An emerging and talented band, in posses of inventive as well as maker of a musicality that correlates the electronic particularities of trance and industrial, combinating wonderfully them with the nostalgic decadence of gothic: they are the Donamorte, a promising Italian trio that Vox Empirea wants its public to know. Welcome to us!
Armand Donamorte ) What you have written to define our sound is totally correct. Thank you so for the space you’re dedicating to our band and to our way to represent the music.
As just mentioned, your music style is composed mainly by strong electronic elements atmospherically darkened by the wave/post-punk subculture: do you posses equally in the same measure the same musical inclinations, or among yourselves there are who is more oriented towards the technological sound and who to the melancholies of gothic?
Armand Donamorte ) In fact, I am very much oriented towards the decadence and drama of gothic; Garmo instead, being the programmer of the trio, is certainly the most one inclined to the electronic sounds.
From what I read, your artistic relationship is fairly recent: in fact, Donamorte were founded in 2011. It’s amazing that an impeccable synergy such as that which characterized you, might arise in such a short time. It must be therefore a perfect interaction to get results like the ones I found listening to your repertoire…
Kaos K ) Among us, guys of the band, we’ve known practically since forever, but in facts our artistic relationship is rather recent. We found ourselves immediately synchronized with the things to do, and I don’t conceal you that the alchemical agreement that has been created in such a short time has even surprised us. Certainly, all was influenced by the musical tastes we’ve in common, and our own minds which are tuned in the same frequency.
What musical experiences have you undertaken previously or in parallel to the project Donamorte?
Kaos K ) I and Garmo, we also are militating into another band called the Lost Reality, an alternative-rock band active since many years with which we have already produced two albums and with which we will start shortly the preparation of new material for the album which will be released again for Space Race Records.
The sound you create is interwoven to lyrics written with true passion. They relate about very deep arguments and mostly aimed at the inner anguish touching respectively the eternal dualism between Life and Death, the sufferings of Love, and the human insanity with its endless manifestations. It’s so natural to presuppose a direct correlation among these thematics and the sinister name of the band, “Donamorte”…
Armand Donamorte ) The name “Donamorte” is the best I could think of…. The lyrics are influenced by my personal way of seeing life and my culture….between the lines you can find Lovecraft, De Sade, Baudelaire, Ballard and also verses that relate to the mental pain, panic, the rage of sick love, religion and even the passion for astronomy. I don’t stop the obvious but I try to penetrate my mind for extracting what is deeper.
Evolving from an initial musical experience on compilations, such as that you experienced in “Darkitalia”, to reach a debut-album as “Gemini”, is a remarkable step forward in the band’s evolution. From which point of departure it gave rise the idea to advance in this direction?
Kaos K ) Just after the exit of the EP we’ve received a myriad of positive responses, far beyond the most optimistic expectations. All this encouraged us to immediately work on a full album. We had the feeling of being able to create something interesting.
The album to which we will talk shortly was anticipated in 2011 by the homonymous “Donamorte”, published by the netlabel Gildrome. Do you consider today those four tracks as the launch platform that made possible the realization of your official debut? How much did return you that EP in terms of satisfaction and prestige?
Kaos K ) As I said earlier, everything is born from the EP release. In a very short time we started getting positive reviews and requests to participate on significant compilations such as the one edited by Gothic Magazine. All this and the reactions of the people involved after the first live-session, they loaded us of satisfaction and awareness such as to convince us to continue our project.
It’s time to deepen the description of your album “Gemini”. Which are in detail its peculiarities? And also, what is the track in which you wish mostly? Personally I would suggest the superb “Charade”…once you listen to this song, it remains permanently in the memory and soul.
Armand Donamorte ) The characteristics of the album are passion, energy and drama, but there is also a bit of sinister and depressing irony. Musically, the songs are very different from each other but with the common factor of the gloomy and melodic appearance. I think these last two items are really the components of the typical Donamorte’s sound. As for the description of the tracks, I wish this was done by listeners of the genre…I do not want to specify or be analytical in explanation. The songs, after all, may or not may like also because not all compositions are made to be loved or appreciated. Certainly, “Charade” is a track with a determination and a very accentuated emotionalism.
“Gemini” is a fascinating name, suitable at the same time to a variety of interpretations. Have you chosen this title for the full-length simply attracted by its aesthetic, or it means something specific else to commemorate?
Armand Donamorte ) The aesthetic is an important factor, but the title was chosen because I gave it to a multiplicity of visions. “Gemini” means dualism or need of a person who understands us more than others.
Two questions in one: was the changeover you made from a fully digital release, as that licensed by Gildrome, to a “physical” format on CD represented by your new full-lenght, a reasoned choice, or other circumstances convinced you to choose this solution? Is “Gemini” available in other audio formats?
Kaos K ) The experience exclusively “digital” curated by GildRome allowed us to let us know and to extend our proposal to many people. the new album will be available both on “digital” and digipack versions, so also therefore on standard “physical” CD format.
How have you arrived at the Space Race Records label? How do you judge the underground music enterprising realities like it?
Kaos K ) We sent our music material to various labels, including Space Race Records. The boys of the label they were immediately contacted us asking to start a collaboration with them. What convinced us to sign an agreement with them, it was definitely the high professional level with which they care every aspect. Knowing and appreciating, then, most of the bands that they have in the rooster, we are more than happy about the choice we made.
Which specific equipments have you used in the making of “Gemini”?
Garmo ) The structure of the song, audio or compositional that is, it’s a process that changes at the same time in which the track takes its shape. Many times we start with an idea that at 90% is not the final one. For this reason we equipped over time with different analog and digital instruments. Sometimes some sounds are also sought by seemingly unthinkable instruments such as the old children’s toys, washing machines centrifuged noises, light switches etc. We work on a DAW by sequencer “Avid Protools 10″ using as controllers keyboards of “Novation”, or analog keyboards like the good “Microkorg” and the “Moog”. We not disdain all recorded sounds with app for iPhone and iPad that are part of the evolutionary process of the tracks more and more of those canzoni. But my absolute favorites are the virtual instruments by the American “Spectrasonics” and the ones by the German “Native Instruments”.
Have you planned a series of live sessions for the immediate future? How do you evaluate the level of appreciation of the audience during your concerts?
Armand Donamorte ) We are planning some dates to make know our capacities and our music; as regards the public’s response believe that the latter it’s literally abducted by our sound and our set.
Vox Empirea would like to thank Donamorte for participating in this interview: now, complimenting for the validity amply demonstrated, I would conclude asking to offer to readers a special thought to symbolize the spirit of the band…
Armand Donamorte ) Our songs were made to be heard, love and hate. Music is the only greatest element of communication and transmission of our ideas and human emotions. We want to be all this. Is useless making music and expose themselves only for a personal pleasure. We want to overcome these limitations and delete from minds the thought that the genre or group are underground!