How did you decide to form Mitternacht?
Risking to say a cliché I can say to you that Mitternacht was formed by itself. One day I discovered that I had composed enough material in quantity and quality to send to a record label.. Then I contacted Furias Records, presenting as a demo the first part of what today is "The Desolation of Blendenstein". Since that demo the CD grew until the final result.
Why did you decide to be the only member in Mitternacht?
It is interesting that you are asking this because Mitternacht may never have been born if it had depended on other member. I amnot used to compose in colaboration and I always preferred to work alone, even if I accept a lot of suggestions and fundamented critics. To sum up, I did not have any other choice, even if it would be interesting to try to compose in colaboration some day.
How did you compose the songs in "The Desolation of..."?
Even if the idea of the song, specially on its structure, is conceived from the very beginning, I don´t know the result until it is all written and played. Since then I start the work of correcting until I reach the final form. Regarding "The Desolation...", I must admit that I dd not plan to do a conceptual work, until I finished the last track, and I realized that it was conceptual (in fact someone made me realize). So, I had to do a global work of correcting and aditional composition to make the conceptual work more finished.
Which is the story behind the music and lyrics of "The Desolation..."?
It is a story of war, politics and power. And this story was born on the music, with a spark of the vision of our hated reality. I wrote an introduction (that is on the booklet in spanish and in english), the starting point of the story of the suffering land of Blendenstein, ruled by a horrific and powerful character, who is anonymous. Then, after the suggestions of Eduardo from Furias Records, the action was developed over the music which was giving place to this story in an incredible way.
Do you have ready new music for a new Mitternacht CD?
The release of "The Desolation of Blendenstein" took a lot of time and effort, above everything it took time, with some spaces of t}ime which let me compose more material. Today I can say that Mitternacht´s second CD is almost composed with a duration similar to the one of "The Desolation...".
Which is the relationship between the cover art that you designed and the concept of Mitternacht?
The cover art has the role of setting geographically the listener. That is, make him see a foggy lost , dark, not arid but devastated. That is adesolated land.
Which are Mitternacht´s main influences?
Mitternacht´s influences are difficult to detect. I can say that keyboard intros in black metal CDs where the trigger to all my music. My favorite bands are Limbonic Art and Summoning; in fact I listen almost all metal styles and its derivatives ambient, doom, gothic, black, symphonic black, brutal death and, In insist, ambient.
Are you planning to play live some day?
No, it is not my intention to play live at all, even having the musicians and preparation that this requires.
Do you have any paralel project?
Mitternacht has no guitars . My actual project includes a band with guitars and black metal vocals in the vein of Graveland or Bergthron, or maybe Lord Wind, but, as always, the final result will be the one that is dictated by the music. The main point is doing a black metal slow at times, with guitar and black metal vocals. The project has a name and a copule of long songs (more than 10 minutes each)
Something more to add?
I would like to remark a couple of facts: the drums arrangements were done by Krauser from Dunkelstorm, that were gretly combined through all the CD, and a big Thank you to Eduardo Mallada from Furias Records.
Last, thanks a lot to Music Extreme for this interview.
HOMEPAGE:
http://listen.to/mitternacht
Interview by Federico Marongiu