Current line-up: A. C., A. Guerra, J. Oliveira & J. Aernus (from left to right)
Karnnos is a Portuguese project created by J. Aernus and A. Guerra in 1998. Karnnos had several line-ups since its inception, with only the founding members as a constant.
Karnnos music is a heterogeneous tapestry, combining elements from folk/traditional music, experimental, ambient, or post-industrial languages and codes. The main thread of the project can be seen as avoiding the obvious and searching for unconventional, unusual solutions without alienating the listener, keeping a minimum connection with the notion of “song” and some conventions regarding duration, harmony or structure.
The post-industrial proposal of exploring new sound realms in an experimental manner that could include traditional music, classical elements or non-musical sound fonts is deeply embedded in Karnnos genetics, and that is why the project does not fit into a single musical category. What is deemed acceptable to be done by current members follows the pattern of what was done in the past, always with room for innovation and exploration. Reinvention of same energies, or the same spirit in different guises.
And what are those energies and spirit? Karnnos is a Greek form of the Celtic god Cernunnos; and it is an “entity” infused with the spirit of the unknown, of the mysterious and untamed. Nature as an epiphany, that is the core of Karnnos work. But this interest in pagan deities is not a shallow exercise nor a blind allegiance to some relics of the past. It is rather a search for the living Logos, into the symbols of the Otherworld, of the world of forms and archetypes, of the Sidhé and its variegated dispositions and manifestations. Finally, it is also a reflection about ourselves, of our evolution as humans and our personal experiences.
Over the years, we have been joined by several musicians on our records and concerts. Some were members, some were casual invitees, and others arrived as invitees, stayed as members, and then left. All are part of Karnnos soundology, even if their presence was just a brief passage. Because Karnnos is more than its members – it as a sort of entity built by our joined sensibilities and shadowy dreams. But here is a list and a special thanks to all that joined us throught the years: Belmil, N. Cruz / Nerunbrir, Carlos U-Sá, Hyena F. Reich, B. Varvohza / Run Arbos, R. Brito, E. Silva, unavena, V. Matos, L. C., O. Jolly, F. Vert, and maybe some others whom I am not remembering right now!
We are currently working on the follow-up to “Concealed in the Silence”, “In the harrowing distance”, which will certainly push the definition of Karnnos to somewhat new grounds as a reflection of the continuous effort to look for the unconventional and set no clear boundaries to what can be experimented with. This record was done as a quintet (including J. Oliveira, A. C., and N. Gomes), but unfortunately N. Gomes passed during the recordings and we are back to a quartet. “In the harrowing distance” reflects the loss of N. Gomes and became a sort of reflection about life and death.
