Hi! Can you talk more about the connection between H.P. Lovecraft’s writings and the themes present in your music?
I try to put in the lyrics and riffs some kind of despair and fear of the unknown, that’s what I have in mind when I create music for Anarkhon and these feelings relate to Lovecraft’s work because his manuscripts are ours main influence so the whole concept of our music is inspired by the nightmares and horrendous dimensions created by Lovecraft’s brilliant mind, and we wanted to create something otherworldly just like some of his monumental cosmic gods.
How has your approach to songwriting evolved over the course of your career?
I still work the same way from the beginning 23 years ago, usually piece by piece I create the riffs, then we think about the drum parts and once the instrumental is completely done I write the lyrics.
ANARKHON took a six-year hiatus between 2013 and 2020. What led to the decision to take a break, and what brought you back together?
Our seven-year break was basically for two reasons, Power From Hell became my main band that was always touring in other countries and continents and Wellington our drummer in Anarkhon became a father, so he needed some time to focus on his family. After those seven years we decided it was time to get together and release at least one more album, and since then we’ve released two.
How has the Brazilian metal scene influenced your music and approach to the genre?
Didn’t inspire or influence us at all, I mean Brazilian metal scene is the same as in all other countries in the Western world, some people in (bands, labels, producers, fans, etc..) are more concerned with not “offending” anyone than doing their art and what they really believe in, I don’t listen to and dislike most “modern” bands not because of their music but rather their desperate attempt to appear “woke” and follow the rules and trends of the moment just to get some attention and make some money.
What is your process for crafting lyrics that convey such visceral and intense themes?
As I said above the lyrics are 100% inspired by the manuscripts of H.P Lovecraft and his monumental cosmic horror stories, so basically I look up at the dark sky at night and ask myself the same question Lovecraft asked decades ago “What’s out there?” From there, I let my mind do the rest.
Can you describe the role that atmosphere plays in your music, and how you create it?
Atmosphere encompasses everything from the type of song riffs, lyrics and of course the final mixing and mastering of the album, each element has an important aspect and they work together to create the right creepy atmosphere in the end.
Are there any specific rituals or practices that you engage in to help get into the mindset necessary for creating music that explores such dark themes?
Not necessarily, I usually like to write music at night, alone in a completely silent environment, this is my “ritual” for creating music.
You mentioned being involved in occult practices in the past. How has that influenced your music, and do you still draw inspiration from that experience?
The practices I was involved in the past, so to speak, might have more in common with Black Metal than Death Metal, so on some level in the past these things helped create music for my black metal band” Power From Hell”, but not for Anarkhon, in this project I try to take my mind to the realm beyond the understandable, there are no “human practices” that would be able to explain such things.
What are some of the challenges you face when creating music that explores such dark and intense themes?
Probably the main challenge is trying to imagine the unimaginable, trying to think of things and situations that go far beyond any kind of horror that human beings know, managing to put these things on paper is a real challenge.
Can you discuss the significance of the album artwork for “Obiasot Dwybat Ptnotun” and how it relates to the music?
Maciej Kamuda is a great artist, I was impressed with the artwork he did for the last Blut aus Nord album, so I decided he was the best option to create something epic and terrifying for our new álbum based on H.P Lovecraft. I gave him complete freedom and showed him some lyrics, songs and the title of the album, and from there he started to develop the cover, and we were very satisfied with the end result.
Can you describe the role that rhythm and pacing play in your music, and how you approach crafting those elements?
Usually for this type of music and approach I prefer slow rhythms, it’s like a slow motion scene in your mind, it works better and brings the feeling of anguish.
Can you describe the significance of the tracklisting for “Obiasot Dwybat Ptnotun”, and how it contributes to the overall themes and atmosphere of the album?
I wanted the listener to get an idea of the kind of horror they’re going to find in the album just by reading the title of the song, and a long title is a good way to do that.
How important is it for you to maintain a sense of authenticity and integrity in your music, both in terms of your sound and your thematic content?
It’s 100% important, without it a band is completely lost and ends up sounding completely different with each album, not because they are trying to create “something new” but because they are desperately trying to follow current trends and the best selling bands, I have zero respect for bands like that.
Can you discuss the evolution of your sound and how it has progressed over the course of your career?
Our brain is easily influenced by the environment around us and of course this is no different in music, when I was a teenager in the early days of Anarkhon I spent most of my time listening to death metal bands from the US especially bands from Florida’s metal scene, as I’ve grown older, many things have evolved around me and within me, including my taste in music, so all these things together have helped to shape my way of creating music these days.
What has been your experience of touring and playing live shows, and how does that influence your approach to writing and recording music? Thank you!
Usually my live experiences are with my black metal band “Power From Hell” we have been playing around the world for the last 10 years, with Anarkhon our last live performance was in 2019, we decided since then to keep the band as a project just where live activities are no longer a priority. About the influence to create and record music, I think they are 2 different things, but of course some songs as soon as you finish writing them, you immediately know that they will work very well playing live.
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