1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Vøid: We come from Barcelona (Catalonia), and we are playing as a band since 2005. Our first intention was to play like the old school of Black Metal, but as we've grown as a band and as musicians we have adopted a somewhat darker and mystical way, incorporating technical details from raw black metal and cosmic soundscapes.
2. Recently you have released a new ep, how would you describe the musical sound of the new recording and also how does it differ from the demo you had released 3 years back?
Vøid: For the "Ritual II" we chose the option of recording it entirely in a professional studio. Perhaps this is the biggest difference between the "Ritual I" and "II", as the our first work was recorded and mastered by ourselves at home and our knowledge of recording were not too high. For the "Ritual II" we have focused on improving the sound quality of drums and giving it a leading role that couldn't have in the first demo. About the composition, we have deepened into occultism and mysticism.
3. So far the album titles have started Ritual I and Ritual II, do you have a concept that goes on with your releases?
Vøid: Obviously, if both releases start with the same word is not for random. We have always focused on dark and ominous themes, such as witchcraft or covens, and when we started with the first demo we decided the best word which describes our public appearances (as well as our meetings as a band) is "ritual", summoning the abyss and the darkness.
4. Your lyrics cover satanic, occult and Cthulhu Mythos, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
Vøid: As I am the main lyricist, I must talk in the name of the band. Since I can remember, I have manifested myself as an atheist, and against Christian doctrine in particular. We live in a country that is declared secular, but the roots of the Christian religion still clinging to the foundation of our culture. So I've spent my whole life feeding my contempt for this religion. I've always been a lover of the occult and a curious researcher, and because of my fascination I have read a lot on issues of this kind, and I think I am able to write lyrics about it. And talking about the Cthulhu Mythos... I must say I love the work of Lovecraft's circle of writers.
5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Nyctophobia'?
Vøid: 'Nyctophobia' means fear of the dark or night in greek, and it refers also to a mental disease. We decided to adopt this name for our devotion to the darkness, to the mysteries of the occult, to the unnamable, and as a warning to the world that must admire the night. Nyctophobia was also the name of an island of perpetual darkness in one of my early writings. Louen was one of the main participants in the development of this writings, so the decision was really easy to take.
6. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Vøid: Without any doubt, one of our earliest shows in Tarragona with our ever-admired Foscor. We were really young back then, in late 2007, and we could accomplish one of our band goals playing with them. Some years after, we played with Lux Divina and Xerión, other two "behemoths" of the national scene. I can remember that day like one of the best of our career.
About our stage performance, I must say our first goal is to enjoy as much as possible of what we do. We use corpse paint, chains, leather and spikes like the way that is expected from a black metal band, while we try to submerge the public into our personal darkness using light effects and subliminal soundscapes from samples. Our intention is to recreate an occultist ritual instead of playing in a show as a band.
7. Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Vøid: Due to the release of our second work we are focusing on the presentation of it. We have never played out from Catalonia, so it is time to spread the will of darkness as far as we can reach. Some dates will be revealed soon.
8. The new recording was released on Nigra Nit Distro, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
Vøid: Negra Nit is known in Catalonia for being an important black metal label, so we had in mind it as first option to label our EP. We are proud to say we share label with bands like Ered, Marthyrium, 13th Moon or Ragnor. The treatment we get from Jordi (main responsible of Negra Nit) is unsurpassable, lot better than we could expected from a label. He helped us so much with the release of "Ritual II", and we owe him a lot. In Catalonia we are lucky to have Negra Nit as one of the principal labels that bets for novel bands like us.
9. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
Vøid: Being honest, breaking into the world of black metal being from Catalonia or Spain is quite hard. While it is true that we are not internationally known (not even national!), we want to have the opportunity to show our values before being questioned or rejected. We know that because of our nationality we won't have the same opportunities that other international bands have, but we also know that in our country we have virtually no support for the music we play, so we are in disadvantage. However, in particular cases, we have met with people who support our career and encourage us to keep working to provide a better musical product.
10. Are any of the band members involved with any other musical projects these days?
Vøid: Almost all of us are involved in some kind of musical project. Mergunt also plays for Ragnor and Louen is always working for his personal projects (any of these days he will surprise the world with some one-mand-band). About me, I have some ideas on mind that only time will decide if they are possible or not.
11. When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Vøid: For now we are focusing on promoting our second Ritual while we compose new material for a possible new EP. We still have much work to do before jumping to the quality of a full length, but we don't reject the plan. We can only think of ourselves in the present and in a near future, expecting that Nyctophobia send us as far away as we can to spread our work.
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?
Vøid: All the members of the band usually hear a wide range of musical styles, not only focusing on metal. It is true that most of our influences come from the European Black Metal, as Sargeist, Behexen, Darkthrone or Kaiserreich, but we also found inspiration in classical music, post-rock / shoegaze and ambient.
Lately I am listening again classics like Dissection, Bathory and Behexen, though I'm always looking for new sounds within depressive-black metal.
13. What are some of your non musical interests?
Vøid: I guess the band has in common the hobby for video games and reading. As I said before, I am particularly enamored of the of H.P. Lovecraft's work. Apart from music, I spend most of my time reading, writing and playing RPGs.
14. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Vøid: Thank you for giving us the chance to let us talk about Nyctophobia in this zine, and the interest you have shown in our work.
I would make a call to all fans of black metal and invite them to know our project. Leave your prejudices behind and give us the opportunity to be heard and, maybe, liked and spread.
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