OGEN - Black Metal Unbound

[lorenzo_kolony]

Radio interview with OGEN's masterming Hartagga @ Metalwave Radio! (in Italian)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEp3ugwQsnA&feature=channel_video_title[/ame]

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

Song 'Black Tusk Retaliation' by OGEN featured in this week's episode of The Wyrd Ways Rock Show!

Link:
http://www.wyrdwaysrs.com/

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

New review of 'Black Metal Unbound' by Greek webzine Rock Overdose!

"Οι Ogen είναι μια Ιταλική black metal μπάντα με μόλις 1 χρόνο ζωής στα μουσικά δρώμενα.
Ουσιαστικά είναι το οne-man project του πολυοργανίστα Hartagga και το EP "Black Metal Unbound" είναι η πρώτη του δουλειά που
αποτελείται από 5 κομμάτια συνολικής διάρκειας 23 λεπτών.

Ο ιθύνων νους του σχήματος Hartagga ,περιγράφει την μουσική του σαν μια εναλλακτική προσέγγιση ατόφιου black metal με παγανιστική θεματολογία,
προσπαθώντας να υπερθεματίσει την σχέση του ανθρώπου με τα βουνά ,τα ομιχλώδη δάση, την φύση και την μεγαλοπρέπεια των Ιταλικών 'Αλπεων.
Λίγο πολύ, γνωστό το concept από τους Νορβηγούς που έχουν βγάλει πληθώρα δίσκων με κεντρικό άξονα το παγανιστικό στοιχείο.

Μπορεί όμως η θεματολογία να μην εντυπωσιάζει ιδιαίτερα, δεν ισχύει όμως το ίδιο για την καθαυτή μουσική που διόλου αδιάφορη είναι.
Καταιγισμός από riffs, καθαρόαιμες black metal συγχορδίες που παραπέμπουν στους Emperor ,ένα drumming που μυρίζει δίκαση ,οργισμένα τραχιά αλλά και καθαρά φωνητικά που αποπνέουν έναν αέρα υπεροχής, συντελούν στο να δημιουργείται μια majestic ατμόσφαιρα.

Η συνοχή και το πόσο προσεγμένο είναι το mini-album, δείχνουν αφενός ότι έχει γίνει πολύ καλή δουλειά και αφετέρου αναδεικνύουν το ταλέντο του Hartagga που φαίνεται ότι είναι ικανός για σπουδαία πράγματα

Οι συνθέσεις στο σύνολό τους,παρουσιάζουν όλες ενδιαφέρον αλλά τα "Shattered Earth Volcano" (συμμετέχει ο George Kosmas των ΒΕ'LAKOR) και "Crest Of The Forgotten" είναι τα πραγματικά διαμάντια.

Σαν πρώτη κυκλοφορία κερδίζει πολλούς πόντους και σίγουρα κερδίζει τις εντυπώσεις.
Κάτι τόσο καλό στο είδος ,είχα να ακούσω από το τελευταίο album των Watain.
Περιμένω το επόμενο full-length album τους που είμαι σίγουρος ότι θα έχει ενδιαφέρον.

YΓ. Το εξώφυλλο δεν μοιάζει υπερβολικά με το EP "Reverence" των Emperor ?" [Γιώργος Γούργαρης]

Link:
http://rockoverdose.gr/news_details.php?id=4182

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

'Black Metal Unbound' rated 8,5/10 by Pest Webzine!

"It always amazes me when I come across newly founded bands that, without a demo under belt, sign good deals with proffessional labels, and that's the case of Ogen, too. The project was founded last year and "Black Metal Unbound" is their debut release. Lucky guys, but now let's see why they were signed so fast. The EP contains 5 tracks lasting for 24 minutes, and the music Ogen proposes us here is an Atmospheric, Epic Black Metal very well executed, with catchy guitar leads, versatile vocal lines, cold atmospheres, and powerful rhythm section. The tracks are mostly melodic, but still containing a fair dose of aggression, fast rhythms, so to sum it up we're dealing here with a fairly technical cold and epic Black Metal that really deserved to be produced by a label. I think we'll hear more from this band in the future (well, if they keep on playing/recording...)" [Adrian]

Link:
http://pestwebzine.ucoz.com/index/june_2011/0-398

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

Interview with OGEN's mastermind Hartagga posted online by Behind The Veil webzine (Greece)!

1. First of all I’d like you to fill us in on what’s happening in the OGEN camp at the moment.

We've just released our debut miniCD, through Kolony Records and are just into the media-promotion of it, doing interviews, releasing press kit and stuff, in order to shed a bit of light on the band, which is, of course unknown to the vast majority of the metal audience.

2. Please point out the most important moments and experiences you’ve had with the band thus far, be them good or bad.

The most important moment so far has been the whole production cycle of the EP and the way the recording sessions went, having been really smooth and kind of a really natural process, fulfilling what we had in mind in terms of sound since day one.

3. Can you present “Black Metal Unbound” to our readers in a few words? Which are the album’s highlights and which its weak moments or elements, according to you?

“Black Metal Unbound” is – in my opinion – a fresh and hopefully convincing miniCD, consisting of 5 tracks of both raw black metal moments and atmospheric edges, sometimes avoiding speed for speed's sake and leaning towards a more complex sound, made of unusual chords progressions, clean, layered vocals, time signature changes and some acoustic bits. Its highlight is, I think, the song ''Crest of the Forgotten'', which somehow manages to embody all these elements without being pompous nor boringly long. As a weak element, I may think of some acoustic guitars that would have enriched even more certain parts.

4. The band consists of two members only. Why? Isn't there the need to add more people to the line up? Don't you think this way you might have more inspiration or explore new ideas?

The band basically was born as a solo project of mine, set to be an easy and immediate expression of a side of my musical tastes. Of course OGEN has so far relied on just one person's views and compositional skills, but I think that this very factor helps keep the project very coherent sound-wise.

5. Have you got any more songs ready? If yes, can you give us some information and a possible release date? Will it be an EP or a full length album next time for you?

Hopefully the next songs will appear on a full length album; there's already been some talk with the label about this option but it's too early to say anything more on this. Of course there are some musical sketches here and there, that I might describe as having a more defined identity and a will to explore some new musical realms, without losing the freshness of ''Black metal unbound''.

6. Why do you think you stand out from most atmospheric black metal bands out there? What do you believe you can offer to the metal scene?

I think OGEN is an honest project, really tight from both a musical and lyrical point of view; moreover I feel that the 'atmospheric' element within the songs is really intriguing and not born of a formula, being led by a very firm artistic approach.

7. What kind of procedure do you follow when you compose songs? Do you have to be in a certain state of mind in order to perform the songs as you want?

I usually get loads of inspiration by the very things which the lyrics talk about, like mountains, woods, and the Alpine environment. I usually try to depict these topics, giving prominence to the sense of wonder and awe that they can inspire. So writing a tune is not very much a mathematical operation, but the aftermath of an inspiration process.

