Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Arthedain was formed in early 2014. I wanted to create something that channeled the spirit of my favorite early 90s Norwegian black metal band while creating a new atmosphere altogether. I began writing all of the music and lyrics for the demo, “By The Light Of The Moon”, in August and traveled to the Carpathian Forest in September with a four-track mixer, microphone, a guitar, a 15w amp, and a laptop so that I could record the music deep in the woods. I was inspired by that story that Century Media Records created about Ulver’s Nattens Madrigal album where they supposedly recorded the whole record in the woods and blew the rest of the budget on cocaine and suits. After I released that, I began writing the lyrics and music for the new album, “Arias Exalted”. I had everything done and then decided that the album would really benefit from the addition of a real drummer instead of drum programming. I enlisted the help of my friend Tobias Schuler, of the bands Der Weg einer Freiheit and Fuck You And Die to handle the drumming duties on the album. We recorded at Tonstudio Würzburg during the month of October 2014 with Nikita Kamprad (also of Der Weg einer Freiheit) handing all recording and production duties. I played every instrument in the studio except drums.
How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
I would describe our style as Transcendental Black Metal. On the surface of the new EP there is a very classic black metal atmosphere but on repeated listening you will discover hints of death metal and doom. Many bands from different genres have influenced my style, most notably Darkthrone, Emperor, Dissection, Explosions In The Sky, Gehenna, Mortiis, and St. Vitus.
Why should a metalhead buy your demos/albums?
If they want to listen to something new that has a classic feeling to it while introducing new ideas. I think there is a certain group of people who will appreciate the meanings behind the lyrics and the layers of instrumentation.
What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
So far we have released the By The Light of The Moon demo and a track from Arias Exalted entitled “Visions Of Fire”. So far, there has been very positive feedback from other artists in the metal community as well as the media.
Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?
At the moment, playing live is not a big priority. That could change in the future but for now we are too busy to make that a reality.
What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
They should know that Arthedain is a melodic black metal band with many different influences and stylistic changes. While Arias Exalted has a very classic feel to it, there is a possibility of the full length having even more visible influences. I think they should be interested in it because it isn’t generic, by the numbers black metal. I want each listen to be a rewarding experience so expect some surprises with upcoming releases.
What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
In the near future I am just concentrated on writing material for the new full-length album and I am expecting to have it completed by mid-2015. Possibly some live shows as well but that is not necessarily a priority at the moment.
Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
You can listen to our music at arthedain.bandcamp.com and also our album will soon be available on iTunes and other media outlets. Arias Exalted in CD and cassette format will be available on our Bandcamp page soon in limited quantities.
December 2014