Italy has offered us these last
few years many great bands and still does. In this category could be placed
Darkshine which is new blood and blood refreshes the scene and it's
vital. Regarding more information let's give them the chance to tell us
their story...
1- GIVE A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF THE BAND.
WHICH ARE THE CURRENT BAND MEMBERS?
R- The band has about two years of
life. Krimloth and Aries united during December of 1999 and January of
2000. The first year has been the year of line-up's problems. Then from
the start of 2001, with the entrance of Alexander on the drums, the band
is complete and ready for any studio and live experiences. In fact in 3
days we have recorded, edited and mixed our first demo "Prelude to a Rising
Shine". The current line-up is:
Krimloth: screaming, voices and rhythm
guitar
Aries: rhythm and lead guitar
Poisonious: bass guitar and growling
voices
Morgana: keyboards
Alexander: drums
2- HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSICAL
STYLE? WHICH ARE THE BANDS
INFLUENCES?
R- We always have problems when we
must label our music, but to give an idea of our style we can say that
we play a "Symphonic Black Metal with Death and Gothic influences". The
question of the influences is also rather problematic. We can mention bands
like Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Immortal, Children of Bodom,
Metallica (until the black album), Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and many others
especially from the European scene, but this short list is too reductive.
We can't list now all the bands that, with their art, contribute everyday
to our musical growth, because it will be really too long! However is also
important to remember the Classical influences, particularly of the Romantic
age.
3- FIRST OF ALL CONGRATULATIONS FOR
YOUR MUSIC! WHY DO YOU RELEASE YOUR
SONGS THROUGH INTERNET? ARE YOU
CONSIDERING TO RELEASE THEM ALSO IN A
CD FORM? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY
ABOUT NAPSTER CASE?
R- Thanks very much for the compliments!
We have the demo also in CD form and it is available for everyone who wants
a copy of it. But we think that the essence of a demo is only to DEMONSTRATE
the music that the band wants to propose to the audience. So, to hit this
target, we think that today Internet is the first and the most powerful
way. With Internet we can propose our music to all the world even when
we sleep! The songs are there, and everybody can download them (free) when
prefer. However for those who don't have this means is ever activated our
P.O. Box. The Napster case is a different subject, because the decision
to make our songs downloadable has been a personal choice. But the Napster's
particular question is very hard, we don't feel able to talk about it in
this few lines, without possible misunderstandings.
4- ARE YOU STILL SATISFIED WITH YOUR
DEMO OR YOU'D LIKE SOMETHING TO BE
CHANGED? DO YOU THINK THAT IN SOME
PARTS THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE
BETTER?
R- We are satisfied, considering the
limited budget that has allowed us just 3 days for the recordings, the
editing and mix of all. Of course we don't exclude an evolution (that in
fact is already in act) of the songs and of the sound for next records
and live shows.
5- HAVE YOU GOT ANY NEW SONGS READY?
WILL YOU MAINTAIN IN THIS MUSICAL
DIRECTION OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO
DO A SMALL TURN LIKE MOST OF THE BANDS
DO NOWADAYS?
R- We are at work for four new songs
and one instrumental piece (besides Aries, Krimloth and Alexander are involved
in a Brutal Death Metal project named "ABYSSAL" and Poisonious plays in
a Thrash Death Metal band named "HUNG OVER"). We think that we'll maintain
our music in this direction, no excluding a constant evolution.
6- WHY DO YOU USE NICKNAMES? WHAT DO
YOU WANT TO EXPRESS WITH THEM?
DOES IT REPRESENT AND SYMBOLIZE
IN A WAY THE PERSONALITY OF EACH
MEMBER? IF YES TELL ME A FEW THINGS
ABOUT EACH NICKNAME.
R- In our band the element of fantasy
and imagination is strong. Then the creation of fantastical characters
is a thing that enriches the general form of our artistic propose. Now
everyone of us will say his reasons:
Krimloth: "is an invented character
for which I have used the Tolkien's world for reference. In the Quenya's
tongue it means "Flower of Ice". He has any characteristics that are mine
and others that I wish I had."