8. Which song or songs do you think are the most ideal to represent the whole album’s essence?

Like I said, maybe ''Crest of the forgotten'', to which I may add ''Black Tusk Retaliation''.

9. Which are your sources of inspiration when it comes to the lyrics? Which are the main topics you deal with?

The main sources of inspiration are the very thematic foundation of the lyrics, being them the perennial struggle between man and nature and the fascination of elements the same age as the Earth, like, as I said, mountains,which I try to depict in all their features and as an ideal theater of heroic endeavors.

10. Why did you name the album “Black Metal Unbound”? What do you mean with the word unbound?

The term 'unbound' refers to the musical essence of the EP, which is for sure indebted with the early black metal sound, though at the same time contemplates some not so obvious musical elements which are primarily to be found in some chord progressions and guitar melodies that I think are the real 'trademark' of OGEN.

11. The cover artwork is a photo. Who took it and which place is it? Why did you decide to put a landscape photo as a cover artwork?

The cover artwork is a photo taken by a Russian guy Kolony Records' boss personally contacted in order to be granted the use of it for the EP. I really don't know which place it is but we soon like its simple, strong, ominous impact, and we sensed that a landscape photo perfectly fit the lyrical contents of the songs.

12. Have you got any plans for live shows? How are you promoting your work? What do you think of the use of the Internet? How helpful is it for a band?

We already played a gig prior to the release of the album and have some, still undefined live plans for late 2011. The promotion so far has mainly been made by doing interviews and sending regular press-releases, also submitting for reviews the album to as many magazines and webzines possible. The Internet is maybe leveling things a bit but still is a very powerful instrument for a completely unknown band like OGEN.

13. The music industry blames the Internet for the financial crisis they are in. Where do you stand on this matter?

It's no secret that the Internet made easy stealing something that the vast majority of people used to pay for back in the day. Now you are supposed to store on your computer as much music as you can, and smart is he who simply downloads it doing harm not only to record companies but, which is no way less important, to those who create music.

14. What kind of feelings and thoughts do you think your music creates to your listeners?

I think that OGEN's music is good for a resident trip to forgotten landscapes reminiscent of the sublime majesty of nature.

15. Is there a phrase that you think describes OGEN in the best possible way?

''Old legends I will seek no more, for I've become one out of them'' (which by the way is the backprint of the first run of T-shirts).

16. By the way what does OGEN mean? How did you choose your moniker?

It's a word which has the same meaning as the word 'ocean', I found it in a erudite book from the XVIIth century.

17. Thank you! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you for the great interview! Just give OGEN a listen, I'm pretty sure you will find something worth your time. [Christine Parastatidou]

Link:
http://behindtheveil.freehostia.com/iogen.html

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

Metal.it rated 'Black Metal Unbound' 7/10

"Gli Ogen sono un duo italiano che proviene precisamente da Brescia e ci propongono un Black Metal asciutto e diretto, in linea con quanto prodotto dai gruppi nordici degli anni 90, ma ovviamente con un minimo di personalità che gli garantisce di non scivolare nel dimenticatoio nel momento stesso in cui li si ascolta. Il loro esordio si intitola Black Metal Unbound e oltre ad essere un Ep di breve durata è un vero e proprio manifesto attitudinale. All'interno sono presenti cinque brani tutti abbastanza omogenei ma caratterizzati da un riffing mediamente melodico e da ritmiche che difficilmente raggiungono velocità esasperate, anzi, donano un qualcosa di glacialmente calmo e inquietante al tutto, difatti c'è qualche influenza tipica del Black Metal più atmosferico e liquido. Ad ogni modo non stiamo parlando dei Nortt, gli Ogen amano pestare e ci tengono a farcelo sapere, ecco quindi come si spiegano canzoni intitolate Black Tusk Retaliation oppure Crest Of The Forgotten. Il punto di maggiore interesse sono sicuramente i riff portanti: semplici ma contraddistinti da linee melodiche che restano facilmente impresse e che accompagnano bene il viaggio verso l'oscurità, l'obbiettivo primario di questo duo, in tal senso basta dare un'occhiatina alla copertina, artwork che definire invernale è dire poco. Per essere un debutto non è niente male, spero si mantengano su questi livelli anche con un album completo." [Andrea 'BurdeN' Benedetti]

Link:
http://www.metal.it/album.aspx/14826/11336/

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

And Metalitalia.com rated it 7/10 as well!

"La sorpresa dell’anno del nostro underground black metal così troppo spesso bistrattato? Potrebbe provenire proprio da questo EP d’esordio intitolato “Black Metal Unbound” e forgiato nel freddo delle nostre Alpi dai bresciani Ogen. Ogen: monicker assolutamente nuovo, quello di questo duo bresciano al debutto, ma che farete bene a segnare perché non dovrete mancare all’appuntamento dell’uscita del prossimo full length album. “Black Metal Unbound” è un EP black metal dal grande fascino e dal gusto molto raffinato. La band deve sin da ora lavorare maggiormente sulla personalità, ma la professionalità ed il buon gusto di certo non mancano a Hartagga (mente e polistrumentista del gruppo) e Mjøllnir (drummer). La produzione è ottima e adatta a palati fini, così come lo stile molto ragionato e tecnico. Lo stile della band può ricordare gli ultimi sperimenti sonori adottati dagli Enslaved, un lieve tocco dei Borknagar dell’epoca di “Quintessence” e quel gusto per il non-scontato tutto figlio degli Emperor (seconda parte di carriera). Pur suonando black metal (o un suo derivato, scegliete voi la definizione corretta) gli Ogen non danno quasi mai l’impressione di essere violenti, e senza essere una band sinfonica riescono a trascinare l’ascoltatore in dimensioni mentali distanti, riflessive, appaganti. La personalità sul nuovo full length album andrà tirata fuori tutta altrimenti gli Ogen rischiano di venir associati troppo facilmente a band ben più famose; ci vorrà un tocco estroso, forse qualche atmosfera in più, perché nella realtà puramente black metal la band sembra aver già esplorato tutte le vie coerentemente percorribili. Ad ogni modo questo “Black Metal Unbound” rimane un prodotto molto elegante e sorprendente se pensiamo che ci viene offerto da una band nostrana alle primissime armi. Complimenti e ora sotto con il prossimo full length, ‘inaspettatamente’ molto atteso!" [Paolo "Cernunnos" Vidmar]

Link:
http://metalitalia.com/album/ogen-black-metal-unbound/

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

Finnish Kaaoszine.fi rated 'Black Metal Unbound' 8/10!

"Rehellisesti sanoen en odottanut tältä tulokkaalta kovinkaan paljon. Italiasta on tullut kyllä koviakin black metal bändejä, mutta suurilta osin sitä huruosastoa, jossa bändin imagolla on enemmän vetoa kuin musiikilla. Ogen on siis Italian Bresciassa vuonna 2010 perustettu bändi, ja tämä ”Black Metal Unbound” on heidän ensimmäinen tuotoksensa.

