DOMAINS – Violent, Cold and Ambitious

The death metal machine DOMAINS hails from Valencia, Spain. The band released their debut album in January this year on The Sinister Flame and the album received great reviews from all over the world. Eternal Terror journalist Rune Grande wanted to find out more about this brutal, but yet different death metal machine from the Spanish east coast and contacted David "Aggressor" (bass & vocals). Here’s the result of the conversation.

First of all, we need some background on the band and band members. When, where, who and why did Domains become a reality?

Domains was spawned in 2005 by Franc.H.Artal, J.V., D.G. and myself, a few months after, D. G. (one of the two guitarists), left the band, establishing our three-piece line up since then, (something that despite later member changes, has remained as such). We felt the imperative impulse to create dark music that escapes both conformity and mediocrity in a consistent manner, with the inspiration provided to us by the bands we listened since our teenage days. We formed Domains with the aim to do what we still think must be done.

Did any of the members have any history in other band before they joined Domains?

All of the three current members we do have involvement in previous and present formations. Regarding the past ones (which are irrelevant for us to say at least), these already fulfilled their function perfectly, just show us the correct evolutionary path we had to take.

What can you tell us about your demo entitled "Towards Pleroma"?

It took years since we formed until we started recording it, we did it when we noticed that the songs made a completion in itself, a sort of "everything." I feel that it amply fulfilled its objectives. He gave us the push and inspiration needed to overcome ourselves in all aspects for our next creation. During the recording (which by the way was full of mishaps that had to be surpassed, some of them being very bizarre), we were greatly pleased to see that we were doing something that had potential, just enough to give us the chance to work on our style until it was enough dark and fresh for the very moment we would record its continuation. It is a sober and aggressive piece. As Wolves…..

What is the biggest difference musically between the demo and your debut album "Sinister Ceremonies"?

We have been able to create a dark and intense atmosphere at once. If I had to define Sinister Ceremonies with three words comparing it to Towards Pleroma, these would be more violent, cold and ambitious. There are more guitar lines which sound closer to our wishes than before, a more diverse voice with a much better result, in addition to new drum patterns and the inclusion of synthesizers.

Your debut album "Sinister Ceremonies" is an awesome death metal album. It’s a true masterpiece and something different than the ordinary death metal you get. How did you do it? Please take us all the way from the first riffs and idea to the finished product.

Sinister Ceremonies has had a fairly long creation process, especially when you consider that there are tunes on it that were made during the early years of the band. His concept has been backboned at the same time that new songs were finished. When we were already in an advanced process of the recording, we began to work with the ideas we had in mind for the cover. Everything was done more or less at par, adding the finishing touches to the layout  just after ending the mixing and mastering of the album.

When deeper into the recording process of the music itself, we can say that we were really scrupulous about the takes that we considered as valid when recording at our "Crypt of Hate", of course without any kind of pressure, experimenting especially with the use of guitars , vocals and keyboards.

How do you feel you evolve as a band during the entire process of songwriting and recording of the album?

I must say that "tough" would be a good adjective to define our recording processes. We don’t let a single drop of blood out of the canvas, we try to demand ourselves to the limit. If our goals are met, we have been inevitably strengthened.

How has the metal press and fans received the album? How has the feedback been in Spain and the rest of the world?

Currently is still gradually spreading its poison throughout the whole globe. The number of reviews and interviews is expanding considerably as we speak.  The reception of Sinister Ceremonies both in Spain and in the rest of the world can only be qualified as excellent.

Inspirations; where do you get most of them from when writing new songs? Which bands inspire you the most?

The sources that inspire us (in the strictly musical levels) are too many to be listed, believe me, they come from extremely varied styles and forms, in the case of some they make their contribution in a very timely manner, while others in a way more visible and continuous. We are inspired by formations whose freshness and darkness are solemn, inside and outside the Metal, let me cite ANGELCORPSE, MAYHEM, SLAYER, DARKTHRONE, NECROVORE or IMMOLATION, these are some examples of Metal entities that influence us.

Do you pick up inspirations from other things like the ordinary life, movies, books etc.?

All the things that happen in the "every day", more or less mundane, they should not be underestimated, therefore deep analysis on them (giving them the importance they deserve in perspective), under the conceptual view of the band, is of big importance. A good book, passions of oneself or the others, or even rust embracing the crucifix of a sepulchre can be really revealing.

What about the lyrics? Where do they come from?

They are undoubtely the crystallization of a momentum, something really magical, essential part of the testament of each song. They come mainly from the study of the occult, besides the feeling of denial of the mundane through life experience.

Is there a creative mastermind in Domains or do you work best as a united band?

Each integral part of the band proceeds with its creative contribution in a different area, despite that, the songs are executed together creating the essential climate to test the "soul" of the new material and see if it has what it takes.

Spain; how is the metal scene there? Are there any other good extreme metal bands worth checking up?

I have reservations about whether there is "something" that works as cohesively to what we call scene. There are bands with different purposes and styles that cross their own path, the quality and style of these is something that should be appreciated by readers themselves. I speak of entities such as TEITANBLOOD, PROCLAMATION, GRAVEYARD, ATARAXY, MORBID YELL or INTEMPERATOR among many others.

What’s it like for a metal band in Spain? Is it easy to get recognition outside your border?

As I guess is in other places, here sacrifice and good taste are also needed to the same extent. Recognition is something that maybe can come or not, sometimes even in a somewhat random fashion, so achieving it is something that doesn’t have any influence on us to make decisions.

What about live gigs? (In Spain and other countries). I would like to see you up here sometime.

Some dates have been closed in the Spanish territory (concretely 26 of April with Mystifier in Madrid and in September in Murcia with Intemperator), we are trying to arrange more rituals and of course it would be great to play in Norway. Time will tell …

What’s the future like for Domains? Is it bright and glorious or are you just an ordinary hardworking metal band?

The future is uncertain in the content but clear in the form. We will work on new material that will be released only when we feel it is honest, fresh and ruthless (and of course never inferior to anything we have already put out), there will be no haste or pause, if it is to be, will be an ode to darkness and mastery. There is nothing as high and glorious in this world as reversing a mundane life giving birth to such Sinister works.

Thank so much for your time.

Thanks to you for the support and all the readers of Eternal Terror for their time. They can visit www.domainsoftheendless.com or www.thesinisterflame.com for further info.