Roy Kristensen from Imhotep spoke to vocalist Carmen Simoès from Portugal's AVA INFERI recently about a number of topics

including their new album, The Silhouette, which is out now via Season Of Mist. A few excerpts from the chat found here follow:

Imhotep: The album is dark and melancholic. It can be listened to as background music, no doubt, because it floats so well as a whole. But there can be parts that are challenging when it comes to the emotional aspects of the music. And it is, as sad, dark and rather melancholic. So, Carmen, where does this darkness come from?

Simoès: “It is the way the songs are written, and the vocal lines and lyrics need to fit to the musical part. I have a dark side like everybody else, I guess. I like to express both sides. If I can express the positive side, but if I manage to express my negative side I think that’s positive as well. I need to get everything out.”

Imhotep: So, is it like a cleansing, that you feel relieved when you’re done?

Simoès: “Yeah, you can say that. If I wrote about things that everybody can do, I doubt it would mean that much to me. If it is already done, I don’t think I would feel relieved. But I’m not here to do something totally different, because that’s not what I want to do. What I want to do is what I feel! Of course there are white, black and grey aspects, but I’m pleased that I can release that.”

Imhotep: In my opinion The Silhouette is closer to grey and dark than anything else. But there is beauty as well. In 'Wonders Of Dusk', which is a beautiful track, there is this line in the chorus, 'Why do you fight against the truth that you hide?'!

Simoès: “Conformity is killing you from inside. If it last too long and you do nothing about it, you end up dead. It is the aspect of this song, that you can hide but you have to face yourself in the mirror. So, be proud of what you are, and stand up and face everything. I think that conformity is one of the worst things that are happening in our society these days. People just get numb with what they have in their lives. Materialism is killing a lot of the spirituality in people and that leads to a lack of inner will. So, you end up just going where everybody else is going. Of course, most people have to go to work to pay the bills and such, but the will is more and more gone.”