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Interview with: Enmarta aka Siegfried (Der Leiermann)
Conducted by: Michael
Enmarta is a newcomer to the dark ambient scene with his debut Sea Of Black on Cryo Chamber. A well-rounded musician, Siegfried Der Leiermann, is studying viola among his many other interests. Sea Of Black made quite an impression with its subtle yet potent use of classical intrumentation sparingly throughout this otherwise dark and brooding ambient album. I had the pleasure of asking him a few questions recently about some of his personal interests as well as his experience with Cryo Chamber and the dark ambient genre as a whole.
Michael: Where exactly are you from, and how does that influence your music?
Siegfried: Well, I'm from Reggio Calabria (South Italy), a small city for "small" people. It is easy to be imprisoned in yourself here and that's because there's no one who could understand your message. At least I have some friends with the same interests, but try to imagine a society who couldn't catch what you have to say - even if you play indie or pop rock, now try to imagine it interfacing with dark ambient... This says it all.
Michael: What instruments did you play yourself for Sea Of Black? How did that effect your take on a dark ambient album?
Siegfried: My gear consists in a simple midi keyboard, a simple handmade indonesian flute, a glockenspiel, bells and my Viola. Everything treated with Fruity Loops studio and Reaper. This is what I use for Enmarta. I think I will expand my gear to different other instruments. I was just thinking about a String Quartet for my second work! But we will see, I need time to study this combination.
Michael: Do you compose in any other genres?
Siegfried: Yes, of course. Actually I'm working for a black metal project of mine, but at the moment I'm too busy with my music studies that keep me in hours of seclusion. I also play keyboards in a melodic death metal band called Memories Of A Lost Soul and the bass guitar in a thrash metal band called Nuclear Detonation.
Michael: How did you discover dark ambient music?
Siegfried: I Have listened to black metal for a long time, since I was younger. Between songs we would always find some dark/obscure interludes and I think you must be wondering on how this could focus on my discovery of dark ambient music. Through time I just did some research and I just disovered that it was simply a genre within a genre. That's how I discovered dark ambient music.
Michael: Do you ever perform live? Do you see live shows as a fitting way to spread the word about dark ambient, and your own album in particular?
Siegfried: I never perform live and it's a pity. Of course it is a wonderful way to spread the word, my word. I can't do anything here, I'm just locked, but I hope to make something great happen in the future. Maybe a performance for closer friends, who knows?
Michael: How did you come in contact with Cryo Chamber?
Siegfried: I just wanted to introduce my music to a large number of bright and able people. Cryo Chamber seemed the most suitable way to spread out my passion. At first it seemed a dream to me, but then I just asked Simon Heath if it could be possible to make this dream come true. Now I'm here.
Michael: How has your experience as an addition to the Cryo Chamber roster affected you?
Siegfried: It has been a joy to see my name and my face alongside those of many other composers who have given something very relevant to the world of music and I'm still very excited about it. It is not so easy belonging to a particular group of people.
Michael: Did Simon Heath have much input on the creation process or did you send him the completed album for mastering?
Siegfried: I just sent him the completed album and he mastered and fixed it very kindly.
Michael: Did you have a specific concept in mind, when starting this project, or did the concept and feel of the album change as you produced the tracks?
Siegfried: I just started this project as a bridge to my soul. I try to express what I have inside through a language that helps me a lot, MUSIC. I find no other way to make you understand how much I hate mankind and how I wish to see him rot. All my tracks have a specific message inside, but it is up to you to figure out what kind of message. For example, my last single "Im Askese" is a direct message to someone who last month made me extremely suffer. Now this person will read this interview and I would never ever written such a thing otherwise. There's a basic concept after all and it revolves around my suffering.