With “Violenta,” we’ve embraced the power of simplicity: focusing on “less is more” while still staying true to the spirit and essence of Fabulae Dramatis

Violenta dives deep into the modern world’s disconnection from reality, with powerful themes of vanity, deception, and isolation.

6 min readDec 3, 2024

“Violenta” is the latest album of the Belgians Fabulae Dramatis, which was released at the beginning of last September. With a mix of progressive metal and Latin influences, this album will certainly not leave anyone indifferent. But let’s let Isabel Restrepo, its vocalist, tell us more details about this album as well as aspects related to the band. By: Alejandro Pérez

According to your bio, the band was born in 2011 so you have been created for more than a decade.

How did the idea of creating the band come up?

The idea came up when I was recording some old tunes from previous band projects. Daniel Díaz and Hamlet where at the time the guitarist and bassist whom I was producing. We decided to take the next step to a full album and then Fabulae Dramatis was born. Our debut came out in 2012.

Who are the current members?

Daniel Díaz: guitar | Isabel Restrepo: voice | Teo Dimitrov: drums | Marco Felix: bass

Do they have experience from previous projects?

Daniel Díaz is the only founder member together with me.

So far the band has 2 musical works and this month you will release the third one titled “Violenta”. How was the editing and recording process?

The editing and recording process of the “Om” was spread between Spain and Belgium. “Solar Time’s Fables” was fully produced in Belgium in High Lake Hill Studio. “Violenta” is the third album. Fully produced in Belgium produced, mixed and mastered by Martín Furia and Gustavo Valderrama.

How many songs does it include and what is it about?

This record brings a social critique, expressing discontent with how modern society has become overly focused on superficiality and disconnected from reality due to the influence of digital technology and media. It is a call for introspection and a return to more authentic, meaningful values. Vanity, deception, loss of reality, ego, and isolation are the themes that the band addresses across the 8 tracks that compose the album.

Do you have any audiovisual material?

Yes, we have self-produced video clips as audiovisual material.

While I was writing these questions I was able to listen to this new album and the truth is that I was surprised by the great sound mix that can be heard in each song, being all of them powerful, so congratulations for your new work! I was struck by the fact that its members have Latin American roots.

I’m glad you liked the sound mix of the album. Daniel and I are born in Colombia. We grew up in Latin America and migrated to Europe in our adult years.

Marco Felix was born in Chile and was adopted by Belgian parents. He hasn’t been more in Latin American than when he was born, so he does not speak Spanish but he certainly has the Latin American blood burning in his musical talent and behavior.

Teo Dimitrov was born in Bulgaria. His musical influences match very well with our Latin American musical influences.

Maybe this helped to define the sound of the band?

Of course, being 3 Latin American members in the band, the most obvious decision was to go with our roots influences.

Can this sonority be appreciated in the band’s previous works?

In the previous works we had an Avant-Garde-Progressive Metal influences, where we were experimenting and looking for a definitive style, since we have 15 musicians participating, this possibility was a bit more difficult to achieve. Now that we are 4 with similar influences and roots, the way was just to look for the right professional help to pursue the goal. So Martín Furia and Gustavo, also Latin American producers and musicians, were the perfect match for us.

Going back to this new release. How will be the promotion and diffusion work?

We work with 2 PR agencies. Hard Life Promotion and Against PR. We also use the social media channels to promote our music.

Do you have any special presentation planned for the launching of the album?

We did have a special launching presentation in the most appealing place to be in Antwerp for Rock, Punk and Metal. The legendary “kid’s rhythm ’n’ blues kaffee” here in Antwerp. Our hometown. A small and cozy place where small and big bands from the scene have been offering shows in an intimate way with the public. We decorated the place like a South American jungle. The public was very perceptive to our music and we definitely had lots of fun!

Have you already had references of how this new album has been received, at least by the specialized press?

We have had several positive comments and scores for this new album. This has been our best production ever and as well the public as the critics loved it. We are very pleased by this well received reviews and impressions.

What are your live performances characterized by?

Our live performances blend various artistic disciplines — sometimes we incorporate fire artists, unique costume elements, video production, or dance, depending on the setting and what’s possible. Recently, especially with “Violenta,” we’ve embraced the power of simplicity: focusing on “less is more” while still staying true to the spirit and essence of Fabulae Dramatis.

How is the interaction with the audience?

We connect with the audience by sometimes speaking in their language or sharing the stories behind our music, creating a deeper understanding. Beyond words, we focus on letting our energy flow freely, reminding everyone that music itself is a universal language that unites us all.

Back to the band. As it is logical, at this moment you will be involved in everything related to the new release.

Could you comment briefly on the band’s most immediate plans?

Absolutely! Next week, we’re heading to Colombia to perform at Rock Al Parque, one of Latin America’s largest music festivals. We’ll be sharing the stage with some big names in rock and metal, like Hypocrisy, DORO, DIRKSCHNEIDER, Haggard, Afsky, Testament, and Sacred Reich. This marks the start of the Violenta tour, and we’re excited to bring our music to new audiences around the world.

Can we expect a presentation tour?

We’re just getting started and are eager to hit the road. We live in the moment but always look toward the future, ready to embrace any great opportunities that come our way. So yes — bring them on!

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