Switzerland based Dakhma has fascinated me ever since coming across their 2015 EP Astiwihad-Zohr. At that point in time, the band was a one-man black/death metal project that offered dense and cavernous material where it felt like you had to peel back the layers of noise and grime to get to the details underneath. Using this abrasive foundation, Dakhma explored elements of Zoroastrianism, with the band name representing the flat-topped towers (towers of silence) that were used to give the dead sky burials and expose their bodies to the elements to be picked clean. Over the past five years or so the group has evolved significantly, bringing on drummer Ahu Spozgar as a permanent member and exploring equal amounts of crushing, powerful riffs and haunting melodies with a noticeable Middle Eastern/Persian flair. The two albums that have come out since, 2018’s Hamkar Atonement and 2021’s Blessings of Amurdad have offered up similarly dense material but emphasized different instrumental and production approaches, with the former going for extended periods of ritualistic ambient and the latter offering up a more direct and bludgeoning approach while still emphasizing some unique rhythmic elements. You can read my reviews of both albums below, which I found to be powerful and memorable in ways that deviated from the typical death and black metal out there. I had the chance to send some questions over to founder Karapan Darvish (also known as Kerberos) to learn more about Blessings of Amurdad and how the group has changed over time. Thanks to Dakhma for answering these questions and their label Eisenwald for helping to set it up.
Hamkar Atonement Review: https://metaltrenches.com/reviews/hamkar-atonement-1647
Blessings of Amurdad Review: https://metaltrenches.com/reviews/dakhma-blessings-of-amurdad-album-review-3305
1. Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Blessings of Amurdad comes three years after Hamkar Atonement. When did writing for the new album begin and how long did it take for the material to reach its final state?
Writing (or rather forming the first ideas for new music) is constantly underway and began, in a sense, before Hamkar Atonement had been released. As you are probably aware, there are generally lengthy delays between the time that an album is completed and the time that it is released. Naturally, I continue to create and compose as well as work on music in other projects I am involved in pretty much constantly. As it pertains to Blessings of Amurdad, it’s difficult for me to say precisely how long it took for the material to reach the final state that ended up on the recording. Most of the material was composed – at least the general ideas and structures of the songs – within a span of two weeks, I believe. However, the material went through a lengthy process of what could be called "refinement" and "maturation" amongst myself and Ahu Spozgar, mainly through rehearsals and recording demos.
2. Dakhma was Kerberos’ solo project until drummer H.A.T.T. joined in 2016. With the band operating as a duo for two albums now, has that changed the writing process from the earlier days and is it more of a collaborative effort?
The creative process has changed dramatically. While the early material was solely my creation, since Hamkar Atonement Dakhma's music has increasingly become the work of a two-piece, myself and Ahu Spozgar (known as H.A.T.T. in other musical endeavors). When Dakhma was formed, I would merely create on my own and at my own pace. Involving Ahu Spozgar in the creative process has thoroughly enriched the material and allowed for a different perspective on what can sometimes become "entrenched" ideas – when left to one's own devices – for structures. For Blessings of Amurdad in particular, I composed the melodies and structures of the songs as "sketches", if you will, with Ahu Spozgar contributing heavily in the rehearsal and refinement stage as well as during recording. In the future, I would say Dakhma's music could benefit even more from furthering this symbiotic creative process we have managed to develop.
3. While there are still plenty of ritualistic elements present on Blessings of Amurdad, this album feels more direct overall thanks to the brevity of the interludes and how seamlessly the traditional instrumentation is integrated with the crushing death metal this time around. Was this a conscious decision to scale back some of the ambient and ritual interludes, or was it more of a natural evolution from Hamkar Atonement?
I would say this stems from the creative process and how the songs were created. While Hamkar Atonement was more interested in creating a generally oppressive atmosphere, Blessings of Amurdad was composed with specific melodies in mind. Frankly, I usually collect ideas for melodies over time, which then develop into songs. When playing the songs on Blessings of Amurdad, I feel the compositions are far more detailed and involved, dare I say more complex, than anything we created on Hamkar Atonement. Considering that all songs on Blessings of Amurdad are guided by rather simple melodies, this may come somewhat as a surprise. However, we are (at least currently) very much interested in creating engaging songs rather than an amalgamation of sinister riffs and atmospheres, hence the somewhat shifted focus that you perceived on Blessings of Amurdad versus Hamkar Atonement.
4. The production is much clearer than before, without sacrificing power and weight. Given how noisy some of Dakhma’s previous material has been, what factors made it time to start increasing the clarity?
I firmly believe that an album's material and music should dictate its production. If you're going for a murky, sinister atmosphere, then a sterile, plastic-sounding super clean studio production will result in your vision being destroyed and the music sounding somewhat disjointed. That is part of the reason why I insist on recording and mixing all our material myself; the ability to exercise full control over how our creations sound. As for the music on Blessings of Amurdad, we felt that the music called for a thoroughly heavy, powerful and clear, yet still organic sound. Over the years, I've learned quite a bit in the realm of audio production and engineering, allowing me to more accurately capture the sonic qualities the material calls for. I feel that the production on Blessings of Amurdad accurately reflects the music recorded and presents it in the way we feel it should be presented. Future Dakhma material may sound different, depending on how we feel it needs to sound based on the recorded music.
