калуђер Interview

 1. For those who have never heard of you, can you talk a bit about the music project? 
1. калуђер was born initially as a dungeon synth project almost a year ago, when I learned about the genre on bandcamp and listening to Old Tower, the main source of inspiration for the project; lately along with the dungeon synth music, I wanted to insert elements of extreme metal mainly inspired by groups like Portal (most likely will come out something of this kind of music with калуђер), known thanks to my dear friend.

2. How would you describe your musical sound? 

2. My sound draws mainly from distant times (mainly fourteenth-century and Renaissance medieval) and natural landscapes (like forests, mountains) but also from esotericism, legends and magic.   3. Your work is inspired by the writings of J. R. Tolkien, can you tell us something more about your interest in this author?3. Let's say that everything started when I first read the Lord of the Rings; from then on I start a period of interest in fantasy literature mainly that then influenced the music (I had a period in which I mainly listened to power metal), still the Rhapsody of Fire are one of my favorite groups (I stopped being interested to their albums after the release of the guitarist Luca Turilli). Later Tolkien's books are the only literature of fantasy genre that I can support (I'm reading in recent times one of the last posthumous books out where all his letters are collected), also because behind his books there is just a historical, philological and linguistic research. 

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name "Kanjhep"? 
4. калуђер is a person who has chosen to follow a monastic and eremitical life in search of a lost spirituality and a search for itself; despite the main issues this can also be considered as a project of social criticism on the fact that today the world does not allow people to stop for a moment to meditate and look inside themselves (in my opinion spirituality can be an aid to meditation), a theme dear to me and that I try to include in all my projects. I chose the name in Serbian because I really love the languages ​​and the culture of the countries of Eastern Europe.

5. With this project, record all by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work alone?
5. For my solo projects I record all by myself, the only collaborations are split with other artists; I had and I currently have experiences with bands of various musical genres, even if for a while I chose not to do group experiences anymore.  

6. Recently, in which a part of a division with 'Il Cinghiale', what are your thoughts on the other musical project that had participated in the recording? 
6. With Valerio (the one who hides behind the Boar) we have known each other for a few years and, knowing each other, we have discovered that we have shared musical interests, and this is where our collaboration came from; I have always loved Valerio's music and other projects (especially his last solo album) and, when I can, I try to be present at his concerts. 

7. On the world level, how were the feedbacks to your music from the fans of the synth dungeon?
7. Being a new project калуђер, I received little attention, however, the comments were always positive and I always accepted the advice that gave me the most experienced lovers of this genre.  

8. What is happening with your other musical projects? 
8. My solo projects are 3: Kluisenaar, Infector http: // and калуђер (in order of creation). Kluisenaar is the main project: with it I deal with experimental music and sound research and now I'm working on a new album with the participation of other musicians always in experimental but completely different from previous works (I do not want to say more to avoid ruining the surprise); Infector http: // is a vaporwave music project, with which I have experimented on all the sub-genres of it, but now I think it is a closed project. I am currently producing a pop and an electronic music album as well as working as a guitarist with a songwriter and a show. I also compose music for films and I am an active member of the Collettivo Solchi Sperimentali by Antonello Cresti, 

9. Where do you see yourself going to music in the future? 
9. I hope to find a job in the music field to be able to support myself. 

10. What are some bands or musical styles that influence your music and also what are you listening to nowadays? 
10. My musical influences are really too many and come from all kinds. Surely my main influences come from my guitar teacher Anthony Sidney (guitarist of the Italian jazz-rock group Perigeo and great classical music composer), then surely by Frank Zappa, Steve Vai and Riccardo Marasco (traditional Florentine songwriter), Edgard Varese and various musical genres such as blues (Robert Johnson is one of my favorite guitarists), jazz fusion music, Renaissance music, baroque and contemporary classical; for Kluisenaar I can quote F.ormal L.ogic D.ecay (a great friend with whom I had the honor of playing live a short time ago), Steve Reich, Juri Camisasca and Franco Battiato; for Infector http: // Blank Banshee, Oneohtrix Point Never, Dj Shadow and Igorrr; for калуђер Old Tower, Rhapsody Of Fire, Portal, Jim Kirkwood, Renaissance / Baroque music and Gregorian chant. The musical influences come also from the artists (friends and not) with whom I came into contact as the projects of friends Valerio Orlandini, Zabuba Nevresky, Andrea Guerriero Edoardo Pistolesi and many others. I am currently listening to various groups: many compilations of vaporwave and dungeon synth but also very jazz of Pat Metheny and Weather Report, I have just finished listening to the discography of Death, Cynic and Mr. Bungle, very alternative metal and nu metal, King Crimson and djent. 

