Interview with VARKAN
We had a conversation with Alec Damiano (Vocals/Guitars). Enjoy!
Welcome to FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Last time we talked was almost 6 years ago, when you released your debut album ''Varkan''. Now you're about to drop your new EP titled ''Cradle to Grave''. Tell us a bit about this project.
"Cradle to Grave" is about death and rebirth. Between the release of "Varkan" and "Cradle," there were so many things that forced us to face our mortality. Car accidents, loved ones passing away, and so on. It made me realize that life is too short, and that we have to be more mindful of how we spend our time on this planet. We all end up from Cradle to Grave, no matter how long that span of time in between is. We have one life in this current existence and need to make the best of it. Nothing is forever. Friendships and relationships die. People die. And sometimes, you have to be reborn like a phoenix from the ashes. We are not the same people we were when we were born, or even a year ago. Life is a constant cycle of death and rebirth, whether the death is physical or not.
The cover art has a great atmosphere! Tell us some details about it.
Thank you! The artwork was done by Welder Wings, who I first became aware of through Instagram. I saw the album artwork for "Sanguivore" by Creeper and immediately fell in love. Welder Wings had an elegant and dark aesthetic that we really liked. We presented them our concept and a rough sketch of our idea, and they just ran with it. We are extremely pleased with their work.
What can you tell us about the lyrics?
The lyrics for "Cradle to Grave" and "What Do You Care?" came about when I was stuck in an extremely toxic work environment. I would often wonder to myself, "Is this all that life is? Going into a miserable place like this almost every day till I'm in my 60's, getting mistreated, and just letting my dreams die in the background?" Both songs are about staring life in the face and grabbing it by the reins. "Got one life, and I'm gonna make it mine." Life is too short. You have to do what you love and find your way out of bad situations. Thankfully, I was able to break free from that place. Musically, those songs were both Dom's (our other guitarist). He had written the bulk of "Cradle" about 10 years ago, and we started jamming "What Do You Care?" about 2-3 years ago. "Haunting Visions" is very King Diamond influenced when it comes to the lyrics. It's about realizing that you can hear dead people talking to you and thinking that you're going mad, but also that love transcends death. The music was heavily influenced by Helloween. "Butcher" and "Fire and Blood" were released previously as a cassette single, but we decided to release them on CD with this EP. It turns out that not a lot of people have cassette players. :) "Butcher" was inspired by my late grandmother's declining health, and how the American health insurance system tends to turn people into experiments instead of finding cures for their ailments. "Fake Healer" by Metal Church was a big lyrical inspiration for this one. "Fire and Blood" is straight-up Game of Thrones worship. It's written through the eyes of Daenerys Targaryen, where she is tired of dealing with her enemies and their injustices, so she decides to set everyone on fire with her dragons. A nice fantasy that one shouldn't indulge in real life. :)
Black Monarch Productions is your record label right? What do you prefer, Label or DIY and why?
Yes, we released our first album, "Varkan," through Black Monarch Productions as well, and it's also become our ASCAP publishing company. We did sign with Metal Assault Records for the "Butcher" single release back in 2021. It brought us some great press, but I'm not sure if the label is active anymore. Both situations have their pros and cons, but I like having the control over being our own label. There's more transparency about the finances and logistics. You can see everything happening in real time. The main "con" is doing everything ourselves, but that just comes with the territory of being an independent musician nowadays.
What are the differences between your debut album ''Varkan'' and your new EP ''Cradle to Grave''?
In terms of the band itself, we had a lineup change and parted ways with our bassist in December. Over time, it became clear that we weren’t on the same page anymore in terms of commitment or values. We decided it was best to go our separate ways. Musically, we've definitely improved and become more confident as musicians and songwriters. I think the sound quality and production is much better than our previous releases. Alex Parra did an amazing job mixing and mastering "Cradle". He's worked with huge bands like Volbeat and Arch Enemy, and I'm very happy that we've been able to work with him as well. I think the aesthetic is a big one, too. The artwork from Welder Wings just helped open this new visual world for us. We have always liked theatrical bands but have never been theatrical to this extent before. I'm excited for people to see the "Cradle to Grave" music video once it comes out, as well as our new stage production. I think it'll definitely bring the EP's themes to life.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Dom had recorded so many guitar tracks on the song "Cradle to Grave," that Matt, our producer at the time, named each track after a Star Wars movie pun. I thought that was funny.
What do you think about the rise of AI in music production?
I have mixed feelings about AI. I think some aspects of it can be helpful, like for normalizing sound levels or isolating instrument tracks. But when it comes to creating a full-blown song with AI, with AI instruments and vocals, I am 100% against it. Someone at my day job wanted to use an AI-generated song for a video project, and it just sounded cringey to me. I think companies want to create AI bands just so they can come up with even more ways to not pay musicians. I also think AI artwork is cringe. So, I think AI can be helpful for some things and detrimental for others.
From your experience in the music industry, what would you tell to a new Heavy Metal band to avoid or what to do?
Don't be afraid to promote yourself. If you don't promote yourself, who is going to do it for you? Don't expect a label or anyone else to promote or market you the way you can promote or market yourself. You must be your own biggest priority and biggest fan. Don't be afraid to knock on many doors. One of them (or a few of them) are bound to open.
What does Metal means to you? And give us 10 metal albums that run in your veins.
Metal means a great deal to me. I've found happiness, passion, love, and friendships, all thanks to metal. I play and sing various genres of music, but metal is my absolute favorite. 10 metal albums that run through my veins, in no particular order:
1. Piece of Mind - Iron Maiden
2. Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? - Megadeth
3. Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. 2 - Helloween
4. Slaughter of the Soul - At the Gates
5. Ride the Lightning - Metallica
6. Land of the Free - Gamma Ray
7. The Sound of Perseverance - Death
8. Hatebreeder - Children of Bodom
9. Blizzard of Ozz - Ozzy Osbourne
10. Art of Life - X Japan
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thank you very much for having us! We're excited for people to listen to the new EP. Wishing you continued success with your blog, and stay metal!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
VARKAN CONTACT:
http://www.varkanofficial.com/
https://www.facebook.com/varkanofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/varkanofficial/
https://varkan.bandcamp.com/music
https://twitter.com/varkanofficial
https://soundcloud.com/varkanofficial