ROBOT BLACK METAL WITH SATYRA
Tricky is a word to describe what it’s like to write, record, and build robots to play a music release when you as a human have minimal hand use. It took me nearly 2 years to build the robots you hear on the album. All of the electronics are DIY, designed by myself. I would convince friends of mine to be my hands here and there, soldering some of the joints and clicking buttons on the computer so I could get the PCBs designed. When the pandemic hit and I couldn’t see my friends in the same capacity, I would slowly do a couple solder joints a day and then have to break because my hands couldn’t handle it anymore. Then I will come back the next day and do another 5 to 10 minutes of soldering. Eventually, the robots were complete.
The composition side was a whole other story. I hacked together a midi foot controller to do the composition. Literally, the first track on this EP, The Spark, was entirely composed with my feet, along with a lot of my other music poised to be released this year. It slow, slow and chaotic process, but I think the patience played out well.
‘Robot Black Metal’ is an EP combining our soon to be released first original single, ‘The Spark’, our previously released cover of Darkthrone’s Transilvanian Hunger, and an original acoustic robotic interlude. As this is Electromancy’s first EP release and likely only EP release before our feature-length album later this year, I wanted the album title to give people as clear an understanding as possible of what Electromancy is, especially since this project is so different from almost any other metal band out there. Robot Black Metal is conceptually and sonically a tender introduction to Electromancy, a hello from us to the scene.
Since my youth, I have had a dream of releasing a metal album. When my health issues started, and I wasn’t sure if I had much longer to live, I didn’t want to put that dream aside any longer despite the unique hurdles to getting there. Most of my original compositions are fairly severe. Most of the lyrics on our upcoming feature-length album are about my struggle with disabling chronic illness and the spiritual growth that’s created in me. The track The Spark just begins to touch on this EP, which is why I called this EP a relatively tender introduction. in my last question
But illness and trauma and the intensities of life aren’t all that I am, far far from, which is where the comedy comes out. I would certainly call my cover of Transilvanian Hunger quite cheeky and silly, especially if you watch the video and look at the spoof album cover I made of the original Transilvanian Hunger art.
My music is so much an expression of myself, and so I expect it to be full and varied like I am, with big thoughts, raw experiences, deep laughs, and plenty of unanswered questions. My battle with Lyme disease has shaped my artistic self more than any experience. From the crazy creation and execution process, I described above, to my physical and spiritual state of self, to the gratitude I have for all of the small things in my life.
One of the most profound things my struggle with Lyme disease has done for my creative self is eliminate the perfectionist tendencies that easily could have kept me from releasing music my entire life. The fact that I have created any music given my circumstances is remarkable and something I am endlessly grateful for. Once I gave myself permission to create just anything at all, my creative self flourished and I made all of the best work of my life so far. I am a sheer love of metal, a container to process my grief and rejoice in my playful humour, and a desire to share my story so that others who can relate feel less alone.
Just my wild excitement for music and electronics! Honestly, I don’t drink or do drugs, and I don’t need a boost to create stuff; if anything, I need help putting on the brakes so I don’t create so much that my body falls apart. I think people take drugs so they can be as bouncy as I am on a standard day.
https://electromancy.bandcamp.com
