INTERVIEW TO EVIL SYMBOLS
Today we did an interview to the dark music composer "Evil Symbols" from New York, Us.
First say welcome to this written interview for Cian Orbe blog.
Hi. Thanks for inviting me.
- What is the meaning of Evil Symbols name?
When I first started this project I
originally wanted to name it “Symbolic”, but there were a couple bands with
that name already. I was also listening to the “Sigillum Diaboli” album by Lamia Vox a lot at the time and that kind of led to me taking the Evils Symbols name.
- Do you release music only under Evil Symbols name? do you have other active or past music projects or monikers?
Right now I am active as Evil Symbols and as part of Rituel Encens with my friend Bat. But i’ve been releasing music on the internet since the days of MP3.Com. Back then I had a project called “Blooded” . I also used to post beats on dopetracks.com back when they were still around. Unfortunately most of my stuff from back then is lost.
- Which are the concept behind your music, how you categorize your own work?
I try to create music that captures the feeling I get from listening to music that I like. I really struggle to categorize it sometimes because it's a mix of a lot of different elements.
When I was a teen I was really into the Italian band Opera IX. They had this album “the black opera” that i used to play nonstop. What I really liked about it was that if you played the album all the way through from beginning to end, the songs would all link up to tell the story of some nameless person on a journey and “you” the listener were also kind of taking this trip into the unknown with them. That's something I try to capture in all my albums. I try to make all the songs go together in a way that conveys some kind of experience that the listener is having.
- Favorite music genres?
I like a lot of old school goth music, Black metal, Rap, Bossa Nova, Classical..
- In what year did you start making music? which was your first band/project?
Sometime around 2002-2003 when I put out some songs as “Blooded”
- Which inspiration you have from the place where you live? There's some inspiration from your country in your music?
New York has always had a thriving hip hop scene. That's definitely a big inspiration for me especially when it comes to drumming and sampling. Also the dozens of cemeteries around my neighborhood.
- Which are your favorite music projects and visual/plastic artists/ writers, who inspire your work?
For music Opera IX, Jedi Mind Tricks, Wu Tang Clan, This Ascension, Blue Sky Black Death,Burzum, Lamia Vox, Anna von Hausswolff, Absu and the chameleons are a few
I get a lot of inspiration from renaissance and medieval religious art and pulp artists like Virgil Finlay for the visual Aesthetics
- How do you see the current darkwave, witch house music scene?
There is a lot of good darkwave music coming out right now, So overall I think the scene is in a good place. I would just like to see it keep growing and to have more cooperation between artists.
- Favorite dark music composers?
Lamia Vox & Anna von Hausswolff
- Do you make live performances?
Probably after COVID is no more
Here in Queens there are ALOT of cemeteries. I probably have at least 6 within walking distance of my house. I love the art and walk there all the time. The sculpture on the cover of “The Funereal Dark” is a photo I took at Harry Houdini’s grave at Machpelah Cemetery which is close to where I live.
- Which is your favorite song or composition and album created by yourself?
Haha -I always think my newest album is my best one.
- Tell us about the concept & the creation process of one of your latest works " "KEYS" self-released.
With KEYS I set I was trying to create an album that makes the listener feel like they were being taken to another world where they find someone that they have been looking for or that they miss alot. That's why at the end of the first song you can hear the voice talking about “late at night I can almost break through the barrier that separates us…” then you have “all to find you” which is about finding someone that you've been missing. Thewinterrain is about two people being lost and alone ...separated. The Sample that plays at the end of the album has someone waking from a dream in this new place where they hear a strange kind of music. Thats why its called KEYS like the album itself is the key to this otherworldly place.
- Tell us about the underground music scene in New York or in the place that you are currently established, and which are your favorite artists from your country?
We have a thriving goth community in the city and a lot of great djs that help put artists on. Right now Brooklyn has an awesome underground rap scene with a lot of good artists emerging. A Lot of artists have been incorporating elements of UK hip hop so there is kind of a new style developing .
- Any anecdote that you want to share with us in the creation of some track?
Ok, On the album funereal dark there is a song called cunturon, but the name was supposed to be centurion. My keyboard was busted when I was creating the file and I made a typo. I sent it to the singer thinking I'd just change the name later. But then she actually wrote the whole song about a being named cunturon so the name stuck.
- Any news for 2021 in your music project or future collaborations?
Yeah, I am finishing up another evil symbols album right now actually. I really would like to do a couple collaborations in the new year.
- Any other thing that you want to say to your listeners?
I appreciate everyone who takes the time to listen to my music. The internet basically has an infinite amount of music to choose from so it means alot to me when people listen to mine. I want the upcoming rituel encens and Evil Symbols albums to be my best work yet!
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