METAL SILVAE WEBZINE (2003)

Hi Inger Alb. Tell me about Telurica. When had this project his birth?
Hello! Telurica started in January 2003, as a result of some previous musical experiments, developed while recording the first Inger de Fier album - a music born under the sign of the frozen winter...

What do you try to do with your project?
The idea behind this band was to create a dark, unusual & depressive music, by mixing ambiental keyboards with industrial sounds and noise elements. I am interested more in experimenting with different sounds & strange musical patterns, rather than creating a certain song.

You are trying to become Thy Veils succesor?
Haha! It might sound strange, but I've never listened to a full Thy Veils album! Actually, I am not interested in copying a certain band (Romanian or not). If some parts of my music do remind you of another artist, it's pure coincidence, rather than a conscious result. I believe that every musical act (such as Telurica) has its place in the underground scene, and I don't see the other Romanian ambient bands as "competition". I'm glad that artist like Thy Veils, or Archaos exist, they give quality to the Romanian ambient scene.

Computer generated sounds are nice, but don't you think that is a very impersonal thing? You can't create the same atmosphere like the regular instruments.
It depends on the message and the type of music you intend to create. After all, the computer is a tool - a modern one, but still only an instrument of creation. It's enough to say that if two individuals are given the same computer, the same programs and the same loops & sounds, they will create two completely different songs. Why? Because it's the human mind & soul controlling the machine. I don't favor the computer over the classic instruments, or viceversa (especially since I play bass in a metal band). Sometimes the computer generated sounds fit better, and sometimes, they don't. One thing is sure though: creating music with the help of a computer is cheaper than using only conventional instruments & analog recording hardware.

You've been inspired by Interitus Dei? They also have computer generated sounds.
Haha, what a strange question! :) I like Interitus Dei's music, but they are not one of my musical influences. We (probably) both use computer generated sounds because it's easier & cheaper. And this is also why many romanian bands rely on PC - it's far too expensive to pay for a professional record studio (and to be honest, the final result may suck big time, since there are not so many skilled sound enginners in Romania), so we have to stick to home studios, limited & cheap hardware, etc. It's a miracle the Romanian Underground has so many good artists, in spite on the lack of money & equipment. The total dedication of the musicians makes the difference, I guess...

Tell me 5 of your prefered ambiental bands.
Hmmm...from the International scene, I like Coph Nia, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Endraum, Fate and the Muse, and of course Dead Can Dance, and from Romania, I like most of the bands: Archaos, Divine Muzak, The Beyond, Arhetip (they're also on Axa Valaha), W A R, and last, but not least, Mysteria (a sideproject of Bogdan Boeru of Interitus Dei) and Narkoleptik (both from my town, Constanta).

How do you think your album will be received by the Romanian rockers? And by foreign rockers?
Well, it's obvious that for the Romanian rockers it's a strange, unusual music, and this may explain why most of the Romanian ambiental acts are still unknown to the listeners (that combined with the lack of promotion). I'm aware it's not "music for the masses" but I hope it'll attract some audience. So far the reactions are quite good, I've received emails from both Romanian & foreign listeners, the album was reviewed by several zines and songs were aired by local & International radios, so things are moving in the right direction.

The name of your project has anything to do with the music you're making?
The name Telurica is the expression of the atmosphere created by the music. It comes from the term "tellurian", which means "of the earth, terrestrial". My music doesn't come from etherial spheres, but straight from the bowels of the Earth, it's visceral and dark...what better name to describe such universe?

What are your plans for the future?
As far as Telurica is concerned, the new album is ready! It's entitled "The Calling of the Battlehorn" and features eight songs. The music may be considered a combination of symphonic, ambient, and electronic, plus real guitar & bass lines. It's still ambient, but on a higher & more complex level. I believe it will be quite a surprise! As for my other projects, I'm currently working on the new Inger de Fier EP (it will feature four songs); I've also started a new side-project, called Project 333, which will be a support act for the Telurica & Inger de Fier releases (each future release of these bands will also be accompanied by a free Project 333 cd!).

How do you get along with your label, Axa Valaha?
Axa Valaha has been a firm supporter of both Telurica and Inger de Fier. Since this type of music is not destined to the great commercial succes, it was clear to me that only a 100% dedicated person would be able to promote my projects well - and that person is Coro. So far he's done a great job, and I must thank him for that!

Thanks for your answers, IngerAlb, and good luck.
Thank you for the interview, all the best to you and your readers! If anyone's interested in finding out more about Telurica, please visit the official site: www.telurica.go.ro. You may contact me at: ingeralb333@yahoo.com. Support the underground!

Interview by Bucur Razvan.