Interview with... Crypta (Sonia Anubis) [ENG]

by Pietro G Nero (21/04/2021)

Photo credits (left to right):
- Sonia Anubis (lead guitars), Tainá Bergamaschi (guitars), Fernanda Lira (vocals & bass), Luana Dametto (drums)
- Sonia Anubis (lead guitars), Luana Dametto (drums), Tainá Bergamaschi (guitars), Fernanda Lira (vocals & bass)
- Sonia Anubis (pic by Renan Facciolo)

Hi Sonia, first thanks for your availability and for giving us this honour! Let’s start from the beginning. One year ago, Luana and Fernanda decided to leave Nervosa and to focus only on Crypta, whose line-up was completed by you and Tainá. Can you tell us something more about the genesis (or new life) of this project?

In the beginning, back in 2019 (the band was not announced publicly yet) CRYPTA was meant to be a side-project for us, to be able to write music in the style of death metal. Before the announcement, we had been writing together a lot to really find our vibe and get to know each other. We realised the connection between us was very strong, and started taking CRYPTA more seriously. Due to personal reasons (unrelated to CRYPTA), it didn’t work out with our previous bands and we decided to make a change. So far we do not regret our choices at all and we are extremely excited with what’s coming for us!

It seemed from the recent making of video of “From the Ashes” (incredibly powerful song, I really like it!!) that there is a good alchemy among the four of you. Can you confirm this impression? Did you know each other before?

From the beginning of CRYPTA, we felt the chemistry between each other was very strong. We understand each other very well and there is no lack of communication, even with the crazy distance! Something we share is that we are all very expressive and passionate musicians, we live and breath music! Luana, Fernanda and I knew each other before form having seen each other sometimes — actually, the first time we really got to talk was when we shared a concert line up (Nervosa, Burning Witches) back in August 2018. This is when we got to see each other perform. A year later, Fer and Lu contacted me about them wanting to get this project started and asked me if I was interested in joining. I definitely accepted, because that is what later on became CRYPTA!

How do you manage rehearsal and other coordinated activities in this time of pandemic and travels’ limitation? I am thinking especially about you that are the only one from Europe.

At the moment, the only time we get to rehearse was back in January this year. I flew all the way to Sao Paulo, Brazil from Amsterdam, The Netherlands — a lot of distance! Got to meet the band, record our upcoming album ‘Echoes of the Soul’, do all the recordings for the upcoming video’s and the necessary photoshoots together!

How important has been to have the immediate trust of a major label like Napalm Records in the development of the album?

We are very lucky that we get to release our very first album together with Napalm Records. Fernanda has worked with them for many years before, so we trust in their work. We are very excited to what the future is holding for us and thankful we can do it with the help of a major label.

Can you tell us something about the creative process of the songs?

We all in the band are involved in the writing process! We share our ideas in our Google Drive, in this way we find out which ideas fit the best together. I always straight up record my ideas in guitar recordings. Luana and Fernanda do it with the so-called “mouth riffs”, haha, they record they ideas with their voice and I translate them in guitar riffs.

The cover Artwork (by Wes Benscoter) is absolutely stunning, from whom originated the idea and is there any specific link to the songs (beside the coffins seen in “From the Ashes” Video)?

We wanted an artwork that was horrific, fit our sound and reflects the aesthetic of CRYPTA. Wes Benscoter is a very talented painter and he has worked for numerous amazing bands such as Slayer, Cattle Decapitation, Nile and many more. We couldn’t go wrong with him since he shines in this style. We had already very well in mind what the concept of the cover would be! As visualised, a fleshy coffin in the middle of a dark crypt, the door of the coffin is opening slowly, something or someone is about to come out of it. What might it be?! It is really up to interpretation, it was definitely strong enough to break the chains that closed the coffin. The demons on the sides, engraves in the stone walls of the crypt, both holding candles that are melting due to the fire, the only source of light in this crypt.

How do you see the future of live music? Are you currently planning any tour?

We are indeed already planning for 2022 even! It has been way too long without concerts for all of us, and we are dying to get on stage ourselves. For that, we are working hard on getting as much chance as we can to be on stage soon after the pandemic.

Death Metal in Crypta and Heavy Metal/Hard Rock in Cobra Spell (btw Poison Bite is amazing!!). What’s the real “Sonia’s soul”?

My soul lays on everything that is music related! As long as I can be part of it and loose my own creativity safely and free of judgement. I do not care about genres and making groups to separate people. I just want to enjoy and praise music for its wonderful existence.

Hard question now… From what I have heard the style is quite different and I really like both bands (especially the “Technical” approach of your guitar). But… Do you (as a band) feel somehow in competition with Nervosa?

Not at all, music is not and never will be about competition. We just want to make music because we love it, it’s our biggest passion. We want to do this surrounded with like-minded people, that share the same vibe and emotion.

Thank you again for this interview! Can I ask you to leave a message to Forge of Steel’s readers? Hope to see you soon live! Ciao!

Thank you so much for having me on this interview and all the readers here! Your support is greatly appreciated and I can’t wait to show you more of what we got steady. It is a difficult time now, but let’s hold on and hope the pandemic passes as soon as possible.