Obscure symphonic horror metallers Darkend have got their own thing going on with the release of “Grand Guignol – Book I”, this band had gotten it start in 2007 and since then has gone on to release and promote themselves as best as possible. Frontman Animae discussed with me his band's history, writing process, upcoming plans, and what more we can behold from the almighty Darkend!
1. What type of band are you?
Animae: We are DARKEND and we play “OBSCURE HORROR METAL” exclusively.
2. Tell us the brief history of your band.
Animae: DARKEND started up in late 2007 with the album “Damned Woman And A Carcass” (well, despite its length –almost an hour- it can considered more a demo-release than a real debut, in fact it was recorded in a private studio, with no label and from a very different line-up: only the drummer Valentz and the keyboardist Antarktica are still in the band nowadays) which was followed up by the concept album “Assassine” (that I consider the REAL start up for the band) that gave us the opportunity to tour the whole Europe supporting ROTTING CHRIST first and then, at the end of the last summer, with SAMAEL, MELECHESH and KEEP OF KALESSIN. And then we come to “Grand Guignol – Book I”, released in a first limited edition (500 copies) some weeks ago with the support of the ARCANE WITCHCRAFT COVEN.
3. How has the band’s sound evolved from Assassine to Grand Guignol - Book I?
Animae: It has become more complex, more dramatic and with even more atmosphere. With “Grand Guignol” we tried to bring the most characteristic parts of our sound to their extreme point: so, what has to be aggressive is very aggressive, what has to be dark and melancholic is even more dark and melancholic, and so on.
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4.Was your songwriting and recording process any different than usual for this CD?Animae: No, not really. As for the previous concept album “Assassine”, the first stone settled in the creation of “Grand Guignol” was directly connected to my strong philosophical and theatrical researches, used as a basis to set up the whole structure and the general atmosphere of the opera. Then Antarktica and me (sometimes joined by the band ex-guitarist Imajes, who left amongst the recording sessions of the album) stated to focus on the musical compositions, to which I progressively added my lyrics.
Concerning the recording sessions, the album was partly recorded after the first tour with ROTTING CHRIST and then finished at the end of the last year, using two different studios: Remaster Studios (the same used for “Assassine”) and Nothing Studios (our new guitarist personal studio), both situated here in Italy.
5. What inspired the album title? Is it a concept album?
Animae: Yes, it’s a concept album. “Grand Guignol” was the name of a theatrical movement born in Paris at the end of the XIX° century and specialized in naturalistic terror and macabre shows, where more than often reality and fantasy become one. We decided to use its name for 2 main reason: because it describes perfectly the nature of what is the core of the whole DARKEND philosophy (what we use to call “THE THEATRE OF HORRORS”) and because it is metaphorically connected to the main concept of the album: in fact, lyrically, this third opus takes its moves from a conscious and profound esoteric/philosophical research exploring through a rich narrative plot the common roots of occultism and spiritualism, self-martyrdom and black magic ceremonies. There, behind the curtain, you will hear a conceptual tale of sanctified sins and loathed purity, of mercy and murder, of gentle wickedness and dismal virtue, where everything is melted with its contrary: a theatre of abominations in which humanity roams unconscious of the highest cosmos’ secrets.
6. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
Animae: As stated above the ideological substrate of the new album is strongly connected to Esoterism, Philosophy, Magic, Psychology, Occultism... on a more general level I can say that all of our songs are strongly connected to everything that is mysterious, unknown, bleak and horrorific. Through them we activate a profound inner-ritual to investigate and at the same time to express our Souls.
7. Who are your musical influences?
Animae: All of us listen a lot of different music but I can’t really say that there is a specific external musical influence that reflects on us… our main influences are our Souls and the vibrations that we receive from the earthly and unearthly spheres: the impalpable mist that bleakly wraps the Ghosts and that sulphur kind of Black, Obscure, Dark & Heavy litanies; those lost graveyard laments echoing of funereal chant and the Grand Guignol himself, with his miserable cult of Death; the fascinating, bleeding, corrupting Thorns and the XIX century’s massive Classical curses; the screams, the decrepit Spirits and oh, of course… the Horror.
8. What are your expectations for the CD?
Animae: The most important thing that we want to reach with “Grand Guignol” is a profound absorption of our fans, moving them not only to listen but moving them… to feel. We want to touch other people’s Souls: this is what Art is all about, isn’t it?
9. How do you describe your music to people?
Animae: Hmm, it is quite complex. As I said at the beginning of the interview for me DARKEND are the pure expression of what I use to call “OBSCURE HORROR METAL”: there, you can find dark and melancholic extreme metal tightly combined with black metal patterns, classical symphonies and sulphur heavy riffs in the vein of Mercyful Fate/Angel Witch together with bleak ecclesiastic compositions, harmonies directly taken from the gloomy and dramatic theatrical representation of the XVIII century, straight melodic straight guitar solos and some atmospheric nocturne ambience.
10. What image do you think your music conveys?
Animae: It is the image of Pure Magic and Darkness, in their most vivid and primordial forms.
11. What are your upcoming tour plans?
Animae: On May the 15th we will leave for Russia to start there the first part of the “Grand Guignol” tour, supporting great bands such as Marduk and Vader. Then we will probably take part to some Summer Festivals and then, at the beginning of autumn, we will schedule the second part of the tour.
12. Is there anything else we can expect to see from you guys?
Animae: Oh yes, of course! We are currently working on our 4th album titled “Il Velo Delle Ombre” (that in English means “The Veil Of Shadows”) and I already have some good ideas concerning the 5th opus. Then, after it… the time to unleash “Grand Guignol Book II” will come! In the meanwhile… keep on spreading our obscure Cult of Horror! For any needed information don’t hesitate to contact us on our official site (www.darkend.it) and our Facebook official page (www.facebook.com/darkendofficial). Thank you for your support!
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