Sparky talked to singer-songwriter symphonic metal artist Nur from Sydney about her release “Unbroken”, the message behind it all and more…
Metal-Roos: Gday How are you?
Nur: I’m very good thank you
Metal-Roos: It is nice to have you back creating music, what have you missed about it?
Nur: I miss the satisfaction of writing new songs and the thrill of being on the stage. I love sharing my music to new and wider audiences. I haven’t been able to be myself in so long and I am so glad that I didn’t lose these skills.
Metal-Roos: What led to the creation of your new EP ‘’Unbroken”’?
Nur: As my healing process began and my survival stage subsided I had all of this built up emotion from everything that had happened over the last 10 years and I just needed to get it out in some form or I was going to explode. So I wrote how I felt and how I wanted to feel and wrote this EP with a song for each stage of my process starting from the end of my sentence.
Metal-Roos: It is a very personal release that reflects the serious danger that you were in?
Nur: Yes, it was an experience that I don’t wish upon anyone. I faced fear and abuse, mental trauma and physical trauma from both within and from the toxic partnership I found myself a prisoner of. I am still feeling the aftermath and for a long time I expect this will be the case. I remember one time when he had his hands around my neck and as I was running out of air, I really felt that was the end and I knew I needed to escape this.
Metal-Roos: How did you escape it?
Nur: In short, I ran, a tactical retreat where I left everything behind and fled the country and got far enough away that I couldn’t be followed. Thankfully NSW Police and the Laws of Australia protected me and have kept me safe from the demon of my past. Under the disguise of a “family trip”, once out of site it was straight to the airport. I remember meeting my mum when landing and she was just so happy to see I had made it out without losing any more of myself.
Metal-Roos: I’m Done With You literally have you burning your wedding dress and certificate. Are you a phoenix
rising from the ashes? It is also an epic video that took a long time to shoot?
Nur: Yes, a phoenix unbroken, and stronger than ever. I am now fearless because there really isn’t much that anyone can do to me now that I haven’t already beaten before. As for the video. I actually was a long time in waiting, then 3 solid days of action. The wedding dress and paperwork needed to cross the Timor Sea twice just to meet its demise by fire, then after we melted the wedding ring.
Metal-Roos: The Dark Is Like A Fire video is haunting. It is very important for you to have people understand but
to also never give up?
Nur: The Dark Is Like A Fire is about accepting what scares you and finding positive notions in this, to love yourself and to be selfless but also to embrace your sadness without inflicting it upon the world. It is a direct “sequel” of sorts to I’m Done With You and follows the next phase in a typical journey of self-repair and healing.
Metal-Roos: It is also full of hope and overcoming. Not just for you but hopefully inspiring others to do so?
Nur: Yes, it is a song and a message that everyone can hear but particularly will hit home with those who have had their mindset altered by abuse or trauma and are on the path of self-healing. It is a long, hard road. I have taken many steps forwards and some back also. There are days I just need to scream, and sometimes cry, and I know that there are others who feel like this and this song is like my way of saying “You are not alone.”
Metal-Roos: Is metal the perfect release for your thoughts and feelings allowing you to express yourself freely?
Nur: I feel like the metal music has taken my love in coming back from a long career as a rock girl. Rock was cool but its just not angry enough for the subject matter I want to explore. This EP is only the surface of where I want to go and is a concept album of my repairs. There is some more darker times that require further depth to be taken and really the only logical form they will take is definitely metal.
Metal-Roos: The bands that inspired you to perform?
Nur: Nightwish and Evanescence have been two long time favorites of mine and will always have a place in my heart, but then I have come to discover bands like Otep and Arch Enemy and am coming to realise how metal I really can be, I felt Nightwish was the limit until I saw Arch Enemy live and I was just blown away by how she controlled the stage. And now I want to do that.
Metal-Roos: Being in Sydney have you been able to find musicians to perhaps perform some live shows? Perhaps
a tour?
Nur: It’s funny you should ask this because actually, that is exactly what I have been up to. Sydney has a lot of musicians and ways to network with them so finding a team was actually not that hard. The key was to be picky and not just take anyone but I have assembled a good crew and we are working on some things that will definitely satisfy the fans out there looking to see this work performed as well as something a lot deeper and cooler.
Metal-Roos: The ultimate dream of your project? And perhaps a full-length album?
Nur: I want to fully hone my skills into a multi-genre rock through to metal artist and get it out there on a stadium size level. There is work being made towards what I guess you would call a full album but it’s in early stages, and growing. I have built a team around me to help me achieve at least part of these dreams and I guess part of the rest is luck and hard work, If I have enough of both maybe I’ll see it through.
Metal-Roos: Final thoughts?
Nur: Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me, put up with me, and believed in me. I wouldn’t have returned to music without a bit of a push and it was needed. I have made some amazing friends in the music scene of Sydney over the last few years.
