BLACK SHINING CROWN – AN INTERVIEW WITH EMYN MUIL
September 13, 2020 By Tom O’Dell (Dwarrowdelf)

Huge news: on 25th September, one of the biggest names in atmospheric black metal returns with a new album, Afar Angathfark.

Back in 2013, EMYN MUIL helped kickstart the current wave of epic black metal projects with stunning debut album Túrin Turumbar Dagnir Glaurunga. Since then, the project has amassed a huge and fiercely loyal following in both black metal circles and the dungeon synth world, and critics have often placed them on the same pedestal as Summoning. Third album Afar Angathfark takes the trademark sound fans know and love, refines it, and ups the epic with colossal arrangements and newly integrated man-choirs.

With the launch of Emyn Muil’s new opus only days away, we’ve reached out to main man Nartum for an in-depth chat about his origins, his inspirations, and his views on the current state of the blossoming scene he helped to create. Read on!

Hi Nartum! Thanks for joining me here at Black Metal Daily – can you quickly introduce yourself and the project?

– Hi Tom! Hello to all Black Metal Daily readers! My name is Saverio Giove and I currently have only one of the many projects I originally intended to develop! Maybe you don’t know, but in the beginning, precisely in 2008, I created a kind of personal label / brand, useful only to contain what had to be my main musical projects, 5 to be precise, each of which had to represent one of my favorite genres. Emyn Muil for example was born to express my passion for Tolkien and the Epic Black Metal genre; being a big fan of Summoning, I have always wanted to follow the path of the austrian duo by collecting a part of their legacy of the 90s, as far as possible. Moreover, I have always been fascinated by Tolkien’s works so for me it was a forced choice so to speak!

Over time I realized that, due to work and life circumstances, I was unable to carry out all the projects I had planned, and seeing that Emyn Muil’s debut album had started very well, I decided to focus solely on that.

Before we talk about your upcoming release, I’d like to delve into your background a little bit. As I understand it, when you released your debut album (Túrin Turumbar Dagnir Glaurunga), the only other project that had really followed the path set out by Summoning was Caladan Brood. Did you realise at the time that you were helping to pave the way for the second wave of the genre?

– Absolutely not! At the time I had no idea how many other bands were soon to land on the scene; I simply started with the desire to dedicate the first album to a work that deeply connected with me, namely the novel “The Children of Hurin“. It’s a mature, tragic story, which deals with unusual themes to the Tolkenian lore we are used to, and since no one else had paid particular attention to this Silmarillion story, I thought it would be a fairly original concept because when I started there were objectively very few peers, but I realized after some time that more and more bands are now dedicating themselves to this particular genre.

Fast forward to today, and the epic black metal genre is thriving. New artists seem to pop up with excellent albums all the time – I was particularly impressed by the Belore debut earlier this year. What’s it been like seeing the genre spring up around you like that, and having so many artists cite your work as an influence? And are there any new bands out there who’ve grabbed your attention and inspired you to keep upping your game?

– Personally I am very happy if some bands mention and give importance to my works, I do not know them all but it is always nice to be able to inspire and help enrich a scene that has only been expressing its full potential for a few years! Belore is a project that I really enjoyed, as well as Eldamar and Dreams Of Nature. I am always looking for new ideas to bring something relatively new to my sound, while remaining true to my origins.

So, your third album Afar Angathfark is due to be released on 25th September – how has the response been so far from fans and the press? Is there anything in particular you’re hoping to achieve with this album?

– I am very excited for this new release, I am always trying to improve something from album to album and I think this is my most ambitious album since I started composing. I think the fans have noticed and their response has been quite amazing; when I opened the pre-orders I was overwhelmed with requests, and I almost ran out of stock even before the official release! This has never happened before, and I would personally like to thank all my fans, old and new, for trusting me again!

I don’t have a particular goal for this release, other than to make myself known more and more, especially in Italy!

Sounds like your fans have outdone themselves – that’s truly a well deserved achievement for you. The second Emyn Muil album featured a lot of guest vocals from Hildr Valkyrie, adding a unique female presence to the mix. I know she’s returning for Afar Angathfark, but there are also a few other contributors – can you run us through them and their roles, and what was it like to collaborate with them?

