Superior Rage, blending raw and symphonic black metal since 2006, continues to evolve its unique sound. In this interview, we explore the project's origins, key collaborations, and the upcoming release of Anthology.
1. Superior Rage has been active since 2006,
blending raw and symphonic black metal with dark ambient textures. What
initially inspired you to start this project, and how has your vision evolved
over the years?
Superior Rage was born as a consequence of my
passion for black metal. The first song to be composed was “Erme's Silence,”
and it was epic. The bands that most influenced SR were Bathory, Dark Funeral,
Von, Nargaroth and more... over the years the music has always based on
atmospheric black metal with ambient, dark, and symphonic textures.
2. The 2024 release of Anthology revisits
and reimagines key tracks from your discography. What prompted you to create
this collection, and how did you decide which songs to include?
Everything were originate after my listening of
the Dark Funeral EP (30th Anniversary Edition) released in 2024. I thought it
would be nice to record some representative songs of the Superior Rage project with
my current means. The six tracks I chose, in pairs of two, represent the three
demos released so far.
3. Your music is both atmospheric and intense,
with a strong emphasis on synths and vocals. Can you share more about your
creative process and how you achieve the balance between rawness and symphonic
elements?
It’s a good
question. All due to the fact that I am primarily a vocalist and a composer
through synths. I usually start with guitar melodies and then get to the drums.
We could say “a reverse process”! (lol). In the past I collaborated with musician
friends and sessions to record some musical parts. The balance between the
symphonic and raw parts I think it comes from the fact that Superior Rage
expresses both lights and shadows. I think the concept is expressed very well
in the demo “Through Infinity”.
4. Collaborations have played a significant
role in Superior Rage's journey, such as with Pagan Fury and Hyemens Kaiser
Tszar. How have these collaborations shaped the sound and direction of the
project?
They are two old
friends of mine. They have always been performers so I wouldn't say they
influenced the music of the project. However, their participation added an
important touch in the atmosphere and we had a lot of fun in our time. Pagan
Fury's last collaboration on a SR song was in 2013 and our version of “The
Night of Rains” was very successful.
5. Your demo Superior Rage (2008)
received positive reviews in the national press. How did that early recognition
influence the trajectory of the project?
Superior Rage demo”
was composed in a few days. At that time I expressed all my anger and
inspiration literally overwhelmed me. I was like in a kind of trance. However,
I admit that I did not expect the initial positive reviews. They contributed to
the continuation of my work that resulted in the promo “Through Infinity,”
which contained tracks antecedent the “Superior Rage demo” and some posthumous
and unreleased ones.
6. The live recordings Live Masked Ball and Live
Session have become cult favorites. What made those live performances
stand out, and how do they differ from your studio recordings?
I think that what
makes these records 'magical' was the atmosphere and the energies that
gravitated around that time. We were only interested in making raw black metal
with a lot of dark humor. We never liked to take ourselves too seriously. I
think black metal should also have some irony.
7. The shift towards symphonic black metal
in III marked a new phase for the band. What drove this
transition, and what challenges did you face in refining your sound for this
album?
“III” photographs a
period when avantgarde and symphonic metal were very frequent in my listening.
I was particularly inspired by Aborym and many black bands. It was not complex
to add the symphonic parts, it was a natural process. Unfortunately, “III” had
no promotion because I had many unforeseen engagements between 2011 and 2012.
Superior Rage returned in 2013 as a duo and we made many symphonic black metal
covers.
8. Your recent reworking of "Cuore
Sincero" added a progressive twist to the original ambient version. What
inspired this reinterpretation, and how do you view the role of experimentation
in your music?
“I thought it was a
good idea to develop the ambient track “Cuore Sincero”. I confess that it is
one of my favorite tracks, and through “prog” drum parts I developed the
instrumental track with guitars and some vocals.”
9. After a period of inactivity, Superior Rage
returned in 2022 with the single "Boobs Explosions." What led to this
comeback, and how did fans respond to the new material?
The music project
had been at a standstill since 2017, when I made a new version of the classic
song “Indecent Condition” restoring the masks and capes in the project,
returning to a more theatrical dimension. Many years have passed, but in 2022 I
was inspired by a handful of new tracks. The cover of Boobs Explosion was
censored so I had to use an old picture about “Live Masked Ball”. About “Boobs
Explosion”, there is no lack of the usual dark humor in the music, and the
technical aspect has elevated compared to the past. However, “Boobs Explosion”
remains an isolated episode.
10. Black metal covers have been a recurring
theme in your releases. How do you approach reimagining classics from bands
like Bathory, Darkthrone, and Dimmu Borgir, and what do you aim to bring to
these reinterpretations?
Correct. Covers
have always been a classic in the project because first of all I love black
metal and extreme metal in general. The two ep “Fire Eternal” were divided into
two parts, one part black metal covers and the other part ambient songs. The
latest cover I did is “Raining Blood” by Slayer and it features Pagan Fury on
guitar. You can find it on Superior Rage youtube channel.
11. With the upcoming promo involving
international session musicians, it seems like Superior Rage is entering
another exciting chapter. Can you give us any hints about the new material and
its direction?
Superior Rage's
future record will contain four previously unreleased tracks and two revisited SR
classics. The input of turnaround musicians I think will elevate the quality of
the music and give more depth to the sound. I am very excited to finalize the
new record. The musicians come from different parts of the world, and I think that
this thing will be an important evolutionary step for Superior Rage.
12. Looking back on nearly two decades of
Superior Rage, what are you most proud of, and what do you hope to achieve as
you move forward with this project?
The thing that
makes me most proud is that Superior Rage has always remained consistent and
true to its proposal, despite some difficult times. I’m not interested to
unecessary compromises of certain record companies. We can take care of
ourselves with a “Diy” mode. If you are in the right spirit to set sail on
Superior Rage's journey, you are welcome. A video clip from “Anthology” are
currently in the works, and I am promoting the compilation with the hope of
bringing back the atmosphere of Superior Rage.
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