Interview with MIDNIGHT SORCERY
!!!ARCANE EPIC METAL FROM MEXICO!!!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about MIDNIGHT SORCERY (Members, Starting Year etc).
It all started on October 28th 2023, on a Blood Moon eclipse. We decided to start a small project that dealt with dark mythology, black magic. We all have listened and played heavy and doom metal prior to the formation of the band so we found each other through our previous bands. The band is formed by four evil sorcerers: The Dark Steel Sorcerer (vocals, guitars), Sorcerer of the Black Sun (bass, guitars), Sorcerer of the Black Forest (guitars, bass) and The Dark Throne Sorcerer (drums).
You have recently released your demo ''Tales from the Dark''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
There hasn’t been that much feedback as we just released the demo a few days ago but the few people that have listened to it have liked it. They all have recognized that there is something new and fresh within our music, it’s epic, arcane, mystical and doomed Heavy Metal.
The cover artwork has a sick atmosphere! Tell us a few things about it.
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: For the artwork I remember seeing an artwork by Panikus, I liked it and we got into her website. I found a similar one and I asked if it was on sale but she told me she had sold it already. But she offered to do something similar combined with ideas we had. That’s how the cover artwork came to be, with the dark and hopeless concept we wanted to convey without leaving epicness aside.
The Dark Throne Sorcerer: I believe the artwork mentioned is the one Panikus / Open Sepulchre thought of when we made the flyer promoting the re-release of PAUL ROLAND’s Duel through our label Occult Metal Records. The sword of a knight upon the skull of the fallen. She is mostly hired by black and death metal bands so I believe the artwork might give the impression of a black metal recording but then, if you play it and hear our magical Heavy Metal there will be certain shock to it.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: The purpose of the artwork is to convey a tenebrous atmosphere where we can se a defeated person, alluding to power and victory in darkness, a destiny you don’t want to deal with…
Sorcerer of the Black Sun: The artwork was done by an artist that understood our project and our direction, its an ode to the mystical, the barbaric and the arcane.
And what about the lyrics?
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: The lyrics are mainly based on Tolkien’s lore but mixed with mysticism and black magic where darkness will always prevail.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: The lyrics attempt to symbolize a character where each of the songs tell a tale of darkness in the Middle Earth.
Sorcerer of the Black Sun: The lyrics are inspired in Tolkien’s lore but implementing some ideas and transforming them to our style, creating a world where the Black Riders rule.
The Dark Steel Sorcerer
Sorcerer of the Black Sun
Are you in searching for a record label?
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: Our plan is to search and get some label to help us spread our music everywhere but if we do not get signed we’ll keep doing it ourselves just like with the demo.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: We have discused the idea of getting signed to a record label, but until now remained independent, although we would be willing to get signed when the time comes, of course we’d like to see our music on vinyl and other formats as well.
Sorcerer of the Black Sun: Of course, getting a label would help us a lot to spread our music.
The Dark Throne Sorcerer: We believe in the do it yourself ethos and thus the cassette tape exists as it is, but we are also thinking of spreading it to ‘zines and close friends. A couple of us will be travelling to this year’s Keep It True fest to spread the tape there and see what happens. Doing that feels more organic than just promoting it over the web.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
The Dark Throne Sorcerer: We often get inspired by altered states of mind and many things happen during those times, while composing one of the songs in the demo called Black Riders, the LSD trip got very intense and the sight of clouds turning into demons got directly translated into music as we played the ending of the song for an indefinite amount of time.
Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: Many influences and artists that we share and others that are individual but some of which we all agree are MANILLA ROAD and CIRITH UNGOL.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: Bands that have influenced me are MANILLA ROAD, BLIND GUARDIAN, IRON MAIDEN, SAINT VITUS, CANDLEMASS, LORDIAN GUARD, DARKTHRONE.
The Dark Throne Sorcerer: Indeed they are many. Personally, along with the ones mentioned above, for MIDNIGHT SORCERY I would say BLACK SABBATH, PENTAGRAM, PAUL CHAIN, BROCAS HELM, PAGAN ALTAR, WITCHFINDER GENERAL, SOLSTICE, TROUBLE, THE OBSESSED, NEMESIS (SWE) and many 70s psychedelic bands like BLACK WIDOW, COVEN, ARZACHEL, T2 and tons more.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest
The Dark Throne Sorcerer
Tell us 10 Metal releases that have ''entered'' your blood.
