Please tell us a few words about the new release, about the music on it as a whole, or a few words on each track in part. How are you happy with the final release?
“Of Shrouds And Daggers” is Gorguina’s debut album, so its creation has been an important journey for the members. The main goal with the full-length was to deliver some dark Black Metal in the likes of the classic masters, but also with some modern elements that may help produce something even more obscure and mystical. We also focused on adding our personal touches to the music in order to create something with its own identity. We are fairly satisfied with the final result, and thus our next objective is to produce its follow-up in a similar manner and yet also making it unique.
Here follows a brief commentary on the nature of each track:
Summoning Of The Muses: this song is recorded entirely with synth and serves as a gloomy intro for the release. As any good introduction to a piece of art, it starts with the Orphic invocation of the Muses to ensure a good inspiration for our music.
Humwawa Of The South Winds: this is truly the first song of the album, and it is also the simplest and most straightforward of them. It praises the Sumerian demon Humwawa and is highly based on its depiction in the Necronomicon.
Befouling Shrieks: this track takes a more oppressive approach than the previous one at the cost of some aggression, creating thus an ominous aura. Lyrically, it deals with the inevitability of moral corruption and the demise it inherently brings.
Eternally Incarnate: this is the longest and most atmospheric song of the release. It offers a similar approach to the previous track, but the atmospheric essence is more fully embraced to deliver something intense. It deals with rebirth and conscience’s immortality.
The Fathomless Dusk: this song takes one of the most negative approaches of the album, almost reaching DSBM, though it is also uplifted by some Hellenic Black Metal influences. The lyrical theme is the same one as on Befouling Shrieks.
Dominus Lucifugus: it is the first track composed for this release, as well as the only song on the album entirely sung in Latin, despite other ones including Latin and Ancient Greek parts. It has a raw and fairly classic and almost martial approach, and it praises the demon Lucifuge Rofocale.
A Sisyphean Task: perhaps the most melodic track on the album, it deals with the futility of life, especially through the myth of Sisyphus. It’s the only track to include solos, but that doesn’t make it less aggressive in its nature.
The Veil Of Condescension: it is the slowest song on the full-length, being easily labelled as Black Doom Metal if it was to be included in a tracklist with similar songs. It deals with humanity’s self-destructive ignorance and how its only solution is divine intervention.
Interitus Opera: the only instrumental track. It serves as the album’s outro and is performed with acoustic guitars to create a Folk aura that nonetheless reaches a notably high climax before ultimately ending the release.
How would you describe/ label the music on it? Does it sound like anything we might have heard before?
This album may easily be pinned down as Black Metal, but we have taken an approach that has rarely been explored to give a fresh twist through fairly atmospheric bits, intense sonorities and a generally slower tempo than usual. It may be somewhat compared to the works of Carpathian Forest, Inquisition or Hades Almighty, with a certain amount of inspiration also coming from Mgla, Deathspell Omega or Rotting Christ to name a few.
Where was it recorded and how much time did it take you to record it? Any interesting stories from the recording/ producing of the material?
The album was recorded at Redrum Studios by Varg The Mighty and Akerbeltz in the span of a few months, and it was later mixed and mastered at Moontower Studios by Javi Félez. While no event proved a major difficulty to the recording, during the evaluation of the recorded material’s quality certain objects in the studio seemed to move on their own, as if it received some kind of paranormal approval.
What can you tell us about the cover artwork? Is there a link between the artwork and the lyrics? What are the topics of your lyrics?
The artwork depicts Hekate Chthonia in the dark woods displaying a look of scorn combined with sorrow that is intended to display the overall feeling of the album together with the sylvan background. It is directly influenced by Darkthrone and Black Sabbath’s album covers, so it also serves as a tribute to them.
The lyrics mainly deal with 2 concepts: classical mythology and human ignorance through a metaphysical perspective, so the flair of mystique on the album cover is also intended to portray our lyrical themes.
What do you expect to gain through this release? What are the band’s aims at the moment?
With this release we seek no material gains, but merely to show the community our art and gain some recognition and appreciation through it if it is deemed worthy of it. The band’s aims are currently centred in the production of its second album, which is by now almost fully composed.
Is there a special format the material is released on? Or is it released in multiple formats? How many copies were pressed?
For now the full-length is only available on CD. 100 copies were released by Negra Nit Distro, and there will soon be a re-release via Blasphemous Creations Of Hell and Plague Demon Records consisting of 100 additional CD copies.
Where and how will you promote this new release?
Since the band currently has no touring plans (although in the future this decision may change), the release is only being promoted through social media and fanzines.
Where can we order it from?
The album can currently be ordered from Negra Nit Distro’s website: http://www.paura.cat/ca/inici/3298-gorguina-of-shrouds-and-daggers.html
And soon from https://bchrecords.storenvy.com/products/35082115-gorguina-of-shrouds-and-daggers-cd, https://plaguedemonrecords.storenvy.com/products/35130454-gorguina-of-shrouds-and-daggers-cd
February 2022