11. What are some of your non-musical interests? 
11. My non-musical interests are to read a lot, to fish, to go hiking (unfortunately I can make very few of them lately) and to ride a bike (this last activity helps me to relax a lot).

12. Before concluding this interview, do you have any words or final thoughts?
12. Definitely. I want to thank not only those who support my music but who support experimental and underground music in general, listening to it, buying it and making it known to friends or on facebook, I also want to appeal to listeners and composers of any musical genre: do not stop to a single genre or to a few musical genres but expand your knowledge because the inspiration for any kind of music can come from any kind of music and never stop experimenting on your music even inserting musical elements that are not similar to the genre you do. Finally thanks for the interview and for listening to my music.  

https://soundcloud.com/kaludjier-music

Liholesie Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the release of the new ep?

Hi! I am working on new material, planning some concerts in the fall, spending a lot of time at the countryside taking photos - visual side of the project is very important for me. Also I've been spending a lot of time on self-education in the field of music studies and sound studies.


2.Recently you have released a new ep, what are some of the things you feel you have done differently with this recording that you where not able to do with previous releases?

Finally I'm satisfied with the sound production! Also I've recorded most of the instruments by myself. New compositions have more powerful sound.


3.Most of your music is instrumental, would you be open to using vocals on any of the releases?

Well… I've thought about it many times. May be I will use some vocals in the future, who knows… Btw, I used overtone singing when remixing Sni Hmar track by the Ukrainian band Viter.


4.A lot of your musical themes focus on 'Siberian Shamanism', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

I’m interested not only in Siberian shamanism, but in shamanism at all, as an archaic proto-religious culture. This is an outlook that seems completely different from the modern outlook. All these rituals, calls to spirits, and taboos looks so strange for the modern man. But if you look closely, you'll see that some basic principles have been passed down through the centuries. The modern man also has rituals (not only religious, for example greeting rituals), also has taboos, also has his myths. As to the music, the basic principle hasn't changed either. Speaking about Siberia, some ethnic groups here have preserved their archaic culture and religion. I respect that. The whole reason to study different cultures is to understand your own culture and to understand yourself better. Through music I’m trying to re-create some archaic feeling of magical nature, to take listeners to another worlds like shamans do.


5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Liholesie'?

Liholesie is the Russian translation of Tolkien's Mirkwood. As we know, the writer took the word Myrkvidr from the Norse mythology. I like how it sounds and its connotations - twilight, dark forest, that divides one world from another. Music itself can be such a thing, that takes listeners from the everyday world to magical worlds.


6.In your logo you also include a lot of runes, can you tell us a little bit more about how you got interested in this ancient language?

Actually, Liholesie hasn’t a permanent logo, and I can remember only few pictures, where I used a stylized alphabet, that looks like runes. As I remember, I became interested in archaic cultures when I was a teenager. I listened to black metal and read many books about paganism, shamanism, runes, mythology and so on. Not all of them were really good.


7.On the albums you record everything by yourself, do you feel this gives you more room to be creative with your music?

There are both positive and negative aspects of such recordings. On the one hand, If you want something done, do it yourself. True, but on the other hand it's impossible to be the best at everything. Sometimes I need a fresh look and some new unusual ideas.


8.For a few years you also had taken a hiatus, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time span?

It's simple, I hadn’t enough time and inspiration for music. Work, photography and troubles in my life were taking away all my energy. I think that hiatus isn’t bad, it can help take a fresh view and bring new ideas.


9.A few years back you where also a part of a split with a black metal band, how would you compare that genre to what you are doing with your music?