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: CIRITH UNGOL – King of the Dead, MANILLA ROAD – Crystal Logic, LORDIAN GUARD – Lordian Guard, BLACK MAGICK SS – Burning Bridges, THE WIZAR’D – Subterranean Exile, QUEEN – Sheer Heart Attack, MORGUL BLADE – Fell Sorcery Abounds, X- CALIBER – Warriors of the Night, OM – Advaitic Songs, IRON ANGEL – Hellish Crossfire.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: The 10 best Heavy Metal releases are IRON MAIDEN – Somewhere in Time, BLIND GUARDIAN – Follow the Blind, DARKTHRONE – The Underground Resistance, CANDLEMASS – Tales of Creation, OMEN – Battle Cry, RUNNING WILD – Gates to Purgatory, CIRITH
UNGOL – Paradise Lost, MANILLA ROAD – Crystal Logic, IRON ANGEL – Hellish Crossfire and BLUE ÖYSTER CULT – Fire of Unknown Origin.
Sorcerer of the Black Sun: LORDIAN GUARD – Lordian Guard, MORGUL BLADE – FELL SORCERY ABOUNDS, TAROT – Reflections, ASHBURY – Endless Skies, BLACK MAGICK SS – Burning Bridges, THE WIZAR’D – Subterranean Exile, ZEUS – Zeus V, LUZIFER – Iron Shackles, ETERNAL CHAMPION – The Armor of Ire, HÄLLAS – Excerpts from a Future Past.
The Dark Throne Sorcerer: Again I’ll only mention records that have had a direct influence in MIDNIGHT SORCERY as that would be the only explanation for stuff like Don’t Break the Oath or the first IRON MAIDEN to not be mentioned, for most of these bands I would rather say “all” than choose a single record: CIRITH UNGOL – King of the Dead, MANILLA ROAD – Crystal Logic / Metal / Mark of the Beast, BROCAS HELM – Into Battle / Black Death, PAGAN ALTAR – The Lords of Hypocrisy, SCALD – Will of the Gods Is Great Power, PAUL CHAIN – Alkahest, PENTAGRAM – First Days Here, SACRED BLADE – Of the Sun and Moon, LEGEND – From the Fjörds, ANGEL WITCH – Angel Witch, JUDAS PRIEST – Sad Wings of Destiny / Sin After Sin and LORDIAN GUARD – Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.
How do you feel about the rise of AI in music production? Do you see it as a tool that can enhance creativity, or do you think it poses challenges to the authenticity of music creation?
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: I’m not in favor of AI in music. It’s something tricky that can help creativity as much as block human authenticity, which makes music an art form.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: I think the use of AI in art such as music makes it loose its authenticity as music is a reflection of feelings, emotions that can never be copied.
The Dark Throne Sorcerer: No AI in art for me whatsoever. Fuck off to bands that use it for music or artwork. Keep the analog feeling alive, the ancient spirit still rules!
From your experience in the music industry, what would you tell to a new metal band to avoid or what to do?
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: My advice is to never give up. Music is perhaps the hardest road, but as long as there is passion and heart in it, it will get noticed.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: We recommend to stay focused on mantaining your essence and ideas for the band intact, give them the direction you choose without getting influenced by outsiders that could change the sound you desire.
Sorcerer of the Black Sun: Music will always be a difficult road but if you stay strong in every decision taken as band it will be difficult but enjoyable.
How is the situation in Mexico as far as Studio Recordings / Rehearsal Rooms etc. are concerned?
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: There’s an increase in rehearsal rooms and local support, we have been supported by our rehearsal room of choice since the beginning because they have a purpose of doing it yourself (DIY) so they all help each other for everybody’s sake.
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: The situation varies but is difficult in itself, although recording seems to be easier due to the existence of many studios. Finding a label to reléase physical stuff is a bit limiting so that’s why we chose to reléase it ourselves.
The Dark Throne Sorcerer: Indeed, our rehearsal room of choice Tarantula Studio, has been like our personal castle, it is literally one, almost. As far as studios the one we recorded in, La Casa en Llamas is also a great one for any Heavy/Doom/Black/Death/Thrash band out there, and not only limited to that, but the owner, Ulises also has a background in metal (He plays in the band VOLTAX) so that’s a huge plus for us.
What shall we expect from MIDNIGHT SORCERY in the near future?
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: From Midnight Sorcery you can expect more darkness and epicness in the near future as we have already begun to work on our first full-length and we already have 4 songs.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: You can expect only darkness. I think our music is emotionally charged due to the variation between songs and even within the same song. When composing we didn’t want to repeat ourselves or be conventional, what we look for is to create even longer songs mixing all the influences we have.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
The Dark Steel Sorcerer: Thank you for your time and keep following the dark path along MIDNIGHT SORCERY.
Sorcerer of the Black Forest: We would like to thank Filthy Dogs of Metal Webzine for the space and opportunity for the band. We are a band where we put a lot of our effort and heart into it to achieve what Tales from the Dark is now.
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
MIDNIGHT SORCERY CONTACT:
https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574073602087&_rdc=1&_rdr
https://www.instagram.com/4sorcerersms/
https://midnightsorcery.bandcamp.com/album/tales-from-the-dark