sábado, 12 de julio de 2014


1.The beginnings of Arx Atrata back to 2010 , how were the beginnings of the band ? Referred Atrata Arx name ?
There is not much to say about the beginning - as a fan of black metal it seemed natural to want to create some myself. It took several years because life includes many interruptions! The name of the band came later, as the album was almost ready for release. It roughly means 'blackened fortress' or similar, but it has no significance to the music as such.

2.Last 2013 the debut album " Oblivion" is published , how was the recording process and composition of the album?
Usually I start out with several musical themes I want to explore in a given song, perhaps drawing on existing influences or wanting to make use of certain instrumentation or sounds. Then it is just a case of writing and arranging the parts until the work feels complete. The work was all done in my home studio so recording and composition was basically part of the same process.

3.Having to deal with all the musical level, do you find it very difficult to take care of all instrumentation and what is the instrument with which you feel most comfortable when playing?
I am primarily a guitarist, so writing and performing those parts felt natural. The other parts were more difficult; but it is good to explore and extend your boundaries as an artist. In some ways however it is actually easier to perform all the parts yourself because it reduces the time spent on communication and on rehearsals.

4.The music of "Oblivion " conjures up cold and lonely landscapes with interesting balance between the use of keyboards and more folk elements without ever losing sight of the more traditional split of black , what are your main musical influences and how they have seen reflected in the album?
There are many influences on 'Oblivion', but the bands that had the most direct influence on the songwriting are Coldworld, Paysage D'Hiver, and Winterfylleth. Each of those bands are clearly black metal but they add in acoustic sections, ambient soundscapes, or doom influences to improve the songs, and that is the sort of musical path that Arx Atrata will continue to follow.

5.As for the black metal scene in the UK, how would you describe the scene today in your country?
The 'UKBM' scene is in great health; with bands like Winterfylleth, Wodensthrone, Old Corpse Road, Eastern Front, Fyrdsman, Ethereal, Fen, Cnoc An Tursa, A Forest Of Stars, etc., there is a lot of variety and quality. There are other good bands coming through the ranks as well, too many to name.

6.What topics you treat in your songs and why you think interesting to write about them?
The lyrics in Oblivion follow a broad theme of exploring the end of the world, or at least several interpretations of it. In a work like this the lyrics are ultimately secondary to the music and there is not intended to be a strong message contained within; they are just topics that are dark and melancholic, and which fit the compositions.

7.The cover fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the album , who designed this cover?
The artwork was done by Moonring Design (http://www.moonringdesign.com/). It wasn't designed specifically for Oblivion but was selected by myself to appear on the album as it completely fits the theme.

8.In your opinion what are your top five albums most important black metal ?
I wouldn't want to try and answer that question, as I do not consider myself an expert. My favourite albums are probably not all that important; and vice versa.

9.For someone who has not yet heard "Oblivion " , how would you describe the sound of the album What feelings are you trying to convey to the listener with your music?
It is simply "atmospheric black metal". The album tries to represent cold landscapes, lonely travellers, and abandoned places. But it is only music, and the listeners will have to decide for themselves.

10.How did you get started in music? What point you decided to be a musician and why?
It was many years ago so I do not remember all the details. However I do remember being given a keyboard by my grandparents, and also using some music software that was available for my computer. When I got into metal music I picked up a guitar and that is when I truly started to focus on music. I consider myself a creative person so creating music seemed obvious to me. However it is almost impossible to make a living as a musician now so it is not my day job. This is why it takes so long to make an album!

11.Satisfied by the reception from the media and the public to "Oblivion "?
The reception to Oblivion was much better than I had expected. The only bad thing is that the second album must be very good, or people will be disappointed! But that is a good problem to have.

12.Have you considered the possibility of offering a concert of Arx Atrata ?
It has been considered, but it is very unlikely to happen. Gigging in the UK is incredibly tough at the moment with promoters rarely booking new bands. So even if we wanted to play gigs, and formed a full live line-up in order to play them, there is no guarantee anybody would allow us to play. However, if we were contacted and asked to play, and the show was a worthwhile one, we would try to make it work.

13.What future plans does the band regarding upcoming releases ?
There will be a second pressing of Oblivion soon, for those who didn't manage to get one of the limited edition copies. Then, later in the year, the process of songwriting for the second album will begin.

14,Thank you very much for your time , talking to Black Metal Spirit . If you want to add something to the followers of Arx Atrata, now is the time. Were the questions I hope to your liking .
Thank you very much for these questions and for your interest in Arx Atrata. Keep supporting black metal and I hope to speak to you again when the new album is ready!

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