Italian horror metal band Deathless Legacy returns with their seventh studio album, Damnatio Aeterna. Drummer and visual artist Frater Orion (Andrea Falaschi) discusses its dark concept, theatrical sound, and immersive multimedia experience.
1. "Damnatio
Aeterna" tells a thrilling story centered around the demon Malchrum and
his challenge from Lucifer. How did you develop this concept, and what inspired
the storyline?
I remember
exactly when we started developing this concept. We were on a long drive back
from Puglia, about 10 hours by car. We wanted a story where the devil committed
some foul deeds in a church, the closest thing to that might be certain scenes
from the 1922 film Haxan.
2. Your
sound is often described as theatrical horror metal. How do you ensure that
your music captures the atmosphere and storytelling elements of this genre?
Every song
we compose must evoke the situation we're describing. A good riff isn't enough.
It has to paint something in the listener's mind.
3. The
video for “Miserere” is captivating and visually intense. Can you tell us about
the creative process behind the video and its connection to the album’s
concept?
In this
video, we wanted to represent the inside of a confessional, obsessively filled
with crosses and sacred objects, symbolizing a morbid and obsessive faith. To
achieve this, I built a room within a room, about 3 meters per side, which I
decorated after a long search for items at flea markets. It connects to the
concept precisely because of the scenes in the story that take place inside a
confessional. This concept can be read and explored in greater detail in our
book "Damnatio Aeterna the tale."
4. The
themes in "Damnatio Aeterna" explore the nature of evil and have strong
anticlerical and satanic connotations. How do you balance these provocative
themes with your artistic vision?
There’s no
need for any balance. I’m an anticlerical and satanist person. There’s nothing
in what I describe that doesn’t belong to me in some way.
5. This
is your seventh studio album. How has your sound evolved over the years, and
what sets "Damnatio Aeterna" apart from your previous releases?
In recent
years, we’ve tried to work more closely on concept albums that tell a specific
story, written before starting the musical composition. This creates a strong
force in producing arrangements that reflect the story and the emotions they
convey. So, definitely, our recent albums have a more coherent and aligned
vision. We’ve grown a lot in every aspect, but I’m also convinced that we
haven’t reached the peak yet.
6. Andrea Falaschi ( aka Frater Orion), you’re a
drummer and a visual artist, and you created the artwork and videoclips for
this album. How does the visual aspect complement the music, and how closely do
you collaborate during the creative process ?
I’m the
jack-of-all-trades of the band, and I like to personally handle all the graphic
and video aspects in a way that we can call obsessive and compulsive. What I
want to give to the fans is a work completely built by us, something artisanal,
not an industrial product.
7. You recorded the album at Eden Studios and had it mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio. What was it like working with Simone, and how did he help shape the final sound of the album?
We’ve been
working with Simone for many years now, so we know each other very well. When
we describe the kind of sound we want from each instrumental component, he
immediately understands and, in just a few steps, can recreate exactly what we
had in mind. It’s incredible!
8. Your
music and videos have garnered millions of views and streams. How do you feel
about the growing global interest in Deathless Legacy, and how does it
influence your creative direction?
We’re happy
with how things are moving, but honestly, I don’t think we’ve yet reached the
global recognition I’d like. The people who listen to us really appreciate us,
and I wish we could reach more people with our music.
9. The
digipack edition of "Damnatio Aeterna" seems to focus on creating a complete
experience for listeners. What can fans expect from this release, and how does
the packaging enhance the album?
I created the pages of the digipack hiding, as usual, occult messages inside. I want people to be able to flip through it like a magical scroll when they have the disc in their hands. But it doesn’t stop there. Along with the album, completing the experience, there’s also a book available in both English and Italian that tells the story of the concept in detail. Additionally, we’ve also created a card game linked to the concept where you have to send priests to hell after making them sin. Not to mention the collector’s edition, which contains, along with all of this, a series of exclusive creations.
10. You’ve
drawn comparisons to iconic acts like Ghost and King Diamond. How do you feel
about these comparisons, and in what ways does Deathless Legacy carve its
unique path in horror-dark metal?
Being
compared to huge bands that are among our favorites and have contributed to our
artistic growth is more than a compliment; it’s a true honor. We’ve always had
our own particular sound, especially thanks to Steva’s absolutely unique voice.
In fact, we’ve often found it hard to categorize ourselves into a specific
genre.
11. Looking
ahead, what are your plans to bring "Damnatio Aeterna" to life on
stage? Are there any theatrical elements or surprises fans should anticipate
during your upcoming shows?
As is our
custom, we’ve designed a show entirely built around the concept of the album. I
can tell you that in the setlist we’ll be bringing on tour, we’ve given plenty
of space to the tracks from this latest album.
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