Trance Of The Undead Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?

TRANCE OF THE UNDEAD was created back in 2019. The intention behind it was very simple really, just to create something I would like to hear inspired by some of my favorite artists.

Definitely nothing new or original per se but it's was the only way possible to express myself artistically, since then I've always been trying to conjure my own visions, and for the lack of a better term, challenge myself too.

2.So far you have released a couple of demo's, an ep and full length, musically how do they differ from each other?

I'd say they differ greatly. "Transe Sepulcral" was only my second musical experiment at that time (the very first was LUNAR KINGDOM's An Ode to the Old Wisdom) and I think it's very apparent, it was a very messy & chaotic record, from the songwriting to the mixing process. There's a charming quality in it... a very special work for me.

"Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" was more mature & complete in all aspects, almost like a different project. I've released it to be like a single for the upcoming album. It's interesting I've included a re-recorded song from the first demo just after the new track, the new and the old sound coming in full circle in a way.

Musically it was a bit more complex, with longer songs, more elaborate structures, much better drumming, new elements like use of organ sounds, sparse clean vocals...

The material present on "Chalice of Disease" follows a similar path but I think it's a more realised, focused and consistent work, with a better sense of atmosphere too, expanding the sound of the EP. 

I am very proud of it.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Necromancy themes, can you tell us a little bit  more about your interest in this black art?

As Death being the ultimate mystery, it's comprehensible that we tend towards it in one way or another. This always fascinated me since childhood, the horror & esoteric aspects... maybe coming from a catholic & spiritist family background have something to do with it too, but this same fascination just keeps growing with time and age, it's something that sparks my imagination and inspires me, so it's very natural for me try to explore it lyrically.

4.Lyrically you are also inspired by horror movies, which horror films have had an influence on the songwriting?

Yes, horror movies have a very important role since the first TRANCE OF THE UNDEAD demo, even before that.

The most significant influence on "Transe Sepulcral" was the magnific works of JOSÉ MOJICA MARINS (aka COFFIN JOE/ZÉ DO CAIXÃO), most notably "À Meia Noite Levarei Sua Alma" & "Esta Noite Encarnarei No Teu Cadáver", both masterpieces of Brazilian horror. Sadly he passed away some months after this recording. (R.I.P.)

I was into JOHN CARPENTER's Apocalypse Trilogy (The Thing, Prince of Darkness & In the Mouth of Madness) during that time too.

"Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" was marked by ROGER CORMAN's The Masque of Red Death, it came to mind when I was writing the lyrics for the title track, the idea to use samples of that movie during the entire EP was something I had later on the final mixing process.

Now for "Chalice of Disease", one of the major influences since the beginning was definitely JEAN-JACQUES ANNAUD's The Name of the Rose. 

Special mention to WERNER HERZOG's Nosferatu the Vampyre & AMANDO DE OSSORIO's Tombs of the Blind Dead. All these works were important to set the tone for the album.

"Morbid Catholicism" (the debut demo of one of my other projects, CURSED EXCRUCIATION), was somewhat influenced only during the mixing process by some of the Italian classics like "City of the Living Dead" & "The Psychic" by LUCIO FULCI, "Black Sabbath" & "Kill, Baby, Kill" by MARIO BAVA.

Also I would like to mention PIERS HAGGARD's The Blood on Satan's Claw and NICOLAS ROEG's Don't Look Now, great movies.

For my ambient/electronic project (SATURNIAN GATE), RIDDLEY SCOTT's Blade Runner (and the soundtrack by VANGELIS) and JOHN CARPENTER's soundtracks were all major inspirations.

5.I know that the project was named after a 'Negative Plane' song, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

I am great fan of NEGATIVE PLANE, although musically my project doesn't have much in common with their sound, I chose the name because I really like the eerie mood/atmosphere this little song evokes, images of abandoned churches, funeral processions, bad omens, cemeteries, skeletons rising from the grave to perform their danse macabre... the name was perfect for the type of music I wanted to create.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the full length cover?

The artwork was inspired by a strange dream I had.

This same dream also inspired the lyrics and the name of the album.

I told about this dream to OLD COFFIN SPIRIT (a very, very special and close person) and she draw it.

It's certainly a bit different compared to the dream itself but the main elements are all there, I loved her take since the first time I saw.

I think it fits perfectly with the album atmosphere. 

"Chalice of Disease" wouldn't be the same without it.

7.With this project you record everything by yourself but are also involved with other solo projects, how does the music o 'Trance Of The Undead' differ from your other material?

