Dávid Makó is the man responsible for one of the best albums of the year. We had a chat about the album, the cover, Season Of Mist, guest artists, and many more.
Hi there. It’s a pleasure to talk to you. Please introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi, thank you for the chance to talk with you! I am a singer songwriter from Hungary, Eastern Europe. Right now I am sitting in a hütte in the Austrian Alps. I wrote the majority of my new album here in last September.
You released a new album, called ‘The Call of the Iron Peak,’ via Season Of Mist, on the 28th of August. Why did you choose this name? Any symbolism behind the lyrics and album cover?
The Iron Peak is an existing mountain in the Alps though it is not its real name. I named it so as it shines like iron. When I came here to isolate myself from everything and everyone to be able to focus only on this album I hiked a lot and the peace and perfect silence I experienced at this peak was a huge impression for the work. The cover art is some continues a story that started with the previous album called ‘What Happened To The Little Blind Crow’. The story has not been finished yet but if you but the two covers next to each other you will see the details connecting.
How was working with such an important label? Did they let you take full control of the production of the record?
It inspired me a lot. It is a very scary thing for a singer songwriter to be signed by one of the biggest metal labels that is also my favorite label for so long. So I had to step on a new level to be worthy for this opportunity.Yes they did let me work absolutely freely.
You are involved in the Doom Metal scene and it clearly influnced the record. Is the scene still important for you? What new ideas did you bring to the songs, especially in the lyrics?
I don’t see a doom metal scene or any scene anymore. I don’t think it is healthy to separate genres. I see the underground as a whole and I don’t care about any act that is trying to get mainstream. Separating genres only closes self expression in a very shallow place where from a point it is impossible to grow.
Did you work with a sound engineer to help you with the sound, instruments and lyrics?
I work with my best friend Márton Szabó Nagyúr, he is the best sound engineer I know. His only job is to capture my live sound and he does it very well. I don’t need anyone to change my sound or lyrics or anything about my music because first of all it is for me. I had a few friends as guest musicians playing drums spoons triangulum and a jug but that is all.
Grindesign (aka Robert Borbas) is the man responsible for the cover. How did you guys meet and how familiar were you with his work? Is he influenced by the Metal scene in general?
He is a very old friend of mine. So old that I don’t remember how we met. He created the artwork for my previous album too. I think we are influenced by quite the same things.
Any surprises in line for the fans?
There are a few tours being booked or in progress for the next year but it all depends on how the governments deal with the virus.
Which songs were the easiest/hardest to produce/compose and why?
The fastest was ‘No Arrival’ but there is no easy or hard way to write a song for me it just happens. Sometimes it takes a few hours sometimes years. It is kind of an unconscious process. I would say it happens to me.
This album includes some Hungarian songs. In your opinion, what do you think that fascinates people that don’t speak the native language of the band/singer?
On this album it is only one, a cover of an old Hungarian folk song from Kalotaszeg, Transylvania. There is a level were music can work without understanding the lyrics. Sometimes it even can be a deeper experience but it depends on the music and the musician.
Rita Szabó, The Devil’s Tradeó of Triangulum, is a special guest on the track “Dead Sister.” How did you meet and what’s the story behind that song?
They are the lovely children of Márton Nagyúr. The muse for this piece was probably the biggest storm cloud I have ever seen covering the perfectly clean summer night sky. I was sitting right under the eye of the storm on a plain somewhere in the Hungarian countryside. It was like sitting under a gate to another ancient world. Again the world went silent the air stopped and I was waiting to be smashed by the elements. For about 20 minutes it felt like I was connected to the otherworld. Then a cool wind came and blew it away. It is also about or for my sister.
“Három Árva” is a cover of a Hungarian folk song. What’s the meaning of the song and why did you decide to cover this particular song?
It is about three orphans maltreated by their stepmother they are trying to connect their dead mother to call her back. Christian religion and occultism lives perfectly together in this song and the orphans manage to talk to their mothers but she can’t help them. I heard this song from Maria Sebestyén and Gergely Agócs but I never thought of singing it. If you listen to those two sing any songs you would understand why. It is another dimension of singing that I feel blasphemy to try to enter. Instead I made my own version. There are folk songs that will find their way into your life no matter what.
Next year, you will tour with Darkher and Forndom. Who had the idea to tour with them? Are you fans of each other? What surprises can fans expect from you?
It was the idea of my manager, Zoltan Jakab. I introduced Darkher to him as I am a huge fan of hers and he signed her to Doomstar Bookings. Forndom was his idea too and I think it is a wonderful package. The biggest surprise will be if we can start the tour.
The tour is scheduled for April next year. Will there be more dates and cities to announce? If you could visit any city, what would it be and why?
No more cities it is fully booked. It would be any city.
Thanks for answering our questins. Any final thoughts for your fans and our metalhead readers?
Thank you! Go on metalhead readers you have no time!
