Interviews About Albums: Dilaghran - Into Mirkwood’s Pathways We Walk (2022)

In this new interview, we sat down with the Andorran Raw Black Metal/Dungeon Synth/Tolkien Metal band Dilaghran to ask some questions about their new album "Into Mirkwood's Pathways We Walk". 

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

Cheers! I'm pleased to introduce DILAGHRAN's full-length album "Into Mirkwood's Pathways We Walk" as an epic journey inward the dark and mysteries of Mirkwood, the mighty woodland once elven glory shadowed by evil and myst. Much like the previous works, the album proceeds as a conceptual tolkienist adventure throught the advent of the Necromancer; each song is a scenery, a quest for travelers, an immersive act.

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

Mirkwood is one of the most eminent domains in JRR Tolkien's tradition, at the heart of Middle Earth, one of the oldest forests with plenty of lore wounded by paths and roads made by each one of the incarnates. And it serves as a pure spirit for a fantasy folktale.

3. Which one is the composer of the CD/EP?

I, Séan Besolí, arrange the music and lyrics. Many elements serve as the inspiration of the project, from the canonical Tolkien father and son tales to the unorthodox legacy established by Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE) with the creation of MERP (Middle Earth Role Playing books built up in the 80s), among others. Musically raw, shaped in vogue of old school dungeon synth and, may I say, highly influenced by other tolkienist projects as Summoning, Grimdor, Keys of Orthanc, Numenor, or Thangorodrim.

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

The whole album works as a unique concept. Even so "The Shadow of Dol Guldur" works as an essential epicness to open the passage that leads to the fable.

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD?

If there is what it is? There is no special message, other than storytelling and reverence of the adventuresome soul of fantasy and reverie.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

As in the preceding DILAGHRAN's productions, all the lyrics are a personal gamble considering that they have been composed in Black Speech, combining both Land Of Shadow (LOS) and MERP dialects. I invite you to read and interpret, and be part of the study, just like any professor has done within Tolkien's Nature.

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, someone you'd love to thank especially?

Aside from the composer influences, which I already mentioned, there are indeed many other inspirations, beyond arts and crafts. Musically speaking, projects and bands from the Scandinavian and French black metal scene, together with the local Pyrenean and Catalan (past and present) extreme metal scene;- especially all the bands involved in the Pyrenean black metal legions, where I was immersed many years ago, with Manu R. (Torb, Morth Wyrtha) in the project named In Ignem Aeternum; and still with other amazing projects as Hexafoil, PYRE: NUMEN, De Veneficas Inferi, Anima or In Eclipse -. I serve myself of many other bands, no matter the influences o styles, but many of them are tainted progressive atmospheric or even more experimental. I would like to say that there's a growing wave of amazing dungeon synth-related artists (Frostgard, Old Nick, Skyborg, Fogweaver, Hole Dweller, Fen Walker, Daedric Chamber, Quest Master, Elminster, and many more) that had deliver a lot of inspiration in this project as well most time-honored ones (Elffor, Mortiis, Fief, Wongraven, Burzum, Old Tower and many more). I would like to thank everybody involved in this project, Jonatan Cabezudo, who allowed me to use his studio (x0fx2 Studios) for vocal recording and share a reverie project; Negra Nit distro; and my partner, friends, and family.

8. Something to add?

I'm always invested and trying to develop this project further; I am currently recording new material. At this time I already have created brand new tracks, and a multitude of guitar and drums recordings and I am now working on the lyrics. It will be something different, but still raw and tolkienist. I'll remain in the BMIK Studios and I'll continue to work with Jonatan Cabezudo to record vocal parts and chorus. Likewise, I requested a new emblem by Manel from Woodcvtter Illustration (Amargor, Vampyric Winter, Syberia, Nocturnal Tyrant) to represent the new artwork. Meanwhile, please enjoy this dark and epic journey inward Mirkwood's forest!