Of course, black metal inspired me, but I don't feel a strong connection between it and actual Liholesie. Real (true if you want) black metal is about darkness, destruction and negativity, and my music is about other things: nature, heritage and spiritual quest. While there may exist points of agreement, it is no less certain that there are also significant differences.


10.What are some of the best shows that you have done over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

The last show in Ekaterinburg in the last spring with Ultar and Srub was very memorable. There was a big club, good sound, great light, wonderful audience… what more could I ask for? Liholesie stage performance is rather modest. I use stage clothes, accompanying video and just play my music using keyboards and some ethnic instruments.


11.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Yes, I have some plans for this fall, but nothing concrete yet.


12.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of ethnic, ritual and ambient music?

My project is best known on the territory of the ex-USSR than worldwide, so the feedback was not big but positive. The listeners came to the conclusion that the music and the sound had changed much, but the composer's fingerprint had remained discernible.


13.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

I prefer not to predict the future. Time will tell.


14.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Many styles and bands influenced me, and continue to inspire nowadays, from ethnic to electronic music, and from classical music to extreme metal. One of the musicians that I listen most to is a Swedish composer named Ulf Söderberg.


15.What are some of your non musical interests?

I have many interests besides music: photography, anthropology, psychology, history of religions, sport, traveling… Sometimes I wish there were more than 24 hours a day.


16.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
​
I want to thank you for the interesting interview and wish you good luck! May the force of nature be with you!

https://liholesie.bandcamp.com/

Consecration/Remembrance/2018 Compilation Album Review

  Consecration  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  compilation  album  "Remembrance"  which  consists  of  their  2014  full  length,  unreleased  2011  demo  recordings,  and  their  2010  ep.

  A  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  starts  off  the  compilation  along  with  some  drums  being  added  into  the  music  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  and  depressive  sounding  melodies  as  well  as  the  slower  riffs  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  while  the  screams  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style,  some  of  the  tracks  are  instrumentals  and  a  great  portion  of  the  songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard,  the  unreleased  tracks  show  the  music  in  more  of  a  rawer  form,

  Consecration  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  heavy  and  also  captures  the  heaviness  of  funeral  doom  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  despair,  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  from  Consecration  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  funeral  doom/death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Decayed  Embrace"  "Purity  Through  Pain"  "Persecution  Dominion"  and  "Cast  Down  For  Burning".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/Consecration666

Liholesie/Fables/2018 EP Review

  Liholesie  is  a  solo  project  from  Russia  that  plays  an  instruemntal  mixture  of  ethnic,  folk,  ritual  music  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2018  ep  "Fables"

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  atmospheric drones  in  the  background  before  adding  in  neo folk  elements  onto  the  recording  while t he  synths  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  ambient  elements  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  programmed  beats  and  all  of the  music  is  instrumental.

  When  percussion  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  an  ethnic,  shamanistic  and  ritualistic  atmosphere  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  Slavic  folk  instruments  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Liholesie  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk,  ethnic,  ritual  and  dark  ambient  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  while  also  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Liholesie  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  ethic,  folk,  ritual  music  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "North".  8  out  of  10.

https://liholesie.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/liholesie.official

https://www.instagram.com/liholesie_music

https://vk.com/liholesie.official

  

Kreiviskai Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

The group was created in 2013 in Tver (Russia). Its basis was the ethno-cultural association "Tverzha", created by us. There we were engaged in the research of the past of the Tver region of Russia. We did this in order to update the past in the present, folk songs especially. It means not just to perform old forgotten songs, but also to give them a modern sound, to revive them with hope for the future, with faith in the continuation of the tradition.

2.So far you have released 2 albums, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings?

