Agremorta's
EP "Anomalia" delves into dystopian themes intertwined with personal
struggles. The collaborative effort merges modern and classic metal elements,
promising a unique and challenging musical landscape ahead.
1. Can
you tell us about the inspiration behind the concept of "Anomalia"
and how it ties into the themes explored in the EP?
Nikola: I originally shared with Chris
my vision for the EP to comment on the dystopian direction that society seems
ever-destined for and the personal/emotional struggles that result from this. I
also ended my original proposition with the caveat that I’d like to incorporate
an uplifting feeling of managing to work through all of that.
Chris: I really latched onto that
idea of trying to find hope in the midst of tragedy and crisis. With my own
country in a state of political unrest, an ongoing war in Eastern Europe and
then ANOTHER one starting in West Asia, I felt moved to also incorporate an
examination of the mental hurdles we overcome to justify violence toward one
another with both sides of a conflict believing in their own right to do so.
Ultimately, where can hope be found in times such as these?
I also saw
an opportunity to process and memorialize some of the conclusions I’ve come to
in my own life over the past ~10 years or so that tend to lead me down paths to
deeper peace and connection with myself, my loved ones, and my neighbors. I
allowed the main character of the EP to be confronted with exaggerated versions
of similar conflicts and crossroads from my own life, especially where I’d made
choices I’d now reflect on as having been well-intentioned but ultimately
self-interested or self-destructive. Hopefully that’s relatable and I’m not the
only one, right? Haha.
The story
that I tried to shove all these themes and concepts into was based on a dream I
had many years ago that stuck with me. Most of my favorite songs I’ve written
came from vivid dreams and twisting them into metaphors or allegories for
milestones or learning throughout my life… a musical, fairy-tale driven journal
of sorts. I had already used the first half of the dream in a song called “The
Great Reset” in a previous band/project called ‘Gentlemen’, but was waiting for
the right song or songs to explore the rest of the dream. When I first heard
Nikola’s cinematic and atmospheric metal sensibilities in the demos he sent, I
knew it was the perfect backdrop for this!
2.
"Obsidian Reveries" serves as the instrumental opening to the EP. How
did you approach creating this track to set the tone for the narrative?
Nikola: I was trying to find an opening
that would work well with both the trailing track "Ploratus Umbra"
and its ideas, as well as the beginning of the main character's awakening in
the context of the story. In terms of timeline, the song was written as the
final piece of the puzzle within the framework of the album. Its instrumental
elements feature retrospective sounds that simultaneously highlight the
dystopian robotic structure of society in the time capsule that is being
presented in the music, but also maintain the organic elements of their
ancestors: humans. We are portraying both the robotic evolution of the species
and the organic side of earlier human values through the track.
Chris: I was primarily interested in
creating an effect that is at once both foreign and familiar. You can tell the
synthesized voice present is speaking, but the voice’s distortion and inhuman
quality keeps us from being able to understand. The ominous discomfort that
creates and the marriage between human and synthetic sounds seemed to me to be
a good telegraphing of what to expect in the tracks to come. There was also an
opportunity to create a bridge between the “prequel” I mentioned earlier and
the EP by reincorporating a character from that part of the story - the
machines that were utilized to reboot humanity.
3.
"Ploratus Umbra" delves into themes of conformity versus
individualism. What message or emotion were you aiming to convey through this
song?
Nikola: The imagination of the
instrumental part of the track is that there is a tension building up in all
elements of the song, including the intro, verses, pre-choruses, and the chorus
to have one big release that would be an answer to all the leading tension that
has been built up before that, both through the punchy guitar arrangements, the
ominous and attention-dragging synths and sound design and syncopated grooves.
The outro and interlude are the culminations of the track which accentuate the
most emotionally intense narrative messages to the listener.
Chris: One of the primary messages or emotions I was trying to induce throughout Ploratus was that of being pulled in two directions. The vocal stylings shift from extreme ends of a spectrum often and intertwine throughout the track, and the main character is lyrically introduced to the conflict of having their expectations betrayed and the “righteous anger” they experience as a result. I aimed to set the stage for the story and cast the main character as an emerging hero (in their own mind) without passing narrative judgment on them, at least yet! In the context of the entire EP story, however, we can revisit this track later and see the beginnings of someone letting their feelings, personal ideals, and narrow viewpoint (they’ve lost part of their memory, after all!) begin to justify their violent acts that will ensue.
4.
"Adrocitas" is described as the narrative climax of the story. How
did the collaboration with Louis Snyder of Riparian come about, and what impact
did his guest guitar solo have on the track?
