From A dead spot of light
Interview
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How are you guys? Please introduce yourself and the band?
Hi, I'm an Italian guy who plays black metal with Italic sounds, themes
and attitude.
Selvans would be one of two bands that were started after the break-up of Draugr. As not everyone may be familiar with this other band, why don't you lay out some of the differences between these?
The two bands have nothing in common, and so it's with Draugr. With
Selvans I've wanted to do something completely different. An example: in
Draugr's lyrics the protagonist was always a valiant hero who deserved
glory - in life or death – while in Selvans lyrics it's usually the
contrary.
What would be the meaning behind Selvans? Has it something to do with the selva, which would be Italian for forest?
Definitely. Selvans is the etruscan god who protects woods and flocks.
How does the logo fit into this? What would be the meaning of the rune inscription?
Our logo is a Faun, a Roman (and Greek) mythological creature who plays a
'cornu', the war horn of the roman legions. I created this symbol years ago
so it's a sort of 'soul spirit' to me. I asked Dartworks to restyle it and
he made a great work. The runes are osco letters and their meaning is very
personal and secret.
Why do you play this type of music? What do the folk elements add to the black metal that is quite intense in respect to your latest recording?
Black metal has always been my soul music, so it's natural for me to mix
it with the typical folk elements of my culture. In our music there are
other influences but the folk ones are surely the most innovative and
relevant.
What would be the core elements of your music?
Atmosphere and aggression.
Lupercalia would be your latest recording. What does the title refer to and how does the cover fit into this?
'Lupercalia' were midwinter roman festival celebrating the god Faun. The
name comes from the fact that in winter the wolves were more hungry and
aggressive and menanced the flocks in their folds. The figure on the cover
stands for a priest ('Luperci'): in the first press he is playing a
'tibiae' while in the second one he plays a 'cetra'.
How would you describe the music on your debut album?
Black metal with an atmospheric touch and Italic themes.
On the cover of the album there is someone wearing a mask and similar ones can be found on some of your band photos. What do you try to express through them. Do you wear them on stage as well?
It's a wolf mask. I found it on a stand and it fits perfectly with our
concept. I use it on stage just to perform a song because it's not made for
singing, but it's really impressive.
It is a curious thing to find such long compositions on this album. Is there a special reason for this? How do you deal with the aspect of keeping the attention of the listener over such a long time?
There is no specific reason fot that, it's just the way I compose. Maybe
someone could complain about it, cause we live in a world where everything
has to be fast and short, but I don't care.
As you rely on Italian (do you use a dialect by chance?) and English – there are also some German words –, it may be interesting to know whether there is a difference in the feeling in expressing thoughts in the language? Do some atmospheres work better with Italian for instance?
I don't feel any relevant difference between one language and another; in my opinion it's all in the voice tone, the timbre and lyrical themes.
What do your lyrics deal with and what would be your source of inspiration?
My main inspiration are the italian history and folklore, but also events
that happen in my life, not necessarly linked to these subjects.
How can someone get in touch with you and where can someone find your music?
info@templeofselvans.com
info@avantgardemusic.com
https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/lupercalia
What would be the future plans for Selvans?
“The Gloomy Alliance Mini-tour” with Harakiri For The Sky, Shores of Null and Anomalie, in Italy in February and Austria/Svizzera next Autumn. In the meantime we are working on new material.
Closing comments if you like
Thank you for the interview, my best wishes to you and your webzine!
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