Once upon a curse, in a land far, far away, there lived a young princess named Amelia. She was the fairest and kindest princess in the kingdom, loved by all who knew her. One fateful day, an evil sorceress named Morgana unleashed a curse upon the land, causing chaos and despair. The curse left a dark cloud hanging over the kingdom, and every living creature suffered. Crops withered, rivers ran dry, and the once joyous melodies of birds were replaced by haunting silence. The people cried out for help, but no one knew how to break the curse.
The band's debut album, the June-released Alternate Universe, is an occult-inspired piece of rock music that finds the seven-piece ensemble singing about magical serpents, witches and astral creatures.
The track, Thelemic Chant on Led Zeppelin III features a recitation of Crowley s Liber AL vel Legis Black Dog is inspired by Crowley s poem, Hymn to Satan and the lyrics to Stairway To Heaven reference Crowley s concept of the shadow self. The Melbourne quartet, led by the engaging howled vocals of Nikki Brumen, supported by the huge riffs of Xavier Santilli, booming basslines of Dan Bonnici and driving drums of Matt Marasco, put on a hell of a show that along with this year s debut album shows why so many people are swiftly being put under their spell.
The people cried out for help, but no one knew how to break the curse. Amelia, determined to save her kingdom and restore happiness, embarked on a dangerous journey to find a solution. She traveled through treacherous forests, crossed turbulent oceans, and climbed towering mountains.
‘Very heavy pop songs’ influenced by cults and the Occult: An interview with Pagan
Given they’re self-monikered as ‘real-life/pretend vampires playing real-life/pretend rock and roll,’ you might be surprised to hear Pagan describe their music as: “Just very heavy pop songs.” But that phrase is a perfect explanation of why the Australian rockers are swiftly building a cult-like following around the world.
Last month we were lucky enough to witness Pagan perform ritual numero uno on British soil, at The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch alongside Phoxjaw. And prior to the show, we were even more lucky to have a chat with the band to dig further into the roots of the intrigue behind this exciting new band.
The Melbourne quartet, led by the engaging howled vocals of Nikki Brumen, supported by the huge riffs of Xavier Santilli, booming basslines of Dan Bonnici and driving drums of Matt Marasco, put on a hell of a show that – along with this year’s debut album – shows why so many people are swiftly being put under their spell.
Not only do they create very heavy, groove-led music, but the content of their music is also fascinating. When we originally interviewed the band back in June, Dan described Nikki’s writing influences as “True crime, occult and horror films and all those nice wholesome things,” so we were keen to get Nikki’s deeper insight into her inspirations.
She told us: “The album in itself is very personal for me, it was about a break-up I went through and looks at the start of the break-up, the middle and the end and how it all fell apart. But then in hindsight, looking at that relationship I realised how controlling the person was that I was with.
“Around the same time I was reading up a lot on the Jonestown Massacre, and I use a lot of metaphor in some of the songs about how and why it is that certain people need to get up and lead a bigger group – like a cult leader for example – and how it is that those people really can be brainwashed like that.
“So those kind of themes sit in the album, and I use a lot of metaphor around what it’s like to be a woman. So the emotional landscape of women opposed to men, hormone changes and how it can be built as a negative thing to be sensitive and emotional, whereas I think it’s a really positive thing because you’re being really honest about your feelings. So I’ve incorporated a lot of metaphor around the cult thing but really personal issues throughout the album as well, so it was very therapeutic to write it.”
Bizarrely, the day before we interviewed the band a BBC feature revealed the plight of a woman who was rebuilding her life after surviving the Jonestown Massacre, which was intriguing timing. Check out the video for Imitate Me below to get a taste of the Pagan sound.
As you can probably gather from Nikki, the vocals play a very prominent role in the whole Pagan experience. When asked about their creative process, Dan explains: “Usually Xavier or I will skeleton a song. The process is pretty typical rock band, which we’re going to try and move away from in the next record, but on this album, Xavier and I would write a bunch of riffs and put it together in a skeleton then Matt will think of drumbeats.
“It’s pretty standard but it tends to change a lot too, in that what one of us generally adds ends up being very different to what we initially anticipated. That can be hard sometimes as you get pretty attached to something, but then it also wouldn’t sound like Pagan if that process didn’t happen.
“The biggest thing for us is we just try to write stuff that feels very organic and natural, and leave heaps of room for Nikki to do her thing vocally. We’ve played in bands previously where the vocals were a bit of an afterthought so this time we’revery conscious of that – they’re just very heavy pop songs at the end of the day.”
As alluded to, the band’s debut album Black Wash was released in July, and it’s an absolute banger that showcases the band’s rare ability to create seriously heavy music that also just makes you want to boogie. When we first interviewed the band, Dan told us the expectation of the album’s release was like: “a parent seeing a child leave home for the first time,” so we were keen to get their thoughts since its release.
On the album, Nikki told us: “It’s sort of done better than we expected it would, which was amazing. We were all super proud with what we created and knew we couldn’t do any better than it was. But it’s amazing how it’s been received and the opportunities that arose from there. We put lots of hard work in and it came out well.”
The band tell us that social media has played a major part in spreading the Pagan word and, in particular, Spotify, thanks to its ability to help listeners find new bands.
Nikki told us: “The digital age generally helps, but Spotify for sure as you can see how many followers and streams a song has, and unlike Facebook and Instagram where you can buy followers. So it’s very honest.”
While Dan adds: “You can see very honest statistics about who’s been listening to us, and we’re really lucky that we got added to some really cool playlists which helps a whole bunch. We just got added to one called Complete Chaos which has 95,000 followers, most of which I presume haven’t heard of Pagan before. It really breaks the barriers down and creates one big world of music.”
