Kalrog Naar Interview

 

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

Hello to you and all the readers of ADifferentShadeOfBlackMetalZine, here's Cesare "Kalrog Naar " Sannino speaking! Thanks for this great opportunity to make an interview for your 'zine. I activated the Kalrog Naar project again in 2021, after splitting up my previous one-man-bands Animae Capronii/Trust your Heart (2003-2014/2015-2021). The intention was to return to play old school underground heavy metal with an occult dark fantasy feeling and various influences. The first incarnation of the project (simply called Kalrog) appeared beetween 1999-2001, recording just some unreleased acoustic demo tapes.

2.Can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you have went for on the recordings so far/

Yes, of course! While i initially started to play a classic underground epic heavy metal with also some punk rock vibes in the two early albums (Shocking Dark & Fantasy Warrior), with the third one (A Curse Take Place Over Esperia) i embraced a more epic gothic/folk/black metal style. With the last album i mixed both the things all together.

3.Since 2021 you have released a great amount of material, do you spend a great amount of time writing and creating?

I'm always in a costant process of creation. I have a lot of fantasy in my mind, and i feel the need to create in every moment. Its my life and my passion.

4.You refer to your music as being 'epic fantasy metal' and also write your lyrics in this genre, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

I was always influenced by fantasy/sci-fi literature. I wrote some short stories myself, and i also used to create role playing games/board games with the same topics in the past. I love to create fantasy stories with different characters created by myself, or to write lyrics inspired by books that i've read.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Kalrog Naar'

Anthoritan Kalrog was the name of my main character while i played Dungeons & Dragons in my youth. Naar was added later. Its the name of the Master Lord of Darkness in Joe Dever's Lone Wolf Roleplaying Books Series.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork on the latest album cover?

The cover artwork of Dark Metal represent the hero Lord Parias facing a horde of evil creatures in front of a dark tower. In the layout there's another drawing with the Warrior Princess Elbior searching for the Vampire Lord in his Castle's ruins.

7.With this project you record everything by yourself but have experience playing in other bands, do you prefer to work solo?

To work solo is a great advantage because you take all decisions by your own. With the other bands where i played/play is much difficult to choose every little decision, we must work together as a team and sometimes is not that easy at all.

8.Ove the years you also have done a great amount of cover versions, can you tell us a little bit more about the bands and songs you have covered?

I like to tribute both famous and also underground bands of almost every genre in beetween rock & metal, but also some darkwave/goth/synth-pop acts sometimes. I love to give my own interpretation of their songs in a very essential way. I covered too much artists to mention through the years with my various projects/bands, but my personal favs are the Celtic Frost & Dimmu Borgir covers.

9.Most of the albums are also released though your own label, are you interested in working with a different label?

I was, but i haven't found a serious label interested to release my music, probably because its too underground for actual standards.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of underground metal?

Very poor, cause i'm not a great promoter. 

11.Are you currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Yes, i'm the vocalist of the thrash/crossover band Violent Shit since 2007 (check out the new album 'Infamous Monsters', out now!!). Its the most professional band where i play. I'm also the vocalist/guitarist of the black metal band Nocturnal Flame. We also have our 1st full length out in 2024, with also the official video of the song Power of the dying saviour out on Youtube! Give it a view if you're into True Black Metal.

12.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

Hope to become always more professional and capable. Cannot wait to unleash more underground heavy metal upon the masses.

13.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?

Very interesting question. I'm always interested in very underground music, but i listen almost everything in metal (or rock or everything) which is epic and with feelings. 

I love bands like Enid, Celtic Frost, The Elysian Fields, The Sins of thy Beloved, Siebenburgen, Battlelore, Furia but also Sine Macula, Sarcofagus, Black Widow, Death ss, and also italian epic power metal stuffs like Pandaemonium, Shadows of Steel, Skylark, Projecto and many many others, too much to mention. And i don't open the argument Black Metal because we will have an overlong interview, eh eh!!

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

Thank you for reading this long interview!! All hails to you for this opportunity again, and check out my music, freely downloadable from my pages, but i invite you to ask physical copies of my albums writing at capronii@libero.it.  Stay underground my metal brothers, and stay true!! Eternal Hails. Kalrog Naar. 

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Kalrog Naar/Crimson Blade Crash/Kalrog Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Italy's  solo  project  Kalrog  Naar  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  epic form  of  dark  metal  and  the  album  was  released  in  2025  by  kalrog  Records  and  called  "Crimson  Blade  Crash".

   Programmed  beats  and  heavy  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  the  keyboards  bring  in  more  of  a  goth  metal  touch.  Clear  vocals  are  also  a  very  heavy  part  of  the  recording  along  with  the  harsh  vocals  being  grim  black  metal  screams  and  the  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  are  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  tradition.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  one  song  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  folk  instruments.  Some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  album  also  adding  in  cover  versions  of  tracks   from  Orcrist,  Emaciation  and  Peosphoros,  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.  

  On  this  recording  Kalrog  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  dark,  black  and  gothic  metal  as  well  as  being  rooted  in  the  90's  era.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  medieval  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Kalrog  Naar  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  dark  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Crimson  Blade  Crash"  "The  Night  Flyer"  and  "Revolt  Against  A  Twisted  World".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8fsOUWroKM

Kalrog Naar/Dark Metal/2025 EP Review

 

  Kalrog  Naar  are  a  solo  project  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  epic,  romantic  and  fantasy  themed  form  of  dark  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2025  ep  "Dark  Metal"  which  consists  of  re=recorded  songs  from  the  mid  90's  to  early  2000's.

  Heavy  guitars.  programmed  drum  beats  and  keyboards  start  off  the  ep  while  the  clear  vocals  bring  in  more  of  a  goth  metal  style.  Grim  black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  some  of  the  slower  riffing  adds  in  a  touch  of  doom  metal.

  A  lot  of t he  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Some  of  the  clear  vocals  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  power  metal  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  some  clean  playing.

  Kalrog  Naar  plays a  musical  style  that  takes  black, dark,  viking,  gothic  and  power  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Kalrog  Naar  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic,  romantic  and  fantasy  themed  dark  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lost  Artic  Horizons"  "The  Pyramid  Under  The  Moon"  and  "Portal  of  Infinity".  8  out  of  10.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxqJrOsGFcc