I was so amazed and glad when hearing that Cnoc An Tursa would release a third album! Thank you guys! How are you doing?
We’re still basking and recovering (lol) from our album launch party at The Banshee Labyrinth in Edinburgh this past weekend and truly appreciate everyone who turned up to support us.

It has been nine years since the previous album ‘The Forty-Five’ in 2017. What happened after that release and what made you decide to take a break?
Bryan and I spent a lot of time touring with Saor while Tony focused on his solo project Sgàile and Alan played with Ruadh; although we never formally agreed to record another Cnoc An Tursa album, the years apart have shown us that it’s time to reconnect and channel our efforts back into our true passion of making music together as lifelong friends. (Reni)

What was the spark to pick up the thread again with Cnoc An Tursa?
We felt ready to bring back our old ideas, with a folder of around 100 great songs collecting dust, and we realized that our personal and musical growth meant this album was essential; not doing it would leave us with regrets in the years to come. (Alan)

Alan, you returned as lead vocalist, while Reni was doing lead vocals on ‘The Forty-Five’. Was there a special reason for this switch?
After releasing ‘The Giants Of Auld’, I faced significant vocal issues, largely influenced by my previous lifestyle, but I’m now healthy and ready to embrace new challenges. (Alan)

Another new element is female vocals, but fortunately it is a very beautiful addition for the atmosphere. Can you introduce Katie Wills? 
We found Katie through the Scottish band Ruadh, where she showcased her amazing voice, and since Alan was also in the band, it made perfect sense to choose a trusted local talent, we look forward to collaborating with her again in the future. (Reni)

How did you experience the writing process for the new album? When did you start writing and please tell us about that decision to create a more driven guitar album again (I applaud that) but still with some folk elements and a hint to the early days?
Over the past three years, we’ve created a unique blend of new songs and ideas that incorporate earlier, unfinished pieces, a few that even pre date our first album ‘The Giants of Auld’. The decision to prioritize guitar-driven elements was clear from the start, as our earlier ideas revolved around guitar riffs, following our traditional approach where guitars lead the way and synths and folk influences come much later. (Alan)

No Cnoc An Tursa without Scottish folklore! But it seems that you approached it differently. No existing concept or poetry, but all lyrics are written by the band. Can you go deeper into that?
Transforming ancient Scottish poems into songs is quite difficult, because we always started with the music. This time round we wanted to share these folklore tales just as they were shared with us by our parents during childhood. (Reni)

What is the most remarkable story/text for you on this album? 
The last instrumental track on the album is a crazy story, I’ll try to keep this short. ‘The Nine Maidens Of Dundee’ is a folktale about nine sisters who were killed by a dragon while fetching water, only to be avenged by Martin, their blacksmith lover, with a stone known as “Martin’s Stane” (or the Balluderon Stone) a Class II Pictish cross-slab located in a field near Dundee. (Alan)

Robert Burns is quoted on the info sheet, as part of ‘Address To The Devil’. Some more details about this would be nice…
‘Address To The Devil’ is a tribute to Scotland’s beloved Robert Burns and his 1786 poem ‘Address to the Devil,’ which depicts sea kelpies as malevolent water spirits luring unsuspecting travellers to doom. To us, Robert Burns transcends his historical significance, embodying a vital aspect of Scottish cultural identity, which is why during our work on ‘The Giants Of Auld’, we were particularly captivated by his emotionally rich and historically significant poems. (Reni)