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1.For those that have never heard of us before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
The band was originally founded in 2014 and has been through some stand by periods in the past. I think I can define Niphredil as an expression of some kind of pureness that becomes tangible only through music. The whole intention was to put in a musical language the unexplainable forces from the depths of our beings, using long songs with complex compositions; leaning to both Black and Doom metal, but always trying to insert something different in the music. I find it pretty boring to close one's creativity to just one genre or two, but I can't say that Black and Doom metal are not our main sources of inspiration, as well as being the types of metal that I enjoy playing the most. Also, they're to my opinion the most expressive ones.
2.Recently you have released your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?
The first EP is a bit darker in my opinion, and to some extent I feel it less personal. Probably one of my objectives with the album was to 'define' our style a little more. As you go through on creating music, or creating anything, you realize that in some way you repeat ideas and patterns. Maybe that's what "style" means. So, I started seeing what kind of ideas could be coming from this style of mine and exploited them, but also trying to use things that I would normally not use. An important new element is the use of clean vocals, which I also plan on expanding on that on the future. As for lyrics, the lyrics on that EP were very Lovecraft inspired, while on the recent album they sprung more from within, so to speak.
3.This was also your first release since 2017, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
Actually our first EP was completed in December of 2014, but thanks to an incompetent Ecuadorian label that was supposed to release it in tape, the 'official' release was delayed and eventually it was only released digitally in 2017 independently (the label didn't do shit btw). And as mentioned earlier, we went through a couple of stand by periods. In 2019 we tried to record an album -using the 2 songs from the EP and 2 from the new album- with a full line up but there were some disagreements with those members and they left. Then, the pandemic striked and the creation and production of the album was delayed. That helped though because I wrote 4 of the 6 songs from the album on that period.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
Like I said before, on the EP it was very Lovecraftian. I didn't write about any specific story of his, but I kinda created stories inspired on his work. Now, I focused a lot on the inner world -struggles, ancient spirituality- and on the outside world -nature, outer space and fantastic places-.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Niphredil'?
I was in the creation of the first EP, looking around for names while I was reading Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring. When the fellowship is in Lothlorien, there is this scene where Aragorn is standing among some flowers, one of them being elanor and the other, a white one that resembles stars on the Earth, niphredil. It is written in this part of the book that that was the last time Aragorn was there as a living man. In the Silmarilion, Tolkien writes about how Aragorn's lover ends her life among the niphredil, so she could join him. Now, I'm not a big Tolkien freak, but I do enjoy his work a lot, and all that lore really striked me, so I said ok let's use this name haha. It really appeals to the romantic side of the band's spirit, too (romantic in the 'Sturm Und Drang' kinda way).
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The previous explanation leads us to this answer. As a general idea, I wanted the cover to show some sort of mixture between white flowers and stars. While looking for ideas, I stumbled upon the elderberry flower. This plant grows as a weed in Ecuador, so I thought it was an endemic species haha but anyways it works because they are white and have 5 petals, similar to the 5 pointed stars that we mostly use.
7.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?
Yes we are very open to expanding the line up, mainly because we want to play live shows. I also like to work as a band where there is more people to give you input and help with things like production, mixing, etc. as long as the team is good, working as a team is way better. Doing things alone is tiring and slow.
8.The new album was released on 'Prophetical Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
I was introduced to the label thanks to a friend of mine from Portugal who has another label called 'Brutal Cave Productions'. He released a split with a song from other project of mine (Waldeinsamkeit) a few years ago, and he told me about Prophetical Productions. So far, I really enjoy the stuff the label has produced. Like for example, if you like slow and cavernous doom metal, check out Velar, really good stuff.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and doom metal?
I think many of the people that have listened to it have enjoyed it, some more than others. We've received some pretty good comments and reviews as well, and many people in Ecuador are waiting for the physical copies, so they can purchase. I don't know if it's just me, but I think that when you release something you have a lot of expectations haha, but to some extent I can say that I've been pleasantly surprised with the reception.
10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that both of the band members are a part of?
I (José Miguel) am also part of Helus, an atmospheric doom metal piece from Ecuador. I am performing guitar duties as support for shows, and Lucas (the other guitar player) is more focused on his main project No Epitaph (technical death metal).
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Hard to tell. I really listen to a lot of styles and genres so I don't know where that could lead me, but also I feel that I am very close to the more 'melancholic' types of music. Like, everytime that I try to do something different it always ends up sounding somewhat sad and dark haha so I don't know. Whatever it is, it will be something that I like. I like creating songs, not just "riff salads", that's for sure.
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?
This one could be really long so I'll try to keep it short, but in general I've been influenced by the classics from plenty of styles, from Heavy and Thrash to Black and Doom Metal, and also lots of Goth/Industrial, Post Punk, etc. It's really a lot of things and I still listen to the old school metal I was listening to at 15 and then can switch to recent findings like Darkwave bands. I think that when you listen to something enough times and enjoy it, it can influence your songwriting the next time you create. Let me give you one example, if you listen to the ambient guitar parts on our song 'Unpredictable', I was trying to recreate that 'chorus' effect that Post Punk guitars have. Also nowadays I am listening to a lot of Nu Metal, ha! Unexpected, I know, but at some point of my growing up process I was listening to a lot of that, and every now and then I come back to it.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or tohughts?
Thanks for featuring us. Be sure to support the label Prophetical Productions by purchasing material from them, independent labels are still a big key for keeping the underground alive and stopping the mainstream from feeding us what the system wants.
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