Layra

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Italian band LAYRA was formed in Rome in 2005. Their main aim is to craft music that represent an alternative to current pop music, blending influences from the likes of Pink Floyd, Genesis and Dream Theater. Liberally flavoured with nuances and details reflecting the musical legacy of acts like Le Orme and PFM.
So far this has lead to the release of two albums: ChiarOscuro in 2008 and Crono in 2011. I got in touch with them and this is the Layra story......so far.

###########################################################################################

When,
where and by whom was your band born ? Did any of you, past and
present members, play in any other bands before joining up in your
band ? Why did you choose that name ?

Layra
formed in 2005 from
the ashes
of a
Depeche
Mode
tribute
band (!).
We can say
that each
member has
formed his
own
musical
identity
within the
same band:
there are few
previous
musical
experience
that are
truly
worthy of
note. We
wish we could
say that
the name
'Layra'
is
born from
A
Momentary
Lapse of Reason,
from a
winning tangle
of Images
And Words
or from a
Stupid
Dream.
In reality
we just
felt nostalgic
for the
old
Italian
currency -
the lira
–
prior to
the euro.
We just
did what
we do
best: make
it a little
more musical ...
from Lira
to Layra.

Your
music have one foot in the Rock Progressivo Italiano scene and the
second foot in the English prog rock scene. I can also hear some
Dream Theater influences too. Which bands are your biggest influences
and which bands would you compare your sound with ?

Good
point! If
you listen to our
two albums
you will
find some
quotations
taken from
the bands that
inspired
us, that is (without
any logical
order):
Genesis,
Pink
Floyd,
Porcupine
Tree,
Marillion,
Dream Theater,
Riverside,
Pain of
Salvation
(with the
right
foot) and
PFM, Le
Orme
and New
Trolls
(with the
left foot).
The
Italian
progressive rock
is one of
the best
periods of
music
history,
pure
avant-garde and
experimentation.
We don’t consider the
admixture
with the
metal
genre to be sacrilegious
at all:
it is a
natural
evolution
of the
underlying
concept.
Syncretism
and
liquefaction
of the
score.
Complexity
of death
without
the burial
imposed by
labels.

Over
to your two albums. Your debut album was ChiarOscuro from 2008.
Please tell us more about this album.

The
common thread
of
Chiar0scuro
is the
result
given from Taoist
philosophy concepts.
It deals
with the
issue
of
double and
it does it in
a truly
pervasive
way: all
the lyrics
have two
meanings,
one
superficial
and one
more
hidden.
The
concept of
double is
obviously
present also at
musical
level: soft
pieces
alternate
with
harder
musical
textures,
a mixture
of light
and dark,
exactly in
line with
prog principles.
The
alternation
of light
and shadow
is
continuous
and both
originate
and end
in each
other.
Chiar0scuro
is a
first
album in
all respects:
there is
the search
for an
identity
not yet
fully
defined,
still it
contains
some of
the most
beautiful
songs
written by
Layra:
Un’altra
luna
(inspired
by the life of
Van Gogh),
Nessun
Destino
(Donnie
Darko)
and Il
Grande Imbroglio
(the
September 11 tragedy).

Your
second and most recent album is the brand new Crono album. Please
tell us more about this album.

Our
second
album,
Cr0no,
is the
result of
a more
mature
musical
identity,
a greater
awareness
of the
ideal
music
to reach,
an opera
that took
three years
of hard
work,
a real
challenge.

Each
song
represents
a
chapter
of
the narrated story,
each
singer
plays
a character,
according
to the typical
tradition
of
the
concept
album.
The
lyrics
are
full of
more
or
less
hidden quotations
and
references to
philosophical
currents,
scientific
treatises,
books, movies, songs
or
albums
by
international authors.
Some
of
these
quotations
contain
personal
references.
Most
of
the names mentioned
in
the story are
anagrams
and
even
reading
the lyrics
in
a way
it
is
possible
to derive
alternative
meanings.

Cr0no
is based on a delirium: the obsessive attempt to understand the real
border between free will and destiny.
From
the smallest
daily
action
to
the greatest
decision
at
the international level,
everything
is
decided
by a
balance
between
neurons.
A
chemical
process that
really reminds
the
concept
of
algorithm
as
well as
the
theories,
often
referred to
in
the
concept.