– Sure! The presence of Hildr Valkyrie has always contributed to enriching the atmosphere and giving shape to my ideas, and I will always be able to count on her support in the future!

For this new album I decided to collaborate also with David Seys (historical narrator of Summoning) for some parts that otherwise would not have had the same “feeling” if I had recorded them personally. His vocal timbre is unique in his genre and fits perfectly to the epic atmospheres that I wanted to convey. He was very kind and willing to collaborate with everyone; I say this for those who might be interested in hiring him!

For the men’s choirs I asked my close friend David Rubini, who has always been a fan of my project, for help. He was particularly enthusiastic about collaborating, even though I was very demanding!

Finally I also collaborated with a Canadian cellist, Laura Màrr. I needed to get an authentic sound and she was able to interpret my directions well, giving a precious contribution to the atmosphere.

Staying on that topic briefly, are there any musicians out there in any genre that you’d love to collaborate with in the future?

– It depends, if we talk about split albums I have never had much energy to make unreleased tracks for this purpose, but I have always been available to collaborate with other bands as a guest singer. I have already worked with Dreams of Nature and I am also in contact with an all Italian folk project.

I’m definitely looking forward to that Dreams of Nature collaboration, that sounds like a recipe for success! There’s clearly a healthy dose of inspiration from Summoning in your work, but I’ve also noticed a lot of elements that have a lot in common with the wider dungeon synth world; I know you enjoy a lot of support in that scene! What other bands have been an influence on Afar Angathfark? Are there any surprises in there?

– A sound that has always inspired me for the darker parts has always been that of Lord Wind, the side project of Rob Darken of Graveland. I have always been influenced by the colossal sounds of the first albums, and I have always paid them homage in all my work, and will continue to do so in the future! Mortiis and Elffor also helped shape my ideas for the more atmospheric parts.

You’re also a fellow Tolkien-metal aficionado, with your album concepts focusing around the world of the Silmarillion. It’s such a rich history of stories – I personally love the tragedy of Fëanor and his sons, as those familiar with my Dwarrowdelf project will be well aware. Are there any further Tolkien stories you’re keen to write about in the future? And what makes you connect so strongly with his work?

– Before Tolkien I have always been fascinated by Norse mythology and I have studied it for some time, so when I learned that Tolkien was strongly inspired by this type of culture I could not help but fall in love with his work instantly! Personally, I have never relegated his novels to the simple fantasy genre; for me they are something more, as there is a philological study so vast and in-depth that nothing has been left to chance. Everything originates from a mix of cultures, stories and sagas historically existed and reinterpreted, creating a real alternative universe that’s alive and credible, and the Silmarillion is as if it were the Bible of this universe. There are many stories that can be told and it is an inexhaustible source of inspiration. I prefer to focus on it rather than looking at the events of the Lord of the Rings, as they are already extensively treated, even musically.

This album will also be your third with Northern Silence Productions, a label that’s released a lot of the best albums in the ever-growing epic black metal genre – how important do you think they’ve been in helping the genre grow to the place it is today?

– Being a one man band, I think everyone should have the opportunity to express their ideas and their sensitivity towards a particular genre to which they are particularly attached. On the other hand, the risk is also that a niche genre like epic black metal becomes saturated very soon, but it is now an unstoppable wave. I can perhaps consider myself lucky because I started in an era where it was not yet this widespread, especially in Italy. Those who are preparing to enter this fascinating world may have a few more difficulties in emerging, but Northern Silence Productions knows how to recognize talent when they feel it, and each album that they release is an extra precious piece of this huge puzzle that is being composed at this time. In the end we can all consider ourselves one big family!

The visual presentation behind your albums is always really unique, staying clear of the landscape artwork that many of our peers tend to go for. I’ve also noticed that you have animated videos on your Facebook page for each song currently released that really tie into the main artwork – who’s behind all of these amazing graphics?

– Here I am! Since I started composing I have always wanted to personally take care of all the aspects behind a musical project, from writing the lyrics to recording, from composition to mixing, and certainly also for the graphic part. Being a graphic designer and sometimes an illustrator, I’ve always liked to lay out my works, create logos, artworks and graphics. For Emyn Muil I wanted to use this “graphic novel look” because I particularly love the graphic style of glass art and medieval miniatures from which I take inspiration. I think it is particularly suitable because it is a recurring element in the English chivalric epic and gives a unique imprint to my work, so I will continue on this style for future albums!

