Thy Sanatorium - "Horror can be many things for different People"
- Sparky
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
‘’A wild ride. Expect to be challenged lyrically and musically because we don’t shy away from crossing and blending genres.’ Is how the nameless multinational collective that is Thy Sanitorium describes their forthcoming Self- titled Debut Album . A grand opus that transcends the ordinary and genre boundaries. ‘’Thy Sanatorium blends a lot of musical and cinematic influences. The idea was to combine themes of horror with music in a way that was relatable and applicable to the real horrors we all deal with daily.’
The idea to combine such strong symphonic with uncompromising black metal?
‘’I wouldn’t personally use the word uncompromising. Metal has always been about breaking rules, barriers and crossing boundaries. We write what comes natural without thinking a song or part needs to sound a specific way and I think that allows the music to be unique. So yes, there are definitely a lot of black metal elements, but also death metal, goth rock and even punk.
Does having multiple vocals allow you to explore different themes and ideas within your music?
‘’Oh, it definitely allows for more exploration but more in a collaborative way. RA is the main singer although Crux lead sings a song called “Devil’s Heart” and can be heard a lot throughout the album. Nyx also adds her voice in parts but more in support and we’ve all added a few backing vocals here and there. While the lead sections have their moment to shine (vocals, guitar solos and alike) for the most part we treat everything as an ensemble, not a lead. I think that also makes out sound a little different and it comes through on how we mix our music.
Is each track unique yet integral to the concept? Mixing both beautiful and savage?
‘’It’s conceptual for sure, but not a concept album. Each song is its own thing, but they all have the common theme of horror. The album’s closing title track “Thy Sanatorium” brings them all together in a way. Interesting and good question asking if we are mixing the beauty and savage as our songs have layers. Beneath it all they have somewhat of a positive message that many can relate to, but in a bit of a twisted way.
No flag left to burn reflects the world’s true horrors and violence?
‘’It reflects the true horrors of war. The song title actually got us banned from TikTok because they claimed it supported burning flags. It does not. The song title has a symbolic meaning. Flags represent nations and nations are made of people. If you are killing those people in the process of going to war, then there is no flag left to burn. No one gets to claim victory when to get there you had to kill children, women, the elderly, and any person incapable of defending themselves. That’s a loss for all.
Why is Real world horror a mere footnote in major media and needs more attention?
‘’We are surrounded by horror and there is plenty of it in the media. Much of which we have no power over. The worst kind of horror is the one that pretends to be good, or even actually believes to be good but to reach its goals it has to alienate certain groups. Be it different religions, politics, or genders. I believe that anything, anyone, and any organization that requires you to go against or judge someone that doesn’t fit into their rhetoric or agenda, is pure evil.
How do you define horror? And how do we change it?
‘’Horror can be many things for different people. It can be the horror of dealing with chronic pain or something that there is no cure for. It can be the horror of being or feeling different in society and not being accepted for it. It can be the horror of domestic violence and abuse…the list goes on and one. How do we change it? I don’t have the answer to that, but a good start would be taking care of ourselves and doing the best we can with the cards we’ve been dealt. When you get on a plane one of the first safety measures they teach you is to strap yourself in and put on your own mask before you help anyone else. Take care of YOU and you’ll be able to help others.
What keeps you awake at night?
‘’Sleep is important. I like my sleep. But if I have any sleepless nights is usually irrational anxiety about things I have no control over.
The many shades within your music and the juxtaposition of darkness and light?
‘’Ah yes. The play of taking something that is familiar and relatable then twisting it enough to make it creepy and horrific. The book ‘Cujo’ by Stephen King is a perfect example. A big huggable loving dog turns into a rabid nightmare for a mother and her son, trapped in a car in extreme heat all while exploring themes of infidelity, family breakdown, and isolation. On the surface one could easily think the horror is about the rabid dog, but it’s so much more than that. With Thy Sanatorium I approach every song visually. As if a beautiful innocent looking doll is perfectly still as it should be then all of a sudden tilts it’s head. That’s not supposed to happen.
The cinematic sounds? Is making it Epic all part of the Grand Opera?
‘’The cinematic influence comes from how I write the music. I write it visually, like it’s a score to a movie in a way. Some songs have the typical familiar structures of verse, pre-chorus, chorus…others don’t. Some of the guitar solos are where they usually wouldn’t be or when one expects a big melodic epic chorus, they are met with a slow dissonant breakdown. But again, I write whatever comes naturally, nothing is ever forced or planned.
Do you define extreme music as how much you are willing to invest yourself honestly in it?
‘’Tough question. I honestly don’t know how to answer this. Personally, I define extreme music has being real, raw, and true. Just putting it all out there with no filters. When you do that, it works. The first time I heard “Fucking Hostile” from Pantera for example, it’s not my style and I was never really into them much but that song I understood. It was just so in your face real and I got it. That song made me understand Pantera.
Why is extreme music so vital and important to you?
‘’I feel many connect with extreme music because we live in extreme times and deal with extreme things on a daily basis. It can be extreme metal, but also hip hop, rap, and other genres. Extreme music for many is like going outside and screaming for no reason at the top of your lungs, which then relaxes you and you feel at peace. It’s letting go, letting loose, telling someone toxic in your life to fuck off. That’s healthy. We connect with that.
Top 6 albums of all time?
''Oh Lilith. Top 6 albums of all time? I have so many favorite albums, but I’ll name the ones relevant to Thy Sanatorium in no particular order. “Cruelty and the beast” Cradle of Filth. “Hate Crew Deathroll” Children of Bodom. “Abrahadabra’ Dimmu Borgir, “Sorceress” Opeth, “Somewhere In Time” Iron Maiden and “The Crow” soundtrack.