In our opinion the albums are very different from each other. The first album was simpler and more authentic, a mixture of ambient and ethnics. The second one is completely different; it took much longer to create it than the first. We wrote it for 3 years, while the first record took us 3 months. Nonregnum is much more complicated than Zemmis Supnai. There is less ethnics, but more people were involved in recording, more instruments. As for genre in the sound appeared martial, neoclassic, post-folk, darkwave and even black metal.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover the Paganism of your home country, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Not of the country, but of the Tver region. True paganism is always local and consists of many original cults, especially when we are talking about large territories. The area of ​​the Tver region, for example, is larger than the area of ​​many European countries, such as Estonia, Czech Republic, Lithuania etc. The members of the group have come to paganism in different ways, and understand it in different ways. But all of us are united by the idea of ​​the aesthetics of the ritual, the sanctity of nature and love for true Tver culture and Tver land.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Kreiviskai'?

In Old Prussian it means "In Krivsk", "Krivichi". Krivichi were a union of Balto-Slavic tribes, which have become an ethno-forming nucleus of the population of the Tver region. Before the founding of the Old Russian state and the transition to the Slavic language, the Krivichi spoke the Baltic language and professed the Baltic pagan faith. The Old Prussian language, which today belongs to the extinct reconstructed languages, was also a member of the Baltic language group. Denoting this ancient connection, we chose this project name.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We think, there aren’t any. Kreiviskai is a studio project, never performed on stage.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

There were some ideas to get the project on stage. But so far we haven’t come to it and we don’t see any need in it.

7.So far you have worked with 'Casus Belli Musica' and 'Cold Dungeon Records on getting your recordings released, do you feel both of these labels have been very helpful when it comes to getting your music out there heard?

"Casus Belli" is an experienced label, and everything was organized more than well, in our opinion. As for Cold Dungeon Records, it's hard to be objective here, as it's our own label, created specifically for the Kreiviskai project. At a certain point it became clear that the creation of the album is possible only if we monitor it without someone else's guidance. Using the example of Nonregnum, we can say that we have succeeded.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of neo folk?

So far all the feedback we received is very good, but we can’t speak for all the fans of neo-folk. Kreiviskai is not particularly known or popular in the world of neo-folk. Yes, our music was appreciated by many, but realizing and understanding of the depth and complexity of the conceptual part, philosophy, meanings are still to come.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Most likely there will be a third album, and probably it will be the last one. Content and concept for us is more important than music. If there would be nothing to talk about and it would seem to us that we have said everything, the project will be closed. The first album was dedicated to nature, Tver folklore and paganism, the second - to the Tver Middle Ages. The content and the concept of the third album will remain secret for now.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

A special influence was made by Tver and Baltic folklore, the Lithuanian and Latvian neo-folk, the Wardruna project, the Belorussian ethnic and so on. We listen to music of different genres, from authentic folk singing to black metal and EBM.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Every member of the group has a hobby. We share such hobbies as publishing activity, popular scientific researches in the field of history and archeology, studying linguistics and languages in particular. And, of course, travels - pilgrimages to the sacred places of our ancestors, local history and mountaineering, ritual practices.

https://www.spirit-of-metal.com/en/band/Kreiviskai

Il Cinghiale Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?



Il Cinghiale started in 2006 as Wild Boar, as a side project of Symbiosis (http://symbiosis.altervista.org). At the time the term “dungeon synth” did not exist yet, but the sound I was looking for was the one of the historical names of the genre.

After a couple of demos I put on hold the project until about a year ago, when I resurrected it under the name Il Cinghiale (which means ‘wild boar’ in Italian).

Before this split, I released “The Regal Tales”, an EP with some new tracks. You can listen to it on my Bandcamp: https://ilcinghiale.bandcamp.com/, where you can also find a collection of tracks from the Wild Boar days.



2.How would you describe the musical sound that has been presented on the recordings that you have released so far?



Well, I think that the label “dungeon synth” sticks perfectly, even if I don’t want to sound derivative and I am looking to incorporate new influences in the next works.

In this split with Kaluder, I pushed the orchestral side a little more than in the previous releases, which were definitely more “dungeon-esque”.

For the future I am trying different interesting directions, but I still have to decide which path to take. The woods of Il Cinghiale are dense and easy to get lost into, sometimes even myself cannot find the way back home. And I absolutely like to get lost.



3.What are some of the themes and concepts you bring into the music?



I want to transform the listener into a sort of adventurer that explores an unknown world. This world is intentionally left without chronological or geographical points of reference, and can convey different meanings and concepts.