Even the animated videos are my work – I didn’t have much time to learn the software in depth, they are very simple but suitable for the purpose I had set myself.

Many thanks for your time today! Afar Angathfark is sure to be a triumph. Any final words for the readers?

– Thanks a lot to you and all the readers who came to the end of this chat! A hug to all my fans, keep the underground black flame alive!

Afar Angathfark is out on CD and Digital 25th September via Northern Silence Productions. Pre-orders available now – vinyl and cassette version to follow.

EMYN MUIIL interview
PAR SILENIUS SUR 21 SEPTEMBRE 2017ENGLISH INTERVIEWS, INTERVIEWS
Giove also know as EMYN MUIIL, tell us about “Elenion Ancalima”, his inspirations, gears and about the futur album.

Hi Giove, thank for your time. Let’s start with some simple question.
Why did you wanted to create your own band beside Ymir and Valtyr? What was the trigger?

All started when I discovered the “one man band” concept for the first time, I wanted to create five projects as part of a bigger one called “Nartum Art – Music Projects”, the mark that contain all of them.

Each project represents my favourite black metal subgenres: Viking, Epic, Space Doom, Old School and Ritual ambient. I ever wanted to explore and dedicate myself to all these musical styles because they are part of my personality and all projects are connected to each other.

Ymir is the project where I explore the most introspective part of my mind, it’s a kind of primordial space travel, I always been keen of sci-fi horror movies.

Valtyr represents my passion for norse mythology and that historical period, so it’s my personal homage to that culture and world.

Emyn Muil represents my love for Tolkien’s lore and his epic stories, it is connected to Valtyr in some way, and also with the future ritual ambient project, so that’s why actually all my projects are very important to me.

Emyn Muil is a one man band but would you like to have a colleague working with you?

I always thought to work by my own because all my projects are strictly personal and, in some way, introspective.
But for the second release of Emyn Muil I needed a female vocals and I was lucky because Hidlr Valkyrie always asked me to collaborate, and I was very happy to involve her in the process, she really surprised me and exceeded my expectations.

 

Do you consider your band as a Black Metal band or as a kind Dungeon Synth band ?

I think both; I consider it basically a dark epic metal project with some black elements like vocals and guitars, and atmospheric dungeon synth parts.

Starting from scratch, how do you compose songs? Music or lyric first ?

I always start composing songs by thinking about a melody and record it with a vocal recorder before the inspiration disappears! Then I transfer what I’ve recorded to software.
Making music first could be a problem for me since I have some difficulties writings lyrics that merge perfectly with the rhythmic of the songs. Paradoxically, I spend much more time writing lyrics!

Where does your inspiration come? Books, music’s, movies, video games, RPG ? For sure Tolkien is a huge inspiration but I think you make us of other resources too, right ?

I can’t deny my first inspiration comes from music, of course I’m referring to SUMMONING, their music opened my mind and creativity. I immediately thought that was the better way to musically tell and express the darkest part of Tolkien’s lore.

Of course I get my inspiration also from other sources such as video games (first of all the Elder Scrolls saga and Dragon Age (concerning some art design) and movies such as colossal fantasy films (first Conan with Schwarzy and the most recent LOTR films by Peter Jackson).

Do you remember the first time when you heard Summoning ? What was your feeling at that time?

In few words it was journey into Middle Earth, I immediately fell in love with it and wanted to create something similar, taking all the best from the Austria duet.

We can hear several instruments on your records. Could you please share your gears list?

I have a solo guitar, 2 rhythmic guitars, bass, 1 or 2 flutes, tuba and trumpet horns, 2 or more string sections and male/female chorus, 3 or more drum kits among percussions, drums, and European folk instruments. For the first 2 albums maybe there were too many instruments, for the third I’m working on less optimized instruments.

Your albums have an interesting artwork. How do you proceed in order to formulate your idea to the artist?

I’ve designed the cover art and all graphics by my own, the basic concept takes inspiration from medieval thumbnails and fable art, so I wanted to keep that style to create something simple and awesome at the same time. For Elenion Ancalima I was inspired by the art of Ted Nasmith, who is one of the main illustrators of Tolkien’s books.

