1. For those who are not all that familiar with you yet, could you tell us about the musical background of the band and how you came to work with each other?
I would not call it a Band – Aphrodia is more a project connecting different Arts and people bringing their skills to life. Aphrodia Okkulta is an art project that unites dark heavy music and painting to create a distinct form of art that stimulates the senses visually as well as acoustically.
2. How was the energy that inspired you to become formative in Aphrodia Okkulta different from other energies you had felt?
After years of playing in different bands like The Trikes (Hardrock/Blues), Raw Acoustic (Acoustic Rock), Godcilioration (Death Metal) and Internal Decay(Death Grind), Aphrodia Okkulta is a pure studio project. The fact that this project does not include live performances is very satisfying. There is no rigid personnel structure which in my opinion can be a disadvantage in a band.
3. What kind of reasons that might inspire/influence German artist who are into supreme black arts? Coming from such a strong scene, you may give clues about the sources of this endless creativity that can be seen in German bands?
I can only speak for myself that there is a strong DIY aspiration to create something unique and perhaps new with non-professional artists and continue to evolve. If I can surprise myself in the creation process and produce something unexpected, then the listeners and viewers will be too.
4. You always mix dark and death metal music with a lot of gothic and also orchestral instrumentation. What are your musical influences that contribute significantly to the songwriting?
In terms of musical influence, I can't name any specific artists. I let myself be influenced by painting, by film art and just by strong musical personalities who manage and have managed to establish a trademark and leave a footprint, no matter whether they are well-known or very unknown underground artists.
5. When you write songs, do you start with a visual concept, or a riff, or something else?
It always starts with an idea in my head that I think about until it's worth processing.
Already in this phase I try to use unusual instrumentation or genre untypical artists to include in thought, to create a catchiness in the end anyway.
6. How do you record your music? A pro tools set up? Garage band? Are you self
taught or do you have a friend that helps out with the mixes etc?
During production, various programs are used, such as Cubase and others, to record the tracks either analog or digital. The musicians I then ask to contribute a certain contribution in a piece, I leave it to themselves, how and with what they then build the piece.
Once this step is finished, it is mixed and mastered by a professional studio. This is an immensely important point to me, which goes beyond the DIY idea and is a science of its own, I think.
7. What kind of feelings do you have at the moment when everything is done, the album is coming out, in general are you personally pleased with the way how the album turned out in terms of production and mixing?
This feeling of completing a work in its entirety is so strong that the next project, whether it's a painting, a single release, or both together, experiences significant motivation, which in turn has a very positive effect. The auditory or visual impression changes constantly, of course, but this does not lead to any desire to change. At least that's how it is with me.
8. Have you read any reviews regarding the EP? Do you care about what critics have to say about your work?
The evaluation of a listener is very very interesting, in so far that I notice again and again that my own feeling and the expectation, which I would like to break possibly with the listener, is taken completely differently than I had obviously planned it. This makes the whole thing even more interesting.
9. The music on your new single 'Verdorben” is just incredibly beautiful. Can you tell me a little bit about the songwriting process for this song and how it differed from the process you used on 'Daemonium'?
The last and current single "Verdorben" , was incredibly complex with many guest contributions. The single features various guest musicians from Portugal, Austria, Colombia and Germany.
On the EP "Daemonium" , I did the entire production exclusively with a guest vocalist, which achieved a strong catchiness. This is the difference to "Verdorben" .
Once the musical side is created, the great and long process begins to find a visualization that is not only close to the musical work but also supports it.
10. What is the meaning of “art” for you in the music or life?
Art is the mirror inward and outward in the time and space in which you move.
11. If you had to represent Death metal with a picture, a painting, sculpture or maybe a "famous" piece of art, what would you choose?
Then I refer of course immediately to the current cover of my single.
It is an oil painting of mine which was then digitally processed by an Argentine graphic artist named Nicolás Oliveros.
12. In ancient Greece, poetry was considered incomplete without accompanying music which united the significance of the words with the significance of certain tones and musical shapes. In this case, there is a strenght connection between your music and painting. Could you enlight us more profoundly abut this connection?
The first impression of a single or an album through visualization is probably partly more important than the music itself.
I have dealt with this topic very strongly regarding the project Aphrodia Okkulta.
I had then initially decided, in addition to the music, to design the visualizations themselves: with acrylic and oil paintings or sculptures that I model, so that the entire creation process comes from a single source and is thus very detailed and authentic.
The finishing touches or a revised final version is then achieved through the collaboration of very talented small artists.
13. What is your favorite part of writing and performing music? What are some of the challenges you face as a musician?
The most beautiful thing is the recording process in the studio, like an architect, designing structures that then make a whole and hopefully develop a brutal energy that makes you smile.
The absolutely most difficult part comes after that: To present the professionalism on platforms and to put together a total package that convinces yourself but can still keep up with current methods. Not that you have to, but I want to and beyond.
14. How do you wish for people to feel when they listen to your songs? How do you want APHRODIA OKKULTA to be remembered?
I am working on this project to be a high quality insider tip.
15. In your opinion what are the advantages of German bands? What could be much better in Germany?
Weather.
16. Are there some parts of the world that really impress you due to the quality of the bands coming from the same area? I mean are you involved with what happens in South America, Asia, Eastern Europe..etc???
I am very active on the platform "Bandcamp" as a listener and am thrilled by the mass of quality and immensely good artists. There are very many currents to be found there, for example a newly discovered for me Black Metal scene from the West USA or French Death Metal.
17. Well that was all for now, thanks for taking the time making the interview. I wish you all the best and really hope to see you live on stage in South America soon.
Thank you very much for this detailed interview and see you soon!
Alex
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