Aryal,
the main character, is the deus ex machina of the events. He
fights against the terrible idea that our thoughts can be controlled
since our birth. Aryal
is
only the
unwitting
subject
of
a complex design that
involves
the
exploitation
of
other
people
like him,
totally
unaware
of
what
their
lives really are.
Genetically
predisposed
people
to
fill
certain
roles
in
society,
closely
monitored and oriented
in the development of
their culture,
of their own knowledge.

These
ideas
were developed
by
many
authors
in
the past,
especially
George
Orwell
(1984)
as
well as
Aldous
Huxley
(Brave
New World).

Order
against chaos. Crono
is the Titan who
eats
his
children
to
prevent them from
committing
what
he
has
already committed
in
the past:
take
the power.
Crono
does
not leave
their
children grow,
but oppresses
and
devours
them.

The
musical textures
of Cr0no
are
definitely
more
aggressive
and
more
complex.
They caress
the
progressive
metal
and
some
passages
are
contorted
enough
to fit
in
the tradition
of
math-rock.

It
is a
special work
in which
we have
high hopes.
Like all
special
things, it
requires
a little
more attention to
be fully
understood.

How
is the music scene in your local area now and how is the gigs
situation ?

From
the
creative
point of view
Italy and,
in
particular,
Rome
is a
real
breeding
ground of
music.
There are
many
bands
that
produce
quality
works and
that constantly move
in an
underground and
alternative
context.

However
the
problem
concerns live
music and
the devastating
decrease
of
attention
that it suffered in
recent
years.
People
don’t like
(or
at least not as
before)
the idea
of live,
actually played
music
anymore.
We don’t
feel to
point the
finger at
the clubs
that house
masterpieces
of
banality
as the
usual
tribute
band of
Ligabue
or Vasco
Rossi
...
they just
match
demand.

There
are still people
(very
few actually)
who
believe in
the beauty
of this
genre and
treat it
like a
fragile
little
jewel
that only
occasionally
is
shown
to those
few who
can
understand
it. Is
maybe in that the
secret of
its beauty?

What
is your current status and plans for this year and beyond ?

We
definitely
will try
to
introduce
our second
album
Cr0no to
as many people as
possible.
Now,
thanks to
new
technologies,
this is
really
easier to realize:
it is wonderful,
for
example,
to find on
the
Layra’s
Facebook
page the photo
of our
CD
purchased
at a store
in Japan.

To
wrap up this interview, is there anything you want to add to this
interview ?

Yes.
To ProgArchive
users:
If you adopt
unconventional
lifestyles,
and if
you appreciate
originality
and
innovation
listen
to Cr0no.
Then
have fun
and
post
on
our Facebook page
(www.facebook.com/layraprog)
all
quotations
and
easter
eggs
you
will
find
in our work
;)