I guess it’s not so easy to find a label with your music so may we know why did you moved from your own label, Nartum Music Projects, to Northen Silence Productions ?

NMP is not properly a label, I consider it my recording studio, where I create and record all my musical projects (at the beginning I also thought it was best to self-release all my works through external services).
I had my first contact with Northern Silence Production after the first limited handmade release of Turin Turambar Dagnir Glaurunga. They contacted me by mail and wanted to publish Emyn Muil for three studio albums and other stuff as EP, split etc… so that’s how all started!

Your first record, Túrin Turambar Dagnir Glaurunga, has been released in 2013. Did you get some interesting feedbacks at that time?

At that time I released the album for free in digital format under creative commons license, just to have some feedbacks by Tolkien metal addicts and the result was very positive, more than I expected.
This has spurred me to start making the first handmade copies of the album (now a rare piece of handicraft) because, at that time, I couldn’t spend so much money on professional printing (I only wanted to release all albums of EM in digipack case). That period was very weary!

I made over 50 handmade copies and still I don’t know how I did it!

 

Elenion Ancalima has been released 4 years after your first album, Túrin Turambar Dagnir Glaurunga. What’s happened during these 4 years ?

I lived a very difficult period. My job took away all energies, I was stressed (I also had some health problems because of that) and I fell in a bad routine that “killed” all my creative skills.

Then, as I said before, I spent much time trying writing some decent lyrics and that was always a problem, and still it is! Now I left that job and found a new one, I also relocated and now things are different in a better way, I can say perhaps the third album will be released in less time.

How does this new album has been composed and when? Did you use some previous records or did you created everything? It’s interesting to hear that the drum box sounds much better but to hear as well less guitars riffs.

I’ve basically used the same sound system of the first album but improved, in that period of my life I did not have the time to experiment something different and “The Lay Of Numenore” was the first and the most complex track I completed, and twisting it with a new sound was totally a mess.
In fact, at the beginning, I thought to release it as a single instead of a full album, I had some other half records I later ended, with great efforts.

Most of your song are very long, specially on your newest release. Did you considered to shorten some?

Indeed a criticism of the previous album was that the songs were too short… Before starting to compose I remembered I’ve done a sort of poll with my fan base where I asked if they preferred to listen more and short songs or less and longer songs.
That was useful to me to understand the better way to proceed.

Elenion Ancalima is already available on a Youtube channel and on Deezer as well. Do you see that as a threat or as an opportunity to share your music?

I always approached the new technologies as an opportunity to share and spread my work, since I considered making music just as a hobby and not my main source of earnings, I have no problem with it, except for time releasing: leaks and premature unofficial sharing by other people before the release date annoys me but… that’s the web, I’ve learned to live with it.

1/3 of your songs featured Valkyrie. May we know how this idea started ?

After the first album Hildr Valkyrie contacted me personally to congratulate me, and also asked me if I ever would collaborate with her one day.
Well, that day finally came!
We were both excited and I don’t exclude a second collaboration.

Just out of curiosity, may we know how many copies have been sell so far?

I have no idea how many copies the label sold, I just can speak about my limited stock.
To this day I sold about 70 handmade copies, all 90/90 label’s digipack of Turin Turambar + cassette tape editions and digital selling on bandcamp / digital stores (really I don’t know how many). About Elenion Ancalima I’ve sold 80/100 label’s digipack and many digital formats on bandcamp (again, don’t know how many exactly).

May we know your favorite albums?

Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty by Falkenbach (actually all albums!) – Voimasta Ja Kunniasta by Moonsorrow (again actually all albums!) – Transilvanian Hunger by Darkthrone – Runaljod : Gap Var Ginnunga by Wardruna – Atlantean Monument by Lord Wind and many others!

Same for Summoning albums please !

ALL ALBUMS, but If I have to choose I would say Oath Bound and Stronghold.

You do appears into a Summoning tribute album released in 2016. How does it started?

Simply I was contacted by Wolfspell Records which proposed me to collaborate for this tribute album, and I choose to play Menegroth, one of my favorite song from Oath Bound album.

hommage to summoning

There is a special trend in Salt Lake City, with bands such Caladran Brood, Gallowbraid, Ered Wethrin and so on. Do you see them, as you; as Summoning children ?