Bändi koostuu kahdesta jäsenestä. Totta puhuen epäilin ensimmäisen biisin alkaessa, että kyseessä on konerummut, mutta väärässä olin. Herrat Mjöllnir (rummut) & Hartagga (vokaalit, kitara & basso) hoitavat homman perinteisellä tyylillä.

CD-EP sisältää 5 biisiä ja lähes 24 minuuttia tunnelmallista black metallia, jossa pysyykin tuo tunnelmallisuus hyvin käpälässä, eikä kokonaisuudessa homma kuse suuntaan eikä toiseen. Se on nyt vaan todettava, ettei EP tarjoa kovinkaan paljon uusia ihmeellisiä soundeja, vaan mieleeni tulee 90-luvulta soundeja Emperorin tuotannosta. Kyseisen bändin kuuluessa allekirjoittaneen soittolistan kärkipäähän eivät saapasjalkamaan veijarit ainakaan huonoa vaikutelmaa tee EP:llään.

Biiseistä ”Black Tusk Retaliation” ja ”As A Leaden Sun Shineth Upon” jäivät minulle henkilökohtaisesti mieleen parhaiten, vaikka kuten sanottu, ei huonoa biisiä EP:llä ole, lukuun ottamatta ylipitkää outroa viimeisessä biisissä.

Italian duo on tehnyt kokonaisuudessaan hyvän EP:n. Kuten jo edellä mainituksi tuli, niin ei uutta ihmeellistä EP:llä kuulu, mutta se on niin kertakaikkisen mallikkaasti tehty, ettei siitä saa huonoa tekemälläkään. Suositteluni siis kaikille tunnelmallisesta black metallista pitäville metallihemmoille ja -hemputtarille." [Mikko A. Ratia]

Link:
http://kaaoszine.fi/ogen-black-metal-unbound-ep/

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

And 'Black Metal Unbound' got 9/10 on German webzine Bloodchamber.de!

"Eine der angenehmsten Freuden des gemeinen Musikschreiberlings ist die, in den Genuss frischer und unverbrauchter Bands zu kommen, sofern man sich nicht gerade mit komischster Musik nachgehenden Zusammenrottungen herumschlagen muss. So eine Freude wurde mir bei der ersten Veröffentlichung des frisch gegründeten Zweimann-Projektes OGEN aus Italien zuteil.

Nachdem italienische Bands schließlich häufiger eher für weniger guten Power Metal stehen, scheint die düsterste metallene Musikrichtung dort insgeheim Genies hervorzubringen. Was auf „Black Metal Unbound“ geboten wird, ist nicht umsonst einer der besten EP-Releases, die dieses Jahr an mein Ohr drangen.

Lässt der Opener die BM-Neulinge noch als sehr norwegisch angehauchtes Schwarzmetall-Ensemble mit dissonanten EMPEROR-Riffs und einer Breitseite RAGNAROK da stehen, so wird die stilistische Bandbreite von OGEN erst im Gesamtbild klar:
Abwechslungsreichtum wird groß geschrieben. Ist der anfängliche Eindruck bereits eben beschrieben worden, reißen einen die weiteren Stücke auf ganz andere Art und Weise mit. Müsste man es mit einem Satz beschreiben, dann lautete dieser folgendermaßen: BORKNAGARs „Gods of my World“ und „Universal“ küssen alte DISSECTION und lassen, weil's gerade so schön war, auch HELRUNAR mal drüberrutschen.
Man muss sich nur einmal „Black Tusk Retaliation“ anhören um zu wissen, wie so eine Verbindung wohl klingt. Schwedische Black Metal-Leadmelodien schaffen eine wohlig dunkle Atmosphäre, fiese Prügelparts runden die Verse ab und zur Krönung des ganzen spendieren die Italiener dem Zuhörer eine Portion majestätischen, sphärischen Klargesang oberster Liga. Der ungewöhnlich gute, um nicht zu sagen unheimlich fette Sound unterstreicht diese epischen Ohrenschmeichler noch zusätzlich.

„Black Metal Unbound“ ist eine der großen Überraschungen dieses Jahres mit seinem frischen und spielfreudigen Charakter, der genialen Atmosphäre, dem sehr gut passenden Cover und so weiter... Man könnte diese Aufzählung noch länger weiterführen, wenn man denn wollte. Ich für meinen Teil beschränke mich hier einfach auf folgenden Kommentar – hoffentlich gibt es verdammt noch mal bald mehr zu hören von den zwei Italianos!" [Morten Jantz]

Link:
http://www.bloodchamber.de/cd/o/7993/

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

Great review of 'Black Metal Unbound' by German webzine Heavyhardes.de!

"Also ich bin erst mal vorsichtig, wenn eine neue Band solche Größen wie Emperor oder Opeth als Referenzbands heranzieht. Erst recht, wenn es sich streng genommen noch nicht einmal um eine Band, als vielmehr um ein Projekt handelt. Die Italiener (Hartagga - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keys / Daniele Valseriati - Drums) haben sich im letzten Jahr zusammen gefunden um ihre Version/Vision des Black Metals aufleben zu lasssen.
Um es gleich vorweg zu nehmen: die Vergleiche mit Emperor sind durchaus berechtigt. Denn was anfänglich gesunde Skepsis war, ist nun Begeisterung gewichen. Ogen verstehen es, den Hörer mit abwechslungsreichen Songs, die sich hauptsächlich im Midtempobereich aufhalten, von der ersten Sekunde an zu fesseln. Vor allem, wenn scheinbar aus dem Nichts Melodien auftauchen, in einen mächtigen Groove übergehen, und dann langsam wieder verschwinden ("Black Tusk Retaliation"). Da fragt man sich freudig: was kommt wohl als nächstes? "Crest Of The Forgotten" beginnt wesentlich flotter, schraubt dann aber das Tempo nach unten und wartet mit leichten Disharmonien auf, die sich jedoch lückenlos in die vorhandenen Melodien einfügen. Verträumt steigt man in "As A Leaden Sun Shineth Upon" ein, ehe auch hier das Tempo angezogen wird. Doch schon nach kurzer Zeit kehrt man zur Verträumtheit des Anfangs zurück. Und hier gibt es dann auch einige der wenigen klaren Gesangspassagen der EP.
Ogen verstehen es wahrlich, komplexe Songs einfach wirken zu lassen. Ich bin gespannt, wie sich Ogen über die Länge eines kompletten Albums schlagen werden, diese EP lässt Großes erhoffen." [Ray]

Link:
http://www.heavyhardes.de/review-7849.html

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

UK's webzine Metalliville rated 'Black Metal Unbound' 8,5/10!

"Thankfully not ‘Black Metal Uninteresting‘ as for once, this outfit, a practical one-man band masterminded by Multi-instrumentalist Hartagga would have actually enticed me with a full length album instead of five numbers.

