1. Hello my friend, pleasure to have you on Rotten Pages ´zine. How are you doing today? Let us set the scene first. Where do we find you right now? Please describe your surroundings.
- I’m currently in a small cabin in the mountains. It’s fall and the leaves are changing colors. It’s mid afternoon.
2. Let’s start with the boring basics. Care to explain to the unknowing precisely where in the world you emanate such an aura of evil from?
- I apologize but for the time being I won’t be disclosing my location. I’m currently in America. The aura of evil you describe comes from within. It’s the darkness, sadness, anger, any negative emotion or feeling that you battle with internally. You can attempt to contain it or you can channel it outward.
3. What can you tell us about your beginning as a musician. How much exposure did you have to extreme music growing up?
- My earliest exposure to metal was as a child and hearing the typical stuff like Metallica and Iron Maiden. Great stuff but not exactly on the truly extreme side. I didn’t have any exposure to truly extreme metal until it started to break into the mainstream a little bit in the late 90s and early 2000s. My first album was Cradle of Filth’s Midian and I still consider that one of my favorites. Then of course Dimmu Borgir. That led to me going back and finding where those things came from and an entire new world opened up.
4. Can you name some of the bands who you first really admired and helped shape your future in music?
- In terms of metal music Iron Maiden was my first influence. I used to play some thrash metal so Slayer and old Metallica taught me a lot in terms of strumming patterns and types of riffs. With extreme metal I can give you the same cliche answer most people would and say I draw more from second wave black metal like Immortal, Emperor, early Mayhem, early Ulver, etc. There’s a reason those bands are so influential. I’m also a big fan of Death.
5. Your music has been described as black metal with elements of death metal, sludge/doom, post-metal, and psychedelia. How do you balance these different influences to create a cohesive sound?
- The sound was very intentional but also somewhat difficult. It started out as pieces of unused material for other projects I have so they had to be adapted and changed in order to fit together. That’s why it has various elements. The tricky part was getting it into a cohesive sound. After that the truly tricky part was writing something completely new that wasn’t just based on old ideas and making them gel with the old ideas. Like could I continue this particular sound intentionally rather than adapting things that already existed.
6. In a world where metal can often be dismissed as mere aesthetics, your music carries a deeper meaning. What messages or themes do you hope to convey through your artistic expression?
- The theme is agony and despair as told through an imagined history of ancient peoples and the monuments they built for their gods. It’s a different approach to musical and lyrical expression. The same concepts and feelings of darkness and impending doom but told from a totally different perspective.
7. “Mnajdra” is debut self titled release. For those who may be unfamiliar with the band, how would you best describe this album?
- If I’m being completely honest the album can best be described from my point of view as an accident. I didn’t initially sit down with the intention of creating this. I was trying to experiment with those unused ideas I mentioned then realized I was possibly onto something interesting. Lyrically the album is an alternate history based on the island of Malta and the ancient temple builder society. Musically the album is an attempt at capturing the despair those people must have felt being alone on an island thousands of years ago and navigating their primitive existence.
8. The lyrics are based on some themes just as real ancient monuments with imagined alternate history. Was that done deliberately and are you also trying to add some extra mystique?
- Ancient history is a big interest of mine. I’ve visited Malta several times and the ancient temple builders are almost a totalmystery. So I decided to explore that world and create my own stories for it. Something I’ve not personally heard or known of in extreme music before. A different angle to approach from.
9. The artwork for this album is beautiful. What is the concept behind it, and does it link to the story within the lyrics?
- The art is another aspect of the “accidental” nature of this album. I found it on Instagram and that’s basically it. It was the exact type of vibe I wanted and it was just sitting there for sale. It has a central figure that looks like some sort of potentially malevolent deity with all sorts of chaos going on around it. It’s a magnificent piece of art and when I found it the entire thing clicked. The music, the sound it should have, the mystery, the foreboding darkness, the untold history.
10. Musicians often have a single favourite spot on each album they make. What would be your moment of joy on this particular album?
- That's a great question. Sleeping Lady is my favorite song but my favorite moment is around 3:40 of Golden Gate of the Ecliptic when it kicks in for the big finale.
11. Let´s talk about band name. Mnajdra is a megalithic temple complex found on the island of Malta. How it relates to the band's identity and music?
- It's an ancient name of a massive temple complex. The usage of it is purely speculative so it's shrouded in mystery. The first time I visited the name really stuck with me. It just sounds powerful and mystical. So when this project was developing I came back to it and it helped me come up with a theme for everything. A name can really tie things together.
12. As the sole member behind Mnajdra, how do you manage the creative process of writing and composing music, lyrics, and playing multiple instruments?
- I pretty much always stay active with one project or another. And there are a lot. So I'm basically in a rhythm of creating something all the time. When inspiration hits for one in particular I ride the wave as long as possible. If something isn't working out I move on to something else.
13. Are there any external influences on the music? Anything you were listening to at the time – or reading, or watching – which you feel had an effect on the writing process?
- Probably the biggest influence is at the time I had just returned from Malta a few months earlier so everything was still fresh. Looking back at my music collection I had just recently discovered some bands like Serpents and Sermon of Flames that create really dark and dissonant black metal. So that probably influenced some of my riffs at the time. Those are great bands I'm hoping do more.
14. When you sit down and rehearse, does it go smooth or and you do full songs or do you really have to insist on certain parts all the time?
- For something like this there isn't much rehearsal. Mostly just coming up with parts and formulating ideas. I usually sit down with a specific goal in mind and it doesn't always go as planned. That's where having other musical projects is nice. I'll switch to something else and see what happens.
15. What challenges have you faced as an independent artist, and how have you overcome them while maintaining Mnajdra's uncompromising vision?
- I've been making music for a long, long time. Some challenges are long since past and others will never be overcome. With Mnajdra I was initially on the fence about releasing this album but as soon as I pitched it to some labels it connected. I was given freedom to do what I want with the music and visuals and that's why I agreed to all the deals I've made.
16. Are there any plans for collaboration with other artists or musicians in the future, and if so, what excites you about the potential of those collaborations?
- There aren't any plans right now. I would love to do a split with a Maltese artist but I haven't initiated contact yet.
17. How do you define “underground” and where do you see yourself and your band in it?
- In my opinion, in modern times it's difficult to be underground at all. With the internet being the most common method of releasing music it's immediately available worldwide. So I'm not sure there really is an underground anymore.
18. As an independent artist, what challenges have you faced in bringing your unique vision to life and reaching a wider audience? And how have you overcome those challenges?
- Black Metal Promotions agreed to stream this debut album and that immediately gave life to this project. That's a free 8-10,000 views without even doing anything. Other than that the biggest obstacle is just being brand new. And choosing to remain anonymous I can't use all my same contacts from other projects. There is so much music being release every day and finding a way to stand out from the pack will be an ongoing challenge no matter who you are.
19. Live performances are an integral part of the black metal experience. Does Mnajdra have any plans for live shows or touring in the future?
- As of now no but I wouldn't be opposed to it if the opportunity was right.
20. How do you feel about different musical formats (vinyl, cassette, digital etc) both for appreciating other music as well as how you want your music to be appreciated?
- I'm a big fan of physical formats. I love that Mnajdra has CDs and cassettes both and I'm hoping to get a vinyl run. I feel more connected to music when I can touch it and hold it. When I have to make an effort to play it rather than just letting it stream on my phone. It's a total package. The same as reading. I prefer a book over digital.
21. Thank you! I want to give you the final word. Is there anything you want to share with our readers?
- Thanks for your time and interest in this project. There will be more to come.
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