Atrium is an atmospheric Black Metal band that moves in the old school from 90’s style with a very epic experience per se. I created the project in 2019 because I wanted to make a very epic sound with very introspective and meditative topics that walk beyond typical lyrics in Black Metal. The project is also inspired by dungeon synth and dark ambient music, with deeper and more dramatic soundscapes, I think Atrium is the consequence of my self-processing of my own thoughts, feelings and the sounds I’m interested in.
2.You have a new album coming out in June, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
I always liked bands they transmit a lot of emotions during their songs and music and always looked for make mine in that way, trying to give the listener emotions like: coldness, sadness and desolation for name some. When you listen Atrium’s music you find there a lot of this feelings and others more diluted into the music, and complemented by the lyrics. I started to look some deep and very epic sounds for make the background of the keyboards thus ensuring an emotive experience with a record very charged with old school Black Metal sounding.
3.A lot of your lyrics cover dreams and cosmic trips, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
Yes, as you said Atrium’s lyrics walks a lot at the oneiric fields because I’m very much interested in the deepness of this topic, as well as astral trips and that kind of stuff. I have a real interest on it and have a lot of read about this during my life, also practiced some meditations and other exercises I will not delve on it. I always try to go far and far and get the most knowledge I can, Atrium songs on “ancient spells” is a strange trip, a cold look in the mirror.
4.You also cover hyperborea and forgotten kingdoms, how long have you been interested in this topic?
I have been interested in gnosis very long time ago, and I also believe in things like reincarnation, and some other kind of gnostic stuff. I made some reads to interesting authors like Luis Felipe Moyano and Miguel serrano and still try to discern and create my own vision about hyperborean is. By the way the forgotten kingdom of the “iron king” as I named it, this came after to have a sequence of three dreams in what I could see and feel a very dreamy medieval kingdom in what honour, justice and things like that was most important thing, these dreams make very emotional feelings on me so I decided to recreate the story with the music of Atrium because it seems very complementary.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Atrium'?
When I was younger I was out with some of my friends to get together and drink some beers, listen some music, talk about things we were interested for and things like that, we were a very little number of metal heads living in a small country and we frequented very often the atrium of an old church for a very long time for make our talk reunions. I was inspired by my mind old days’ “mystic” images with all friends, black dresses, spikes and things like that, my mind perhaps wanted to go back in time or something like that, I will never really know, but Atrium was the name selected for lead to my music to the right direction: very classic Black Metal stuff.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?
The artwork represents itself the meaning of the “lone wolf¨” I wanted to use that concept because this is a very personal album and also I was in charge of every aspect of the record, from the recording of every instrument to the artwork. I think it was very appropriate for give the record a more solid meaning and image.
7.With this project you record everything by yourself but also have experience working with other musicians, how would you compare the two?
Yes, I have been involved in another bands since a good number of years (Iblish, Solemne mortis, Infernal for name some) I also created Mantus back in 2007 as my first one-man project. After several recordings I decided to become it a full member band and we have been playing together over 4 years, I would say that the full band experience is a gate to get new knowledge from the people you play with, and also have the live experience what is something I really enjoy. The one-man project for me is a more introspective experience to create the most atmospheric soundscapes and go deeper into myself, I think both are complementary for me due I have the need to always keep writing songs and like to make it in different ways too.
8.You also have experience playing death metal in other bands and projects, which genre do you prefer?
I had play in a Thrash Metal and a Death Metal band, I’m also a big fan of Swedish early 90’s death metal, but my really favorite genre of Metal is Black Metal of course.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
I really believe the best music is the music made by the art itself. First I create my music to satisfy myself, I look into music till I have what I want for my songs, the feeling comes and then I know I have a song. I think this album have been well received by majority of those who have heard it from bandcamp, I also have received messages from some people saying they love it, even one named it like a piece of art, also this Signal Rex write me to sign the band, I’m very honored and satisfied with the response Ancient spells have, because I never expect to show the project beyond some friends.
10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
At this moment we are promoting the latest Mantus album called “Enter the dungeon” (2021) which contains 10 dark and dense tracks, and we are rehearsing for future live shows too, the drummer in Mantus and I we are making the new version of his former band Mashit in which I’m playing drums and he guitars/vocals we have a new album that will be released at Oct 31th from a local label.
11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
I always see myself making music till I can’t do it anymore, I have been involved on it since 96’ when I started to play instruments. I really hope all the things walks good and can get more distribution and can show my music to more people every time, to share my shadows, thoughts and feelings with all of them.
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?
I prefer classic Black Metal style than most of those masked bands from today, I like bands as Xasthur, Burzum, Blut Aus Nord, Gehenna, old Dodheimsgard, Celestia, Moevot, Inferno, Emperor, old Dimmu and things like that, I also listen a lot of other genres as dark ambient/dungeon synth music, including some goth/post punk stuff.
13.Does Occultism play any role in your music? A lot.
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts? Thank you very much for this interview, I’m honored for come to more interested listeners who enjoy the atmospheric trip I offer, hope to see you soon again
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