Answered by Vaidotas Darulis
1.)To kick things off, tell our audience a bit about the origin story of Erdve.
Thank you for talking to me!
Erdve was first conceived around 10 years ago, as a specific musical project without an
intention of playing live. I have written and recorded the first batch of music that I couldn’t
realise in my previous bands I was in and released a limited edition cassette of our first
album via local label GHIA. The local response to our music was very positive so I decided to
invite some of my dear friends to continue Erdve as a band, things quickly kicked off and we
eventually signed with Season of Mist to release our debut album ‘Vaitojimas’.
Inspiration to make music comes from the very deep love and passion for it, I don’t
remember anything else that drove me through early life that much and it still does. Our
lifestyles, social circles, interests were always built around the music scene. Making music is
our favorite way to communicate our worldview and feelings in a unique way.
2.) Who took the lead on the lyrics for the song “Epigrama” and what was the spark that
brought that track to life?
I was the main lyricist for the album. The song EPIGRAMA follows an idea that every decision,
or lack thereof, carries an unavoidable debt to be accounted for. It’s about finding significance,
clarity and the true meaning of choices which is basically something that I have been personally
dealing with for a while. Every song in the album has something like that in common – a
personal reflection, which is very important to me in relation to writing music, there’s just no
other way.
3.) If you had to describe Erdve’s sound to someone who hasn’t heard you yet, what would you
say?
If I was to simplify this answer based on the sound only – it’s mostly mid-tempo based heavy
music with a lot of emphasis on brutal low end hardcore and atmosphere. Our music is inspired
by a very wide array of genres, hence the experimental label. We take many things from many
places and our goal is to make things interesting enough to maintain the attention of a listener.
4.) How has the songwriting evolved for the new album? What does that process look like for you
Lately?
Since the last album, we have taken some time to re-discover our relationship with music. That
involved looking for different inspirations, learning new recording techniques, practicing mixing
and sound design. This time the album was meticulously crafted and worked on in a way that is completely different from what we did before. This includes countless hours of layering and reworking the tracks, trying to create a meaningful impact for each section of the song. We tried to make everything consistent, but not repetitive. We have also scrapped an entire full-length demo that was on its way for the final production, we felt it was not good enough for the third release. So, we really looked back on what we were doing and pointed out things that we want to keep and things that we’d like to change in order to provide the most authentic music to our true selves. It’s always about the feeling and we felt that we need to reevaluate things.
5.)What are some of the recurring themes or messages you find yourself exploring in your lyrics?
EPIGRAMA is a deconstructive exploration of gradual psychological erosion, where grief,
nostalgia and stagnation is bound by the natural laws of entropy. It suggests that every decision,
or lack thereof, carries an unavoidable debt, while regret becomes an anchor in a mire of guilt
and shame. The album speaks of attempts to find solace in old memories or utilizing the power
of creativity to withstand the devastating truth of entropy, until self-decay appears to be the only
lever of control left in the flow of time. EPIGRAMA views life as a series of intertwining
architectural constructs where crumbling beliefs shake the foundation, truth becomes
redundant, and the reality of regret remains unsolvable. The structure is collapsing either way
though, whether it will be either through severe moral and physical degradation or happiness
and fulfillment, the universe stays indifferent. Ultimately, this album is a series of stories about
seeking serenity while living with failure, often aching to return to places in time, where you felt
loved.
6.)The cover art for “Epigrama” is striking, who was the creative mind behind that vision?
Thank you! Epigrama’s cover artwork features the first 2 out of 8 sculptures that we’ve made for
each song as part of the visual identity for the whole album. This was done by me and my two
friends Vainius Česnauskas (@vainius.art) and Marija Česnauskienė-Dvarionaitė
(@maryces.art).
The idea for the artwork is that an Epigram is a short, concise, witty, and often satirical poem or
saying that ends with a clever twist or memorable remark, usually seen carved on monuments
or gravestones, therefore we aimed the cover (and back) artwork to have a gravestone-like
impression, a direct reference to monumental grave sculptures, the ones found in cemeteries
like Campo Verano in Rome. While dense textures represent a psychological complexity and
erosion, those sculptures can be considered as gravestones deeply weathered in the flow of
time. Herein the concept of entropy comes into play, a universal idea that everything eventually
moves from order to disorder, inevitable and irreversible decline of structure. Psychological
decline, insanity, addiction, regret, grief, wounds, even skin wrinkles, – are all a subject against
the unforgiving nature of entropy. Therefore, a weathered sculpture becomes an embodiment of
truth, a symbol for the great journey of life towards nothing.
7.) Do you find your energy translates better in an intimate club venue or a massive festival
setting? Also, which show stands out as your all-time favorite?
I think both of these settings have their purpose and vibe, we enjoy both.
Also, we are keen on doing shows in unexpected places whenever we have a possibility. You
can find two of such shows that we played in St. John’s church in Vilnius, and also in Lukiškės
ex-prison. Both of those are available on youtube. Those are our favourites for sure due to the
unique architectural setting and the uncomfortable nature of playing in such places compared to
regular venues.
8.)Which artists inspired you to be in a band?
When we created Erdve, we were inspired by the flourishing ‘’Roadburn’’ scene which was
considered a thing for niche/experimental metal acts. I don’t wanna name specific ones because
I don’t like many of those bands anymore due to their inactivity or other things that I don’t
appreciate now. Kind of having this gradual transformation in terms of what inspires me to play
heavy music.
Before that the whole metal palette had its highlights in my creative life, I went through all of it
and am now just focused on doing our own thing.
9.) If you could sit down and collaborate with any artist or band right now, who would be at the top
of your list?
Humanity’s Last Breath, Gaerea, Loathe, Spiritbox and Knocked Loose. Hit me up, anytime.
Call me at night.
10.)What’s the current pulse of the metal scene from your perspective?
Depends on which part of the metal scene is in your scope of concern. Not even sure, how do
you define the metal scene to be honest. I speak to many people, they all have different feelings
about it. For example, I mostly appreciate the modern scene now, BMTH show recently was one
of the best shows I’ve seen in my life, but the bigger part of the metal scene doesn’t really care
about them. So it’s difficult to say. I know that I don’t really care for most legacy bands, they still
headline and are on top of the rosters, but they are of no relevance to me, so I’m not sure if I
have a correct overview of all things metal. I just know what I like and I am really inspired by the
new generation of bands that are totally killing it.
11.)Are there any endorsements or gear brands you’re currently working with that you’d like to
shout out?
Not really!
12.) What does the tour calendar look like? Any big shows or festivals we should be marking
Down?
Not at this moment, will keep you posted!
13.)Where’s the best place for fans to keep up with you and dive into your community online?
Probably Instagram. Nothing out of ordinary!
You can follow Erdve on all major social media and streaming platforms.
Follow Erdve:
Bandcamp
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
Spotify
Apple Music
Tidal
Deezer
RECORD LABEL SEASON OF MIST