I think we are all children of Summoning, in a very positive way, we can coexist as a great Tolkien (or fantasy in general) metal family and I’ve appreciated all of these bands.

If you could re-do few things, what would it be?

Uhm I don’t know, I’m too focused on the third album now, probably I would like to make some limited handmade digipack as the previous album with one more bonus track.

It’s great to hear that a new album is already into the pipeline ! Do we have to wait for some big changes?

I’m testing the new sound system, it’s more atmospheric, so yes, it’s a totally new step compared to the previous album. It will be also slower, darker and simply awesome since it has the sound I ever looked for!

What would be the thema for this new album?

I cannot say much but the Silmarillon will be protagonist once more.

Could you please share the title of this album and a possible release date ?

I cannot say that because I’ve not decided it yet, release date depends on my creative energy but I hope within next year, probably end of 2018.

Emyn Muil logo

Which advice could you share to someone who will like to create a band like Emyn Muil ?

I can only say play the music you like and how you want it to be, don’t worry if you’re too similar to this band or another, just follow your feelings and try making your own epic melodies! In Tolkien’s world we are all a family.

Now it’s your turn! Feel free to share whatever you want as comments!

Thanks for giving me this space and the opportunity, and thanks to all readers!

IN SEARCH OF SILMARIL: EMYN MUIL (INTERVIEW)
February 05, 2021 INTERVIEWS

Emyn Muil is a one-man project in the province of Bari founded in 2012 by Saverio Giove, aka Nartum, which proposes an epic / atmospheric black metal inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. After reviewing in our pages the third studio album "Afar Angathfark" (review HERE), released in 2020 under the Northern Silence Productions label, we contacted the hidden mind behind this fascinating project for a short interview.

1- Hi Xavier, welcome to Heavy Metal Maniac! Do you want to present the Emyn Muil project to our readers who still don't know it? How was it born and what conceptual and musical paths does it intend to follow?
Hi Alessandro! Hello to all Heavy Metal Maniac readers! At the moment Emyn Muil is just one of the many projects I had in mind to develop. For those who do not know at the beginning, precisely in 2008, I created a sort of personal label / brand, the Nartum Art - Music Projects, useful only to contain what should have been my main musical projects, five to be precise, each of which it had to represent one of my favorite genres. Emyn Muil for example was born to express my passion for Tolkien and the Epic Black Metal genre: being a huge Summoning fan, I have always wanted to follow the path of the Austrian duo carrying forward, as much as possible, a part of their legacy of the years. '90 and also I have always been fascinated by Tolkien's works so for me it was a forced choice so to speak.

2- Emyn Muil is the last of your projects belonging to what you have defined Nartum Music Project, which also includes Valtyr and Ymir. Tell us briefly about the latter and the evolution that led up to Emyn Muil.
It all started when I first discovered the concept of "one man band"; as I said at the beginning, I wanted to create five projects as part of a larger one called Nartum Art - Music Projects, the brand that contains them all. Each project had to represent my favorite black metal sub-genres: Viking, Epic, Space Doom, Old School and Ritual ambient. I have always wanted to explore and dedicate myself to all these musical styles because they are part of my personality and all the projects are somehow connected to each other; for example Ymir was born with the aim of exploring the most introspective part of my mind, as a sort of primordial inner journey, linked to sci-fi spatial atmospheres. Valtyr was born instead to express my passion for Norse mythology and that historical period, so it is my personal homage to that culture and world. Over time I realized that, due to work and life circumstances, I was not able to complete all the projects I had planned, and seeing that Emyn Muil's debut album had gone very well I decided to focus only on the latter. But circumstances can always change, maybe one day I will pick up the original project again!

3- "Afar Angathfark" is Emyn Muil's third album. What does the title mean and what did you try to propose musically different from the two previous works?
"Afar Angathfark!", Or "for the forge of my soul!" it's actually an Orc battle cry that I later used as a reference to the forging of the Silmarils and how they sparked the war that all of us Tolken fans know. I wanted to somehow "blend" the sounds of the first two albums, with the darker and sometimes slow tones of the first album and the orchestral atmospheres of the second, adding some more elements such as male choirs and a more thorough use of the violin and of the cello. I wanted this album to be a worthy conclusion to this first trilogy and to be somehow consistent with the previous ones.

