2023 is a special year for Funeral Doom band APHONIC THRENODY as it celebrates both the 10th anniversary of their first production, the EP “First Funeral”, and the re-arranged release of their debut album “When Death Comes.” Discussion with Riccardo Veronese, the head of this international band, who looks back on the group's career and who also provides us with some details on the genesis of the band and his involvement in numerous other projects.
1) Going back to the origins of APHONIC THRENODY, would you say that the band grew out of the DEA MARICA project, in which you played guitar and Roberto Mura sang?
No not really. Roberto had been talking about Funeral/Death Doom for a while and we literally just sat down one day and I said let’s do another band and I began to listen to a few bands that Rob told me about and “First Funeral” came from me writing a few songs within a couple of weeks.
DEA MARICA actually kind of came from my other Traditional Doom Metal band called
GALLOW GOD. I had a lot of material and riffs from that time so they got used for that instead.
2) Your band's name includes the word "threnody", which was a funeral lament sung in ancient Greece. It obviously fits perfectly with your style of music.
How did you choose to combine it with the word "aphonic" (voiceless)?
I was looking for almost an opposite to Threnody so “Aphonic” kind of represents a voice that wants to be heard but can’t quite manage to get out the words and tries to find ways to show itself through melodies and sounds. Obviously “Threnody” is the chant and voice that brings everything out in the open.
3) The fact that you cover their song "Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium" may have contributed to this, but you've been compared a lot to early MY DYING BRIDE. Have you subsequently tried to distance yourself from their sound to stop the comparison, or does the regular reference not bother you?
The reference has never worried me at all. It’s good to be inspired by other bands etc. but I have never really listened to a band with writing something in their style. Rob really wanted to do a cover where I don’t like doing them, but I actually enjoyed the version we produced. I think most bands get referenced to other well-known bands unless they are a real breakthrough band with something fresh.
4) While we're about influences, I believe you've listened to ANATHEMA and ESOTERIC as other English Doom bands. What about the Finnish Funeral Doom scene?
Aghh yes two of my favourite bands. Finnish Funeral Doom is great.
THERGOTHON was a great funeral Doom and of course
SKEPTICISM have come back stronger than ever. Their style is massive and they have very interesting structures throughout their songs.
CONVOCATION are also worthy of a mention.
5) You're the only permanent member of APHONIC THRENODY’s line-up, which changes regularly and may include several guests. In your opinion, what is the constant contribution you make that can be found on each of your albums?
I’m pretty much the person who structures all the songs and comes up with music and bass. I have dabbled in keys as well. Mostly I’m the rhythm and lead. I guess my style is permanent to what
APHONIC THRENODY is about. I may evolve certain elements, but the core sound is mine.
6) As a Funeral Doom band, your concept and the lyrics of APHONIC THRENODY revolve around existence (life and death), as well as despair; but also, psychological illnesses (the songs "Dementia" and "Locura" for example). What other themes would you tackle?
Yes, we have touched on these concepts but our album “The Loneliest Walk” was about my personal pain and anguish. I guess chapters of a period in my life that was heartbreaking. The next album is about ghosts, hauntings and killers!!!!
7) Were the subjects a little more varied on "The Great Hatred" album or is that just an impression?
Yes, this album was quite varied in songwriting and structures. I was actually less involved with production on this album than others. I think as a whole the album was very open and actually did not follow a theme as such but explored different ideas and stories.
8) That album was just a duet with Juan Escobar, with no other members or even guests. What do you remember of that experience?
It was very different to our other albums but it was great to see a different take on our music. I think it opened up a lot more atmosphere and space within the music. I had to take more of a back seat on the album but I still enjoyed the experience. Some parts that I wanted to be different didn’t happen, but these things happen from time to time and you have to meet somewhere in the middle.
9) There are lyrics video from "The Great Hatred" album, and you were interviewed a lot at the time. Was this your most successful album? Was the strong media coverage due to the good support of Transcending Obscurity Records?
I’m not sure if it was our most successful but we had great support from our label in terms of promotion etc. Kunal does a great job in terms of sales etc., it’s pretty much constant with our other albums to be honest.
10) The various reviews I've read of "The Great Hatred" compare the atmosphere to (in addition to MY DYING BRIDE) old PARADISE LOST or even KATATONIA. One reviewer explained that certain passages with clean vocals sound "post-Rock", while other moments are very melancholy. You could say it's more Atmospheric Doom/Death and less Funeral Doom. Do you agree with this interpretation, and was it a clear goal from the outset?
I agree as when Juan took the task on the sound and scope of the album changed quite a bit. I wanted to go heavier and slower, but the songs just didn’t go that way. But I love how they came out and really enjoy them. It was not a goal we had in mind, but Juan had his style of mixing, production etc. and this is the path we took.
