The long running Ecuadoran band Black Sun have a couple of lineup changes for their latest album. Vocalist Netta Laurenne (Smackbound, Laurenne/Louhimo) and her husband guitarist Nino Laurenne (Thunderstone) joined the band for their self-titled release. She gives us the scoop on the band, the album, her other projects and other topics.
Chad Bowar: How did you and Nino come to join Black Sun?
Netta Laurenne: I’ll try to make a long story short. We got to know the guys when they were working on one of their albums and were recording it in Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki. We became friends and Black Sun later asked Nino to produce their next album, Silent Enemy. As the singer changed during that production, I agreed to sing some songs and go tour with the band. We had so much fun that we decided to join the band and start doing music together.
Describe the songwriting process for your self-titled album.
It started while we were having such a great time rehearsing and playing Black Sun’s local gigs in Ecuador, supporting their previous EP. At the end of the tour, we had a nice dinner and discussed whether that feeling could be translated into a full album. While rehearsing, we had already started writing a few songs together. Once the decision to make the album was finalized, Nino traveled to Ecuador to meet the guys and record most of the backgrounds at Hi NoiZ Studio in Guayaquil. Afterwards, we wrote melodies and lyrics to the songs and recorded the vocals in Sonic Pump Studios, Finland. Nino made a lot of great productional choices and musical details to make the best out of the songs.
How did the recording work with members from across the world?
This album truly marks a new beginning for the band. The fact that we can grow and become this multicultural and multinational band is very special. Technology and communication can make distances disappear, and the fact that we can be a family and a band regardless of our backgrounds truly makes that a special memory.
What will be your strongest memory of the recording of the album?
Friendship. Singing backing vocals, or rather the gang vocals (shouts) together at a beach cabana, escaping studio to fly to Quito to see Stratovarius and a couple of other Finnish bands just to not be let in and getting so brutally wet and cold in the rain that we all had to go buy new (dry) clothes from the closest mall. And it was a cool moment when we realized that I should talk in ”The Mercenary.”
What was the biggest challenge in its creation?
The biggest challenge was, as Nino always said, to ‘kill our darlings’ and approach songwriting differently compared to what Black Sun was used to before. We had to come together to discover how Finnish metal communicates with Ecuadorian metal — musically, culturally, and on a personal level. The versatility we found allowed the band to explore further than ever, and that in itself is a challenge—one we, as a band, feel we accomplished to a great extent.
How would you characterize its style/sound?
Black Sun is about simple, raw, punch-in-the-face metal music with catchy melodies and strong vocals.
What lyrical topics do you cover?
Humans’ struggle with itself and the world. Coming to terms with who you are and making the best out of it. Forgiving, understanding and learning. The aspiration and need to evolve yet acknowledge the pain we have. and standing up for yourself.
You filmed several videos for the album. Which was your favorite shoot?
“Rise,” because it was such a fun and crazy couple of days filming something visually beautiful. We got to go crazy in the end of the film and I was spitting wine on Christopher, the butcher threw raw meat on Nino and everyone was shoving each other. A lot of stuff happened in the final 20 seconds of the shoot. We all apologized beforehand for whatever we might do and then we just went for it. It was funny and messy. Because there is the main character who is losing his mind and we are all just voices in his head, we got to go crazy too. But in a visually stunning way, thanks to the movie director Gustavo Arguello, who made the video.
What led you to go the independent route for the album release?
Just tired of record labels. Wanted to have total control over what happens and especially when.
What are your goals and expectations for the album?
We hope people find it and love it and we get to play shows together. That is our main goal with this band. The fact that it enables us to make memories together doing what we love the most…music.
Do you have plans to play live shows or tour in support of the record?
Yes, later this year in Ecuador and next year hopefully Europe.
What was the response like to last year’s Smackbound album Hostage?
Very positive all and all. People felt it to be a very honest album and that is always the most important to me, honesty in music.
Are there plans for another Laurenne/Louhimo album?
Yes, we have actually another album coming out early next year. I think they are pressing the vinyls as we speak. Very excited for that as well.
Are you currently involved in any other bands/projects?
No, this is enough for me at the moment. I promised myself to not do a third album this year. (laughs)
What are some of your non-musical interests and hobbies?
Wines, books, forest (I love just spending time in the nature), movies and great food. Sometimes I paint. And I do cold bathing/ice swimming.
(interview published September 5, 2024)
Watch Black Sun – “Rise” Video