Each Il Cinghiale release is a different journey: there is not, at least currently, a unifying concept across the releases. This allows me to experiment with different sounds and to create different settings, so that each album, split or EP is a variation on the theme of exploration of inner and outer worlds.



4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Il Cinghiale'



As I was saying before, “Il Cinghiale” means “the wild boar” in Italian, my native language, and Wild Boar has been the first name of my project.

The reason why I chose it is that I feel that the wild boar is my spirit animal. He lives hidden in the woods, attacks only when is attacked, and have a special connection with the surrounding environment.



5.On the albums you record mostly everything by yourself, would you be open to working with other musicians?



Until now, I have always did everything by myself, but as it already happened with the other projects of mine, I would be more than happy to work with someone else.

It would be not easy, especially for a solitary genre like dungeon synth, but I am sure that this could lead to interesting contaminations with other sounds. Anyone is welcome to get in touch if interested!



6.Recently you where a part of a split with 'Kaluder', what are your thoughts on the other musical project that had participated on the album?



I know personally the guy behind Kaluder and he is a really creative musician who likes to experiment in different directions (and I recommend to check out the other projects of his). This incursion into dungeon synth is very well crafted, both sonically and conceptually. I liked Kaluder’s tracks since the first time I listened to them, and I think they blend great with the ones from Il Cinghiale.

We have different approaches towards the genre, and probably different influences, but there is something that links our sonic proposals so that they go great in a split album.



7.The split was released on 'Masked Dead Records', are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?



Absolutely yes. Matteo, the guy from the label, followed every part of the production in a professional way and leaving me and Kaluder absolute artistic freedom.

With the other projects of mine I worked with several labels in the past, and this has been one of the best experiences I have ever had. I also recommend the readers to check out the other releases from Masked Dead, they will discover many interesting artists.



8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of dungeon synth?



I must admit that prior to the release of this split I have made very little promotion to my project, partly due to my other musical activities, but partly also because I want Il Cinghiale to have the typical early dungeon synth aura of mystery. It is not a matter of fashion or of goofy elitism, but a remembrance of how I got into dungeon synth, long before it had even had a name (it was just called, as many will remember, “medieval ambient”, “black ambient” or “fantasy ambient”). It was something you had to discover piece by piece, spending time researching new acts on catalogues, trading stuff, or on the depths of the (early) web.

Without being anachronistic, I would like to keep Il Cinghiale as something that has to be discovered, not excessively promoted. So, coming back to your question, the few feedbacks I had have been rather positive, but I think this question will have a more complete answer in a few years.



9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?



Good question, if someone has the answer please get in touch as soon as possible! Jokes aside, I hope to keep on looking for new musical influences and challenges as always, and to collaborate with like-minded musicians.

I do not make many plans, I prefer to see what happens and chase every opportunity I feel valuable.

As far as Il Cinghiale is concerned, I hope to release a full-length album someday, I am already trying different directions and I am confident to be able to produce something interesting and not already heard thousand times.



10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?



If strictly speaking about the music which influenced Il Cinghiale (and not generally myself as a listener and as a musician), it may sound obvious but Mortiis and Burzum (from the latter especially the latest albums) have been my first influences. Together with them, all the first wave of dungeon synth projects and the ambient tracks found in many black metal albums. Widening the field, black metal and dark ambient music have a heavy influence on Il Cinghiale, together with classical music, especially the one composed from the late XVII and early XVIII centuries.

When talking about myself, I have rather diverse musical interests, from avantgarde electroacoustic music to dark jazz, from old school industrial to ritual traditional music. Currently, I am rediscovering black metal, which have been my main passion since my teenage years, and avantgarde classical music from XX century.

Another kind of music which I am commited to lately, both as a listener and as a composer, is pure field recording (i.e. not used with instruments, but as the only sound source in a composition).



11.What are some of your non musical interests?



“To crush my enemies, to see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentations of their women.”



12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?



Thank you very much for the space you dedicated to Il Cinghiale, it is always a pleasure answering to such in-depth and interesting questions.