Nikola: I had been interested in
having another artist’s voice expressed in the solo section of Adrocitas for
some time. Chris had worked with Louis on another metal project (Gentlemen)
in the past, and, when he learned about Agremorta in its
beginnings he had actually offered to add something to the table if needed. As
mentioned earlier, the ‘prequel’ song to the story of Anomalia was
part of the Gentlemen release. So, when we were newly in need
of a replacement guitarist for that part of the song Louis was at the top of
the list, both ability-wise and thematically. It just made sense and it clicked
in the end! Instrumentally, the track is full with riffs that represent the
fight of the main character with his opposition, as well as the sound design
which accentuates this even further.
Chris: Narratively, the solo section
was supposed to express the unraveling of the main character's mind. We needed
an expression of an assault on the ego and the fiery crumbling of pride and
delusion. Louis’ pacing, speed, death-metal stylings, and dissonant choices
really fit the emotion and delivered the chaos mirrored in the heart and
consciousness of our character. I also loved that it incorporated a fresh
change and additional genre-nod to a song and EP that we hoped would be
characterized, in part, by that kind of boundary crossing.
5.
"Vertex Membrana" seems to explore inner conflict and ethical
dilemmas. Can you elaborate on the creative process behind this song's
composition and lyrics?
Nikola: The instrumental is thought out to
be very straight forward, with punching rhythms and riffs that don’t hold so
much ‘burden’ in their harmony. Rather, they are more up-in-front without as
much layering in the sound design and arrangement as the other tracks of the
album. The purpose of all this is to accentuate the emotional state of the
character who is ultimately freed up from the chains of guilt of knowing the
real truth but, at the same time, to show and represent the heavy consequences
of their choice to unveil the registry of names.
Chris: You hit the nail on the head
with “inner conflict” in regards to how the lyrics came out for this track.
While the other tracks on the EP have moments of introspection they are also
broken up by parts ‘said out loud,” the voices of characters beyond our main
one, descriptions of the environment, etc. Lyrically speaking, Vertex is almost
entirely representing a stream of consciousness in the midst of, as you said,
an ethical dilemma. Part of the challenge was to simultaneously progress the
story by incorporating the characters' internal reaction to events unfolding
around them, but I think the lyrics for this song came rather naturally…
perhaps due to the fact that, like the vast majority of us, I am no stranger to
racing/changing thoughts in the midst of a crisis!
When I was
an older teenager I read a book in which the main question posed throughout was
something along the lines of, “Who are you when nobody's looking?” I couldn’t
remember the content if you asked me and I wouldn’t therefore recommend it, but
that one concept of attempting to strive for integrity even when you’ve nothing
to gain from it has never left me. Personally, trying to always live in
congruence with your forward facing values and beliefs can be hard when the
heat is on. It’s something I fail at on a regular basis but I never stopped
really believing it was a worthwhile pursuit. There is nuance to it I’m sure -
times when it could be a harmful mindset in certain circumstances - but I think
that it’s served me decently well through life’s challenges. I think that,
alongside the other more self-serving options considered in the lyrics, this
concept of the value of integrity and self-sacrifice really bled into the
lyrical content of this song.
6. As an
international music project, how did the collaborative nature of Agremorta
influence the sound and direction of "Anomalia"?
Nikola: We have plenty of overlapping
musical influences and we also deviate pretty wide with others. We were
actually reflecting on this just a few days ago - about how I produced a lot of
darker, more alternative and melancholic sounds which Chris would then overlap
with something bright and catchy, maybe playful and quirky. I remember one
particular melody line that we cut because it was just too glam-metal and
sarcastic sounding, haha. It was the right choice, but suffice to say we feel
we found a way to combine a wide-spectrum of influences into our sound in a way
that ultimately - even unexpectedly - worked for us both and that we both came
to enjoy.
Chris: I found it personally cathartic and rewarding to work together with someone across an ocean and some degree of cultural divide on something so personal and impassioned - especially as it honestly was so positive and enjoyable overall. There were naturally fears from both sides, initially, of working with a stranger - let alone one from so far away - but it quickly dissolved as we got to work. While the world seemed to get angrier and angrier around us and wars broke out, we were connecting and creating and compromising to make something we’ve come to be very proud of. A positive shade of globalization, for sure!
7. What
challenges did you face while working on the EP, and how did you overcome them
as a team?
Nikola: Working with Chris was such a
delight, and going through the workflow we had was an incredible life
experience! It probably goes without saying that the time difference made
things tricky at times. Late nights for both of us, waiting hours for a response
to tiny questions, and realizing daylight savings time is not universally
timed, haha. Then there’s just the physical distance of course: expressing
musical ideas through voice memos and a hundred little sound clips rather than
getting to sit in a room together and jam it out. It was A LOT of back and
forth rather than simultaneous or spontaneous creation.
