In the heart of Danbury, Connecticut, a symphonic power metal phenomenon is taking shape, defying the odds of a scene that is scarcely known for its metal roots. Meet Dialith, a quartet formed from Craigslist connections and mutual friendships, comprising Krista Sion, Alasdair Wallace Mackie, Cullen Mitchell, and Mark Grey.
As they prepare for the release of their upcoming EP, Alter (out April 5), Dialith promises a musical journey that transcends genres, blending Middle Eastern motifs, saxophone solos, and Celtic influences into a captivating sonic tapestry. Dialith shares insights into their creative process, their eclectic approach to music, and their aspirations for the future. From their penchant for MIDI-driven compositions to their unexpected saxophone cameos, Dialith invites fans to join them on a thrilling musical odyssey that defies expectations.
ATN: Danbury, Connecticut doesn’t seem like it would have a thriving symphonic power metal scene, how did you four come together?
KRISTA: It definitely does not have a thriving symphonic power metal scene–we’re the only ones that I’m aware of! Originally, Alasadair and I met on Craigslist after I put out an ad looking to start a band back in 2015, then through mutual friends we found Cullen and Mark!
ATN: With the release of Alter around the corner, what can fans expect?
KRISTA: I think the cool thing about Dialith is that we don’t have a specific identity that we’re trying to stick to. When we hear new music, we like to incorporate those ideas into our own. This new EP has everything from a Middle Eastern-sounding song, to a song with a sax solo, to a song with Celtic influence. It’s very eclectic which I think keeps it interesting.
ATN: Which song(s) are you most excited about for fans to hear?
KRISTA: Hard to say! Ironbound is a lot of fun, and I write the lyrics about one of my favorite books, so maybe that one.
ATN: How does the band (or individually) approach writing music?
ALASDAIR: For me personally, I found the best way to write music is all in MIDI on the computer. It makes organizing ideas much easier, and helps me avoid the trap of muscle memory when trying to come up with new guitar parts. This also has the benefit of giving everyone in the band a very close approximation of what the final product will sound like, so we’re all on the same page before we begin recording.
ATN: Whose brilliant idea was it to include a saxophone in “Ironbound”?
ALASDAIR: That would be me! I’ve grown fond of cheesy music recently and I had been joking for a while that we should have a sax solo in one of our songs. When writing Ironbound, it felt just right to add it in there. For the recording, we hired the Youtuber FoolishFrankie and we loved how it came out!
ATN: With Alter being a continuation of 2021’s Atrophy, does the band have an idea on what is next for the trilogy?
KRISTA: We have some ideas, but they’re still cooking 😉
ATN: What can fans expect for the rest of 2024?
KRISTA: We are playing the Mad With Power festival in Wisconsin this August, and will hopefully have some footage from the performance to release as a live music video.
SAME 3 QUESTIONS WE ALWAYS ASK
ATN: Artist / band that you feel is the most underrated and why?
KRISTA: That’s a tough one! There are so many incredible bands. Just the ones that we know in our area, Eternal Ascent, Adamantis, and Aversed.
ATN: Artist / band that you would like to collaborate with and why?
KRISTA: If I had my pick of anyone to collaborate with, I would fulfill my teenage dream and work with Emilie Autumn.
ATN: Artist / band that you would like to tour with and why?
KRISTA: Seven Spires! Everyone in that band is super nice and they work so hard. They seem like they’d be fun to tour with.
