Aryel Moon is an alternative rock/ grunge band led by Italy-born musician Donatella Camedda, who have been building a reputation on Dublin’s live circuit, alongside releasing a smattering of successful singles. Following the release of new lead single ‘Little Bit Closer’ released in October, which caught the attention of Hot Press, PureMZine, TheBeat.ie, Ragged Cast, Rock N Load, Turn Up The Volume, Daily Earworm on XRP Radio and The Mosh Pit on Dublin City FM. The band now return with the blistering EP ‘Welcome Home’, which marks a rebirth for the band and acts as their flag in the moon moment. This brings a more refined and focused sound that is all at once melancholy but cathartic. Pulling on influences PJ Harvey, Hole, and St. Vincent the band channels the grit and emotion of '90s alt-rock through a modern lens, blending grunge, punk energy, riot grrrl infusions and poetic depth. Thematically the 5 tracks on ‘Welcome Home’ each capture a different stage in the life span of a love affair, beginning with the initial electrifying spark of desire and ending with the pain and shame in loss. Over the course of the EP the band cover a vast amount of sonic territory, from mosh pit fuel, to emotional slow burners to climatic PJ Harvey cover.
Aryel Moon is an alternative rock/ grunge band led by Italy-born musician Donatella Camedda, who have been building a reputation on Dublin’s live circuit, alongside releasing a smattering of successful singles. Following the release of new lead single ‘Little Bit Closer’ released in October, which caught the attention of Hot Press, PureMZine, TheBeat.ie, Ragged Cast, Rock N Load, Turn Up The Volume, Daily Earworm on XRP Radio and The Mosh Pit on Dublin City FM. The band now return with the blistering EP ‘Welcome Home’, which marks a rebirth for the band and acts as their flag in the moon moment. This brings a more refined and focused sound that is all at once melancholy but cathartic. Pulling on influences PJ Harvey, Hole, and St. Vincent the band channels the grit and emotion of '90s alt-rock through a modern lens, blending grunge, punk energy, riot grrrl infusions and poetic depth. Thematically the 5 tracks on ‘Welcome Home’ each capture a different stage in the life span of a love affair, beginning with the initial electrifying spark of desire and ending with the pain and shame in loss. Over the course of the EP the band cover a vast amount of sonic territory, from mosh pit fuel, to emotional slow burners to climatic PJ Harvey cover.
The band centers around Donatella Camedda (guitar/vocals) as the primary songwriter for the band. Writing begins as a solitary exercise, songs often start life on acoustic guitar and find their own path into existence, they can come in a flash or develop over a period of time. Donatella pens the music, melodies and lyrics before taking the raw track to the band. A process she says is crucial in giving the band and music its unique vibe, adding layers and depth that shape the final expression of each track. The band is completed by Luca Masi (electric guitar), Stefano Vita (bass) and Nando Alonso (drums).
Donatella says, “Welcome Home is a concept EP that traces the emotional arc of love. At its core the EP is a story of belonging, about finding “home” not in another person, but in ourselves, in our art. What began as a heartbreak record gradually evolved into something more, an existential and artistic statement about identity, connection, and self-reclamation through music.”
Each track represents a chapter and is purposefully sequentially ordered to map this arc, following the emotional rise and fall of a relationship from desire and bliss to obsession, loss, and, finally, shame. The EP opens with lead single ‘Little Bit Closer’.
Chapter 1 — Desire – ‘Little Bit Closer’
The song starts with Donatella’s distinctive vocal, the DNA of Queen Courtney running through it but sounding entirely herself. Chiming chords provide a brief intro before being joined by Stefano’s throbbing bass and Nando’s insistent drums as they drive the song forward. Allowing for Donatella’s velvet vocals to soar along a top the music. All before the chorus explodes and Donatella’s dual vocals act as her own call and response. Lyrically Donatella says “It carries that mix of desire, anticipation, and adrenaline you feel in the very first stage of falling for someone. That in-between space where you’re caught between genuine connection and the rush of limerence.”
Chapter 2 — Haven – ‘Welcome Home’
Title track ‘Welcome Home’ dials down the distortion but dials up the emotion, perfectly capturing the sense of safety, warmth and home that the title implies. The pulled back approach gives Donatella’s vocals the space to shine, completed by some impossibly high harmonies. Luca’s tremolo pedal, adds subtle depth and texture to the track as it builds towards the impending crescendo, when finally the band let loose and find the sound they’re best known for. Providing an emotional out pouring to take the song to its conclusion. This is waiting for crowds in sweaty to sing it back to the band. Donatella says, “It brings warmth, refuge, and a sense of cosmic connection, like being part of the wholeness of love. It’s a dreamy ballad that builds into a cathartic scream of welcome and openness.”
Chapter 3 — Obsession – ‘Right Inside Me’
Already at the halfway point, on ‘Right Inside Me’ desire turns into obsession. In a case of the music perfectly capturing the sentiment of the song, the guitar tone is speaker shredding wild. Tense from the outset, it feels like a coiled snake waiting to attack, as Donatella intones ‘Are you looking for me? As I am looking for you?”. ‘Right Inside Me’ is a 4-minute punk rock exorcism of the madness that accompanies obsession.
Chapter 4 — Loss – ‘Nevermind’
‘Nevermind’ replaces buzz saw guitars with dreamy reflective keys as Donatella sings of the moment of abandonment, the disappearance of a loved one without closure. Nando Alonso’s drums give a heartbeat to melancholy, with cymbal swells and beautiful sounding toms. And Stefano’s bass adding weight the emotion, perfectly complimenting the guitars and drums, while remaining a melodic counter point to Donatella’s vocals. There’s no punk rock crescendo to this track, the intensity build but the band stay in the emotion, melancholic yet cathartic, letting it carry us through to the final track.
Chapter 5 — Shame – ‘Shame’ (PJ Harvey cover)
Donatella says, “PJ Harvey’s Shame was the perfect closing track for the EP. Initially part of the band’s live set, it soon became central to the story. It reflects on the shame that lingers after love, the feeling that perhaps the whole story was one-sided. As PJ wrote, “Shame is the shadow of love.” The band’s version channels that sentiment through grit, distortion, and a punk/grunge attitude, a final outburst that releases all the buried emotion and closes the EP with brutal honesty.”
When it came time to record the band looked inward, choosing to adopt a DIY approach they turned to Stefano to engineer, mix and produce the EP. It was important to the band to accurately capture the band’s live sound and in doing so the energy and vibe of the track. Recorded at the band’s rehearsal space it allowed the band to be comfortable and relaxed during recording, not watching the clock, it meant they could experiment, adding different layers and harmonies to the track.
The artwork for the track was shot by Anna Burnett and then Michael Smyth (Old Crows Promotions) worked on editing and layout to produce the final piece. The artwork nods to rebellious folklore, mystical elements, and a touch of magic and dreaminess. It acts as the start of a visual language that will be developed over future releases, a red thread that will tie Aryel Moon’s universe together.
The EP acts as a statement of intent for the band. Acknowledging the past and their influences but forging head with a sound that is uniquely their own. Donatella’s voice and lyrics act as a lightning rod for the listener as we navigate our way through the tumult of an intense but fleeting relationship. Under the veil of the conceptual story telling, the heart of the EP is belonging. It’s clear that there’s a special chemistry between the band, over the course of a number of releases and now solidified in ‘Welcome Home’, it’s clear the band are as much home as anywhere else.
© Michael Smyth
Old Crows Promotions
e: oldcrowspromotions@gmail.com
Promoter NI, Ireland and UK // PR // Management