Aries: is the latin name of my zodiacal
sign. In practice all the characteristic of this sign are mine.
Morgana: I'm a fan of the King Arthur
and Avalon's saga. I'm bewitched by the figure of Morgana: sweet and bitter
at the same time!
Poisonious (the Alchemist): similar
subject to that of Krimloth. I'm "the Alchemist" because I'm in the search
of the philosopher's stone of my life! Ah! Ah! Ah!
Alexander: It's my real name...
7- WHERE ARE YOUR LYRICS REFERRING
TO? WHICH SUBJECTS DO YOU LIKE TO
HURT? DO YOU THINK THAT THROUGH
FANTASY SOMEONE CAN FACE REALITY AS
WELL?
R- We don't follow a rigorous concept.
We talk about what for us is important in our life, searching to filter
and make "universal" it through our art. For example, in this four songs,
we can talk about the passage from the "innocent age" to an age of cynicism
and apathy in "A Bleeding Soul", and, at the same time, we can talk about
the Nordic mythology in "The Ancient Storm".
8- DO YOU THINK THAT METAL MUSIC SHOULD
HAVE ITS LIMITS OR SHOULD IT BE
ENRICHED WITH OTHER MUSICAL STYLES
AND DIFFERENT GENRES? DO YOU THINK
THAT PUTTING LABELS TO METAL MUSIC
HELPS METALHEADS OR MAKES THEM
BECOME NARROW MINDED?
R- We have chosen, for our compositions,
a way rather "classical", but we don't condemn those who try to create
something of new "hybridising" Metal music with other musical styles. We
think that the Metal bands must cooperate only with the labels that give
them the possibility to express really their art, so they can offer to
the fans what they want.
9 -WHAT MADE YOU DESPITE BEING FANS
OF THIS MUSIC ALSO TRY TO COMPOSE
YOUR OWN?
R- We believe that is a personal and
distinctive characteristic, with which a person is born and that than he
can increase or depreciate. One person may be born inclined for art or
politics or sport, ecc., but his will-power is the point that decides if
he will be an artist, a political, a sportsman. the will-power, the patience,
the perseverance also in front of the worse difficulties.. There are many
potential composers that today are accountants, policemen or other, or
there is frequently also the opposite situation!!!
10- IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO COMPOSE
AND PLAY MUSIC WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU
WOULD DO IN YOUR LIFE?
R- We have many passions out of the
music, but sure the music is our reason of life. If we try to think our
life without music, all is grey and superfluous.
11- WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE
METAL SCENE OF ITALY? WHY DO YOU
THINK THAT MOST OF THE BANDS FROM
YOUR COUNTRY USE AND ADD MANY CLASSIC AND ORCHESTRAL ELEMENTS IN THEIR
MUSIC DESPITE THE GENRE THY BELONG TO?
R- We are very satisfied from the Italian
Metal Scene because, especially in this last years, more bands create original
and very valid products, without the fear of comparison with the foreign
bands. We are talking of bands like Elvenking, Stormlord, Opera IX, Macbeth,
Undertakers, Whiteskull, Aborym in addition to the great milestones
like Death SS, Necrodeath and Bulldozer. We think that the strong influence
of the Classical Music in the Italian Metal Scene is conditioned by our
great Classical Music history that brings to mind names like Vivaldi, Scarlatti,
Paganini, Tartini, Verdi, Giuliani, Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini ecc. For
example in many American bands is present the blues-rock influences, but
in Italy, and in general on the countries of Central and North Europe (Sweden,
Finland, Norway, England, Germany, ecc.), the Classical Music is the principal
root. However don't forget the folk influences, dominant on bands like
the Sicilian Black Metal band "Inchiuvatu".