’BMU’ does the scene some justice through some quite unlikely mainstream guitar pieces that would at times even work their stuff on an alternative rock disc. Surprisingly versatile speeds and accessible arrangements throughout the 24 minutes confinement, the individual tracks are more progressive and distinctive with melodic vocal parts slipping in on and off for good measure. Fast and flawlessly proficient, this is however the way properly carved forward for extreme metal bands to reach the audience they want and win more permanent interest.

More Ogen, please guys - sorry I mean guy!" [Dave Attrill]

Link:
http://www.metalliville.co.uk/bankup/htdocs/CD Folder/O-CDS.htm

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

Belgian webzine Concretweb rated 'Black Metal Unbound' 98/100!

"Not a lot of info on his Italian Atmospheric Black Metal project, because there's not a lot to tell (so let's by all means use as much as possible from the info sheet we got along with our promo copy of the album).

Following a lifetime of practicing his guitar and bass play (oh, don't worry, he's young enough, like only in his twenties, I would say) Hartagga, whom had the desire to explore the field of Extreme Metal, started this project during 2010 in order to push his musical quest further and finally write and record some of his own music. Within the artist's mind, the songwriting started to flow easily, revealing Ogen's ability to forge tunes made of both Black Metal edges and episodes of not-so-obvious harmonic tapestry. He couldn't play the drums, so he hired the services of drummer Mjöllnir (real name Daniele Valseriati, known from Industrial Death/ Thrash act 49 Hydrogen Device and Gothic Metal act Tragodia). He also invited Be'Lakor lead singer George Kosmas for a guest appearance on the EP's opening track “Shattered Earth Volcano”. Under productional guidance of Daniele Mandelli (whom in the past produced work of Retarded, Tragodia, and most recently Forgotten Tomb, but also sat in as engineer on a shitload of other recordings) 5 songs were recorded which all share the character of incorporating the bleakness of Nordic Black Metal, at the same time as sounding very atmospheric thanks to some very nice lead guitar play. Average track length is just above 4 minutes, the album closing “A Steep Slope To Desolation” clocking in at a misleading 7:23. Misleading, because the actual song ends at 4:30, after which comes a very calm instrumental outro in which two intertwining calmer guitars are backed by some icy wind keyboards.

Nice stuff, and deservant of my fullest appreciation and rating (I've always had a thing for Atmospheric Black Metal). For a perfect sampling of what Ogen sounds like, check the track “Crest of The Forgotten”, posted at (www.myspace.com/ogenblackmetal. For possible samples of the other 4 tracks, you'll have to wait until Amazon.com provides 'em."

Link:
http://www.concreteweb.be/reviews/r..._special_july_5/cdtsm_slw_special_july_5.html

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

'Black Metal Unbound' rated 8/10 @ Rock and Metal in my Blood webzine!

"Già da diversi anni il Black Metal sta assimilando le più svariate sfumature degli altri generi estremi (e non). Un esempio lo abbiamo con il Thrash/Black di "All Shall Fall" degli Immortal e di "Location: COLD" dei Catamenia o con il Blackened Death dei Behemoth. La band in questione, gli OGEN, ne assoggetta diverse: ascoltando l'ep di debutto "Black Metal Unbound", rilasciato nel 2011 è possibile apprezzarele influenze Death e Progressive, e quella meno rilevante del Thrash.
Dettagli a parte siamo di fronte ad un lavoro di tutto rispetto per essere dei novellini, infatti ho sin da subito notato una certa assonanza con l'ottimo "Descent into Hadal" degli All-Devouring Light, che a mio avviso resta un piccolo capolavoro underground. Non si tratta solamente del pregevole sound di questa band bresciana, ma anche del notevole songwriting che coinvolge i principali aspetti della gelida natura invernale.
Siamo di fronte a 2 ragazzi dotati di indiscusso talento, a partire dal vocalist Hartagga e dal suo stiel vocale che ricorda un pò lo screaming di Nattefrost (Carpathian Forest), senza trascurare alcun elemento della sezione ritmica (sempre Hartagga alla chitarra e al basso e Mjollnir alla batteria), autori di passaggi interessanti e di pregevole fattura. Il tutto esaltato dalla buonissima produzione per tutte e 5 le track che andiamo ora ad analizzare.
"Shattered Earth Volcano" è l'opener dell'ep nonchè uno dei brani più interessanti per merito del ritmo sempre sostenuto e la perfetta sincronia fra gli strumenti e la voce, che vede un duetto di Hartagga con George Kosmas. Di buono spessore anche l'inserzione melodica che accompagna l'assolo nella seconda parte del brano.
La track seguente "Black Tusk Retaliation" è il vero capolavoro dell'ep. Mantiene un tono melodico estasiante per tutta la durata del brano, con il culmine nell'armonioso ritornello che Hartagga esegue con clean vocals quasi da opera.
E' quasi inevitabile trovare un sottile collegamento con i bolognesi In Tormentata Quiete, soprattutto per quanto concerne la chitarra, in questo brano e nel successivo, intitolato "Crest of the Forgotten", nel quale emerge il lato malinconico dei 2 artisti. Fra questi Hartagga è autore in modo particolare di una performance da evidenziare, con le sue eteree clean vocals che conferiscono alla canzone un accento dai toni epici.
La chitarra torna protagonista in "As a Leaden Sun Shineth Upon", brano dal sapore Progressive/Death da applausi, con Mjollnir autore dell'ennesimo drumming preciso ed intenso.
Da sottolineare anche l'articolato assolo di chitarra che fa da crocevia fra la prima parte del brano e quella conclusiva, nella quale assistiamo ad un'altra bellissima esecuzione di ispiratissime clean vocals che ripetono il titolo del brano.
A questo punto arriviamo all'ultimo capitolo dell'ep, il brano puramente di stampo Progressive Black Metal "A Steep Slope to Desolation". Nei 7 minuti e 30 di durata siamo sottoposti ad un brano variegato in una parte complessa e ritmicamente intensa ed una parte armoniosa, dolce e malinconica che nel finale si tramuta in riff placidi e sottili, i quali vanno progressivamente affievolendosi sino alla cessazione." [mala92maggot]

Link:
http://www.rockandmetalinmyblood.com/readarticle.php?article_id=476

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

New review online - 7,5/10 @ French Vs-webzine!

"Une fois n’est pas coutume, une surprise Black-Metal nous vient d’Italie. Il s’agit du one-man band OGEN qui sort son premier EP intitulé Black Metal Unbound via Kolony Records. Et le projet mené par Hartagga a de bien bonnes choses à nous montrer au sein de son « Black Metal non lié ».

