Former Theatre of Tragedy vocalist Liv Kristine - now fronting Coldbound - has confirmed she will release the digital version of her Have Courage Dear Heart EP on April 16th. She spoke with MetalKaoz.com about the EP and discussed plans for a full length album later this year. Following is an excerpt from the chat.

Liv: "In my life, I’ve been tested a lot and now I am where I am today. The very moment I’m experiencing here and now is one very happy moment. I’m here because of my way, but I have to say during a period of my life, after the big crash in 2016, I lost everything; and I felt like I lost myself. I felt like I lost ground, I felt ungrounded. I didn’t feel safe anymore. I wasn’t even sure if I ever wanted to sing again after this negative experience within the music business, but I just woke up one morning and I felt so much courage and so much safety. I felt like 'Okay, this can be in the past now – the past doesn’t define my here and now moment, and I want to sing.' The deal is that we have nearly a full length album ready. But Tommy Olsson, the composer of Aégis by Theatre of Tragedy, my dear friend Tommy is in Norway, I’m in Germany and I can’t see Tommy. I’d love to record the vocals at Tommy’s studio. So, this situation has delayed the process of my upcoming full length album. I like the number eleven, that’s my favorite lucky number, so I’m going for eleven songs, but we’ll have songs that go for seven minutes. Tommy is known for that, so some songs will be.... maybe a bonus track at radio length, and we’ll have some song compositions that are longer. What we give you on the EP, except from the live songs, that is what you’ll get on the album, too. It’s Tommy Olsson and Liv Kristine."

Check out the complete interview below.

The physical versions of the Have Courage Dear Heart will be issued on May 7th. The limited edition coloured vinyl versions have been unveiled and are now available for pre-order here.

Liv Kristine: "In my new compilation EP, I bring together nine tracks, thereof four new compositions and five of my favourite live songs. The title track 'Have Courage Dear Heart' originally existed as a mandolin tune, which my composer Tommy had sent me 'just for fun' early summer 2019. After I had recorded my vocals the song just started growing and shining. We really wanted to keep this underlying Morricone vibe and somehow the perfect sound just manifested like in an imaginary widescreen Western movie setting. The track 'Skylight', which was released as a strongly limited single in December 2019, got its own cathedral version. Moreover, we thought it was time to wipe off the dust from an old, brilliant demo 'Serenity', which expresses this cool 'kick-ass-Saturday-morning' drive vibe. All compositions deal with deeply personal issues such as the beauty of nature, the universe and its laws, twin-soul connection, self-love, narcissism, healing and finding a voice.

The live tracks were chosen arbitrarily. It is the first time I am releasing live recordings. They were played at my eighth annual special show in Nagold (Germany) in 2019. 'Siren' (Theatre of Tragedy, Aégis, 1998) seems to be one of my audience’s long-time favourites, as well as 'Panic', unmasking the abuser, the traditional 'Ave Maria' (special request from my audience) and my new compositions 'Skylight' and 'Gravity'.

Tommy, Andy and Eroc did a brilliant job in their studios, as well as my band, the audience and Chris behind the mixing desk at Alte Seminarturnhalle Nagold (Germany) on December 20th, 2019.

Thank you, Michael, Allegro Talent Media for encouraging me to release this EP 'on our own.' I know that my fans have become accustomed to waiting patiently between my albums. This is, after all, half-way to the album. I needed to devote myself to family life, finding my own voice, trust, freedom, seeing the whole, the balancing powers and the given abundance of the universe. I had to learn to open up my heart and release fears. I did, and I found unconditional love. The cover artwork conveys that frequency of having found my passionate authentic voice, that divine truth and source in my heart."

Tracklist:

"Serenity"
"Have Courage Dear Heart"
"Skylight"
"Gravity"
"Skylight" (cathedral version)
"Panic" (Live in Nagold 2019)
"Siren" (Live in Nagold 2019)
"Skylight" (Live in Nagold 2019)
"Gravity" (Live in Nagold 2019)
"Ave Maria" (Live in Nagold 2019)