Interview A.R.A. Elyad aka Iymyr (Iymrya) - Janvier 2014

A.R.A. Elyad aka Iymyr

When my melancholic soul meets the unique darkness of the Nameless King’s Realm of Iymrya...


(par Vivine Lilith)

I had the unique honour of asking several questions by mail to the creator of Iymrya, a Persian one man band.

A.R.A. Elyad aka Iymyr accepted to answer me with sincerity, as a real dark mysterious musician. He is actually working on his new "TBA" for 2014.

Vivine Lilith : Dear A.R.A. Elyad aka Iymyr, it's a great pleasure to ask you these following questions about Iymrya’s musical projects.

I discovered Iymrya by accident on Youtube for the first time in July 2013. I wholly adored this music with dark and mysterious climate, which can be as epic as medieval.

Iymrya was created in 2010, could you explain how this idea was born ?

A.R.A. Elyad aka Iymyr : After my split with several underground Death/Doom & Black Metal Band as a vocal & keyboard, it was in the year of 2010 which I decided to begin my own musical project, because I felt that I could compose a different genre of music , I wanted to create my own dominion. That was time Iymrya born.

Vivine : In general, after being seduced by a musical band, I then get an eye on lyrics. I must admit that I enjoyed the novels that appear on the booklets for example. Drinking the nectar from your tales, I quickly thought to Mr JRR Tolkien, but in a much more enigmatic way and with much more darkness. I also thought to an old storyteller or a poet.

Have you ever written a book about short tales before being a musician ?

Iymyr : I wrote many short tales before I start my musical project. Honestly I start writing when I was so younger. Unfortunately they never turned to a book ; but I used them as booklets and sometimes tales behind the songs, more with dark medieval & somber theme.

Vivine : I was totally surprised and subjugated when Iymrya recently shared an original and mysterious track, adding some soprano voice.

Could you explain why did you make this choice and offer to your fans a different atmosphere ?

Iymyr : Well, soprano voice matches with Iymrya songs, but I think it is not a style that I use for Iymrya as vocals. I did soprano only on Caverna Obscura that was a Dargaard cover of course and in albums I prefer my music to be instrumental or with the Voice I combine from narrator and black harsh voice. Sometimes I do some changes on narrator’s style, as mixing my voice with software as an old wizard voice on outro song The Akkylanion Stone of the "Wanderer At The End of Time" single.

Vivine : During their carrier, some bands take diverse turns and realize their choices by radical musical changes. Some manage to electrify more, while others are satisfied adding feminine vocals.

Would you want to add a female voice one day, to create another style like maybe some classical gothic sounds ?

Iymyr : It depends, adding new member to the band ; it makes some changes & for me it's important to keep this style for Iymrya. I’d like, if I decide to ask a female vocalist to act on Iymrya, she brings her own ideas into my project & it better be on harmony with darkness of Iymrya music.

Vivine : I was wholly conquered by the diverse sonorities of Iymrya. Lending an ear, we can recognize some medieval instruments for example. Lots of bands are classified inside the « dark ambient » genre. And yet, Iymrya is unique and surprising at every listening without using electric sounds.

As Iymrya is in a dark ambient style, what do you think about some bands using these instruments ?

Iymyr : I think to electric guitar because of that modern & vibrant noise is not going well with songs that have medieval, dark fantasy atmosphere inside. There are many ways to play an instrument but according to my thoughts electric guitar takes Dark Ambient music to something like Black metal for Iymrya & in other projects that depends on thoughts of the musicians of course. But I don't think electric guitar match with Iymrya’s music on the style that I call "Epic Atmospheric Dark Ambient".

Vivine : Iymrya covered tracks from diverse well-known artists in adding their own musical identity. Nowadays, it is common to read that various bands have unified their musical genres for the release of a track or even an album.

Would you like to have any collaboration with some artists, famous or not ?

Iymyr : We got some offer from some bands for splits but because Iymrya’s specific music I am somehow strict about this, as I follow a purpose on composing my music in albums (each song is one tale & all songs form one single story). For a split album I’m interested to do it with a band which has the same thoughts. Of course Iymrya say welcome to novel ideas.

Vivine : Would you like to experiment something very different inside Iymrya's music style ?

Iymyr : I think about adding more symphonic themes inside but that is risky (laugh)…

I used to add violin and cello as epic instruments, I’ve tried to do it before into Iymrya’s "Tale of Fallen Throne" album but the result did not satisfied me. On that time, it was because of a lack of stuff. Then I did that again on some songs that yet are not released on album. I am still working to discover the way to adding new elements to Iymrya & at the same time keep the original style.

Vivine : Iymrya's sounds are unique. Hearing them very well, it seems to be like some original soundtrack and music of video games sometimes.

Have you ever worked in such way ?

Iymyr : Thank you. No, I hope we could have Iymrya’s music on video games & etc one day. Well I wanna mention this video game & movies OST most of the time have ambient, classical genre. The structure of some of my soundtracks like songs on "The Untold Tales" EP & many others songs, I was more interested to describe an atmosphere so I made more Ambient & less melodies. In video games and movies musicians try to do the same ; that’s why the music sometimes is similar to original soundtracks of movies & video games.

Vivine : Unfortunately, I don’t know any other Persian or Iranian band. Being a Persian band, are there any metal bands in Persia and in Iran ?

Iymyr : Yes, there are many underground bands in Iran, most of them into Death metal and Black metal, some into Rock genre. Some of them had toured in Europe, but in Ambient genre I don't think so.

Vivine : Iymrya grows up so well and we could find many fans all around the world ! This ascension is constant and through internet we can hear to Iymrya on some European web radios. There were some reviews too that highlighted the originality and the knowledge of its creator.

Is Iymrya famous only in Iran ? Are European and American people know it ?

Iymyr : Well, Persian people are more interested in folklore music & some sort of energetic music (most of time Persian music). Iymrya have not found its real place on Iran yet. In Europe & America we have some fans, we even got a message from an African fan and that surprised us ! But the Truth is people are not so interested in ambient and instrumental genre ! They used to think that the Ambient music shall be used only in movies, games and something as back tracks. Many bands like Elend tried to change this thoughts in adding harsh voice and adding classical soprano themes to their music, to bring new thoughts about Dark Ambient on people views.

Vivine : To finish this interview, would you like to say something to your fans ?

Iymyr : I want to say thanks to all good folks and all fans that supported Iymrya from the time that was like a fort, was not well-known like today.

I want them to stay loyal & support us till Iymrya become a Great Kingdom !

Vivine : Thank you so much for taking time to answer our questions, dear A.R.A Elyad aka Iymyr. Best regards.

Iymyr : Thank you so much for the interesting interview dear Vivine ! Enjoy the Stygian Mystified Realm of Iymrya ! Sepas !

A.R.A Elyad aka Iymyr , the nameless king of Iymrya (laugh).

January 2014,

Directed by Vivine Lilith.