La fiche promo du label parle de « Black Metal Atmosphérique pour les fans d’EMPEROR, OPETH et des anciens IN THE WOODS ». Difficile de voir le rapport entre les 3 surtout que OGEN pratique en réalité un Black à la croisée de plusieurs chemins : riffs traditionnels lorgnant vers le death voire vers un thrash assez incisif, passages plus occultes et lancinants (proches de certains combos allemands à la SECRETS OF THE MOON), leads très mélodiques et parties de chant clair, il y a à boire et à manger sur Black Metal Unbound. Le projet n’est d’ailleurs pour moi pas vraiment « atmosphérique », semblant plus mettre en valeur l’exécution plutôt que de développer une quelconque ambiance, malgré la présence de quelques trémolos cristallins souvent utilisés par les groupes « Post-quelquechose ».

L’EP démarre sur les chapeaux de roue avec l’excellent "Shattered Earth Volcano" présentant des riffs travaillés, variés et vraiment entraînants avec un petit côté torturé et sombre qui fait son effet. "Black Tusk Retaliation" démarre par une mélodie génialissime et enchaîne sur des guitares thrashisantes bien appuyées qui fonctionnent à merveille, avant de passer par un refrain à chant clair inattendu et assez bluffant. "Crest of the Forgotten" est une piste à l’ambiance plus occulte avec des mélodies lancinantes à souhait et une section rythmique assez agressive en début et fin de morceau, en plus d’un chant Black sombre comme il faut. "As A Leaden Sun Shineth Upon" est une plage plus classique de Black mélodique mais la qualité est toujours au rendez-vous. Black Metal Unbound se clôt par "A Steep Slope to Desolation" qui démarre par un mid-tempo assez lourd et prenant bardé d’assauts de batterie assez efficaces, puis passe par un break empli de noirceur très réussi avant de se terminer dans une partie acoustique portée par le vent des bois enneigés.

Pour un premier essai, OGEN fait mouche avec un Black tendance mélodique parfaitement ficelé, proposant un équilibre entre compos old-school tranchantes et mélodies entraînantes, avec des expérimentations réussies comme l’utilisation du chant clair. Un mix entre certains points de l’art noir sophistiqué d’EMPEROR et l’occultisme lancinant de SECRETS OF THE MOON comme ODEM ARCARUM avait pu le faire avec brio sur Outrageous Reverie Above The Erosion Of Barren Earth. OGEN n’a pas encore la classe de cet album mais nous livre avec Black Metal Unbound un EP très prometteur dans un style de Black aventureux et peu commun. A suivre !" [ZeSnake]

Link:
http://www.vs-webzine.com/new.php?page=kronik&id_news=12342&pagh=&droite=

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

New review online @ Sorrow Eternal - 7,5/10! :Spin:

"Lurking in the shadows of Italy lies an underground black metal band by the name of Ogen, a solo project by a man named Hartagga. He has written and recorded all of the music and lyrics on this EP, titled "Black Metal Unbound," which consist of five solid tracks of pure darkness.

Heavy machine gun double bass pedaling fires away in "Shattered Earth Volcano," starting off the album with a bang. Speedy guitar riffs lay on top of the drumming with devilish tones. The fiery snap of the snare controls the tempo as it will also control you're head as it bangs to the beat. Notice after the verses is an incredible little drum solo that set up the refrain perfectly. The details are insane. Wicked vocals rush in with deep, dark growls. There is definitely some strong black metal tones in Hartagga's delivery. This is nothing but a solid black metal song full of speed and aggression. A great opener to the EP.

"Black Tusk Retaliation" starts with a very interesting pattern of chords, as the first two build up with a positive feel, but are then brought down with minor chords to give it that epic yet demonic feel. The growling is down right malevolent and really sends a dark message just through the sound of his voice alone. The vocals do change up a bit in the middle of the song, with some eerie clean singing performed in a ghostly manner. As far as the drumming goes, constant double bass pedal action throughout leaving an explosive tone to the background. Violent guitars filled with distortion take over the track and provides an overwhelming background for Hartagga's vocals. Another track with lots of evil riffs is "Crest Of The Forgotten," which has got some really screechy black metal sounding guitars in between the verses. The vocals aren't as deep in this song as the others, however, they definitely have some pain in them creating great imagery to the music.

Monstrous guitar riffs take over in "As A Leaden Sun Shineth Upon" as thunderous drum rolls destroy the background completely. The are some quick melodic solos towards the middle of the song, hitting the highs and lows and making everything connect smoothly. This leads to some clean singing at the end of the song backed with some more incredible drum fills. This is probably the weakest of any of the songs, mainly because it drags out a bit in the end. I found myself skipping to the next song while the last minute of the track was still rolling.

The last track starts out with a brutal drum fill right off the get, as harsh guitar riffs attack you from all angles. This is where you will want to pump your fist in the air. This being the longest track on the EP, it's definitely got a lot to offer as it runs for over seven minutes long. The guitar work is aggressive and evil during the verses, as more vicious growling runs right over it. After about 4 and a half minutes, all instruments fade out except a quiet guitar riff. Soft notes float through the air with beautiful tones giving a whole new look to this track. This is definitely one of my favorite parts of this whole EP. The guitar runs for the rest of the song as it slowly fades to an end.

"Black Metal Unbound" has hit all of the solid elements of extreme black metal and is definitely a step in the right direction for this new born band. Ogen definitely has the potential to separate himself from the rest of the black metal bands that are just starting out. This industry is a tough one to get noticed, but as long as he keeps writing solid tracks like these then Ogen will be well on its way." [Murmaider]

Link:
http://sorroweternal.blogspot.com/2011/08/ogen-black-metal-unbound.html

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

Probably one of the best reviews of 'Black Metal Unbound' so far! 9.5/10 @ U.S. based webzine Metal Curse!

"Holy hell, this is how to make an impressive debut! In just under 24 minutes, this two-man Italian Black Metal band covers all the bases from Dissection’s intensity and complexity to mid-era Katatonia’s melancholy and clean vocals, plus a couple Thrashier riffs (or even parts of riffs) mixed in, here and there, as well as perhaps a touch of early Opeth, when they still wanted to be a Metal band. All of which is highlighted by an absolutely stunning recording and production. It is difficult to believe that Black Metal Unbound is Ogen’s first release, because it sounds as if Hartagga and Mjollnir (greatest stage-name for a drummer ever) have been working together for a long time. I suppose that I could understand if some people might not appreciate Hartagga’s clean vox, wishing the he’d stick with his usual raspy rawness, but I don’t agree. He’s quite good at both styles (as well as guitar and bass), and typically uses the clean vocals to enhance the despondent moods when they take center stage, although not always… And that’s about as close to a flaw as exists anywhere on this amazing EP." [Ray]

Link:
http://metalcurse.com/index.php/reviews/ogen_-_black_metal_unbound/

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

Interview with OGEN online @ Sorrow Eternal Blog!

Ogen mastermind Hartagga sat down to answer some questions from us about "Black Metal Unbound," his influences, and all those black metal stereotypes. We want to thank Hartagga, as well as Lorenzo at Kolony Records, for making this possible.

