That mindset was already present from the very beginning of the band. Josh explained that ANA was never intended to be temporary or casual in any way.

“If we do this, it can’t be just a project. It has to be like, this is it. This is the band that will take us all the way to the top.”

The album title itself immediately sounds dark, but ANA explained that the concept behind it is actually deeply life-affirming. Vocalist Anna described death not as something purely negative, but as a reminder to fully embrace life while it lasts.

“Death is awareness. And death motivates us to be the best, try new things, don’t get lazy.”

Josh expanded on that philosophy further, explaining that accepting mortality is part of truly living.

“I think you’ve got to accept death first before you can really live to the fullest.”

That philosophy also strongly shapes the band’s overall identity. ANA repeatedly emphasized that they are not interested in simply becoming another symphonic metal band following established formulas. Although the group openly embraces theatricality and symphonic elements, they also deliberately incorporate a wide range of influences into their sound. Their self-created label “couture metal” reflects that mindset: carefully crafted, detail-oriented and built around artistic identity rather than genre expectations. Josh explained that the term partly emerged because existing genre labels simply did not fully capture what the band was trying to achieve.

“We’re not really interested in trends. We consider more about something that’s timeless.”

One of the strongest moments came when the discussion shifted toward the song “Papa,” one of the album’s most vulnerable tracks. Written as a deeply personal letter to Anna’s late father, the song became an example of how ANA balance emotional honesty with their grand aesthetic presentation. The band explained how each member attempted to translate that emotion musically. Josh described the pressure he felt while recording the song’s guitar solo, explaining that technicality became secondary to emotional impact.

“It’s not about me. It’s not about playing the flashiest thing there is… every note has to be able to emote.”

At the same time, ANA clearly have no intention of becoming overly serious or self-important. One of the interview’s most entertaining moments came while discussing the (then)  upcoming single “Shadow of Life,” a song whose existential themes unexpectedly evolved into something with disco-inspired energy. Once keyboardist Mark pointed out the groove hidden inside the song, the entire atmosphere around the track changed.

“Like a metal ABBA.”

The entire band burst into laughter at the comparison, but the influence genuinely shaped the final version of the song. Despite the album’s heavy themes around mortality and legacy, ANA intentionally wanted moments that feel energetic, uplifting and fun.

Beyond the music itself, the conversation also touched on ANA’s comic books, visual storytelling and growing multimedia ambitions. Rather than forcing these ideas artificially, the band described them as natural extensions of the larger artistic universe they are slowly building around ANA.

Although still only at the beginning of their career, ‘Motivated by Death’ already feels less like a debut statement and more like the foundation for something ANA hope will outlive trends entirely.

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