Prophecy Productions Artist -The Moon and the Nightspirit Interview is up
Answers from Mihaly.
1. 1st I wanted to ask do all the records have a common theme or do you have stories for each of the 7 records?
They all share a common theme in the sense that all the songs and albums are dedicated to the realization, revelation and empowerment of the boundless inner cosmos, the Great Infinite Source. They are about a journey into the inner realms of the soul and re-connecting with our own divine, higher self. Though the theme is similar we approach it from a different perspective on each albums. From the moss-grown, ancient forests we ventured into the star-manifested cosmos and celestial distances in the case of Aether.
2. I love the Neoclassic meets Heathen Folk with elements of dark gothic and post black metal ideas. Was this what you wanted Aether to be from the start?
Yes, we always strive to write music that feeds from various musical genres, mixing different sounds and instrumentations to create a unique musical world , bondless and free of predetermined musical features and rulesets . We listen to all kinds of music from classical to post and they all inspire us in a way or an other.
3. The mix of sinister male and angelic female vocals they are haunting and hopeful at same time . Is it hard to get the right balance of both ?
It was our intention to write an album with oscillating powers, changing forms all the time like a wave, still retaining a common foundation. This duality of ebb and flow, hiding and revealing is indeed a new aspect in our music, a necessary step to add more versatility to our musical world. With the introduction and significant presence of male vocals we think our music became more powerful, creating an expanded and dynamic atmosphere. The feminine and masculine powers are now equally present, intertwining with each other, creating a swirl of polarities, merging into a new-found unity and wholeness. It was a long-planned change and it was a really exciting experience for us.
4. When listening to Aether I hear bands like Dead can Dance, Lycia, Tenhi, Rajna , Arcana and Third and the Mortal. What bands have inspired you?
We love the works of all the bands listed above. The music of Dead Can Dance and Tenhi are especially close to our heart and they inspired us greatly from the beginnings. They are pioneers, who revealed the infinite possibility of creation through the sacred language of music.
5. What makes Prophecy Productions the proper home and if a larger label came would that ever interest you?
We grew up listening to the great and iconic Prophecy releases, so when we signed to them it was a dream come true. We think we've found our "home" here. They support us greatly and give us unparalelled artistic freedom. For a band like us they are the perfect label, so we'll stay there as long as we have the opportunity.
6. If you could make an official video for any track on Aether which would be and why?
I think it would be "Égi Messzeségek" or "Kaputlan Kapukon Át". They are the most easy- to- listen songs on the album and they both have a very strong lyrical concept, that would make them a perfect candidate. We hope that some day we could do a nice video-clip for one of them.
7. What is the music scene for underground music in Hungry. I'm not familiar with many bands there I love Sear Bliss. Tell us about bands you love from your homeland?
The music scene is quite strong here with a lot of talented and unique bands, such as Sear Bliss, Thy Catafalque, Ahriman or Dalriada just to mention a few. Unfortunately not many hungarian bands are known abroad (yet), but still the underground scene is flourishing and growing exponentially.
8. There seems to be a strong pagan spirit in the music or am I mistaken on that?
For us paganism means loving and respecing Mother Nature, the Plant- and Animal Kingdom. We follow the old and eternal tradition and feel ourselves much closer to the golden, spiritual world, than the present world of consumer society. In this sense, yes there is a strong pagan spirit in the music. Our main source of inspiration is Nature itself in her form that cannot be perceived by earthly organs of sense, but with the opening of the “third” spiritual eye. It is the whispering of Mother Earth and the tales/fables of the Elders that inspire us mostly.
9. I know live it is more the two of you. How does live differ to studio for The Moon and the Nightspirit?
The band came to life as a long-dreamt musical project and experiment of us, representing our views and following our own musical and spiritual path. When it comes to song-writing, we have a concrete idea and concept, we'd like to manifest. Working as a duo we are free to experiment with all kinds of musical ideas, and as we are both multi-instrumentalists, we have no problems with the recording of various instruments as well. We work in our own studio and do the mixing and mastering ourselves.
When it comes to playing live we have a "normal" band line-up, with 2 long-time friends of us helping us out. Gergely Cseh on bass and Gabor Vegh on percussions. They both have their normal-life jobs, but they are always available and willing to help, for which we are very grateful. In live situations we are therefore not a duo but a 4-person, full-blown band.
10. Aether seems to explore alot of musical elements are they place you think a band like this shouldn't or are all sounds open to try once?
We are quite open-minded when it comes to trying out different musical approaches and instrumentations and we think that it is important to be open, but of course it only works till it serves the musical concept. It is not about randomly mixing different musical elements. There is always a cohesion.
11. How does the visual aesthetics play into the over all presentation of the band?
All the artworks are done by Agnes. They are her visual manifestations, reflections to the lyrical concept and music. The art has always been a very important part of the world of The Moon and the Nightspirit and we think they add an other imortant layer to the general atmosphere of each albums.
12. I did wonder why 4 yrs between records. Do the records just need time to breathe?
We simply need the time to "refill" ourselves and get enough inspiration to start to write a new album. We never hurry things and let the music unfold, grow and evolve slowly in a stress-free and relaxed pace. We work in our own recording studio, so time is never really an issue. We prefer to revise the actual songs from time to time, always listening with "fresh ear" and changing minor or major things here and there. This is the method that works for us.
13. The aether album cover is stunning how does the art tie into the story on record?
We wanted the album cover to reflect the cosmic atmosphere and concept of the songs this time. 3 figures standing/floating in the star-manifested vastness of the cosmos, they are the symbols of the higher self, our awakened, creative and divine souls.
14. Your website http://www.themoonandthenightspirit.com/ is very impressive seems to be a labor of love. What to want the fans to get from it .
Thank you. The design was made by Agnes and it is indeed a labor of love. We wanted the website to reflect our artistic approach as well.
15. If the two of you were not creating music . What other loves to you have or hobbies that might have grown more?
Generally we are interested in all kinds of arts. Agnes make paintings, illustrations and even smaller sculptures in her spare time. We both love to read books and very interested in philosophy . We also love to hang out in nature and taking care of and having fun with animals. Ah and yes we are quite obsessed with everything fantasy related (books,RPGs, video games...etc). Writing songs for a fantasy video game or a film is an other dream of us yet unfullfilled unfortunately.
16. Social media is it a blessing or curse for your band?
To be honest we are not really social media people. Some might say we are totally off the grid. The band has a Facebook site and that's all. We prefer the "old-school" face to face communication. We're staying neutral regarding social media, it has its benefits of course but also has its pitfalls.
17. Thank you for the time any closing thoughts here.
Thanks for this great interview. Keep up the good work. Shine your Light.
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