11) The 2 albums that followed ("The All Consuming Void" and "The Loneliest Walk") are resolutely more Funeral Doom-oriented. You wrote at one point that "The natural progression will be to go heavier and slower on each album.". Is this still what you have in mind? If so, we won't be hearing any catchy melodies like on "The Ghost's Song" and "Death Obsession" (both from the “When Death Comes” album)?
Actually, the new album that I am working on is heavy but will have catchy melodies. I think it’s a bit more simplistic but will have great melodies and the songs are much shorter this time. We are looking at around 7 songs so far and I’m really excited with what I’ve come up with. It should please our
APHONIC THRENODY fans and keep with what we have been doing.
12) "The Loneliest Walk" is an impressive 2 hours 20 minutes long. How did you go about composing such a gigantic work?
This was very personal for me, so I set about just composing how I felt and the songs just poured out. I wrote the whole album in about 10 days. It’s pretty much how I write as I don’t force it and I usually just bang out riffs and melodies in a huge bunch that form the songs really fast and then revisit them over a week or so. It took a while with this album because also I wanted to explore sounds and live recording of guitar for the first time.
13) In addition to the usual electric guitars, bass and drums, your music is enriched by cello, piano, acoustic guitar and keyboards that incorporate sounds like bells and thunder. Do you have any other ideas for the future, and have you thought of using female vocals?
We have used female vocals before on “Of Loss and Grief”. I love female vocals, but I love the melodies and not actually singing words. That may be a direction we go in. We love adding sounds and atmosphere to our songs. I think it all adds a dynamic to the album. So, I think yes, we will explore and add things as needed going forward.
14) In addition to all the adjectives associated with extreme slowness and heaviness, some people describe you using the words "cosmic" and "celestial". Is this intentional, and do you understand the ethereal side that some of your listeners feel?
Yes, I guess I can. We write often about light, after death experience’s, ghosts etc. I believe our music has spiritual meanings as well. It has been something that I’ve been leaning more to in recent years and feel a spiritual connection with nature and afterlife.
15) Would you also say that you have a gothic/ dark romantic side?
I don’t try write this style but maybe in our melodies we have some elements as we get drawn to
MY DYING BRIDE etc. I don’t really compose songs about love, but I guess within grief there is an element of love and pain.
16) What other non-metal and non-musical influences does APHONIC THRENODY have?
I’m very open and listen to so many genres. I enjoy nature and take inspiration from the changing seasons. Different cultures also give me a wider perspective on life and values that can get drawn into our music.
17) As far as your visuals are concerned, there are of course the 2 coffins under your logo, which are your signature; and then there are the album covers. My favorites are "The All Consuming Void" and "The Loneliest Walk". How do you go about finding your illustrators, and what instructions do you give them?
I’m quite up to date with many artists and illustrators. Sometimes I look at other bands’ artworks to see who it is done by and then I see if I think that their style will fit ours. It’s a working process so takes time to build this up and communication is the key. The artwork has to be spot on and the people I have worked with so far have all delivered.
18) There are several lyrics videos of your compositions on the Internet, as well as a video from 2014 that's a collaboration with Jérôme Siegelaer, a Dutch photographer and producer. This short film entitled "Meditation On Earth" features dancer and actress Judit Ruiz Onandi "dancing" with your song "Death Obsession" in the background. Do you have any other projects of this kind and/or do you feel like making more traditional music videos?
Hopefully we can make a video for a song soon as they can make a real impact. So far, we have two videos that have been done by other people. “Death Obsession” and “The Great Hatred” are the two we have done. The rest are more visuals that I have done.
19) You took part in 3 splits between 2014 and 2015. Could this type of project happen again in the future? Which bands would you like to collaborate with?
We had a few bands contact us at times but it did not happen, but I would love down the line to do a split with someone like
ESOTERIC,
RISE TO THE SKY,
HELLLIGHT to name a few.
20) In 2015, you wrote that your favorite song from your band was "Hollow". What gave it your preference at the time, and what would be your choice in 2023 (of both song and album)?
“Hollow” just stuck with me at the time. I really just enjoyed the slow gloomy feel of it. I have to say I really like “The Sun Will never Rise” is my favorite. It’s so powerful and the solo at the end is massive. The choir keys going through the song is beautiful as well and the track has amazing emotions and atmosphere.
21) Before the summer, you released a rearranged version of your excellent debut album "When Death Comes", renamed "When Death Comes Again" for the occasion. Can you tell us what prompted this idea, and what makes this "...Again" (with no less than 7 guests) different from the original version? How was it received?
I had the idea over 4 years ago and already had some stuff recorded from various artists. I stopped for a while but got inspired again to finish it and contacted a few more artists and it turned out really different in the end but still had all the elements from the original version. I wanted to just take an album and see if I could give it a twist and something cool for our fans.
22) Line-up changes and the international nature of your band make concerts difficult. I believe you had nevertheless managed to reunite in November 2013 to play at the Garage in London, opening for ESOTERIC. Have there been any other live dates, and can we expect to see you on stage in the future?
