Ravens Brain

Present yourself to the readers

Luna Reign – Introduction - Luna Reign is a New Gothic Rock/Metal Band from the UK. Luna Reign is more than music, its something you experience. Powerful Guitars, Sensual Vocals, Seductive Keys, Blue lights and Smoke. Luna Reign descended from the moon in 2010. The driving force, song writing and studio recording comes from Luna Himself, being a multi-instrumentalist of many years. Luna Reign has 7 albums out, which all got great reviews in various magazines on the scene. Luna Reign also has over 96,000 youtube hits, Performed at various venues and festivals around the UK, and Europe, with an ever growing internet world wide fan base. Luna Reign is influenced by Him, Placebo, The Sisters Of Mercy, Type O Negative, The Mission, The Cult and more.
All Luna Reign Music available on CD and Download at http://lunareign.bandcamp.com,Available to download now! on itunes, Apple Music, Deezer, Google Play, ClaroMusica, Napster, Pandora, Saavn, Tidal, Spotify, Amazon, Groove and more...

Who composes ?...How does it work in the band ?

I compose and perform all instruments in my music. It starts with a vague idea, than I add guitar, drums, bass and keys etc. It is an amazing sensation that can have me locked up in the studio for over 8 hours at a time. When your in the flow, its not a good idea to stop. :-)

Who writes the texts ?..What are they talking about ?..How does inspiration come ?

Luna Reign lyrics are sometime reflective, sometimes subjective, or as I have been writing recently, just in the flow. I try not to control what words come out. Only once in a while do I write with true purpose. I like it to flow, to be more of a feeling than an idea. I want to portray and release a sensation in the listener. Feel pure, raw emotion.

Why the name LUNA REIGN ?

The Name Luna Reign came to my mind many years ago, coming back from a night club under moonlight. I had written some music but the name that I had, did not work with the feeling I wanted to show and represent. What better than the royal stance of the moon, each night it governs the seas and all creatures with liquid in their systems. It is a name that is in honour of the moon, in the way, that I am its servant.

What are your personal musical tastes and your influences ?

Luna Reign is influenced by different artists and musics at different times. I think each of my albums has the influence of one or two bands that have caught my attentions. I listen to many different types of music, such as gothic, darkwave, rock, metal, black metal, classical, jazz, and everything in between. I love Placebo, Type O Negative, Him, Sisters Of Mercy, Batcave Musics, Muse, Garbage, Faith No More, Alice In Chains, Olds Mans Child, Gorgoroth and much more…

What's your top 5 albums of all time ?

This question took me a long time to process, as I have so many albums that I love. But at number 1 – Sisters Of Mercy – Floodland. For me, even though this is not considered batcave goth and the album gets a lot of flak from the gothic movement. I believe it is the most important gothic record ever released. Andrews pure feeling of black, dark, gothic, bleak, void imagery, is captured perfectly in the songs that he valued the least, (driven like the snow/flood 1+2/Colours) are all masterpieces to me.
NUMBER 2 – Type O Negative – Bloody kisses – This album is iconic in so many ways, great dark humour and raw emotion mixed with musical interludes that create something more than the some of its parts. With songs such as (I cant lose you).
NUMBER 3 - Placebo – Loud Like Love – I have picked this album because of its deliberate ‘now’ song focus. It attacks our current society, values and technology, unashamedly, like all of Brian’s works. I love his blatant honesty that can sometimes be difficult to listen too. I love all placebos music but the song ‘Hold on to me’ has a special place in my heart.
NUMBER 4 – Metallica – Load – This album holds 70% of my teenage years. This hard rock Bluesy album is titanic in its power and depressive, distorted tones of reality. Another wash of emotion and sensation. Its more feeling than thrash style (getting your rocks off) and no one can deny, the impact that Metallica has made is both the rock and metal worlds. My personal favourites ‘King Nothing’ and ‘The Outlaw Torn’.
NUMBER 5 – MARILYN MANSON – MECHANICAL ANIMALS – I view this album as the last true Manson album. It is probably when they were at their creative peak, and they took many interesting musical and sound based chances, which paid off well. The music shows life as it really is, its stark, harsh reality and exposes it, in a form of sonic exorcism. The songs ‘Speed Of Pain’ and ‘Coma White’ are just perfect.

What's your best live memory ? And why ?

Any gig thats goes well is always good, lol, I really enjoy playing in europe, the Neatherlands, down to the local clubs in the UK. All gigs have their own thing and vibe, each is unique. I aim to improve the live experience every time I perform. Im always looking to make things better, more visual, with improved sound. I almost have things the way I want them, but cost is always a factor.

What’s the story for your new album BLACK MASS ?

Black Mass, is a mass of black. An electrifying journey through cascades of darkness, light, shadows, life, loss, love, despair, hope, pain and every other emotion that can be felt. Like a black hole, Black Mass aims to hold the whole experience of existence in the tiny space of sound and a CD J Black Mass touches on many subjects related to being alive now, today. This is not retrospective, its brutal purity in essence of intangible time.

In studio, what was the ambiance for this album ?...etc.…

In the studio it was sometimes incredibly dark and self destructive, dangerous almost. With this album, I let go of any constraints, descended in to madness many times, performing pieces I probably couldn’t do again, as I was just in a moment and it was recording. Utter terror also bounced of the walls, an uneasy reality, I think I was lucky to survive the recording process. I know its cliché to say that, but its true. It was not all like that though. Sometimes the full rock/metal groove was also bouncing of the walls. The songs ‘The Hammer’ and ‘Hurricane’ would stop me from sleeping by constantly going through my head. Such an amazing vibe.

How does it work for the design of the CD ?and why this title ?

Black Mass has had so many album covers before we got the Church image. It had candles and skulls, collapsing stars and many others. But the burnt out church in the rain at midnight was lit up just perfect. Which for me help to truly encapsulate what had been created. The Title is to demonstrate the full work in itself. It is a mass of deep black music that captures the soul and just fits on a CD, its my biggest recorded album so far, and I am very proud of it. But naturally I am already planning the next album.

What are your projects ?

I am formulating new album ideas, new videos, improved Live experience and many more things.

What's your motto ?

I don’t have one as such. I just try to be in the moment, rather than lost in ideas. Ideas are good and important but so is now and reality. Only now can you create something amazing.

Website to remember

http://lunareign.bandcamp.com

What would you like to say to the readers ?

Thank you for reading this interview and supporting ‘Rock Your Underground’. If your new to Luna Reign, I hope it has given you a little glimpse into a world you may like to listen too and watch on youtube. All my music an be downloaded from itunes, Apple Music, Deezer, Google Play, ClaroMusica, Napster, Pandora, Saavn, Tidal, Spotify, Amazon, Groove and more... CDs/Tshirts/Hats and more are available at my bandcamp address. If you already like Luna Reign, then thank you from my heart, I truly appreciate your support. You really help me keep the faith and give me the creative drive to keep on making new music. Thank you again. If you want to get a little deeper into the Luna Reign World, you could join the Luna Reign Fan Club at http://lunareign.bandcamp.com where you will get FREE download of all albums including a special album that only Fan club member get. You will also get discount on all merchandise and random gifts through the post. Plus fanclub members only videos, pre releases and chat room.

And to young peoples who begin in the music world ?

If you really want to do this, you have to really go for it. Just writing songs is not enough; you need to be producer, mixer, manager, organizer and marketing manager at the least. It can be done, but its not easy. Work with what you have, and make it the best that you can, and always try to improve. Remember to rest, but never give up!