4- Are you proud of the final result from the album or would you change something? And how was it received by the public?
I am very satisfied with the final result: if I could I would have made use of some more external collaboration, but all in all compared to the previous albums I think I have added an extra touch of quality. I always try to improve something from album to album and this is the most ambitious since I started composing: I think the fans have noticed and welcomed it with great enthusiasm! Since opening pre-orders I have been inundated with requests and have run out of stock even before the official release! This has never happened before and I would like to personally thank all my fans, old and new, for trusting me again!

5- Let's talk about what is at the base of the project, that is the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, who inspired a good chunk of the more or less recent black metal scene. What do you think attracts about his writings to the point of representing the fulcrum of almost an entire music scene? And what fascinates you more about the world than him and pushed you to bring this project to life through it?
Before Tolkien I was always fascinated by Norse mythology and studied it for some time. When I found out that Tolkien was heavily inspired by this kind of culture I couldn't help but fall in love with it instantly! Personally, I have never relegated his novels to the simple fantasy genre: for me they are something more, there is such a vast and thorough philological study that nothing has been left to chance. Everything comes from a mix of cultures, stories and sagas historically existed and reinterpreted, creating a real alternative universe alive and credible. And the Silmarillion is as if it were the Bible of this universe: there are many stories that can be told and it is an inexhaustible source of inspiration. I think this is the element that attracts so many bands to devote their creativity to this extraordinary imagery; at least for me it is so.

6- How do you think Emyn Muil differs from many other epic / atmospheric black metal bands inspired by the Professor's works? In short, what is your personal and musical vision of the theme?
I often hear that I am "the heir of the Summoning", an epithet given to me with both positive and negative meanings, which I personally take as a compliment! If I manage to break through that nostalgic audience of the 90s period, I can feel more than satisfied. I have never claimed to have to differentiate myself or to have to innovate the genre, but only to pay homage to it in my own way, carrying on the tradition with a personal touch. Then it really depends a lot on the period and my degree of inspiration: I always let myself be guided by instinct and so far it has worked.

7- Let's talk about your musical influences and your personal tastes. Try this without mentioning Summonings, please ...
A sound that has always inspired me for the darker parts has always been that of Lord Wind, the side project of Rob Darken of Graveland: I have always been influenced by the colossal sounds of the first albums, and I have always paid them homage in all my album and will continue to do so in the future! Mortiis and Elffor also helped shape my ideas for the more atmospheric parts, as well as fantasy movie soundtracks. And anyway, I had a hard time not mentioning Summoning! Hahaha

8- How do you judge the proliferation of one-man bands or two-component projects over the last decade, especially in the atmospheric and depressive black metal fields? And based on your experience, do you think our local scene is able to give them visibility?
Being a one man band, I think everyone should have the opportunity to express their ideas and their sensitivity towards a genre they are particularly attached to. On the other hand, the risk is also that a niche genre ends up saturating itself very soon, but it is now an unstoppable wave. Perhaps I can consider myself lucky because I started at a time when it was not yet so widespread, especially in Italy: those who are preparing to enter this fascinating world may have a little more difficulty in emerging.

9- In "Afar Angathfark" you collaborated with the yodel singer Hildr Valkyrie, with the singer David Rubini and with the cellist Laura Màrr. Do you also intend to turn to guest elements in the future to add varied singing and musical nuances to your sound?
It will depend on the style I want to adopt for the album in question: in any case, yes, I am always open to the idea of ​​using external collaborations to better achieve the result I have in mind.

10- In closing, how do you plan to evolve the sound in the future? And is there any instrument you play or would you like to learn to play to add a more particular touch to your work?
I can't say this, I don't have well-defined plans on how to evolve the sound: surely, as I said, I'd like each album to have something different than the previous ones. There will be some new elements, without however distorting a project created to be "the heir of the Summoning". I would not want to disappoint the expectations of the fan base! There are instruments that I would like to learn to play but that have little to do with Emyn Muil, whose most important components will remain synths and keyboards.

11- Conclude with your thoughts ...
Thanks a lot to all the readers who have come to the end of this chat! A hug to all my fans: keep the black flame of the underground alive!

Interview by Alessandro Pineschi