Story of Nemrud

Το Ράδιο Ταξιδευτές σας παρουσιάζει μια απίθανη progressive μπάντα από την Τουρκία. Το παρακάτω κείμενο είναι από την Ιστοσελίδα τους
Story of Nemrud

Nemrud has been established in late 2008 in Istanbul by Mert Göçay, Harun Sönmez and Aycan Sarı. Till the current formation of the group was settled there had been several changes in the composition of band members. Within this period, band started with weekly studio tests and eventually in mid 2010 Nemrud released their first conceptual “Progressive Rock” album “Journey of the Shaman” via Musea Records from France. Before becoming the permanent member of the Nemrud, Mert Topel was one of the guest musicians of the successful debut. In late 2010 Mert Alkaya joined the band and the current line-up are formed.

The group is named after Mount Nemrut;  a  2150m high mountain lies in southestern Turkey, known by tomb-sanctuary built in 62bc by King Antiochus I Theos of Commageme on the top mouintain overlooking the Euphrates Valley. It is flanked by statues of ancient gods of east and west, erected on both eastern and western side of the 50m tumulus but heads are no longer attached to statues that were originally between 8-10m tall. Mount Nemrut  is the place embracing the Middle of the Ground and the place that first album character “Mitos” passes by while going to the Underground. This mountain is at a sacred place which is the intersection point of East and West, two worlds that mankind have been believing for hundreds of years.

Nemrud has gone beyond the Turkish standard rock or popular line-chorus structured songs and pushed the technical and composition limits of rock music. Besides, there are classic, jazz and avant-garde components in their compositions. The album shows the general characteristics of Progressive Rock such as changing melodies and rhythms, refrains from repetition, conceptual and abstract lyrics. The admiration of the band for the golden era of Progressive Rock; 70s reflects itself in the epical stories used in the albums.

Journey of the Shaman

There are 3 songs in the album which tell the story of the physical and spiritual journey of “Mitos”, a Shaman living in the steps of Central Asia, upon the message he received from the other world. These three songs represent the three kingdoms in Shamanism belief.

According to the shamanism, there is a direct axis attaching directly the “Ground” where people live on, the “Underground” where dead people move to, and the “Sky” in spiritual meaning. This axis takes place between the middle of the ground and the middle of the sky. There are 7 layers in the underground and sky kingdoms. Any shaman to reach to the sky for any reason first has to go under to the underground; hence no one can reach up to the sky without passing through the underground.

The recording of “Journey of The Shaman” album has been completed as analog in November 2009 at Studio 18, under management of Levent Buyuk. Levent Buyuk, who has completed many successful albums so far, has supported Nemrud in their album for a music type that was never tried in Turkey before and provided his talents to them with regard to the compositions, recordings, mix and mastering.

Ritual

Ritual is the second album by Nemrud, released in May 2013 via Musea Records again. After the debut album of some exceptional material and some mixed results, they pulled it all together on 4 pieces composed concept album about schizoid person who tries to face himself in the dreams for his own enlightenment. Four layers grounded get into Ritual for change fundamentally the old ways of feeling and thinking, and to rid oneself of the vulnerability to those emotions associated with old feelings and thoughts. Its purpose is to rebirth of character using reason, challenge ideas grounded in tradition and faith, and advance knowledge through the spiritual journey.

The album was recorded at Papağan Studio and The Kulube, in two sessions between September and October 2012. The recording sessions made use of some of the most retro studio techniques of these days. The Studio was capable 24-track mixes, which offered a greater degree of flexibility. The band played together entire album and recorded in less than hour via 1 inches tapes. Interesting a central theme for the project, the band used several experiments in a divergent attempt to spur the creative process. One exercise involved band playing on a four tracks with no reference to what the steady pulse for the music. The tempo was entirely random while the band played around an agreed chord structure and mood.