SEAS ON THE MOON – ARTIST SHOWCASE & INTERVIEW
Seas On The Moon is a progressive metal band originally formed in 1998 in Moldova by the Voluta brothers. Brothers Valentin (Guitar) and Eugene (Drums) started the band due to their love of Nirvana. Seas On The Moon have been through several transformations. The original band slowly evolved into a more metal direction after being influenced by such artists as Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation and Andromeda. By 2001 the band reformed with a new lineup and vitality. Seas On the Moon began playing local shows but stopped again in 2006 due to the lack of time and perspective,
In 2009, the Voluta brothers restarted the group once again. It basically became a studio project for Valentin and Eugene. In 2102, Eugene decided to join the band Infected Rain and concentrated mostly playing live with other Moldavian metal bands. Valentin continued to record under the Seas On The Moon moniker using expert musicians and guest vocalists.
Now to the present. Seas On The Moon put out an instrumental album entitled Mioritual Healing in 2020. It contains ten tracks full of dark and menacing soundscapes and experimental arrangements. The record is an aural masterpiece that transports the listener to foreign worlds and dimensions. The music is sublime and the musicianship is powerfully propulsive.
This year Seas On The Moon released another full length entitled Collision Illusion where Valentin collaborated with a number of established vocalist including Lena Scissorhands, Athena, Andrea Verdi and Octavian Casian. The twelve songs are extremely riff driven with incendiary textures. Valentin’s guitar is full of volcanic explosions. He envelopes each tune with layers of intricate guitar riffs and solos. The myriad of vocalists offers a vibrant variety to the whole affair. “Opium”, “Gone” and “Hollow Side” are divine standouts.
Seas On The Moon also dropped three adventurous singles in 2021.”Bugs-Extended” (with Athena/Vitaly Machunsky), “The Regress” (with Lena Scissorhands) and “Enough Is Enough” (with Athena) again spotlight Valentin’s strong songwriting and forceful guitar skills. All three songs rock. Seas On The Moon is a powerhouse endeavor whose music is tremendously alive and creative.
Valentin Voluta was gracious enough to answer a few questions for AMP.
AMP: Can you give the AMP audience a brief history of the band?
Valentin: The band was formed many year ago as a school band and since then went through a lot of different periods developing in what it became nearly two year ago. A studio project that features different singers according to each song’s concept and style. Mostly for fun.
AMP: How has your songwriting progressed through the year?
Valentin: It has progressed a lot and now it has reached a certain level that allows me to write a “song”, and not just a mix of guitar riffs. If it comes, the song “happens” almost instantly and after that I start to look for the proper singer.
AMP: You collaborate with many vocalists and musicians. Does that keep the music fresh?
Valentin: Absolutely!! It gives you the freedom and richness of different voices which you don’t have with one singer. I really like experimenting with layering of different singers in choruses/bridges that give you crazy and unexpected results such as the freshly released song “Bugs” where you can hear an astonishing Athena/Vitaly Machunsky vocal mix.
AMP: Your music is vibrant and full of energy. How would you describe your sound?
Valentin: That is the exact word: energy. Mostly it’s energy, power and groove accompanied by catchy melodies.
AMP: Any plans to reunite with your brother?
Valentin: Not sure.
AMP: What is the Moldavian rock scene like?
Valentin: Almost absent. Being a studio project and working remotely with mostly singers from other counties I don’t really care about the Moldavian scene.
AMP: Are there any tours in the works?
Valentin: Could be in the future but considering the big number of singers involved it would be really complicated logistically and with tour management. It would be easier to reduce it to one or two singers.
AMP: What is the future like for Seas On The Moon?
Valentin: Many cool songs, discoveries and hopefully tours!!!
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To learn more about Seas On The Moon:
Follow: Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
Stream their music: Spotify / Bandcamp
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