Alighting on BMD‘s illegibly scrawled pages once more is ex-Synodic frontwoman Imber. Since we last spoke to her she’s been traversing the constellations, laying down vocals for a few other projects and has now returned from the infinite void with another of her own: the intriguing Aludra. Teaming up with Taryck (ex-Rituals of a Blasphemer) and this time emanating raw, solitary black vibes like gravitational waves across the vastness of the universe; the result is ‘Moons‘, a myriad of interesting takes on the cosmic black metal style. One minute bleak and depressive while the next blasting with the immensity of space, it’s all held together by a distant, solitary coldness that invites immersion and is handily up for name-your-price download on Bandcamp too, so you’ve really got nothing to lose checking the entire thing out. I had to invite Imber back to have a chat about her latest creation, so read on below and align your ear-holes with this promising raw debut. Hails.
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Greetings again Imber! Hope you are well. The last time we spoke was to do with your previous project Synodic, this time your new project Aludra has just released its debut album ‘Moons‘. Are you happy with how it came out, and the general reception of it?
– I’m really happy with the way it came out, considering we mic’d amps and used free software to record as far as the production is concerned. This is not ‘frilly atmospheric black metal’ as some would expect, so it is a different take on the cosmic theme. It is vastly different from my work with Synodic. We’ve gotten a fair amount of good reception with little promotion from YouTube uploads.
Given the album title and knowing that you’re deeply into astronomy, I’d say this album has a strong theme around it. Could you elaborate on this theme and what it means to you?
– Moons is a concept album about the moons in our solar system, the major planetary satellites. I love researching astronomical themes and missions so I do my research and write around those concepts.
I believe you’ve named Aludra after the star Eta Canis Majoris. Is there any reason you picked this particular star?
– I wanted to name this project after a star, so I looked through a list of names and picked one that appealed to me the most and Aludra was my choice.
I find the overall vibe of the album is one of cold desolation; with the juxtaposition of both organic, stripped back sounds and cold, mechanical drums also lending everything an odd otherworldly feel. When I first wrote about the lead-in single in a recent Bandcamp Misanthropy I surmised that this was rather fitting, given the subject matter. Was this completely your intent, or did any outside factors also have an influence on the sound?
– Taryck wrote the music with some great traditional black metal riffs. He programmed the drums for this album but all other future releases will have live drums (and we may re-release this album later on with live drums). I added ambient samples and arranged and recorded my vocals to it. The result is rather unique in my opinion; it is more raw with a cold feel to it rather than a more technical atmospheric sound. We plan to keep writing in that direction.
Tracks like ‘Red Planet Moon‘ really allow us to see a different side to your vocals; they’re rawer and more up-front than they’ve ever been. How did you find the vocal recording process this time around?
– I actually enjoyed recording vocals for this album more so than anything I’ve ever done before. With minimal effects added I was able to showcase my raw vocal style for what it is. This has given me a new found confidence that I will use on anything I do from now on.
I find the final ambient composition ‘Orb of Night‘ intriguing. Can you tell us a little about this track and the inspiration for it?
– Orb of Night is dedicated to Earth’s Moon. Our Moon has inspired a lot in black metal and a lot of art in general. I think this track just sums up the dark feeling the Moon creates.
Another small thing I really like about this project is the logo. It’s not often I ask about band logos in an interview, but it’s really nice work. You want to give a plug to whoever designed it?
– The Aludra logo was done by the talented Jill Colbert of Manfish Inc. She’s a great artist and does affordable work in a timely manner. I would recommend her to anyone.
Have you started thinking about the next release yet? Can you give us any information on it?
– We’re currently writing for a split that will be done by the end of this year. We’ll give more info about that soon.
And lastly: If someone hasn’t yet listened to Aludra, why should they?
– If you want to hear a unique take on Cosmic Black Metal check it out.
Again, sincerest thanks for your time Imber. Any last words?
– I just want to thank the people I’ve had along the way supporting my path with music.
Aludra is my baby now and no matter what happens this project will never die as long as I’m doing music.
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Pick up a digital copy of ‘Moons‘ at name-your-price download from Aludra‘s Bandcamp here.
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