First and foremost, we would like to thank to you for taking the time out of your schedule to answer some questions for us. We greatly appreciate it.

It's a pleasure for me and I'm indeed the one who has to be grateful for the interview!

Growing up, what prompted you to become a musician? And with such a wide variety of talents, which instrument are you most happy playing?

Well, basically I'm a guitar player or, at least, that's the instrument I'm most trained in. I firstly decided to become a musician on the wake of one of my major musical influence which has always been classic heavy metal (Iron Maiden on top of the list), then opening my mind to each and evey kind of metal-related styles and other stuff outside of heavy music too, like, for instance, soundtracks, weird electronic music, etc.
What bands and albums were your major influences before and during the recording of the album?
I'd say many bands from the early 90's Norwegian black metal scene, like Emperor, In the woods, Ulver, Enslaved (which I happen to very much like even in their new approach to black metal) and even some stuff from neighbouring Sweden, like Bathory, mainly from the epic period.

How does the recording process work, with you being the one true member of the band? Does it help the writing process to be the sole input? Has there been any thought into expanding the line-up to a full band?

I already extended the line-up in order to be able to take the stage, shaping a full band made of musicians that I know I can rely upon; nonetheless Ogen still remains a solo project; with me being the sole input songwriting-wise, I do not only feel that the songs are really focused, coherent and tight as far as the overall mood is concerned, but I also take great pleasure from being totally free of any limitation or musical compromise that you can't avoid being in a proper band. So it's real fun!

When you set out to create unbound black metal, what did that entail for you? What about the black metal genre did you seek to unleash?

The title 'Black Metal Unbound' was chosen as a kind of testament to the genre ever-changing and ever-developing nature, which may apparently seem to be in contrast with the very musical foundations of black metal. But it's a matter of fact that black metal itself and black metal musicians very often tried to push further their musical quest. On my part I tried to express my own approach to this extreme kind of metal, basically relying on not so obvious (or, at least, I hope so!) guitar harmonic solutions and interesting arrangements and song structures.

We are always interested in the artwork of our favorite albums. Can you give us a little insight into the album cover for “Black Metal Unbound”?

It's a very simple yet ominous photo made by a Russian guy, that the label purchased for the release of the EP. It's an image that fits very well the musical and lyrical content of the album. Simple, evocative, beautiful.

All of the tracks on the album have very interesting names. Were there particular meanings behind the titles, such as Black Tusk Retaliation, As A Leaden Sun Shineth Upon, and Shattered Earth Volcano?

All the tracks deal with extreme nature environments, telling stories that take place on the mountains and talk of the perennial struggle between man and nature itself. I tried to express the sense of wonder and frailty that a man could feel standing in front of such natural spectacles as an erupting volcano or a pale sun reverberating itself on winter snow.

The production work on the album is very crisp, very clean. What made you decide to go with more polished production, as opposed to the traditional raw sound?

Actually we made some decisions that were intended to recreate the vibe of 90's albums, such as recording the drums on tape, with the drums being the only instrument tracked into a professional studio. All the guitars, bass lines and vocals were made by home-recording and all has been made in record time, in order to capture the freshness of the very composition sessions. The very good mixing and mastering duties were handled by super skilled producer Daniele Mandelli, who previously worked with Italian bands like Forgotten Tomb, Tragodia and Dark Horizon, to mention just a few.

Describe your lyrical influences. Where do you take your inspiration from?

My main lyrical influence is the nature of mountains, forests and woods that you can find on the Alps, near where I live and which I always felt a great deal of awe for. This particular environment is the perfect theatre to set haunting stories into.

Black metal musicians are always lumped into the same stereotypes; Satan worshippers, church burners, etc. What are your feelings on those stereotypes, and in particular, the scenario of burning churches?

I always cared about the music and never felt any interest in the stereotypes you mentioned. That's the same feeling that I have for every metal genre. I love music and I look at it as a neverending inspiration and source of innerself expression. I can't understand why you have to destroy something that you dislike or does not represent your belief system. And that applies to everything, art, religion, architecture, research... so I totally distance myself from that kind of scenario which I of course condemn. As a human being I 'feed' myself with all the artistic wonders mankind created through the ages, be it ancient pagan remains, northern stavechurches or egyptian pyramides, since I'm a true lover of art and, even more important, I wholeheartedly support freedom of expression and respect points of view differing from my own.

The metal scene in Italy isn’t widely known, with very few bands making a splash in the US. So, what is it like to be a metal artist in Italy, and more specifically, a black metal artist?

Actually there are thousands of bands, even in the most extreme fields of metal. What I think Italy lacks the most is a proper musician-friendly culture, both in the way overall 'popular' music is perceived and the kind of feedback you get from the medias, which are always into huge superstars, and don't care about up and coming bands, new trends and innovative approaches to music.

What are your plans for the future of Ogen? Are there any plans to take this project on a broad tour of Europe or other continents?

Well, a broad tour of Europe or other continents would be great but it's still very far from becoming reality. I'd love to give Ogen's followers some new tracks, even some free-download tunes in the future, in order to feed their interest in the band, maybe acoustic renditions of songs that were on the EP, or new tracks as well, but that's something I have to discuss with the label of course.

Thank you again for allowing us to ask these questions. We appreciate the time, and wish you the best of luck with the album, and future efforts.

Thank you so much for all your support and interest! Stay tuned!


Link:
http://sorroweternal.blogspot.com/2011/10/ogen-interview.html

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

A further OGEN's interview is online @ The Ripple Effect

A non-Sunday Conversation with Ogen

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.

What have been your musical epiphany moments?

Surely when I was given as a birthday present the eponimous album from Iron Maiden. Since then I devoted myself to the discovey of this rather unknown dominion that back then was for me the heavy metal world. Then I would probably say, seeing Tiamat supporting Black Sabbath in my own city, which got me into fantastic bands far from being mainstream that populated the scene in Europe from the early Nineties.

Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

First comes the riff, but the riffing itself is loosely bound to a lyrical, or conceptual idea that strengthens and in some way leads the writing process. Sometimes it takes some just few hours to have the final song, more often it's, maybe, a matter of weeks, it all depends on how excited I get with the newborn riffs and... on my laziness!

Who has influenced you the most?

Bands from the Eighties – melodic stuff as Iron Maiden and other NWOBHM bands – and various bands from the northern side of Europe, like Emperor, Ulver, In the woods, and other Norwegian acts, Swedish bands like Bathory (mainly the epic stuff) and more elaborate stuff like Opeth and maybe old Katatonia, but even some mid Nineties' doom-death bands like My dying bride. But I think that a real musical influence was mainly played by the above mentioned black metal bands.

Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

I really love mountains, and – even though it may sound a bit cliché – I still think they are a perfect subject for writing lyrics and music that's both intriguing and epic. I love mountains not only from a poetic, literary perspective since I always 'lived' this kind of environment, being the Alps really close to where I live and having climbed, skied and walked a lot on their backs through all my life...

