diamorte - a brief history
INTRODUCTION
The search for entertaining writing, both in music and the collective literature, has become an extremely important aspect for any group that wants to go beyond the usual clichés. Employing such writing is a way to show their future listeners something unusual and exciting that could spark their interest in a project and not let that feeling weaken for many years. In the medium of heavy music, this is usually achieved through complex and bold experiments of mixing different styles, a method that allows groups to sometimes give rise to a new genre.
Theatrical Opera Metal has become one of these newly emerging genres, and the one that the group DiAmorte has rooted themselves into with their personal twists. The presentation of the material paired with the charisma of the performers has helped to turn the performances into something slightly more than just music. Having combined symphonic and operatic metal with theatrical work through the use of a three-act story has allowed their first album to be depicted in a different world with its own history and characters. Alongside that, they have united the aggression found within death metal, the penetration of opera music, and elements of an elegant dark fantasy middle-aged era. All of these different themes can be seen incorporated in the very first album cover.
The creation of the name “DiAmorte” was brought up in the mind of the composer, artist, and writer Drake Mefestta. It is a collection of concepts that, when combined, reflects the cyclical nature of the simple ongoings in the world from his view. The Spanish word “Amor” means love, whilst “Morte” means death. The beginning of the name is connected with the expression “Dia de Los Muertos” or the Day of the Dead. All this adds up to the general essence of the theme of the narrated works, which is DiAmorte.
Whilst pursuing his idea, Drake showed the initial musical ideas to his first co-composer back in 2015 during the small EP “Prelude to Shadow” - even then the music was already distinguished by the ideas that had been developed and evolved for many years and it all came to fruition, being released in 2019 and turned into an album, called The Red Opera.
With multiple backgrounds and experiences, DiAmorte has taken it upon themselves the task to rethink the canons of symphonic metal to make it their own and add new, fresh blood to the genre with their differences.
This is all to allow people to experience not only their abilities as musicians but as actors who are dedicated to their crafts, all of who are willing to be part of the epic story being created. As with each work published under the DiAmorte banner being a separate episode surrounding a different story, The Red Opera album is just the beginning of the journey that this new group will embark on together.
Lovers of the different incorporated sounds will hopefully find a piece of soul here for themselves and plunge into a completely new universe. A place where love and hatred, trust and betrayal, and many other opposing forces are mixed into one string concoction.
BEFORE
THE TRAGEDY OF
THE SHADELANDS
In the final hours before the death of everything...
Boundaries of life and love dissolve, as passions turn the madness.
What deeds will be sung when no one is left to remember?
Look deeper into the world of Shadelands, to the story of two halves of one fallen kingdom. A Kingdom at war with itself after the turning point in their history, called the "The Night of Betrayal". In the end, we couldn't save them from themselves.
This kingdom bore a simple name - Vestillas; LaCroix and Dorian were sworn into the service of the royal guard. A force under strict supervision from the local monarch, wise and formidable. One who never gave mercy to his enemies and waged war until complete and unconditional victory. Through this, he carved a glorious kingdom for his subjects and was a scourge upon all others.
Years long into the service of the King, each soldier composed their own image of the monarch from his manner; speaking amongst themselves of a kingdom under his leadership, and the possible fates to come...
Dorian, defiant to the bitter end, had to convince himself with every life he cut down that the actions of the King and those in his service would lead to an inevitable ending of some virtuous means. One where the lands that were conquered and the lives within them would not be ruled in pain, tyranny, and arbitrariness but with undistorted justice.
This understanding, from taking part in the endless incessant skirmishes with neighboring kingdoms; it was known far too well what ruthless lengths this King would go to for the destruction of entire oppositions. Dorian finding himself in battle with Fayte by his side, grew with an overcoming a sense of duty to her through each wave of swords that crashed down upon them. His nights spent envisioning a new journey...with her help. To head north, claiming the mountains as home. A new home. A quiet home, gentle as the snow that would drift upon it's rooftops.
An escape.
A RISE TO BETRAYAL
Through pale days and bitter nights, Dorian harbored heavily the thoughts of his kingdom burdened increasingly more by the rising tide of bloodshed coming to destroy these lands, if not, from within. He confided with his compatriot LaCroix beyond the walls of eyes and ears. Distant in the blackened hilltops at a broken tree upon a cliffside. Here they always spoke in confidence.
They continued on as if nothing were amiss while carrying heavily a knowing of what must be done. The Legionnaires now strong, mobile - a formidable force braver Kingdoms rode forth to retain, hoping to turn tides in of their own selfish and often petty conflicts. With each opposition that fell, The Legionnaire's name continued to swell with an aura of inspiration and fear.
On a fateful eve, in hushed words by a crackling hearth, Dorian revealed what should be done to avoid taking part in the sad, irreversible future hurtling towards them. LaCroix agreed... however, the issue remained, of a people whom loved their King, blinded to all faults, and remained fervently loyal to his rule.
Thus, Dorian, in secrecy set out to find those whom felt the wrath of the king more than others and unite them to their cause. To gather those whose faith had been shattered by the encroaching corruption in his decrees and flee from decaying pastures to better days. Over time, a feeble group comprised of royal guards, local peasants formed under the ideals of Dorian's vision.
Even the elder and sickly risked certain death, carrying upon their backs mere remnants of a tattered past to venture out into the unknown north. This grand exodus would be marked by the night streets ran red with the blood of unforeseen rebellion, leaving countless dead in it's wake and with newly widowed cries heralding dawn's first light to the sound of the church bell's groaning toll. This, the Night of Betrayal.
It would be henceforth - mortal choices, love, duty, and unyielding pride would bring about the tragedy within in the world of the Shadelands, this known as The Red Opera.
Where will you stand as the world falls?
