Vampires of Rome are one of the most exciting new bands of 2020. Valerian Vain is interviewed about his new band by DJ Jason.
DJ Jason: How long have Vampires of Rome existed? Would you like to tell us about the members and your origin as a band?
Valerian: Vampires Of Rome are a very young band. During the quarantine, I started writing some songs. I wanted to create something dark and try to use my baritone voice. Almost immediately, Noah joined the project and we did some demos. At that point, Gianmarco Bellumori offered to publish and produce Vampires Of Rome and we started recording in his Wolf Recording Studios.
DJ Jason: Is there a particular philosophy or cultural concept behind the band?
Valerian: I tried to play the music that I wanted to listen to myself. Conceptually, I also tried to take inspiration from several literary as well as musical references… I mean classic horror stories, combined with some esoteric references. In many songs, you may find a dichotomy between love and hate, or forgiveness and revenge. I like contrasts and I hate liars; one of the most interesting topics, in this regard, is the judgment that I give to people who speak of understanding, but are also the first to completely ignore the concept of forgiveness…usually you discover that they have strong narcissistic traits, but often by the time you notice, it is already too late.
DJ Jason: Judging from the photos and videos, Theatrics seem to play a large role. Do the live shows have a special atmosphere that reflects the history and culture of the dramatic? How does the Vampires of Rome’s theater manifest on stage?
Valerian: I will surprise you with this answer, but for now we are not going to play live. This is because the conditions are unacceptable. We put a lot of effort into creating a good image and good level videos, as you said the theatrical component is very important for us, so for now we prefer to focus on audio and video production. If we get a good response and we can dictate some conditions then we will organize to play live.
DJ Jason: The Ghost of Helen is a powerful song reminiscent of some of Paralysed Age’s classic tracks. Were they an inspiration to you? What bands influenced your sound?
Valerian: Oh yes, I love Paralysed Age, but I discovered them quite recently, actually it was Baron Noah who made me listen to them. I have my roots in the classic Gothic Rock, I love bands like Sisters Of Mercy, The Mission, Fields Of The Nephilim, but I don’t despise heavier sounds like those of Rammstein or the most recent Lord Of The Lost. Also, in the last ten years a lot of excellent bands have been coming out: Lebanon Hanover, She Past Away and Sonsombre are, in my opinion, three excellent examples of how Gothic Rock is in excellent health. Last, but not least, is my love of classical music and a certain type of electronic music.
DJ Jason: Where do your lyrics come from? What motivates you to write?
Valerian: As I said before, I love horror stories. Regarding the inspiration for the lyrics, the discussion is wide, but since I rarely write when I’m in a good mood, I often compose gloomy songs. In principle, I try to balance Gothic stories with personal experiences. Romantic tragedies, ghost stories and, in general, all Gothic fiction are always sources of inspiration.
DJ Jason: What is the goth scene like in Rome these days, aside from the obvious COVID 19 problems?
Valerian: I know little of the Roman Gothic scene. In the past, I have listened to some good bands, but I am unable to make a judgment. I go out very rarely, so surely I have missed some good bands, but from what little I see there is no real gothic scene. Even by searching the internet, I didn’t find many interesting things about it, but it’s probably my fault.
DJ Jason Are there any local goth bands that you enjoy playing with?
Valerian: They are not really Goth groups, but I have always appreciated Klimt 1918 and November. Two excellent bands, very valid and inspired.
DJ Jason: Are you getting a good response from fans globally?
Valerian: Yes, I am very satisfied with the response we are getting. We are a very young band, but the results are quite good. The video is going well and we are getting good results.
DJ Jason: What do you have planned for the future?
Valerian: We will soon release a new single and video. Then, in August, we expect to shoot a new video, which we hope to publish in the fall. If everything goes well by the end of the year, we could think of releasing an album.
DJ Jason: Is there anything that you would like to add?
Valerian: Thanks for the interview, it was a nice virtual chat. We really appreciate the work you do as a DJ, because it allows you to discover many new bands and keeps the attention alive on the Gothic scene.
DJ Jason: Thank you Valerian. It’s new bands, such as yourselves that keep things interesting and vital.
Very nice interview.
Cool 🙂 Very interesting ! Thank you guys <3