Chris: There were a fair share of zoom
meetings and well-timed, synchronous a-ha moments about a musical idea, but
most of the time it was a bit of a waiting game for both of us to hear the
other’s thoughts. Thankfully, we both kept at it. I really feel Nikola and I
respected the project and each other's time with transparency and reliable work
ethic throughout the whole process.
Another
challenge was that Nikola had completed most of the instrumental and
composition work prior to us even meeting. Therefore, there was this initial
stage of me kind of trying to make sure I was pleasing him and serving his
original vision for the project. I felt at first that it was ‘his baby,’ as
they say. Graciously, Nikola did not take that attitude at all. From the get-go
he had a collaborative spirit and encouraged me to put my own spin on the
songs. It wasn’t just lip-service either, he really compromised in a lot of
areas and took some risks with my vision for things at times. Because of that
generous attitude with what was originally his own project, I think we really
ended up with a unique sound that features both of our artistic voices in an
equal measure.
8. How
do you see the EP fitting into the current landscape of metal music,
considering its blend of modern and classic elements?
Nikola: My inspiration in regards to the
production, arrangement and composition is mostly driven from the most modern
metal stuff, but also other modern genres for song arrangement and composition.
However, I’m definitely a big fan of the music of the 2000s and 1990s and the
way they were approaching composition. This music is very nostalgic to me and I
like it as much as the other stuff. This is the main reason I was open minded
for any kind of influence and approach vocally, which Chris brought to the table.
There were compromises on both sides, but the end result is something we are
very proud of!
Chris: I’m glad to hear you put it
like that - a blend of modern and classic. Early in the process I had hoped
we’d find a way to incorporate elements that just about any genre of metal fan
could enjoy. In terms of metal music I have a lot of early 2000s and 2010
influences alongside of the more modern and prog-sounding stuff I’ve grown to
love over the past 15 years or so. I am hoping we continue to carve out a sort
of unique space in the current landscape where we are utilizing modern
production methods and sensibilities and yet incorporating some feeling of
nostalgia from a more primal and less processed era of metal music. It’d be
great to be considered both accessible, yet challenging. Groovy and catchy, but
still surprising. I’ve been using the term “prog lite” to describe my hopes for
our sound lately, and I think that kind of sums it up. Maybe that will put us
in a confusing place in the metal landscape, but I think it’s right where I
want to be and I can hope there are some like-minded music lovers out there who
could appreciate it!
9. Can
you share any memorable moments or experiences from the recording or production
of "Anomalia"?
Nikola: From my side, the writing of
the instrumental was an ongoing process that took 3 complete years to get down.
There were many changes and adjustments throughout the process.
After all
that work it is truly cathartic to see this music out there finally and that
people could connect to it as much as me and Chris do; not just connect to the
cool sounds and moments captured in the music, but also to the message and
story that we are getting out there to the world. For me, it documents a lot of
intense emotional moments in my life journey through the elements of my
personal development and growth: moments of extreme sadness, fighting through
conflicts, and dealing with negative thoughts - but also the process of
resolving all of this.
Chris: I’m particularly grateful that we
were able to get the thing done within the year at all, haha. There were times
where the entire production team just fell ill all at once or one by one. There
was the time Alex’s computer gave up its life in service to the track Ploratus
Umbra. I went to the hospital for a few days at some juncture. Just a lot of
viruses and rebelling bodies over the course of 8 months. I actually had just
broken a rib at a show a week or two before connecting with Nikola for the
first time, haha. So, at first, there was this question of how I would heal and
if it would affect my ability to perform when it came time to go into the
studio.
For me, I
think that the first time I watched through the final lyric video for our first
single Adrocitas will be a cherished memory. I remember
getting to the verge of happy tears hearing and seeing how everything had come
together and really captured what I’d envisioned for the vocals, lyrics, and
emotional delivery of the story.
10.
Looking ahead, what are your plans or aspirations for Agremorta following the
release of this debut EP?
Nikola: I’m happy to say we’ve
already started talking about this. We’ve got plans for a refinement of the
sound and, since we’re starting more from scratch, we’re looking forward to the
experience of building the songs more responsively around our emerging ideas.
Chris: We’ve both learned a lot
through the cycle of creating, producing, and releasing this EP. I think we are
equally eager to take all of the reactions, our reflections, and the experience
gained and feed it back into our next project. We want to retain what has set
us apart from our contemporaries, but I think we’ve got a lot of room to grow
and a lot more experimentation to do!
AGREMORTA (@agremorta_official) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
Anomalia | Agremorta (bandcamp.com)
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