Genre's are so misleading and such a way to pigeonhole bands. Without resorting to labels, how would you describe your music?

An adventurous, sincere, epic output of basic musical needs.

What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

I'd be more than happy if I could bring the audience to feel for a while isolated from the noise and repetitiveness of daily life; I'd like to offer a brief yet intense way to rediscover the basic need to feel in touch with nature and awe-inspiring elements – like mountains – that are the same age of the Earth.

Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

The best Spinal Tap moment of my musical 'career' actually deals with another band I played in for the last 15 years. It happened while gigging abroad and basically it was me thanking the great audience we were lucky to play before through a microphone connected to an harmonizer / octaver set tu 'on', so that each time I addressed the audience my voice was actually super high-pitched...

What makes a great song?

The feel to be hearing something that's obviously great and simple but none ever managed to write before.

Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

I really can' remember which one it was! I remember that with every new slice of music I was able to write, felt that something was happening with my compositional skills and it kind of forced me to go ahead without topping!

What piece of your music are particularly proud of?

Maybe 'Crest of the forgotten', fast, short but rich nonetheless.

Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?

I think that great bands are to be seen in Enslaved and Opeth, just to make the first names which I happen to like a lot. They are always evolving though retaining solid roots to what makes them recognizable. And they play music for music's sake.

Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

CD, but I wish I could turn my CD collection into vinyls.

Whiskey or beer? And defend your choice

Beer: you can drink a lot and still be able to play some music.

We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?

My home town is a middle Italian city not far from Milan, whose name is Brescia. You definitely must go to Magic Bus Dischi, the temple of Rock-Metal music in town and a real sanctuary for anyone willing to form a band and get some advices by a great person and a real rocker, the owner Gigi.

Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?

I'd like to thank anyone who invested time in reading and conducting this interview. Give Ogen's debut EP a chance: we didn't reinvent the wheel but you might find some little gems here and there...


Link:
http://ripplemusic.blogspot.com/2011/09/non-sunday-conversation-with-ogen.html

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

New review 8/10 @ Spanish Pitchline-Zine!

Con el suculento título de “Black Metal Unbound” debuta y en forma de EP el dúo italiano Ogen, formado por Hartagga que se dedica a toda la composición y ayudado en la percusión por Mjøllnir (Tragodia, 49 Hydrogen Device). Este trabajo de cinco canciones llegando hasta los 23 minutos de duración ha sido editado por su sello compatriota Kolony Records, que trabaja con bandas tales como los anteriormente citados Tragodia, los noruegos To Cast A Shadow o los australianos Be'lakor.

Black Metal “sin límite” es el rasgo característico que ha querido firmar Hartagga en su proyecto y verdaderamente lo logra. Si bien la base de su música es el Black Metal de toda la vida de corte nórdico, los italianos consiguen llevarlo hacia a un grado superior con gran originalidad y buen gusto, una especie de Black Metal añejo refrescado a los tiempos modernos con cierto toque atmosférico y evidentes tintes progresivos.

A su vez, “Black Metal Unbound” llena sus composiciones de melancolía y palpable tristeza acercándose por momentos a los primeros Katatonia, haciendo uso de excelentes y numerosos arpegios a lo largo de todo el redondo. El primer corte y segundo corte, “Shattered Earth Volcano” y “Black Tusk Retaliation” son posiblemente los que mejor representan ese viejo y a la vez refrescado arte negro. Los sucesivos temas se adentra más en las progresiones y todavía aun más en esa melancoliza musical que comentábamos, acercándose a una personalidad exquisita dónde ya podríamos etiquetarlas de canciones con el sello 100% Ogen. Destacar la cuarta pista, “As A Leaden Sun Shineth Upon” donde hace un giño (gran giño) que nos recordará mucho a aquel magistral y mítico “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” de Emperor, además de la mejor canción de “Black Metal Unbound”. Y terminando con “A Sleep Slope To Desolation” nos envuelve en unos ritmos más lentos y “punkis” muy “Darkthronianos” sólo roto por el estribillo doomero al más puro estilo de Katatonia para terminar con rápidos y afilados riffs y punteos como Dissection sabía hacer tan bien.

La producción ha sido llevada a cargo de Daniele Mandelli, conocido por su banda Dark Horizon y trabajar como productor de otras bandas como Forgotten Tomb. El resultado logrado ha sido excelente sonando todo compacto y claro pero a mi gusto hubiera preferido una producción un tanto más “sucia”, ya que se me antoja algo digital. De todas formas, esto no empaña el gran trabajo realizado tras la producción y la música de esta genial obra que han compuesto los italianos.

En definitiva, un golpe de frescura y originalidad al Black Metal que a veces se echa de menos en este género tan versátil. Genial debut de Ogen, que habrá estar al tanto de su primer larga duración que me da la sensación que verá la luz en 2012. Mientras podremos disfrutar de este tan recomendable aperitivo que nos han preparado. [Ludwigar]

Link:
http://www.pitchline-zine.com/reviews.item.php?id=002177

 

[lorenzo_kolony]

New interview on Italian webzine Metalitalia.com!

OGEN – Il Suono Delle Alpi

C’è un nome nuovo nel nostro panorama extreme metal: Ogen. L’arco alpino ultimamente ha deciso di aumentare la sua forte influenza sulla musica black metal, molto duttile ad assorbire influenze di ogni tipo. Soffia il vento del nord sulle note degli Ogen, gruppo che debutta con questo intrigante e personale EP intitolato “Black Metal Unbound”. Aria gelida che arriva dal passato, da band che hanno fatto la storia del black metal tinto di emozioni, e di epicità: Emperor, Borknagar ed Enslaved. Non è la prima volta che una band proveniente dalle zone alpine raccolga nel proprio DNA il suono nordico e gelido della culla norvegese e, visti i risultati, speriamo che gli Ogen non siano nemmeno gli ultimi. Il fascino degli Ogen risiede tutto in un sound che sembra predisposto, in un futuro prossimo, ad assorbire le più svariate influenze, anche distanti dai classici canoni extreme metal. Per questo motivo abbiamo deciso di avvicinare il mastermind della band, Hartagga, per conoscere meglio questo gruppo ancora avvolto un po’ nel mistero.

DA QUALE ISPIRAZIONE NASCONO GLI OGEN?

“Ogen è un progetto che nasce, dal punto di vista concettuale, dalla volontà di mettere in musica le inesauribili fonti d’ispirazione che sono per me le montagne, le storie e le leggende che le permeano, il perenne contrasto tra la loro bellezza ed il carattere in certi casi estremo dell’ambiente che esse costituiscono”.

IN BREVE TEMPO AVETE REALIZZATO IL FULL LENGTH DI DEBUTTO…

“Fin dai primi passi del progetto, Ogen ha potuto beneficiare della fiducia artistica accordatagli dalla Kolony Records, che ha creduto nella proposta dotando i mezzi per registrare l’EP e promuoverlo in maniera adeguata”.

