Atrium Carceri - Interview
Atrium
Carceri is a Swedish musical project by Simon Heath. Atrium Carceri’s albums
incorporate cinematic themes that help make the sound that much more haunting.
The perfect soundtracks to untold horror movies. His first seven full-length
albums have been released by industrial record label Cold Meat Industry. Heath
recently created the Cryo Chamber record label. Void, 2145 (as Sabled Sun), and
Sacrosanct (with Eldar) were released under this new label.
Atrium Carceri is typically described as dark ambient and industrial ambient music. Similar to projects like Lull and Lustmord, Atrium Carceri uses synthesizers, sound effects, field recordings, piano and other instrumentation to create “slow rhythms, bitter melodies and complex textures” generally based on themes of desolation, loneliness (especially solitary confinement) and environmental decay.
Atrium Carceri has been praised by music critics and embraced by a cult audience for its depth of atmosphere. As described by one reviewer, “Heath creates a world where time collapses, where the ancient world of conjured spirits, the physical limitations of being all too human, and the infinite outreach of potential futuretech, all coexist.”
So, how are you?
Good, things are a little hectic with the Atrium Carceri - The Untold album just around the corner.
In your own words, please describe the music you make.
Dark cinematic audioscapes
What is your process of recording music?
I often start with visualizing and mapping out the concept, then I move on to the story and what I want to express with the album. I seldom make individual tracks, but focus on the larger arc. Having to consider the grand progression from album to album and the continuous journey. I then move on to write everything down, I have plenty of notebooks which looks like something out of an HP Lovecraft novel, with drawings, notes, connections. I then try to induce a lucid dreaming state and take myself to the place in question to get a feel for the environment. Then starts the studio work, often field recording in between sessions and getting back into the studio to import and work the magic. Somewhere in the middle I start constructing the artwork to fit the feel of the music and I then go back and forth between field recording, studio work, artwork, notebook/concepts and juggle them until I have something that represents my vision and after that, finalizing artwork, flow and mastering.
What made you first want to make music?
Playing piano school at an early age made me despise playing other peoples works, I started very young to create my own music and used an Amiga and a tracker to create my own works. Everything has evolved from that point.
What are your top three albums of all time and why?
I have no all time favorites, I am not a nostalgic, so this changes every year.
Anything Svartsinn, Desiderii Marginis and Kammarheit is always a joy and I am eager to hear what they come up whenever they release a new album.
Which of your releases are you most proud of and why?
All of them since they are all connected to each other. To hold one above the other is like choosing favorite scenes in a movie, but if I had to choose a favorite scene it would probably have to be Kapnobatai.
What does the future hold for your music?
As I am collaborating with so many people on a daily basis, my future will evolve and brood to construct something new. I am very happy with the Sabled Sun project and that is something I will put a lot of energy into this year. The new Atrium Carceri album The Untold is out very soon as well.
Anything else you would like to add?
Don't believe the controllers, stay free brothers and sisters.
Official Website Link
Atrium Carceri is typically described as dark ambient and industrial ambient music. Similar to projects like Lull and Lustmord, Atrium Carceri uses synthesizers, sound effects, field recordings, piano and other instrumentation to create “slow rhythms, bitter melodies and complex textures” generally based on themes of desolation, loneliness (especially solitary confinement) and environmental decay.
Atrium Carceri has been praised by music critics and embraced by a cult audience for its depth of atmosphere. As described by one reviewer, “Heath creates a world where time collapses, where the ancient world of conjured spirits, the physical limitations of being all too human, and the infinite outreach of potential futuretech, all coexist.”
So, how are you?
Good, things are a little hectic with the Atrium Carceri - The Untold album just around the corner.
In your own words, please describe the music you make.
Dark cinematic audioscapes
What is your process of recording music?
I often start with visualizing and mapping out the concept, then I move on to the story and what I want to express with the album. I seldom make individual tracks, but focus on the larger arc. Having to consider the grand progression from album to album and the continuous journey. I then move on to write everything down, I have plenty of notebooks which looks like something out of an HP Lovecraft novel, with drawings, notes, connections. I then try to induce a lucid dreaming state and take myself to the place in question to get a feel for the environment. Then starts the studio work, often field recording in between sessions and getting back into the studio to import and work the magic. Somewhere in the middle I start constructing the artwork to fit the feel of the music and I then go back and forth between field recording, studio work, artwork, notebook/concepts and juggle them until I have something that represents my vision and after that, finalizing artwork, flow and mastering.
What made you first want to make music?
Playing piano school at an early age made me despise playing other peoples works, I started very young to create my own music and used an Amiga and a tracker to create my own works. Everything has evolved from that point.
What are your top three albums of all time and why?
I have no all time favorites, I am not a nostalgic, so this changes every year.
Anything Svartsinn, Desiderii Marginis and Kammarheit is always a joy and I am eager to hear what they come up whenever they release a new album.
Which of your releases are you most proud of and why?
All of them since they are all connected to each other. To hold one above the other is like choosing favorite scenes in a movie, but if I had to choose a favorite scene it would probably have to be Kapnobatai.
What does the future hold for your music?
As I am collaborating with so many people on a daily basis, my future will evolve and brood to construct something new. I am very happy with the Sabled Sun project and that is something I will put a lot of energy into this year. The new Atrium Carceri album The Untold is out very soon as well.
Anything else you would like to add?
Don't believe the controllers, stay free brothers and sisters.
Official Website Link