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THE ARCHIVES
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Morrigan's Pit has closed down as of November 2006. The site and its articles will stay online as an archive until September at least, but probably longer.
The Archives
2002-2006
» CD REVIEWS
» INTERVIEWS
» LIVE REVIEWS
» SPECIALS
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ENSOPH
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Zenone
May 2004
http://www.ensoph.it
For Ensoph's latest release "Opus Dementiae", an interesting album, I got the opportunity for an email interview. Drummer Zenone took some time to answer my questions.
Let's start with the band, when I did my review of your album "Opus
Dementiae" I noticed that the line-up is only listed with the first names, has it a particular reason? And who is Giovanna adding the female vocals on
"Sophia's Fall"? Maybe you can give us a little introducion of the band in
general?
Some names are pseudonyms, other are first names. We did'nt feel the necessity to add our surnames, because they are a simple anagraphic date. Giovanna is the singer of a local band named Burial Place in which has played our bass player Massimo. Talking about the band I can say that is born in 1997, from the ashes of a previous project named Endaymynion, and it's composed by six elements: Giuliano, guitars and programming; me, drums; Nicholas, vocals; Massimo, bass; Leonardo, keyboards; Anna, flute. 'Till now we have realized a MCD ("Les Confessions Du Mat" - No-Brain Rec.) in 1998, a full-lenght CD ("Bleeding Womb Of Ananke" - Beyond... Prod.) in 2001 and two promos: "Ananke Or The Spyral-Trinity Beyond Alpha And Omega" in 2000 and "Sophia" in 2002. "Opus Dementiae" is the title of our last album, and it's out for the Italian Cruz Del Sur Music.
What's your goal with the band? Are all band members contributing to the song
writing?
Our goal is to take our message and our music to the greater number of person.
All members contribute in different ways to the song writing. Giuliano is the main musical writer and I write all the lyrics and concepts of the band. The other members work in the arrangement phase, and sometimes composing some melodic lines, especially for flute and keyboards.
I noticed Italy has quite an amount of great bands with a huge gothic influence. Where did you get your inspiration from, which bands have influrenced you most?
Our main influences are Sopor Aeternus, The Kovenant, Das Ich, Tiamat, Moonspell and Devil Doll. I love also the extreme industrial scene (especially the german one), and the dark ambient/experimental/esoteric/neofolk fields.
Do you have a big scene in Italy?
We have a great scene in Italy, but not always of enviable quality... My favourite Italian bands are Novembre, Handful of Hate and Theatres des Vampires, great bands and good friends. Other important realities are Aborym, Monumentum, Void Of Silence, Klimt 1918 and Necromass.
Talking about the album, from which sources did you get the spirit for the
lyrics and how important are they for you?
Lyrics is the base of our work, the band could not exist without its message, that is its reason of life. They are the expression of my interest into the fields of esotericism, philosophy and literature. I usually use to melt all the symbolic stuff coming from the traditions that I think that could be useful to explain what I want to say into new forms and context, just to explore new levels of meaning and languages. Our lyrics is something like un-orthodox poems that use traditional and religious images to find new way of expression.
It's great to see that you are using your mother language as well for the
lyrics, I like the mix of English and Italian. Will this be happening more
often in the future?
It's one of our trademarks, and we will always use this kind of expression. We use different languages because we use different sounds to express different concepts; so, for example, Italian has a unique heavy sound that we use for short and strong affirmations, or to make Nicholas toungue screech.
About to the remix "Sophia's Fall (Sophies Welt RX)", please tell us
how did you get in contact with Bruno Kramm/Das Ich and how it all
happened.
The band is composed by fans of Das Ich, so, when we started to think to the possibility to make a remix, we have immediately thought that Bruno Kramm was the right person for us. He has been really enthusiast to the idea of a collaboration. We sent him some traces of "Sophia's fall" and he manipulated all the stuff in a really amazing way. I think that this kind of collaboration is a good way to explore new points of view and angulations of our music that in no other ways could be expressed, so I think that new collaborations are possible in the future with other famous names.
On your website you have an extra bonus track available for download, is it only available from there or will this track be included on special editions? Are there be any special editions?
The remix made by my side-project Day Of Resistance was meant exclusively for the web-site. There will be no special editions for "Opus Dementiae", but we have planned a new album for the first months of the next year containing exclusively electronic and experimental tracks, and it will be out in a really amazing limited edition.
Is your deal with Cruz Del Sur Music just an one album deal or do you plan more releases with them in future?
Even the next work, the experimental one that I have talked about before, will be out on Cruz del Sur Music. For the new real Ensoph's release we have nothing planned, but we will be proud to work again with Enrico.
At your live gigs, how is the reaction of the audience, do things work out
great for you so far?
Our live activity goes very well. We play often in Italy, where we have supported important bands like Killing Miranda, Cinema Strange, Katatonia and Novembre. People go at home happy from our concerts, and so we: can we ask more than this? Our live show is really direct, with all our metal influences in pretty evidence. As I love to say, it's a concentrated of alchool, cold sweat, PVC and steel. You cannot be disappointed.
How do things look like for touring? Those dates on your site just give a view from the gigs in Italy. Any plans to tour around Europe or anywhere else in the near future? Any summer festivals?
We will be in England, Switzerland and Belgium between October and December with the great Theatres Des Vampires for some gigs and festivals, but until now we don't have the exact dates. I heard something about Berlin, but nothing I can confirm now.
What's your own expectation for "Opus Dementiae" and how is the reaction of
the press so far?
We received great responses from the international press, especially from USA, Italy, Belgium and France. Our most important goal is to have a good international visibility, and to reach the possibility to do some important live dates in Europe. We hope also in good sales, especially for our label, because it deserves it for the work it's doing for us. All the other things that could come are presents that we'll do not refuse...
Any message for our readers?
If the end is near, could you dare a new beginning?
Best wishes for the future.
submitted by Silkie 01.06.2004
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