If you are keen on discovering more about Il Cinghiale, for the moment head over my Bandcamp page: http://ilcinghiale.bandcamp.com (website coming soon!).

Alba Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
1. Alba is a dark ambient/neofolk/dungeon synth project, created by me,
 Slavnik, in the middle of 2015. It is my personal way to explore themes like darkness, life, death, mistery, occultism and some others.

2.So far you have released 2 ep's, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?
2. In “Ritual”, my first demo, the sound was very raw, because I have recorded it in an analogue way, with no mixing or
 mastering. It fits better with neofolk and dungeon synth. While “Innocence” sounds much better not only in the recording quality, but also in style. It fits more dark ambient style, played with piano and synths, which is maybe my favourite kind of style.

3.What are some of the themes and images you bring out with your musical style?
3.
 As I said in the previous question, the themes Alba brings are death, life, darkness, mistery, nature, occultism, but everything I want I will tell too. Every theme is interpreted in a personal point of view, though.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Alba'?
4. Alba means dawn in italian language.
 I had a very deep and dark period, that changed my life forever in a better way. There was a specific moment in which I realized that it was the dawn of a new day, the dawn of a new life.

5.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
5. Though I prefer working solo because of the personal meaning of Alba,
 I’m always opened in collaborations with new artists.

6.So far you have worked with Depressive Illusions, Wolfrune Worxx and Masked Dead Records, are you happy with the support these labels have given you so far?
6. Every label showed true interest and respect for my project. I had a long collaboration with Depressive Illusions, that also released works of my black metal band. Masked Dead Records brings to me for
 the first time the mini-CD format, which I found really interesting and particular.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of neo-folk and dungeon synth?
 7. I had a very positive feedback by the Dungeon Synth Community. “Innocence” songs both fits in some Dungeon Synth Compilations.

8.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
8. I don’t have a definite goal with my music.
 I just write, record and release my music for myself. It’s my way to express myself.

9.Are you also involved with any other bands or musical projects?
9. I have a band called Neve, which means snow in Italian language, that I found in 2016. I’m the singer and keyboardist. We have released a demo (Fragments of A Sad Soul)
 and an EP (Tales from the Unknown) and we are now working on our first full length. Our style run towards atmospheric-post black metal. In the past I also had a space ambient project called Luce (light in English). I released just a full-length, through Depressive
 Illusions Records, in CDs and tapes. The project is closed, but it will be integrate with Alba very soon.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
10. Lifelover is the band that most influenced me. I also have their logo tattooed on my skin! Depressive Black Metal and Post Black Metal are my favourite
 genres. But I really listen to almost everything. I’m also really influenced by pop music and instrumental music (like obviously dark ambient and dungeon synth). Atmospheric and Epic Black Metal are also in my top list genres, though I listen to every kind
 of metal, and music in general.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
11. I really show interest toward every kind of music. But I think drone music is a kind of genre that I would never play.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
 I want to give special thanks to all DarkUndergroundMusicZine stuff for letting me do my first interview
 ever! And to everyone that follows and supports Alba: beware yourself! There are a lot of surprises coming up!

1. Facebook
2. Instagram
3. YouTube

Obseqvies/The Hours Of My Wake/Rain Without End Records/2018 CD Review

  Obseqvies  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of drone  and  atmospheric  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The  Hours  Of  My  Wake"  which  will  be  released  on  June  30th  by  Rain  Without  End  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  synths  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  the  slow  riffs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  funeral  doom  metal  along  with  the  vocals  also  bringing  in  a great  amount  of  deep  guttural  death  metal  growls.

  All  3  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  and  depressive  sounding  melodies  along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  stringed  instruments  can  be  heard  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction.

  Obseqvies  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  drone  and  atmospheric  funeral  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  eternal  darkness  and  doom  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Obseqvies  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  drone  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Dawning".  8  out  of  10.

