Hello Erang, how are you? Could you introduce Erang to our readers ?
I’m fine, thanks ! Erang is me. It’s a one man band of Medieval Fantasy Music and Dungeon Synth with some Folk, Celtic, Pagan or Ambient elements here and there… Even if, in surface, I deal with medieval and fantasy subject It is a very personal and intimate project, very important to me. It’s definitely a part of my life.
Could we talk a bit about the past of Erang? How it started and maybe a bit about your personal background as a musician?
I’ve started to play some guitar when I was around 10 yrs old… but just for one year and I dropped it. So now, I only know few chords to sing simple songs around the campfire but I’m absolutely not a guitar player. Then, around 15 yrs I felt in love with electronic music and I started to mess on my father computer with a tracker software (on floppy disk, haha)… I made some music in different style but never released them. I was always interested in new sounds and discovering new artists, etc… until a point where I get fed up about that and thought “ I just have to make the music I really love, without caring about the quality of the sound, the technics or what is the “good way to produce music” or what is kitsch and cheap or modern, etc.” … At the same time I discovered the early works of Mortiis and the ambient of Burzum and I was instantly hooked by this hypnotic medieval music. It spoke to me like if I always knew it.
What can you tell us about your previous releases so far?
Right now I’ve released 7 albums and you could listen to all of them here erang.bandcamp.com. My first albums are “ Tome I, II, III & IV “ and are parts of The First Age of the Erang’s Kingdom. Then I’ve released “Another World, Another Time”, “Casting The Ancient Spell Again” and “Within The Land Of My Imagination I Am The Only God” which are the Second Age : the sound was more varied with new instruments … Now, I’m working on a new album that will be the first of the Third Age. Each age has its “own” sound and identity but all of them are linked.
Which movies and books inspired your music? And what music also?
My main inspiration comes from my own past : events, places and people who are forever lost in the past and that I will never see again. My own nostalgia is my main source of inspiration. However I also obviously have influence : all the books from Tolkien (of course); about movies, I’ll go with Dark Crystal, Conan, Legend, the Neverending Story… and some old retro video games soundtracks.
Mortiis seems to be a big name when it comes to this kind of genre. It also seems that he beside for instance Ulver opened a door for metal musicians to try something different. Would you agree with me on this?
Well, there have always been musicians opened to other musical style, in metal like in any other genre. About Dungeon Synth it is definitely sure that Mortiis is a big name in this specific genre : a strong and essential pillar, one of the first, unique.
I noticed that most project from this genre seems to be inspired by Fantasy books, games and movies. Do you think that there might be also a place for some Sci Fi topic about the future in this genre?
It is not rare that people interested in Fantasy appreciate Sci Fi as well so why not. You might give an ear to the second release of my friend Arathgoth which is a pure Sci Fi Synth release inspired by Blade Runner, Alien, Dune, etc. : arathgoth.bandcamp.com/album/interplanetary-travel
Is Erang an only studio project, or do you also play live?
Erang is an only studio project and it will remain like this.
Listening to my music is an intimate journey and watching someone on stage performing this kind of tunes in front of an audience would ruin the magic, in my opinion.
My place remains in the shadows of the past…
Any last words?
I want to truly thank all the people who follow me and enjoy my work : all your messages and support mean a lot to me and give me musical strength ! I’m currently working on new songs with some Norse and Pagan influence, using some early instruments mixed with synth. As usual, the album will be available on my bandcamp erang.bandcamp.com and if you want to keep updated about my work, please follow me on www.facebook.com/kingdomoferang. Thanks for the interview and remember the old Erangen proverb : “ Imagination is the only place where nothing never disappoints you ” !
