FEM AND SERGEY AZBEL PRESENT 'MORTALS'

This month, the epic, hair-raising trailer EP Mortals will be released on our innovative Fired Earth Music label dedicated to high-impact trailer music.

Composed and written by composer Sergey Azbel, this album contains uniquely dramatic orchestral hybrid trailer cues that feature action strings, ethereal soundscapes, heroic brass and powerful trailer drums.

All the orchestral elements for this special EP were recorded at the iconic Synchron Stage in Vienna, famously known for its enormous recording room. The expansive acoustics lent themselves amazingly to the grandeur heard throughout Mortals.

Can you tell us a bit about how you became a composer? Have you always been drawn to music? What projects have you worked on previously, and where do you look for inspiration?

I started to study music at an early age when I was sent to a children’s music school at seven. A conscious desire to devote myself to music came at the age of 16, when I attended a service at a Protestant church and heard the high-quality sound of a musical group. I entered college and graduated as a jazz pianist.

I started writing orchestral music when I got my first computer because I loved listening to movie soundtracks. I believe there is a special magic video and music combined into one piece; I believe it can influence the souls and minds of people.

I also wrote pop songs for artists, and my work with the Ukrainian singer Zlata Ognevich won third place at Eurovision in 2013. At the same time, I tried to write music for films and

In 2016, I moved to the USA, and since then, my music has been used in trailers for big-budget films and video games, including the Marvel and Star Wars film series, Call of Duty, Battlefield, and many more.

How did you approach writing Mortals to evoke its sense of dark, apocalyptic and otherworldly atmospheres? Were there any specific instruments or sounds you focused on to achieve the desired mood?

Inspiration comes and goes for any professional composer. Discipline and a systematic approach are important in our work, and inspiration can be artificially induced by listening to classical musical masterpieces, walking in nature, or listening to colleagues’ amazing work. Inspiration is all around us.

How do you hope listeners will connect with the music, and what emotions or images do you want to evoke?

Working on Mortals was very interesting! I love it when orchestral sounds intertwine with dark synthesizers. We wanted to capture orchestral elements with the trailer world’s signature sounds/synths/percussion. We wanted it to be a little experimental but also suitable for trailers. It was great working with the guys from West One Music—they were so polite with their feedback. It was very motivating!

What was the experience of recording at Synchron like? Were there any challenges or standout moments during the recording session?

This was my first experience recording such a large orchestra in a world-class studio. Synchron is where the music for The Lord of the Rings and Transformers was recorded! My head was spinning when I approached the large window in the main mixer room and saw a vast hall with probably about 30-40 violinists alone. It was epic!

The musicians and conductor were amazing. The whole team worked like one well-coordinated mechanism. Chris, who supervised the entire recording process, is a top-notch musician who hears subtle nuances in the orchestra and can fix them.

The Synchron Stage has a special atmosphere. It’s a legendary place and is a great success for any composer who records there.