing."  Use that moment in time as the catalyst to bring the Thornes to the brink of destruction.  

I spent the better part of my hours while writing Aeterno locked in the 18th century.  As such, I really needed a specific musical mood set.  There was one song that really stood out that I listened to over and over.  

Loreena McKennitt's "Skellig."  It tells the story of an old man lying on his death bed, telling the story of his life.  A long life lived through much history, salty voyages overseas, and haunting experiences.  Something about the lyrics really spoke to me, brought me back in time.

Another song of Loreena's "The Highwayman."  It was based off of a poem by Alfred Noyes and Loreena's delivery is exquisite...  It is a haunting tale of a rebellious thief and his true love, and the tragedy that befalls them.  

Loreena's album Book of Secrets is just chock full of inspiration; I highly, highly recommend checking out those to masterpieces.  Aeterno was definitely my favorite entry in the Thorne Family Saga; I hope that you enjoyed it too...

~ Angela Darling

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