The Total Sound Of The Undergound

Lelahel Metal

In this interview with Ghostheart Nebula, we delve into the creative journey behind their new album "Blackshift," exploring cosmic themes, collaborations, and the powerful emotional impact of their music.

1. Congratulations on the upcoming release of "Blackshift"! Can you tell us about the creative process behind this album? How did it come together?

We started to write “Blackshift” right after we finished the recordings for “Ascension” because we felt that this should someway be a continuation of our previous album and we wanted to keep the same spirit of “Ascension” as the core of the new album.

Then we took three years to finalise it because we focused on taking care of every sound and graphic aspects at their best, it was a overwhelming journey full of sleepless nights to achieve this result but we’re really happy with it and this album helped a lot to create more chemistry between us as well.

2. The album's themes revolve around cosmic melancholy and the vastness of existence. What inspired you to explore these profound concepts?

These cosmic concepts have always been our main inspiration in making this kind of music and, even tough we thematically started with our feet on the ground with our first EP “Reveries” (which is more about sadness, regret and loss), we feel like we’re on a path with an open destination but at the same time it’s very clear to us the direction to follow.

However, the themes we present in our music are not really a choice, they are part of us as individuals and when we put them all together the magic happens.

For example, in this album we talk a lot about quantum entanglement and its relationship with the Indian philosophical concept of vacuity, all translated in the depths of space, with mourn and sorrow patiently waiting around the corner.

3. "Blackshift" features several guest artists, including Diego 'Didi' Cavallotti and Øysten G. Brun. How did these collaborations come about, and what did they bring to the album?

We already knew Diego for his outstanding talent as a guitarist, but thanks to mutual friends we had the chance to discover the exceptional human being that he is. This alchemy is exactly the substance of his guitar solo that can be heard on “Sunya”, in which he managed to turn his feelings into notes that perfectly blend with the song’s atmosphere.

Øystein has always been our mix&master engineer throughout our works , we first got to know him for Borknagar of course, but over the years we have built a really nice relationship with him and he also gives us a lot of advices and creative inputs for our albums every now and then.

This time we felt there was a nice spot in the song “Infinite Mirror” where we wanted to try experimenting some acoustic guitars and we asked him to record them for us.

He took the line we gave him and built a wonderful section that was so good that we even replicated at the end of the song where it wasn’t originally supposed to be.

He’s a man of many talents and we just love collaborating with him every time!


4. The opening track, ‘VdB 141 IC 1805,’ sets a powerful tone for the album. Can you explain the significance of this track and its title?

This track is a transition between our previous album “Ascension “and “Blackshift”.

We kept some instrumental lines from “Ascension pt III - Nebula”, reverse them in order to create a cinematic and imposing build-up.

You can hear the morse code getting sucked in a giant black hole and then ejected out in another plan of the multiverse, where the new album takes place.

The title is a conflation of celestial objects: “Vdb 141” is the designation of the “Ghost Nebula” and “IC 1805” the “Heart Nebula”. The merger of these two nebulae together will create the “Ghostheart Nebula”, our safe place in the cosmos.

5. Your music has been described as ‘Cosmic Doom Metal.’ How would you define this genre, and what draws you to it?

Our inspiration comes from the depths of space which is reflected in the essence of our souls. As musicians and, first of all, human beings, we try to transform chaos and grief into dancing stars and this imaginary always leads us to look at the sky with dreamy eyes.

6. The album is both sonically and emotionally intense. What was the most challenging part of creating such a powerful listening experience?

It's like a puzzle, every little step was fundamental for the success of the album but without any doubt the most challenging part of the process was recording this material with the right mood and connection.

We tried to give emotion to every corner of this record and every nuance of sound is proof of that. There are very few repetitions, we like to writing following a flow that is always changing and never redundant in the same way.

Everything transforms, even us.


7. Heike Langhans created the artwork for "Blackshift." How does the visual art complement the themes and music of the album?

We think the visual part is as important as the music.

It helps to get in the mood of the album and we’re very happy with Heike’s work! She managed to represent the spirit of this album.

As you can see, shades of green and red dominate the cover, the colours of “Reveries” (red, our first EP) and “Ascension” (green, our previous album) alternate to create a new scenario over a toroidal field, and if you blend the colours together you obtain a white light combination which is another one key element of this recording.

8. "Orphan Of Light" is mentioned as having masterful dynamic shifts. Can you elaborate on the song’s composition and the emotions you aimed to convey?

Contrasts that’s what “Orphan Of Light” is about.

We stand among the desperate cries of the motherless child who tries to find consolation by the Mother Light, in a limbo made of rarefied atmospheres, spatial synths and explosive crescendos.

The songs moves on this dualism where all the instruments follow one another in this roller coaster of emotions that we can say it’s the summary of the entire album and a perfect ending.

9. How do you hope listeners will feel after experiencing "Blackshift"? What kind of impact do you want the album to have on them?

It’s a very honest album, we’ve addressed personal topics through the songs and we hope this can somehow help those fragile people who need a hand to find a little glimmer of relief.

Let’s say that anyone can fall into a “Blackshift”, it’s human, but music it’s always here to help, and that’s what Ghostheart Nebula is all about.

It works for ourselves, it might work for our listeners too.


10. Your previous album, "Ascension," set a high standard. In what ways does "Blackshift" differ from or build upon your earlier work?

In “Blackshift” we had the opportunity to take more care of every aspect of the songwriting and production.

“Ascension” was made and released in pandemic times and we didn’t had the same possibilities as now to do things properly, even if we love that album!

We've also grown a lot as musicians since the last album and that’s reflected in the quality of “Blackshift”.

11. As you prepare for the release on October 17th, what are your plans for promoting "Blackshift"? Any upcoming tours or special events your fans should know about?

Yes, absolutely, we’re closing some deals for a special release show and some mini tours, inside and outside Italy. It will be a challenge to bring the new stuff on stage and recreate all the sonic layers and atmospheres but we’re well on our way with rehearsal sessions and can’t wait to bring these new songs live!

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