Thank you to Layra for this interview

Their PA profile is here and their homepage's here

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
toroddfuglesteg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Retired Joined: March 04 2008 Location: Retirement Home Status: Offline Points: 3658	Topic: Layra Posted: September 25 2011 at 15:09
	Italian band LAYRA was formed in Rome in 2005. Their main aim is to craft music that represent an alternative to current pop music, blending influences from the likes of Pink Floyd, Genesis and Dream Theater. Liberally flavoured with nuances and details reflecting the musical legacy of acts like Le Orme and PFM. So far this has lead to the release of two albums: ChiarOscuro in 2008 and Crono in 2011. I got in touch with them and this is the Layra story......so far. ########################################################################################### When, where and by whom was your band born ? Did any of you, past and present members, play in any other bands before joining up in your band ? Why did you choose that name ? Layra formed in 2005 from the ashes of a Depeche Mode tribute band (!). We can say that each member has formed his own musical identity within the same band: there are few previous musical experience that are truly worthy of note. We wish we could say that the name 'Layra' is born from A Momentary Lapse of Reason, from a winning tangle of Images And Words or from a Stupid Dream. In reality we just felt nostalgic for the old Italian currency - the lira – prior to the euro. We just did what we do best: make it a little more musical ... from Lira to Layra. Your music have one foot in the Rock Progressivo Italiano scene and the second foot in the English prog rock scene. I can also hear some Dream Theater influences too. Which bands are your biggest influences and which bands would you compare your sound with ? Good point! If you listen to our two albums you will find some quotations taken from the bands that inspired us, that is (without any logical order): Genesis, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Marillion, Dream Theater, Riverside, Pain of Salvation (with the right foot) and PFM, Le Orme and New Trolls (with the left foot). The Italian progressive rock is one of the best periods of music history, pure avant-garde and experimentation. We don’t consider the admixture with the metal genre to be sacrilegious at all: it is a natural evolution of the underlying concept. Syncretism and liquefaction of the score. Complexity of death without the burial imposed by labels. Over to your two albums. Your debut album was ChiarOscuro from 2008. Please tell us more about this album. The common thread of Chiar0scuro is the result given from Taoist philosophy concepts. It deals with the issue of double and it does it in a truly pervasive way: all the lyrics have two meanings, one superficial and one more hidden. The concept of double is obviously present also at musical level: soft pieces alternate with harder musical textures, a mixture of light and dark, exactly in line with prog principles. The alternation of light and shadow is continuous and both originate and end in each other. Chiar0scuro is a first album in all respects: there is the search for an identity not yet fully defined, still it contains some of the most beautiful songs written by Layra: Un’altra luna (inspired by the life of Van Gogh), Nessun Destino (Donnie Darko) and Il Grande Imbroglio (the September 11 tragedy). Your second and most recent album is the brand new Crono album. Please tell us more about this album. Our second album, Cr0no, is the result of a more mature musical identity, a greater awareness of the ideal music to reach, an opera that took three years of hard work, a real challenge. Each song represents a chapter of the narrated story, each singer plays a character, according to the typical tradition of the concept album. The lyrics are full of more or less hidden quotations and references to philosophical currents, scientific treatises, books, movies, songs or albums by international authors. Some of these quotations contain personal references. Most of the names mentioned in the story are anagrams and even reading the lyrics in a way it is possible to derive alternative meanings. Cr0no is based on a delirium: the obsessive attempt to understand the real border between free will and destiny. From the smallest daily action to the greatest decision at the international level, everything is decided by a balance between neurons. A chemical process that really reminds the concept of algorithm as well as the theories, often referred to in the concept. Aryal, the main character, is the deus ex machina of the events. He fights against the terrible idea that our thoughts can be controlled since our birth. Aryal is only the unwitting subject of a complex design that involves the exploitation of other people like him, totally unaware of what their lives really are. Genetically predisposed people to fill certain roles in society, closely monitored and oriented in the development of their culture, of their own knowledge. These ideas were developed by many authors in the past, especially George Orwell (1984) as well as Aldous Huxley (Brave New World). Order against chaos. Crono is the Titan who eats his children to prevent them from committing what he has already committed in the past: take the power. Crono does not leave their children grow, but oppresses and devours them. The musical textures of Cr0no are definitely more aggressive and more complex. They caress the progressive metal and some passages are contorted enough to fit in the tradition of math-rock. It is a special work in which we have high hopes. Like all special things, it requires a little more attention to be fully understood. How is the music scene in your local area now and how is the gigs situation ? From the creative point of view Italy and, in particular, Rome is a real breeding ground of music. There are many bands that produce quality works and that constantly move in an underground and alternative context. However the problem concerns live music and the devastating decrease of attention that it suffered in recent years. People don’t like (or at least not as before) the idea of live, actually played music anymore. We don’t feel to point the finger at the clubs that house masterpieces of banality as the usual tribute band of Ligabue or Vasco Rossi ... they just match demand. There are still people (very few actually) who believe in the beauty of this genre and treat it like a fragile little jewel that only occasionally is shown to those few who can understand it. Is maybe in that the secret of its beauty? What is your current status and plans for this year and beyond ? We definitely will try to introduce our second album Cr0no to as many people as possible. Now, thanks to new technologies, this is really easier to realize: it is wonderful, for example, to find on the Layra’s Facebook page the photo of our CD purchased at a store in Japan. To wrap up this interview, is there anything you want to add to this interview ? Yes. To ProgArchive users: If you adopt unconventional lifestyles, and if you appreciate originality and innovation listen to Cr0no. Then have fun and post on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/layraprog) all quotations and easter eggs you will find in our work ;) Thank you to Layra for this interview Their PA profile is here and their homepage's here