Doomed Confessionary: Ivo Iliev (Darkflight)
With almost 24 years in existence the Bulgarian band Darkflight – founded by Ivo Iliev (vocals, guitars, keyboards) – is creating a mix of atmospheric doom metal with fantasy-influenced lyrics. Already 4 full-length albums and 1 EP under their belt and the band has created for themselves a prominent place in the current underground scene…
Previous album »The Hereafter« was born and released in 2017. This time the band included some guest appearances and some singing parts. CD was released by Black Plague Records, Metallic Media and Symbol Of Domination Productions (Satanath Records sub-label).
After the successful contribution of Milen’s voice in the song »Threshold of Death«, he became permanent band member, main vocalist and bass player. The band started working on the 5th full-length album and a new drummer Valentin Deskov has joined. In 2023 the new album »Entropy« has been completed.
Darkflight’s fifth full-length »Entropy« was released on April 29th, 2024 via Symbol Of Domination and Australis Records.
Can you say a few words about your band?
We’re a small underground band that has been lurking into the fringes of the doom metal scene for already 24 years. We’ve had our ups and downs and hopefully we’ll manage to reach the surface yet again (after the long pause of 7 years) and get to the hearts of the true doomsters even though with slightly changed musical style.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
For me personally is to be able write music that can get an emotional response from the listeners or to impact somehow their life (on the positive side of course). I’ve had feedback in the past – saying that, hey your song brought tears to my eyes.
When they’ve truly felt it, that’s what matters and justifies the long hours/years of writing and producing this stuff.
Probably the hardest thing for a composer and musician is to write/record a song that can achieve that. With our latest album “Entropy” we were focusing mostly on that.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Maybe that we survived as a band, as a musical project for so long. And we just keep on going. No plans to stop or give up yet.
What was your biggest regret?
We surely have made a lot of mistakes during the recordings and the production of our music recently and in the past, but I have this moto –> Never look back, what’s done is done… look only forward and try to get better in everything.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Darkflight has never played live, we were always a studio music project.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
I am not sure I understand this question, but discovering the musical project Raised By Swans was a big “wow” moment for me.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Blazing Eternity’s latest album, something so simple and yet so effective. Fresh melodies and great music. My Dying Bride’s last opus was also very good, such a bummer to hear that they might split up. The Wounded’s last album »The Sky Is Ours« also gave me great enjoyment. Honorable mentions: TodoMal, Lumsk, Isole, Thy Listless Heart, Saturnus.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
I don’t remember anyone giving me any advices to tell you the truth, maybe buy this gear or that? Buying Strymon’s reverb module “Big Sky” was a good advice though.
What are your guilty pleasures?
“Guilty” and pleasures? Both words should be exclusive from each other. Don’t feel guilty having simple pleasures in life such as listening to music, reading books, swimming into a crystal clear sea, and writing music.
Can you say something more about the music scene in Varna / Bulgaria?
Varna is not a popular destination for doom metal, mostly known with hardcore/punk bands, few death metal bands as well. The drummer of Abaddon plays in one of our songs into the last album though.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Nothing like that planned in the near future.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
We’ll just chill for a while now. Releasing an album so recently sucked out my creativity dry. We need time to recuperate, to let new ideas to form and sprout. To release something really, really nice takes time.
I’m re-recording a new version of an old song »To Die In Your Arms« that will have the guest vocalist Jessica yet again working with us. This will be a single available at our Bandcamp profile.
How can people best support your band?
If you enjoy our music please support the labels releasing it – Symbol Of Domination Productions and Australis Records, those guys are amazing and deserve any support whether by purchasing physical or digital copy of the album.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Stay safe, healthy and never give in to negative thoughts!
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well