Eonian Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?

 

Eonian is a symphonic extreme metal solo project that I started in early 2020, mostly as way to keep my mind busy during the first lockdown. It originated as an instrumental project, but as I began composing and recording the first songs, I changed directions and decided to incorporate lyrics and harsh vocals.

 

2.You have an ep coming out this year, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

 

I have always been a fan of bands that combine all the elements of metal music with epic orchestras and choirs, no matter the style of metal they play. I have spent countless hours listening to bands like Nightwish, Epica, Blind Guardian, and Rhapsody of Fire, but for this project I thought that darker compositions with black/death metal vocals fit better. 

 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the music?

 

“The Nomad” is a concept EP. All five songs tell the story of the protagonist, a mysterious character condemned by the gods to drift through hostile lands for eternity after his reign of terror is overthrown. The lyrics borrow from myths, legends, and fantasy, but there is also a subtle social commentary against dictatorships and the use of violence to subdue the population, which is what ultimately brings about the downfall of this character.

 

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Eonian'?

 

The name of my project is as a homage to one of the pioneers of this genre, Dimmu Borgir. ‘Eonian’ is the title of their latest album, released in 2018. I wanted a short name and ‘Eonian, which means “everlasting” or “continuing forever,” goes really well with the story I tell in the EP and the character’s forced exile and perpetual search for a place to call home. 

 

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?

 

Spanish digital artist Javier Barjollo created the artwork for “The Nomad” and he absolutely nailed it. The cover captures the mysteriousness of the protagonist, accentuated by his glowing blue eyes that are reminiscent of those of the White Walkers from Game of Thrones and serve to dehumanize him and to show that there is something evil in him.

 

6.This band is mostly a solo project but would you consider working with a full line up in live performances?

 

Definitely. I played in a couple of bands before I moved to the US, and I miss being on stage.

Now that things seem to be slowly opening up again (at least here in NYC) it would be very cool to play these songs live and to write new songs with a band. 

 

7.You also have a great amount of session musicians on the recording, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions on the recording?

 

11 session musicians from all over the globe collaborated in this EP. Every single one of them brought something to the table that I could never have come up with myself. Ex-Entrails drummer Freddy Ortscheid (Sweden), Helioss’s vocalist DM (France), Koroth’s bassist Francesco Loconte (Italy), and orchestra composer Diego Soldi (Argentina), recorded in all of the songs. The rest of the guest musicians recorded solos. There are two guest guitar solos, performed by Frozen Shield’s Isaac “Whitefingers” Solanas (Spain) and Dethknell’s Manish Kashyap (India); two violin solos, recorded by Margarita Chernova (Russia) and Tales of Gaia’s Néstor Català (Spain), who shredded in his electric violin; and three keyboard/piano solos, performed by Utópica’s keyboardist Pablo Pallares (Argentina), Desvirtual’s Andrés Samboní (Mexico), and Polina Chornaya (Ukraine).

 

 

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

 

Having the support of a label obviously makes things easier and, if a label were interested, I would definitely hear what they have to say. However, getting signed is not a priority at the moment for me. 

 

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of symphonic and extreme metal?

 

So far, the feedback has been very positive. I will be able to tell you more once the EP is officially released, but I’m pleased to see that people are reacting so well to it.

 

10.Where do you see the project heading into musically during the future?

 

I already have a lot of ideas for a new EP. Like I mentioned, it would be great to transform this project into a band and to write new songs with other members. In the meantime, my plan is to start recording the first demo by myself during the summer, in order to visualize better what works and what does not. We will go from there!

 

11.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?

 

To write this EP, I took inspiration from bands such as Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Emperor, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Gorgon. When I’m not writing, I like listening to instrumental stuff. For example, lately I have been listening a lot to some of my guitar heroes, especially to John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert, Kiko Loureiro, Andy James, Nita Strauss, and Angel Vivaldi. I have also been listening to Bodom After Midnight’s EP. Alexi Laiho was one of the main reasons I picked up the electric guitar, and his last compositions are amazing. He influenced an entire generation of guitar players, and his legacy will live on forever.

 

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

 

I would like to thank all of my guest musicians for making this EP a reality and for their awesome performances. I would also like to thank Fernán Nebiros, from Peruvian death metal legends Mortem, for his involvement in the early stages of this project and for his valuable input. And lastly, I want to thank you for this interview and for your positive review of “The Nomad”!