Interview with Vocalist Damir Eskic from Gomorra
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Damir! Welcome to The
Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of
your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
CV: How does the band balance its variety of Metal styles and influences into
one cohesive collection of music to achieve the Gomorra sound?
Damir Eskic:
Gomorra’s sound is part 80s and also some 90s US metal bands mix…we all like
different styles of metal music, but together we just play this power, thrashy
riffing sounds with a lot of epic melodies.
CV: Is it a challenge to maintain a balance
or are there times when one style or influence seems to dominate more than
another when it comes to songwriting?
DE:
Yeah, some songs come just from the hands and the melodies are in the head
already when we start to jam. Some other songs are more difficult and we often spend
more time on those ideas.
CV: Metal around the
world is populated with legions and legions of fans. Why do you think Metal
music is so alluring? Is it more of a way of living then just a musical taste
choice?
DE:
Metal is just an energetic and powerful sound that people around the world
like. Of course some people also like a lot of the themes that bands write about. For
me personally, metal is also a sign of being a free human. In many countries it is
not so easy to listen to metal and to show it or wear it with the shirts and
merch…so, I’m happy that I’m living as a free human who lives and loves metal
music. And metal is also something like an international language that every
metalhead understands in his heart.
CV: Has Metal splintered
into too many sub-genres or is this more of a testament to the music's power
and worldwide reach to be so diversified? Is Metal one big happy family or do
some levels of separation now exist because of the multitude of genre facets?
DE:
For my own taste, metals split into too many sub-genres, but this is also a
thing of being a free human; being able to create and compose. Hmm…in some
countries, metalheads are a big family and in some others not. For example, I
have some Black Metal friends, they don’t like power metal…they hate it, and often
discuss a lot about it. But for me, they are like in a mode agency, and only
their brand will they like. Other brands are stupid, and this is bad in my
opinion…I would like it if more metal people would be more tolerant…but it’s a
dream wish.
CV: Do you find that
with the multiple classifications within the Metal genre, it is often difficult
for a band to accurately define or describe their style...especially
considering the diverse range of individual interpretation of music?
DE:
Yes, I have some students now who have bands that I really don’t know what
they play…Old School, Pagan, SKA, and other stuff…this is a bit too much for
me…hahahahaah….
CV: Does it make finding
an audience harder than ever before in your opinion?
DE:
It’s definitely hard to find an audience today… everybody buys instruments and forms
bands…it’s good and bad…so, people split. Now after COVID, in the area I live,
we have six metal shows every weekend around 50 km radius….
CV: Gomorra's new
album, “Dealer of Souls,” is set to release in
December. What can you tell us about the album? What can Metal fans expect?
Does it follow a theme or have some particular conceptual inspiration
associated throughout the totality of the album's track listing?
DE:
We just write about the truth and things that happen or things that maybe were happening. “Dealer of Souls” is more about this isolation time of COVID, and
how people are and how people changed through these bad times.
It was cool to work on this album and to see how we in the band think differently between each other…so, at the end, this album helped us also to understand each other better than before.
A metal fan will feel the full power and dynamics…and of course, all of the epic-ness of this amazing album!!
CV: The first single “War
of Control,” has already been released and has fans
clamoring for the album’s official release. A video clip for “Stand
United,” which features a guest performance by Burning
Witches vocalist Laura
Guldemond is set to follow-up. What was it like
working with Laura and
what do you feel her participation and talent brought to the track that otherwise
would not be there?
DE:
Yes! “War of Control” is our sound…it is our mood of the album! Speed and power
are in the same song, that’s our thing! And yes, Laura is a part of our
family here, and “Stand United” was screaming for Laura’s part in this song,
and we love the result! It fits Laura’s voice and generally to her. This is
also a Red Sonja/Conan thing…the video was amazing to film and to be there and
see how everything grows…hmm…I think great friendship is also the statement we
give to this album. So, without Laura’s voice, “Stand United” would still be a
great song, but now it’s a song with a good friend that sounds also nice!!!
CV: How does “Dealer
of Souls” stack up against the band’s debut release "Divine
Judgment” in your opinion? Is the new record a continuation of intense
speed and groove or was the goal to take on a new sonic persona giving Gomorra additional
depth and an even larger audience appeal?
DE:
Hmm…. I love just this…what we create. We don’t think too much about, “Is
this now the same or better or do we go to another thing…?” No, we just
play and have fun together creating music and being creative…some parts are a little
bit more experimental, but generally this is our sound, and we will not change
it to more of whatever people want. No, we like metal and we play metal!
CV: Do you feel Heavy
Metal music is viewed differently by fans in Europe compared to fans in
America? If so, why do you believe that is the case?
DE:
Metal fans have lots of similarities around the world. In some countries, people
are wilder, but generally, metal heads are metal heads. I cannot say if the North
Americans are better than Europeans or Asians…no, there are a lot of similarities…
you have in Germany, people who party or who stand and look at a show…I’m sure you
have the same thing in North and South America.
CV: Does songwriting
define the band or does the band define the songwriting in your opinion? Can
songwriting styles pigeon hole a band over time, creating limitations?
DE:
Good question. I think we are defined through our love of heavy and thrash
metal. And we like the true lyrical theme…and we of course try to keep our sound
when we create new songs…personal characters define the band and lyrics.
CV: In addition to new
album in December, what's next for Gomorra? Any
plans on touring to support the album…any US dates?
DE:
This will be amazing, but let’s see…if people buy Gomorra music, maybe we will
one day come over the ocean….
CV: Thank you
again Damir for
spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I
wish you all the best and continued success.
DE: Thank you so much for this cool interview! Cheers!
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