To prove the latter point, looking at Pagan’s Spotify page now their ‘related artists’ points the listener in the direction of the UK’s own Palm Reader and Svalbard, Danish band MOL, Zeal & Ardor and three bands I’ve never heard of: Clowns, Outright and High Tension – who I may go and give a listen to after writing this interview up. And that really shows the power of the platform in helping you discover new music with ease.
The band completed a UK tour through November, beginning in London then taking in Bristol, Manchester, Bournemouth, Leeds and Milton Keynes before coming back to London after a few shows in Europe. And on London specifically, Nikki told us: “It’s exceeded my expectations, it’s so amazing and so many good food places and coffee shops.”
While Dan expanded: “Culturally it’s really lovely, the architecture is beautiful. It’s funny too as an Australian, there’s sort of a stigma about Australians that go to London. It almost put me off coming, and it wasn’t high up on my places to travel. But to come here it’s just really beautiful, and I love how different suburbs are from one to the next.”
If you missed out on seeing Pagan when they were in the UK, or if you’re reading this in Australia, then believe us you really have missed out. On the Pagan live show, Nikki tells us: “It’s not just going to see a band, it’s a performance. We’ve really put a lot of thought into making an actual show, the set and making it as seamless as we can and just a bit of a party. Disco vibes and loads of dancing.
And Dan adds: “I think people are usually surprised at how dancey the show is as opposed to being ultra-aggressive. It’s the kind of environment we like, rather than people trying to kill each other. we want them to have a good time and to remember the show and think about it for weeks afterwards.” Check out the video below for a taster of their live show.
You can see in your New Year with a ritual of Pagan worship at Crowbar in Sydney, while the band will also be playing Unify Festival in January, then touring Australia in April.
If you’ve not checked them out yet then we firmly recommend you go and give Black Wash a listen and, if possible, go and see them play live because it’s one hell of an experience.
You can follow Pagan on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter, and Black Wash is out now on Spotify and all other digital platforms here.
Once labelled, “The wickedest man in the world“, Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) was an influential and highly controversial British occultist, writer, poet, magician, and mystic. He was celebrated for his pioneering work in ceremonial magic and occultism, and his books and teachings have been widely read and referenced by artists, philosophers, and musicians alike.
Along the way, she encountered mythical creatures and faced many challenges. Finally, Amelia arrived at a hidden cave where a wise old wizard resided. The wizard had been searching for someone pure-hearted enough to break the curse. He revealed to Amelia that she must find the lost ancient artifact known as the "Crystal of Hope" to break the curse. With newfound hope in her heart, Amelia set out on her quest to find the Crystal of Hope. She ventured deep into the enchanted forest, where magical beings guided her to its whereabouts. After many trials and tribulations, she finally found the crystal hidden deep within a hidden cavern. But breaking the curse was not as simple as possessing the Crystal of Hope. Amelia had to embark on a dangerous mission to the top of the tallest mountain in the kingdom. It was said that only at the peak of the mountain, under the light of a full moon, could the curse be shattered. With the Crystal of Hope in her possession, Amelia climbed the treacherous mountain. The wind howled, and the cold bit at her skin, but she pressed on with unwavering determination. Finally, at the peak, as the full moon rose overhead, Amelia held the crystal high. A blinding light engulfed the land as the curse shattered into a million pieces. The kingdom rejoiced as the clouds dispersed, and the sun shone brighter than ever before. The rivers flowed once again, and life returned to the land. Amelia, hailed as a hero, was loved and respected by her people. She had not only saved her kingdom but also proved that love, courage, and hope could overcome the darkest of curses. From that day forward, Amelia ruled with compassion and fairness, ensuring that her people would never suffer again. And so, the tale of the curse was transformed into a legend, a reminder that no matter how dire the circumstances may seem, there will always be hope for a brighter tomorrow. The end..
Reviews for "The Cuese as a Source of Inspiration for Contemporary Artists"
1. John - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Once upon a cuese", but unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations. The story felt disjointed, and the characters lacked depth. I found myself struggling to stay engaged throughout the film. Additionally, the pacing was off, with certain scenes dragging on while others felt rushed. Overall, I was disappointed with this movie and wouldn't recommend it.
2. Sarah - 1 star - "Once upon a cuese" was a complete letdown. The plot was confusing and difficult to follow, with random subplots that didn't contribute much to the overall story. The acting was also subpar, with wooden performances from the main cast. I was hoping for an enthralling and captivating experience, but instead, I was left feeling underwhelmed and bored. Save your time and skip this one.
3. Mike - 2.5 stars - I found "Once upon a cuese" to be underwhelming. The narrative lacked coherence, and the script felt convoluted. The film tried to be quirky and whimsical, but it ended up being confusing and pretentious. The performances were decent, but they couldn't salvage the weak storyline. Overall, I didn't connect with this movie, and it left me wanting more substance and cohesion.
4. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Once upon a cuese", but it fell flat for me. The story was confusing, and the characters lacked development. The film seemed to prioritize style over substance, with flashy visuals and quirky cinematography that didn't add much to the overall experience. I also found the ending unsatisfying and felt like many loose ends were left untied. Overall, I was disappointed with this movie and wouldn't recommend it to others.
5. David - 1 star - "Once upon a cuese" was a complete mess. The plot was all over the place, making it difficult to follow and connect with the story. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, and the pacing was off, with unnecessary scenes dragging on. The film seemed to rely too heavily on visual effects rather than focusing on a compelling narrative. I was left feeling confused and unsatisfied after watching this movie.