Violenţă Domestică Interview

 

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

After some unsuccessful tries, which are not worth a mention, Violență Domestică started in 2004 after I came into possession of some cheap music software and started recording my ideas. It was only a hobby project with some EPs and singles released and only became more "serious" after I quit my regular job in 2018. By that time I had collected many sketches and also found a perfect way to realize the ideas, so I had to finally make a dream come true and release the first full length album. I've invested a lot of time and money in "Cephalaea" and I'm very happy about the outcome. It was even released on vinyl in two different colors.

So Violență Domestică was and always will be my project. There is no masterplan and I don't expect much. I only want to create sounds I like and hopefully some other people enjoy them too. And by the way, I don't call myself a musician.

2. In November you had released a new split. Musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

The EP "Zerfall" (Decomposition), which is on the split album with Mossadeq's "Czech" EP, has more accessible structures and less experiments. I wanted to try a more straightforward path. The songs still can't be called "conventional" though... Also, "Cephalaea" contained all the ideas I've gathered over more than 10 years, whereas the new EP was completely fresh and made from scratch.

3. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on "Zerfall"?

Well, there's not much to explain, it's just pictures of some skeletons taken by me in Herculaneum/Italy. They are victims of the volcanic eruption in 79 AD. I just thought it fits the short story I'm telling in the songs. On the inside of the digisleeve there's a pic of me as a baby, so I think the message is pretty obvious.

The artwork for the debut album "Cephalaea" is more complex, but I don't think I want to explain that one.

4. What are your thoughts of Mossadeq, the other project that participated on the split album?

Mossadeq also consists of one guy only. His name is Cle. Cle founded a label at the beginning of 2020 and has released some pretty cool stuff from bands of different genres. In his music he also mixes a lot of genres and I like that. And unlike me, he can play many instruments.

The reason for our split album was a spontaneous idea we had while picking up the vinyl pressings of Mossadeq's album "Hospital", to which I contributed the intro and outro and also the artwork. We both have a one man music project, a small label and very similar views on many things, so we thought joining forces on a release would be a nice idea.

5. From 2011 to 2018 there was no new music being released, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time frame?

After some EPs and singles I lost interest in making music, mainly because it was very time consuming to concentrate on the details, the hardware and the software. I wanted it to be more perfect and sophisticated and I didn't know how exactly, so I stopped after some frustration with a very good but complicated hardware/software system. I focused on other types of art, as well as album covers, layouts and music videos for various bands. At some point I realized that I don't need the most complex tools to create what I wanted to, so I've perfected what I already learned and just started working on the album again, without expectations or a plan. By time everything fell together and it worked and, most important, I had fun doing it.

6. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Violență Domestică'?

Violență Domestică means domestic violence in Romanian. It was inspired by things I've seen in my surroundings but also by movies or other band's lyrics, though the main reason for the name was because it's "home made and violent". The Mr. Bungle song "Violenza Domestica" was also a reason for the naming, as far as I remember.

7. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored over the years with your music?

Until last years EP it was mainly such subjects as conflict between men and women, with everything included: perversions, abuse, rape, murder, suicide... "Zerfall" is a story about getting older in a diseased world without accomplishing anything valuable and wishing to end it all. On the second full length album, which is pretty much developed, it will be about types of people I can't stand, again also including weak disgusting men who abuse women. Just to be clear: My music, images and lyrics are not meant to glorify this shit! I admit, it's not easy to get the message, but I hate people like wife beaters, child abusers and similar scum.

8. With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

I did everything by myself, except for the guitars. They were always recorded by friends of mine because I'm too stupid to play an instrument. But at least I "wrote" the riffs. Also the mastering on the last two releases was made by a professional, Greg Chandler from Priory Recording Studios, who also plays in Esoteric amongst other bands. I also did some remixes and small collaborations with other bands, but on their songs and albums, not on mine. I would like to work with others, but until now there was no opportunity. But working solo is very relaxing and I don't have to compromise on anything, so I'm happy about that.

9. Most of your music has been released through 'Teratogen', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Teratogen is my label. Actually it's not only a label but the brand for everything I do. In 2017 I released the first album by another artist, it was a blackened Death Metal band called Seduced. Since then I have released some other stuff too, mainly albums with my artwork on them. I don't plan to make the label side bigger, I only want to release some nice stuff I'm involved in from time to time.

By the way, a teratogen is any medicine, chemical, infectious disease or environmental agent that could interfere with the development of a fetus during pregnancy. Exposure to a teratogen may result in the loss of the pregnancy, a birth defect or pregnancy complications. Common teratogens are alcohol and cigarettes for example, and Violență Domestică's music was meant to be a new one.

10. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of noise, experimental and electronic music?

Well, "worldwide level" is a little exaggerated. I had some nice reviews from some parts of the world but my music made no significant impact whatsoever. I'm just happy that there were no shitty or hateful reviews, because I'm sure that many people would hate my stuff, even fans of electronic music. Maybe I should promote it more, but I think it's niche music, not electronic enough for electronic music fans, not Metal enough for Metal fans and so on...

11. Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

As I said above, I have no expectations and no concrete plans. I just want to have fun as long as possible. I would love to see my stuff released by a label like Metropolis for example, but I don't think it will ever happen. I actually don't want to make money, just someone who helps me spread the music around. Not losing money would be the first main goal, hehe... Until now I only got half of the money I paid for the last two releases back.

12. 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?

I'm sure it's not recognizable, but the project was inspired by inventive music like Ministry, Ulver, Laibach and Mike Patton's projects. I'm more of a (almost all kinds of) Metal fan but even if I had a "traditional" band it would sound more or less like it does now, only with more instruments added. I don't want to recreate what others have already perfected in the past over and over again.

I have many favorite bands and I'm still trying to discover new ones and stay up to date in all the genres, which is almost impossible. Besides the aforementioned bands, I love Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd, Godflesh, Skinny Puppy, Velvet Acid Christ and many many more.

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

Thanks a lot for this! This was the first Violență Domestică interview ever, so I hope it was a good read. If you got curious, check out www.teratogen.at and www.facebook.com/teratogen for much more of my stuff. Also all my digital releases are available for free at violentadomestica.bandcamp.com, so feel free to grab them.

Cheers!

Dr.Winter