Musically I think all my projects are somewhat similar, but each one of them follows a different path.

TRANCE OF THE UNDEAD is clearly the more Death worshipping & horror drenched of all my projects, the songs are all rooted in the primitive black/death metal school of riffing but it requires some sort of meditative & specific state of mind to compose and build these songs.

LUNAR KINGDOM was my very first project, and at first I didn't even bother to choose a name.

Musically is more inclined to the early Scandinavian black metal scene, early EMPEROR, MAYHEM, ENSLAVED, THORNS... and on the first demo I was also inspired by some weird stuff like YAMATU.

CURSED EXCRUCIATION is almost like a compendium of all my musical interests and preferences, in some way it's a return to the more archaic & primitive sound presented only on the first TRANCE OF THE UNDEAD's demo. It's heavily influenced by the arcane early Brazilian & Greek black/death metal scenes, also by early SAMAEL, XANTOTOL, BLACK CRUCIFIXION, BEHERIT...

SATURNIAN GATE doesn't have much to do with metal on the musical level, it's an ambient/electronic project inspired by artists like KLAUS SCHULZE, TANGERINE DREAM, BEHERIT (the ambient phase) and "Blade Runner" (the movie and the soundtrack).

8.You have also done a couple of 'Demoncy' covers, what was the decision behind doing your own version of their songs?

Indeed, I did cover "Demoncy" and "Impure Blessings". "Demoncy" was recorded during the same session of "Transe Sepulcral" and it was an important evolution step for TRANCE OF THE UNDEAD, paving the way for the sound featured on the EP and the full length. But at the same time I was very unsatisfied with the result, so I did cover DEMONCY again on "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi". Covers aside, I think their influence is very apparent on my music.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?

It has been really good, I really wasn't expecting it at all!

10.What is going on with your other musical projects these days?

I've been very busy since last year, currently I'm working on the second CURSED EXCRUCIATION demo that was recorded some months ago but I decided to re-arrange everything.

New material for LUNAR KINGDOM, still uncertain if it will be best to release as a new demo or a full length.

An unnamed demo/project was improvised & recorded in March but I didn't write any lyrics yet, musically is close to the more obscure and ugly Brazilian black metal acts like MEPHISTOPHELES and BESTYMATOR.

And there's plenty of TRANCE OF THE UNDEAD material that I still need to finish, maybe the next move will be release a 2-track or 4-track EP.

Also I would like to reveal that UNPURE RECORDS from Poland will release the TRANCE OF THE UNDEAD compilation containing the demo and the EP on CD-R/Cassette formats and they will release CURSED EXCRUCIATION's debut demo "Morbid Catholicism" on Cassette. There's also plans to release the demo here in Brazil through NASCEMOS MORTOS.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

A tough question, some time ago I wasn't expecting to become a musician, or that someone would be interested or appreciate my music, I really can't say what the future holds.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Black, death, heavy, thrash, doom... 

Outside of metal I like (to some extent) ambient, industrial, electronic, progressive rock, jazz, post punk/gothic/deathrock & classical music.

As for bands, I'll try to be brief to avoid an endless list: ROTTING CHRIST, MORTUARY DRAPE, BLASPHEMY, MAYHEM, NECROMANTIA, SARCÓFAGO, MYSTIFIER, ARCHGOAT, BEHERIT, DEMONCY, SAMAEL, SARTEGOS, VARATHRON, 13TH MOON, SLAYER, INCANTATION, BATHORY, POISON (Germany) and many others...

This week I've been listening to NECROMANTICAL INVOCATION's Dogma et Rituel de la Haute Magie, DOOMBRINGER's Ancient Abominations, PROFANATICA's Thy Kingdom Cum, FAUSTIAN SPIRIT's S/T, BAPHOMANCIA's Promethean Fire and the classics THE LORD DIABOLUS's Down There..., DEAD CAN DANCE's Spleen and Ideal & NECROMANTIA's Vampiric Rituals.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

I would like to thank IRON BONEHEAD PRODUCTIONS for all the support and excellent work they're doing with "Chalice of Disease", OLD COFFIN SPIRIT for the immense support and dedication & also UNPURE RECORDS. And thank your blog for reviewing my music and doing this interview, it was a great pleasure.

Listen to "Chalice of Disease" preferably in the dark surrounded by candles...

Contact: tranceoftheundead@outlook.com

Bandcamp: tranceoftheundead.bandcamp.com