(KevinP brings us another installment in his ongoing series of short interviews, talking this time with drummer Sergio Ponti of and Dordeduh and Sunset In the 12th House, whose debut album was released earlier this month.)
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K: With everyone else in the band from/living in Romania, how did you hook up with them?
S: In the spring of 2007 I was on tour with Ephel Duath. We played about 12 gigs in the UK with Negura Bunget opening all of those gigs for us. We didn’t get to share too much time together back then, but we remained in contact. They invited me to Timisoara, Romania, in the fall of 2009.
I was initially asked to be part of Dordeduh, but scheduling conflicts on my side made it impossible. I did record the drums for the debut EP Valea Omului though. We started collaborating soon after on Sunset in the 12th House around 2011. Then in 2013, I was asked again to be in Dordeduh and circumstances made it possible for me to join full time.
K: I’m not into astrology myself, so I had to look up this whole 12th house thing. What kind of effect did this have on the music, or did the music come about by itself and the name then fit?
S: Hupogrammos explained this to me too many times, with language I can’t comprehend. Him and Sol surely have a better answer for this. I feel my role in the band, as in any band I play in, is to support the music in a solid and musical way. I see that the reception of this work has been extremely positive, so it means we touched people in some positive ways.
K: Besides Dordeduh/Sunset, what else do you have going on?
S: I have my own alternative/post-rock band, Koneskin. We just released our debut EP, Liberty Place. You might want to check it out at www.facebook.com/Koneskin1. I also play with Beggar’s Farm, a band who acts as house band for several prog icons (Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, David Jackson, and more).
K: Is Sunset In the 12th House a studio band or are you going to take this on the road?
S: We did a Romanian tour back in 2013 and played Dark Boombastic Evening, in Alba Iulia, Romania, twice. I strongly suggest anyone to try to attend that festival, it’s simply wonderful! As for places we’d like to play, Roadburn Festival would be awesome! We plan to do more, starting this September.
K: Is there a favorite moment (or moments) you have on Mozaic [the 2015 debut album by Sunset In the 12th House]?
S: I would say my whole favourite moment is the opening song, “Seven Insigna”. It’s a pretty diverse and progressive song, a heavy one yet with more delicate moments. A live favourite of mine. And there I did some floor tom/single kick patterns to make up for the absence of a double pedal, which was a deliberate choice.
K: So are we going to get a new Dordeduh album this year?
S: I really hope so! We have started working on new music, and we’ll have three writing sessions this summer. We have a song that’s pretty powerful and groovy, but maybe that will be rearranged too. New elements will be incorporated, too, probably given the fact that I can bring some different influences into the band, not being strictly a metal drummer.
https://sunset-in-the-12th-house.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.facebook.com/sunsetinthe12thhouse
https://www.facebook.com/Dordeduh
One Response to “GET TO THE POINT: SERGIO PONTI (SUNSET IN THE 12TH HOUSE, DORDEDUH)”
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Someone’s got to say it. Sunset in the 12th House kicked massive ass with Mosaic. And I say that as someone who doesn’t even really care for post-rock/metal/music (and hadn’t heard of Sunset in the 12th House before yesterday). Most post-thisandthat veers off into realms that grate on me and make me want to punch the transgressors in the face. It only took half a song for Mosaic to pull me onboard, and there is not a grating, punch in the face worthy moment on it. (How’s that for a backhanded compliment?) It’s too soon to say, but this may end up being one of my favorite releases of 2015.