5. It’s clear that with each release both members are pushing themselves more and more, as the transitions are often very abrupt and the drums sound like they are being struck with as much force as humanly possible. Given the lyrical exploration of the relationship between mortality and immortality, does this factor into the attempt to push towards (and possibly beyond) physical limits in your performances?
I would say that the inherent qualities of the material forced us to push ourselves further during the rehearsal and recording process. The lyrical content and the themes explored certainly play a role in the performance, and I find your observation to be an interesting one. However, the idea of "playing at our limits" is primarily due to the material. I'm sure a more virtuosic player could play this material effortlessly, but that is not the point. The music lives from the performance, and I personally rather enjoy hearing (or also seeing, e.g. in a live setting) a performance conducted at the limit of an individual's "comfort zone". I feel that is where art is expressed in a very pure and honest form.
6.What instruments are being used on the acoustic sections in the album? Have you had any formal training for these or have they been self-taught over time?
We use several acoustic instruments and percussion elements. Much of the acoustic material on Blessings of Amurdad was created using an acoustic guitar in an alternate, unconventional tuning and plucking the strings very near to the bridge, allowing for a more intense sound. I took some lessons in guitar when I was a teenager, but that was mostly in blues and jazz, as is common when learning the instrument. Beyond that, I played the violin for thirteen years, which has provided me with valuable perspective in acoustic sound and string instruments in general.
7. While there is plenty of older death and black metal influences woven into Blessings of Amurdad, the weight and extremely low tunings also remind me of Teitanblood’s Death and The Ruins of Beverast’s Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite. Do you also see similarities between these albums and what you have achieved here?
For me, Teitanblood's Death is the pinnacle of extreme music and will likely never be reached in that sonic glory ever again. For me in particular, the use of diverse and layered vocals in all of Teitanblood's music has been a significant influence. I certainly admire the work and ambition of The Ruins of Beverast and consider The Thule Grimoires to be their best album to date. I don't feel their work has influenced the music of Dakhma however. As it pertains to production and song writing, I don't really believe in modelling an album's sound after someone else's work – at least not consciously. Nevertheless, I'm sure that certain sonic sensibilities are drawn from what I enjoy listening to, this is inevitable.
8. The cover art by Babar Moghal is very striking. It shows a dakhma (Tower of Silence), tying back directly to your band name. Tell us more about the ideas behind the artwork and the collaboration with Moghal.
I reached out to Babar Moghal based on the recommendation of my trusted frequent collaborator Menetekel, who stumbled upon his work online and thought it would fit the aesthetic I was going for with Blessings of Amurdad. I described to Babar some general ideas and the vision I had for the cover artwork and after some sketches, he set out to create the final painting. I feel it is important to allow an artist as much creative freedom as possible within the confines of the vision I had for the cover artwork, and I feel he achieved something truly unique with this piece. The artwork is meant to show something lost in time, no less grandiose despite its inevitable decay, thus emphasizing the contrasting perspectives we explore on the record.
9. Both Lykhaeon and Dakhma showcase a tremendous attention to detail when it comes to conceptual elements, with the former offering its own interpretations of Greek mythology. When working on material from both bands, what sort of research is involved and how do you decide which rituals, stories, or other elements to explore?
The amount of research varies and depends on what we decide to pursue for each album. I can't really formulate this in general terms, but its best described by saying we pursue what we are interested in and in turn spare no effort in exploring that interest to the fullest of our creative abilities. However, these projects are not primarily of an academic nature and we allow ourselves due creative freedom to express the ideas we wish to convey on each work.
10. You’re in a unique position, as there are not many metal bands exploring Zoroastrianism and ancient Persian culture. For those that find themselves intrigued by the themes explored on Hamkar Atonement and Blessings of Amurdad, is there particular literature you’d recommend checking out?
I find it most interesting to explore the source material directly as opposed to recommending academic or analytical literature. Interested individuals are advised to read the Gathas, hymns that compose the core of traditional Zoroastrian liturgy. Translations are widely available – and mostly reliable – online.
11. The bands associated with the Helvetic Underground Committee have been more and more active in recent years, and there’s an incredible amount of variety to be found. What would you say is the common thread tying these various projects and musicians together?
The most common thread is probably the most obvious: the overlapping membership of individuals in projects affiliated with the Helvetic Underground Committee and the fact that we provide support for one another in various areas, particularly pertaining to recording and sound engineering. Further, I would say our interest is in creating music that has a strong conceptual element at its core, without sacrificing musical quality in favor of pursuing some concept. I feel that listeners should be able to appreciate the music without having to delve too far into the concepts of each project. While this may result in a less fulfilling experience overall, as it precludes the listener from fully appreciating the work, it should not be less compelling because of it. There are plenty of bands with frankly boring music that pursue fascinating concepts, but that is not something I personally am interested in.
12. Dakhma is returning to the stage next May for the Eros at Arms festival. What sort of preparation goes into your live performances, and what can those who have yet to see you on stage expect?
The preparations include regular rehearsals, as we require three session members to bring this material to the stage. One can expect only one thing from Dakhma in a live setting: Zoroastrian Death Music.
13. Is there anything else you’d like to say about Dakhma or Blessings of Amurdad?
Thanks for your questions and your interest in Dakhma.
Dakhma- https://ffm.bio/dakhma
Eisenwald- https://store.eisenton.com/
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