Music Project · Progressive Metal
Onkkor
From the desire to make music to the creative direction of a personal project.
With a basic understanding of music as a guitarist and vocalist, but a knack for composing, I decided to start a project simply out of a desire to create music. I write the lyrics, record the guitars and vocals, and complete each song with bass and drum tracks created by Juan Carlos Henao (Área 51 Studios).
It all started with making music, but I decided to give the project an identity and let it evolve. In a way, this meant managing a process similar to building a brand and its communication, drawing on both my own skills and those of others who decided to join me. It’s a process that began with a simple idea and has, so far, led to the production of a music video.
Naming
As with the creation of any brand, I went through a naming process that sought not to limit the project’s identity to my first and last name, but rather to have it stem from them.
Logo
I reached out to Silvia Molina, a branding expert, and shared the essence of what I was looking for, along with a series of references and context about the metal scene: essentially, the brief. From there, she developed the project’s visual identity.
Once the identity was in place, and even though this was a personal project with no major ambitions, I created a social media presence where I could occasionally share content.
Cover Art
Although my background is in copywriting, I ventured into design and created two of the covers myself (“Criterio” / “Hacia la oscura luz” and the full EP, “Fragmentos de un comienzo abrupto”), while Daniel “Zary” Arciniegas provided his design expertise for the second release (“Pequeños lastres”).
Video Production
The first piece we created was a lyric video, with the help of Cristian I. Gutiérrez, a musician and video editor. Later, with the support of David Gómez, I decided to take the project a step further with a music video. I wrote a script based on a clear concept and a simple idea designed to make the most of the limited production resources available, while David produced and directed the video.
Lyrics
I wrote the lyrics for the three singles available on streaming platforms. They’re written in Spanish, but here’s a general idea of the theme for each track:
Criterio · Judgement
During the social unrest in Colombia in 2021, political polarization in the country became more evident, to the point where people showed little willingness to question the leaders they supported. The lyrics address the prevalence of these instances of blind fanaticism and the loss of critical judgment.
Pequeños lastres · Small Burdens
We’ve all had uncomfortable experiences that leave their mark on us and shape our personalities. Some of them are minor and don’t even come close to being classified as traumas or turning points; yet they remain a thorn in our side that we can’t seem to shake off. The lyrics capture this feeling and the possible reason behind these small burdens we carry with us.
Hacia la oscura luz · Towards the Dark Light
These lyrics pay tribute to metal as a musical genre and describe how I gradually immersed myself in this world, realizing that it was more than just music. Through the verses, I explore the essence and ideology of this music, which has illuminated the path for many of us by portraying the darkness we all carry within.