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Vortex/As Gods Fall/Cyclic Law 2018 Double CD Review

  Vortex  is  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  a  cinematic  mixture  of  ritual  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  double  album  "As  Gods  Fall"  which  will  be  released  on  June  21st  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Ritualistic  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  chants  while  soundtrack  movie  orientated  synths  are  also  used  at  times  as  well  as  some  militant  beats  and  at  times  the  music  also  captures  a  very  medieval  and  epic  sounding  atmosphere  and  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  electric  guitars  as  well  as  the  spoken  word  parts  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  when  they  are  utilized  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  atmospheric  sounding  drones  and  nature  sounds  and  as  the  album  progresses  stringed  instruments  and  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording,  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  all  instrumental.

  Vortex  plays a  musical  style  that  takes  cinematic  music,  neo-folk,  dark  ambient  and  ritual  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Nordic  Mythology  and  Paganism  of  The  Eddas.

  In  my  opinion  Vortex  is  a  very  great  sounding  cinematic  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  ritual  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "War  Is  Coming"  "Odhinns  Wrath"  "A New  World"  and "Into  The  Void".  8  out  of  10.

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Antonio Tonietti/Improvvisi perTavola Armonica/Sonorus Records/2018 Cassette Review

  Antonio  Tonietti  is  a  solo  artist  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  improv  and  experimental  on  home  made  musical  instruments  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Improvvisi  per Tavola  Armonica"  which  was  released  on  cassette  by  Sonorus  Records.

  Atmospheric  and  ambient  orientated  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  distorted  noises  and  drones  while  the  music  gets  very  avant  garde  and  experimental  at  times  as  well  as  being  all  instrumental  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  sound  very  different  from  each  other.

  Antonio Tonietti  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  experimental  and  improv  and  mixes  them  together  on  home  made  instruments  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  while  also  capturing  the  atmosphere  of  real  instruments  and  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Antonio  Tonietti  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  improv  and  experimental  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "III".  8  out  of  10.

https://sonorus-records.bandcamp.com/album/improvvisi-per-tavola-armonica-son009 

In Tenebris Scriptus - A Dark Aural Tribute To H.P Lovecraft/Eight Tower Records/2018 Compilation Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  compilation  that  consists  mostly  of  bands  or  musical  projects  in  the  occult,  ritual,  dark  ambient,  drone  and  experimental  genres  paying  homage  to  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft  which  was  released  in  2018  by  Eight  Tower  Records  and  called  "In  Tenebris  Scriptus - A  Dark  Aural  Tribute  To  H.P  Lovecraft"  and  we  will  review  the  songs  one  by  one.

  Monocube  brings  us  "Dwelling  In  Mayhem"  which  starts  out  with  acoustic  guitars  and  ambient  style  synths  while  the  music  is  all  instrumental  and  also  mixes  in  elements  of  dark  ambient  and  drone.

  Next  up  is  Corona  Barathri  with  "Litania  Antiquis"  which  starts  out  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  ritualistic  soundscapes  while  the  track  is  also  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  vocals  and  stringed  instruments  also  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  some  melodic  chants.

  Nile  Impvlse  brings  us  "Astrophobos"  which  starts  out  with  some  ritualistic  soundscapes  and  drones   along  with  some  programmed  yet  militant  drum  beats,  noises  and  ambient  style  synths  as  well  as  some  evil  sounding  whispered  vocals  and  the  track  is  long  and  epic  in  length.

  The  Serpent  brings  us  "Corona  Nyarlathotepis"  which  starts  out  with  some  field  recordings  and  nature  sounds  while  the  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  ambient  style  soundscapes  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  towards  the  end  demonic  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  briefly.

  Sonologyst  brings  us  "Cryptic  Realms"  which  starts  out  with  harsh  noises  and  ambient  style  drones  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  at  times  as  well  as  adding  in  some  ambient  style  synths  and  the  music  is  instrumental.

  Noctilucant  brings  us  "The  Haunter  of  The  Dark"  which  starts  out  with  some  rain  and  thunder  sounds  along  with  some  elements  of  ambient  and  drone  along  with  the  songs  making  the  music  sounding  more  atmospheric  and  towards  the  end  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Martyria  brings  us  "A  Light  on  The  Hilltops"  which  starts  out  with  some  ritualistic  drum  beats  and  ambient  style  drones  while  the  synths  makes  the  music  sound  more  atmospheric  along  with  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Xerxes  The  Dark  brings  us  "Dagon  (MMXX)"  which  starts  out  with  ambient  style  soundscapes  and  filed  recordings  while  the  spoken  whispers  makes  the  music  sound  more  ritualistic  while  also  mixing  in  some  avant  garde  elements.