LA COPERTINA DEL VOSTRO ALBUM E ANCHE IL VOSTRO SOUND MI RICORDANO LO STILE DEGLI INDIMENTICATI EMPEROR. SIETE STATI INFLUENZATI DA QUESTO O ALTRI GRUPPI NORVEGESI?

“Il tuo accostamento mi fa molto piacere in quanto gli Emperor rappresentano un’evidente influenza nel sound della band, soprattutto per quanto riguarda le chitarre. Altre band norvegesi che hanno sicuramente esercitato un influsso sulle composizioni sono Ulver e i primi In The Woods. La copertina, inoltre, rappresenta la miglior approssimazione visiva all’aspetto lirico delle composizioni”.

SE NON ERRO SIETE IN DUE, MA PRATICAMENTE FA TUTTO HARTAGGA: E’ PIU’ FACILE PORTARE AVANTI DA SOLI UN PROGETTO OPPURE L’INTENTO E’ QUELLO DI AMPLIARE IN FUTURO LA LINE UP?

“Attualmente Ogen ha una line-up di quattro elementi, me compreso, pensata per la dimensione live, ma la musica, così come i testi, è sempre frutto di mie composizioni. Portare avanti un progetto come one man band è per me un’esperienza molto interessante perché ti consente di misurarti a livello creativo solo con te stesso, nel bene e nel male, e ti permette di apprezzare maggiormente punti di forza e limiti della tua proposta musicale”.

SIETE SODDISFATTI DEL VOSTRO PRODOTTO? CREDO SI TRATTI DI UNA DELLE SORPRESE PIU’ POSITIVE DELL’ANNO IN AMBITO BLACK METAL ITALIANO…

“Innanzitutto ti ringrazio per l’apprezzamento, mi fa davvero molto piacere. Personalmente sono molto soddisfatto in termini di produzione e di sound, nel senso che secondo me è avvertibile una matrice omogenea che lega tutti i brani dell’EP. Sarebbe tuttavia un grosso errore ritenersi appagati e non vedere potenziali aree di miglioramento nel songwriting, soprattutto per quanto riguarda la struttura delle song e, ciò che più mi interessa per future release, la ricerca compositiva, che spero evolva sempre senza fermarsi a già (troppo) sperimentati stilemi compositivi”.

COME MAI AVETE DECISO DI CHIAMARVI OGEN?

“Ogen è un termine molto semplice, d’impatto, facilmente memorizzabile e dunque è in linea con il tipo di musica che la band propone, almeno sull’EP di debutto. Richiama il concetto di ‘oceano’: mi sembra una buona metafora per le possibilità espressive del genere che la band propone”.

QUALI SONO LE CARATTERISTICHE CHE PIU’ APPREZZATE DEL VOSTRO SOUND?

“Ciò che ha maggiormente suscitato l’interesse degli addetti ai lavori risieda in certe progressioni armoniche delle chitarre non scontate e piuttosto originali. Io sono essenzialmente un chitarrista, quindi era giocoforza naturale per me profondere il massimo degli sforzi nell’affinare uno stile compositivo che fosse, ad un tempo, diretto ed interessante. Ha suscitato interesse anche l’aspetto esecutivo, piuttosto compatto e ritmicamente cangiante seppur non sconfina in partiture ‘prog’”.

QUAL E’ SECONDO VOI LO STATO D’ANIMO IDEALE CHE UNA PERSONA DEVE AVERE PER APPREZZARE APPIENO LA VOSTRA MUSICA?

“Potrà sembrare una banalità, ma credo che lo stato d’animo ideale sia quello di chi si immerge nella vastità e nella sconfinata bellezza dei passaggi naturali meno ‘addomesticati’, da cui origina un senso di monumentale, seppur discreta, epicità”.

C’E’ UN GRUPPO ITALIANO CHE SECONDO VOI HA GRANDI POTENZIALITA’ E PUO’ BEN RAPPRESENTARE IL NOSTRO PAESE ANCHE ALL’ESTERO?

“Credo che una band molto interessante e già investita, in qualche modo, di un ruolo di culto siano i Forgotten Tomb. Secondo me possono contribuire a ‘svecchiare’ la percezione che all’estero si ha della nostra scena underground. Ma ovviamente i Forgotten Tomb non sono i soli”.

QUALI SONO I SENTIMENTI CHE VENGONO RAPPRESENTATI MAGGIORMENTE NEI VOSTRI TESTI?

“Sentimento di piccolezza di fronte alla vastità della natura, perenne dialettica uomo-natura nel senso ancipite di ammirazione – reverenza di fronte alla sua immensità. Come già detto, il tipo di ambiente che ‘popola’ il mondo lirico-concettuale di Ogen è quello montano”.

IL VOSTRO STILE E’ MOLTO RAFFINATO E ‘DELICATO’ IN ALCUNE PARTI. CREDETE IN FUTURO DI APRIRVI AD ALTRE SONORITA’ NON NECESSARIAMENTE METAL?

“Mai dire mai! Le fonti d’ispirazione musicale di Ogen non sono esclusivamente confinate all’ambito metal, benché questo ne sia la matrice essenziale e, credo, insostituibile”.

C’E’ UN TOCCO EPICO IN ALCUNE VOSTRE CANZONI: DA DOVE NASCE?

“Nasce senz’altro dalla peculiarità delle fonti d’ispirazione che sottostanno alla stesura dei brani, ma anche dall’amore per band che hanno fatto scuola, come ad esempio i Bathory degli album più epici”.

UN VOSTRO GIUDIZIO SULLA SCENA BLACK METAL NAZIONALE…

“La scena black italiana è sicuramente ricca, ben nutrita e valida; sarebbe motivo di grande soddisfazione poter assistere ad una piena ascesa anche internazionale di qualche nostra formazione. Credo che al di fuori dei nostri confini l’apprezzamento per le band italiane sia già in costante crescita”.

COM’E’ STATO ACCOLTO DALLA CRITICA L’ALBUM? COSA VI HA DATO PIU’ FASTIDIO E PIU’ SODDISFAZIONE?

“L’album è stato accolto benissimo e molto bene, penso soprattutto a certe recensioni americane. Ovviamente non sono mancati giudizi non pienamente positivi, talora forse influenzati da una sorta di prudenza di fronte ad un lavoro di soli cinque brani. In generale sono rimasto veramente soddisfatto della reazione e dei commenti che l’EP ha suscitato negli addetti ai lavori. E questo è solo l’inizio!”.

GRAZIE PER LA DISPONIBILITA’…

“Grazie a voi per l’interesse dimostrato ed ovviamente a quanti hanno deciso di dare fiducia ad Ogen supportando la band! Stay tuned!”. [Paolo "Cernunnos" Vidmar]


Link:
http://metalitalia.com/intervista/ogen-il-suono-delle-alpi/