12- IF YOU HAVEN'T RELEASED ANYTHING
WHICH SONG OF YOURS WOULD YOU
CHOOSE AS THE MOST IDEAL TO MAKE
YOURSELVES KNOWN IN PUBLIC?
R- It's very hard to answer this
question. We've chosen to make downloadable all the demo because we don't
feel able to choose only a song that can "represent" the musical essence
of DARKSHINE, without risking to deceive a potential listener. If a person
heard only "Mephisto's Gift" he would think that we're band with strong
Gothic influences, but if instead he only heard "The Ancient Storm" would
think that we are a more extreme Black Symphonic Band etc.
13- HAVE YOU DONE ANY LIVE SHOWS SO
FAR? WHICH PLACES HAVE YOU VISITED?
WHICH DO YOU STILL WANT TO VISIT?
R- We have a complete line-up for less
than a year now. Moreover we are in a strange situation in our city. In
fact our city doesn't offer many opportunities to organize Metal shows
and some local bands have an ambiguous behaviour towards us. Being these
bands much older than us, they hold a kind of supremacy in the organization
of the concerts and for twice in the last months we have been simply excluded
by the Metal gatherings with ridiculous justifications! We have been much
taken up any way in the preparation of demo, so we have not devoted ourselves
very much to the matter of the live shows, to which instead we will be
interested from now. In any case, seeing the situation, we think that is
better to find any opportunities "out of home", also if we think that we'll
do any concert here in our city.
14- IF YOU HAD THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL
BACK IN TIME WHICH MISTAKE WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CORRECT OR UNDO?
R- Surely a big mistake of ours was
to give confidence, with too much superficiality, to false and coward people.
15- WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE
POLITICAL SITUATION THAT WAS
DEVELOPED IN THE U.S.A. AND IN
THE WHOLE WORLD AFTER THE TERRORIST
ATTACKS?
R- We have been upset for the terrible
tragedy before any political consideration. We hope that the consequences
will be not similarly destructive and inconsiderate and that only the culprits
will be struck.
16- DO YOU READ BOOKS? WHICH IS YOUR
MOST BELOVED BOOK AND AUTHOR?
WHICH HERO WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE?
R- Yes! We like to read books, especially
fantasy and gothic literature (J.R.R.Tolkien, H.P. Lovecraft, M. Moorcock,
ecc. ), philosophy (F.W. Nietzsche, N. Machiavelli, ecc.) and the European
literature between '600 and '900 (O. Wilde, De Sade, B. Stoker, Goethe,
E.A. Poe, ecc.). For the heroes:
Krimloth: I wish to be Elric Of Melnibonè!
Aries: myself. Aries!!!
Morgana: Ereviell, a character invented
by me.
Poisonious: Dracula (or Rocco Tano
Siffredi - the best male pornostar of the world!)
Alexander: Alexander "The Great"! Ah!
Ah! Ah!
17- HAVE YOU HEARD ANY NEW BANDS OR
NEW ALBUMS YOU FOUND INTERESTING?
NAME SOME.
R- Sure! Elvenking "Heathenreel", Oppressor
"Agony" (also if the album is of 1996, we have find out them from a little),
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter "All you need is love", Deicide "In Torment
in Hell" and the last works of Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir and Immortal.
We are very curious for the work of "Dragonlord" which still we have
not listened.
18- WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMPOSE A MOVIE
SOUNDTRACK? WHICH MOVIE WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
R- Yesss!!! It would be a great thing!
We would like to create the sound-track for a film with gothic or fantasy
atmospheres, or for something of epic. Even though till now we have not
done it, we feel able to compose instrumental and atmospheric pieces. And
we will show it soon!
19- THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW! THESE
LAST LINES BELONG TO YOU.
R- Thanks to you that gave us the chance
for this interview! Visit our website (www.darkshine.it),
download the songs and leave a comment in our Guestbook! We hope that one
day we'll come to play in your country ... perhaps on the same stage with
Rotting Christ!! :)))))) STAY FOREVER METAL!!! Ciao!