  Moloch  Conspiracy  brings  us  "The  Shadow  Over  Innsmouth"  which  starts  out  with  a  very  atmospheric  and  dark  ambient  orientated  sound  while  the  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  stringed  instruments  and  noises  are  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  being  all  instrumental.

  New  Risen  Throne  brings  us  "Out  Of  The  Aeons"  which  starts  out  with  some  field  recordings  and  atmospheric  drones  while  the  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  along  with  the  music  getting  very  ritualistic  at  times  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Adonai  Atrophia  brings  us  "The  Black  Seas  Of  Infinity"  which  starts  out  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  drones  and  dark  ambient  elements  while  the  track  is  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  synths  making  the  music  sound  more  atmospheric  and  the  music  is  all  instrumental.

  Hezaliel  closes  the  compilation  with  "Chtulhu"  which  starts  out  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  drones  while  the  track  is  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  a  great  amount  of  ambient  and  ritualistic  elements  as  well  as  being  all  instrumental.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  H.P  Lovecraft,  dark  ambient,  drone,  ritual,  and  experimental.  8  out  of  10.

https://eighthtowerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/in-tenebris-scriptus-a-dark-aural-tribute-to-h-p-lovecraft

     

Alba/Innocence/Masked Dead Records/2018 EP Review

  Alba  are  a  solo  project  that  plays  a  mixture  of  neo-folk,  dark  ambient  and  dungeon  synth  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  ep  "Innocence"  which  was  released  by  Masked  Dead  Records.

  Tragic  sounding  skeyboards  start  off  the  ep  and  also  bring  in  elements  of  ambient  and  dungeon  synth  along with  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  which  also  makes  the  songs  more  atmospheric  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  drum  beats  being  programmed  and  all  of  the  music  is  instrumental  and  also  adds  in  touches  of  neo-folk.

  Alba  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  dark  ambient,  neo-folk  and  dungeon  synth  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  while  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Alba  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  neo-folk,  dark  ambient  and  dungeon  synth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Mother  Darkness".  8  out  of  10.

https://albaofficial.bandcamp.com/album/innocence

II Cinghiale/Kanjhep/Drevne Rusevine i Magicne Rituale/Masked Dead Records/2018 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Italy's  II  Cinghiale  and  Kanjhep  called  "Drevne Rusevine  i  Magicne  Rituale"  which  was  released  by  Masked  Dead  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  II  Cinghiale  a  musical  project  that  plays  dungeon  synth.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  neo-classical  style  synths  and  symphonic  elements  while  programmed  and  martial  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  along  with most  of  the  music  being  instrumental  and  when  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  on  some  tracks  they  team  up  with  Kanjhep  and  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  dungeon  synth  direction  and  elements  of  ambient  can  also  be  heard  at  times and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  II  Cinghiale  are  a  very  great  sounding  dungeon  synth  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Legacy  Of  The  Old  Kingdom"  and  "Lost  In  The  Forest".

  Next  up  is  Kanjhep  a  musical project  that  plays  a  Tolkien  inspired  form  of  dungeon  synth.

  Their side  of  the  split  starts out  with  epic  sounding  synths  while  some  tracks  also  include  work  with  II  Cinghale  along  with  most  of  the  music  being  instrumental  as  well a s  adding  in  elements  of  neo-classical  and  later  songs  bring  in  elements  of  drone  and  dungeon  synth,  one  track  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  whispers  and  spoken word  parts  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Kanjhep  are  a  very  great  sounding  Tolkien  inspired  dungeon  synth  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rituals  At  The  Lake"  and  "The  Ancient  Manuscript'.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  dungeon  synth.  8  out  of  10.

https://maskedeadrecords.bandcamp.com/album/drevne-ru-evine-i-magi-ne-rituale