Unfortunately no at the moment. It’s just hard to get a line up and to have members committed to the band.
23) Your 3 splits were produced by GS Production and your 5 albums (6 if we count "When Death Comes Again"), either by other labels each time different, or independently. What are your expectations on the production side for your next releases?
I like to self-release at the moment. It means we are in control and can just get what we want out in a timely manner to our fans. We are also always experimenting with sounds and production to give our fans the best that we can.
24) Looking back on all these releases, I'd say you've got quite a rhythm going! How do you manage to be so productive?
It’s in my nature not to rest and every time I complete a work, I seem to just start a new project. Even after the huge album we did I was back in the studio writing. As long as I can keep the song writing going and making good songs I’ll keep pushing.
25) This year also marks the 10th anniversary of your first production, the "First Funeral" EP. How would you sum up APHONIC TRENODY's first decade? Even though it started out as a joke, did you set any goals for yourself afterwards?
It was not so much a joke, but we just set about the EP as a first step and when it got such great feedback we really stepped up our production and I guess our only regret was not to gig more. It’s been amazing and nearly all our reviews have been so positive. We seem to evolve enough to keep people interested. We were pretty much the first band to have multiple guests on each album which everyone seems to do now which I love that you can ask people you admire to feature. It’s been very hard to keep going as I have been let down by a few close friends, but I never give up and each set back makes me come back stronger.
26) I think you used to write for Doom-metal.com. The site seems to have been inactive since July 2022. Could you tell us if it’s definitively shut down and if you still have any journalistic activities?
To be honest I cannot say if it is still going.
27) Are you still involved in TOWARDS ATLANTIS LIGHTS, ANTIM-SANSKAR and maybe ARRANT SAUDADE (with Juan)? What is the latest news on your participation to them?
TOWARDS ATLANTIS LIGHTS I’m still doing bass for whenever they need me.
ANTRIM-SANSKAR I just featured as a guest guitarist at the time to help out with their first album.
ARRANT SAUDADE is pretty much dead unfortunately as I no longer work with Juan.
28) In 2015, you collaborated with French band ABYSMAL GROWLS OF DESPAIR. Can you tell us about the nature of this cooperation? Is it likely to happen again with this band; or others?
We did not collaborate with them. The singer was in
ARRANT SAUDADE so this is how we met and formed this band. We did have some plans at the time to do a split with
APHONIC THRENODY but it did not happen.
29) You turned 50 this year. What do you do alongside your bands, and what has music brought you so far in life?
I enjoy nature like I said, reading books and watching films, tv. I run a crochet business with my partner where we make replica’s of people pets which we now do full time for the past 6 years. We also had our first child Freya this year which was a miracle after 10 years of trying and IVF. Music has brought me so much. It’s kept me alive in some respects. You can take so much from music and art in general. It can I believe be a great healer and soother in times of pain and grief. I’m always inspired by other bands and music and the buzz you get when they release new albums.
30) In addition to what music brings you, what do you hope it will bring to the people who listen to the music you write?
I hope it can bring some hope and peace. Even though it can be depressing and dark I have always tried to add catchy uplifting elements to the songs. Maybe it brings closure or an inner peace to our fans.
31) Although you play in a particularly pessimistic music style and believe in destiny, it seems to me that you remain animated by a positive aspect of life and believe that there is always hope, that there is a light at the end. How do you explain this point of view, which could be perceived as a contradiction?
There is always darkness and always light. Both fade into each other so that’s how I take our music. It’s a blend of everything we are, life, death, passages of time to reflect on. Pain that’s buried deep for years that may surface later in life that needs to be dealt with. It’s worth hanging on to life because things happen for a reason. You can always look back on the path to where you are now and see what shaped your life.
32) Of course, apart from the musical aspect, is this what sets you apart from DSBM (Depressive Suicidal Black Metal)?
Maybe but to be honest I’ve never really written anything that would fit into this genre. The hope and tiny glimmers of light we add to our music sets it apart, I guess.
33) At the beginning of July you put out a call for collaboration on the next album. What were the results and what can we expect? Where should it be recorded? Will Roberto (vocals) and Kostas (keyboards), who have returned to the band since "The Loneliest Walk", still be on board?
Yes, I just wanted to see who would be around. Joss will definitely be back from
ESTRANGEMENT on drums and a few other instruments. Justin is still part of the band on guitar. Roberto I’m not sure yet as we have not talked but he would always be my first choice for vocals as his style fits
APHONIC THRENODY perfectly.
34) Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, and we'll leave you with the final word in case you'd like to add anything.
Thank you so much for this opportunity. I’m glad our fans are still happy with what we are putting out and hopefully they will be happy with our next album in 2024/25. Your support is essential to
APHONIC THRENODY and we are always grateful.
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