FM
History
New York-based dark rock mavens Vajra (pronounced “vaag-rah”) have returned. The long silence between debut album Pleroma (2012) and the group’s remarkable new album, Irkalla, was the product of a rigorous touring schedule and a complex confluence of unexpected life events that paused vocalist / visionary Annamaria Pinna’s prolific (and profound) songwriting output. Indeed, the creation process for Irkalla pushed forward in the darkest shadows and the most brilliant of lights. That this drive, ambition, and perseverance originate and radiate outward from a self-sufficient—not corralled by a record label—vehicle like Vajra is not only inspiring but mind-bending.
“We have the freedom to musically, lyrically, and visually explore what we are driven to explore, and to release what we decide to release when the time is right,” offers Pinna. “It’s a combination of instinct and business. We usually release on auspicious days. For Irkalla, each release also will be released on a day that is a derivative of three in terms of numerology. For Pleroma, it was the summer solstice. In terms of content, I see us as travelers who go outside the bounds of a sense-based perception to catch a musical or lyrical idea and then translate it to the material realm. When we get out of our own ways, we are translators or conduits for energies that move through us. Honoring what comes through is important for us.”
