Piano Black play Symphonic Opera Metal and hail from Dublin, the capital of Ireland. That’s not entirely true. Singer Ana Marija Dundović is from Croatia, as is guitarist Mario Stojčić. Anyway, their first EP, ‘…Of Bygone Days’, was released in December 2020. At that time, they were still supported by three guest musicians. The band has since grown into a quartet. And this quartet then recorded their debut album, ‘The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn’, which was released in November 2025, almost five years later. It’s time to ask the musicians some curious questions. Singer Ana Marija Dundović and guitarist Mario Stojčić answered these questions.
MHF: Hi, I’m Rainer and I write for Keep on Rocking and Metalheads Forever Magazine. I’m delighted to be doing this interview with you. How are you?^
PB: Hi Rainer, it’s amazing to be talking to you about our new album! We are delighted to chat with you.
MHF: You are still a young band and relatively unknown. Please introduce yourselves briefly.
PB: We are Piano Black, a symphonic metal band based in Dublin, Ireland. blending dark, cinematic orchestration, choirs and operatic vocals with modern metal. Formed around guitarist and composer Mario Stojčić, we’re fronted by vocalist Ana Marija Dundović, with Paul Piszewski on bass and John Howell on drums. We were finalists in the Wacken Metal Battle and have performed extensively across Ireland, including the Siege of Limerick and Templemore Festival. Our debut album, mixed and mastered by Seeb of Orden Ogan and Angus McSix, is set for release on 30 November 2025 and marks our step onto the international symphonic metal stage.
MHF: Ana and Mario are obviously from Croatia. How did you come to Ireland?
PB: We both moved to Ireland ten years ago, and it has truly become our home. We officially became Irish citizens last year, which was a very meaningful step for us. We originally moved for several reasons, but above all to experience a different culture and broaden our perspectives. We’ve grown to love life here, so staying felt like the most natural choice.
MHF: The band was founded in 2020 by Ana Marija Dundović and Mario Stojčić. You recorded your first EP in the same year. How did you find your three guest musicians for the studio recordings?
PB: We invited our former drummer Josip from Croatia, to fly over for two days to record the drums for the EP. He arrived, tracked everything within a very tight timeframe, and flew back to Croatia the following day. The schedule was intense, but he’s a true professional, so the results were excellent.
Our second guest was our Irish friend Dave, an absolute pleasure to work with, who recorded both the second guitar and bass parts. Interestingly, finding guest musicians wasn’t the biggest challenge — the real obstacle was the pandemic, which broke out in the middle of the recording process. Travel restrictions in Ireland were extremely strict, and the studio in Limerick was about 300 km from where we were living at the time. Despite all of this, we managed to make it work, and I’m still incredibly proud of the final result, especially considering everything we had to overcome.
MHF: You now appear to have a permanent line-up. Was it challenging to find band members who share your musical preferences?
PB: Absolutely. It took us almost a year to find the right drummer, as our style is quite specific, but John turned out to be a perfect fit. Finding a bass player who shared our passion and commitment to the music was also a challenge, but we found exactly that in Paul. This is now our permanent lineup, and we get along extremely well. In fact, the chemistry is so strong that we decided not to add a second guitarist permanently and instead work with guest musicians for live shows. A good atmosphere within the band is essential — without it, you simply can’t relax, connect, and create freely.
MHF: I am thrilled by Ana’s clear opera soprano voice. Did she have or does she have vocal training?
PB: Yes, I hold a degree in classical singing, and I also work as a singing teacher. I began formal vocal training around the age of 17 and shortly after decided to pursue classical singing professionally. Along the way, I sang in an opera choir, performed smaller roles, and continue to perform classical repertoire. Music has always been a central part of my life, and I have a strong and diverse background in it.
MHF: On ‘…Of Bygone Days’ you drew inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien. About what are the lyrics on the current album?
PB: Only one song on the EP was directly inspired by Tolkien — Beside the Fire. The new album features a newly rearranged and re-recorded version of that track, along with another Tolkien-inspired piece titled King of the Mark. While some of the songs on the album are deeply personal, others draw inspiration from the themes, ideas, and subjects that have long fascinated me.
MHF: How did the songwriting for ‘The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn’ go?
PB: Several of the songs already existed as demos by the time we began rehearsing for the album recording, while others were composed along the way. Once all the demos were completed, the orchestral score was written separately to fully shape the album’s sound.
MHF: The album was produced by Sebastian Levermann (Orden Ogan). How did this collaboration come about?
PB: We spent about a month exploring our options and discussing who to contact before the recording process officially began. We listened closely to albums by bands we admire and focused on the quality of their production. After shortlisting a few names, Seeb was actually the first person I reached out to. He responded quickly, said he liked the EP, and that he could see himself working with us. We were absolutely thrilled, and the collaboration turned out to be an incredible experience. He’s not only an outstanding producer, but also a genuinely great person to work with.
MHF: Producers often influence songwriting and arrangements. How did Seeb influence you in this way?
PB: Seeb gave some great suggestions for the current album but was also great at suggesting things that he thought could work and listen to Mario’s vision. I think it’s very important to have a studio producer that is able to put your vision into reality. Seeb was actually super supportive in that process.
MHF: Are you satisfied with the result?
PB: Really happy how it turned out. We felt super inspired to just continue working and I already started to compose demos for next album.
MHF: How was the response from the fans and the press?
PB: We got great reviews and feedback, from both press and people finding out about our music and we are extremely happy because of it. Because nowadays competition is huge and there are so many bands trying to get their piece of fame.
MHF: When you compare ‘The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn’ and ‘…Of Bygone Days’, what differences are there between the two releases?
PB: I’d say this album represents a natural step in our evolution. Of Bygone Days was the starting point — an attempt to bring a young vision to life. Since then, that vision has matured and grown into its adult form with The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, which is far more complex, expansive, and refined.
One interesting anecdote about Of Bygone Days is that it was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Finland — the same engineer who masters Nightwish releases. So even at the very beginning, we were always aiming for the highest possible standard for our music, and I believe the new album proves that ambition perfectly.
MHF: Will you be presenting the album live? Or are you already working on new material?
PB: We already did a full showcase of the album in Dublin on the 21st of November, sharing the stage with Fabienne Erni of Eluveitie, but we have gigs planned for the entire year, so many shows ahead.
MHF: I would like to thank you once again for the interview. Would you like to say anything to the fans before we finish?
PB: Thank you so much for your support, we wouldn’t be able to do this without you all! Also, keep an eye on the physical release of the album and merch coming up early this year! Stay metal!
Piano Black are:
Mario Stojčić – Guitars
Ana Marija Dundović – Vocals
John Howell – Drums
Paul Piszewski –- Bass
Discography:
…Of Bygone Days – EP 2020
Higher – Single 2025
I Sit Beside The Fire And Think – Single 2025
Pride Of War – Single 2025
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn – Album 2025
Social Media:
Bandcamp – https://blackpiano.bandcamp.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/blackpianoofficial/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/pianoblackie
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/0kDB8hxxUkBkiAdy7QomXC
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaSh5f71r5eg6rpyNu_RVqw
Amazon Music – https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B07BSC8DYZ/piano-black
Apple Music – https://music.apple.com/us/artist/piano-black/1546133111
