In the deepest darkness of 2025, a new entity has emerged, already leaving its mark on the European occult underground. Noctivagum, the Italian-German black metal project born from the union of members of Hagalaz, Korrigans, Gort and Nigra Mors, has set the shadows ablaze with their debut EP De Arcanis et Ritibus Sulphuris, released on January 14, 2026 via As Pestis Records.

At the heart of this ritualistic force stands D. (Dario Montalto), the 32-year-old visionary from Latina, Italy. After years spent in the Italian underground scene forging his path through atmospheric and occult black metal, Dario has poured his esoteric knowledge, personal journey and unyielding passion into Noctivagum — a project that represents the culmination of his lifelong dedication to the darkest and most authentic side of the genre.

A raw, ritualistic sound drenched in esotericism, occult glossolalia and sulphurous flames that speak directly to the black soul of the listener.

Today, from the very heart of the night, we have the pleasure of speaking with Noctivagum — and especially with D. — to delve into the secrets of this first work and the rituals that gave birth to one of the most striking debuts in recent black metal.

For those meeting you for the first time: who are Noctivagum and what does this band represent for you?

D. : Noctivagum was born from an idea of mine in March 2025. My friend and guitarist Lightning and I immediately started, after just a handful of rehearsals together, to find our chemistry, composing "de Arcanis et Ritibus Sulphuris". 

Shortly after, I contacted Wolf of the historic Gort band from Naples, who willingly lent himself as singer, becoming a permanent member of the band.

For a couple of months now, we've had the honor of having Einherjar Ingvar (Nigra Mors, Gort) on second guitar and bass, who is making a significant contribution to the writing of the upcoming full-length album.

Personally, Noctivagum marks my return to music after a few years of forced hiatus due to unforeseen circumstances. After founding Korrigans (the first folk/black metal band in Lazio) back in 2011 with my brother Emiliano "Torc" Bruni (who wrote and performed "Initium Caerimoniae" and "Finis Caerimoniae," the intro and outro of our EP, respectively), which then disbanded in 2016, and having participated with him in the Hagalaz project (which only released an old self-produced EP in 30 copies in 2014), I finally had the opportunity to put together a band with even more talented members, and with much more experience and motivation.

Your name is very evocative. What does Noctivagum mean, and why did you choose this name?

D. : I personally chose the band's name, which in Latin means "He/the being who wanders in the night."

I wanted to give our music a strong ritualistic-initiatory feel, not simply play black metal in the classic sense of the genre... by mixing my influences from almost 20 years of listening with those of Lightning (10 years younger than me and coming from other metal genres, both extreme and non extreme), we managed to come up with a raw, '90s sound with plenty of melody and vaguely heavy-metal-oriented references.

Do you remember the precise moment you realized this project

had to become a real band?

D. : From the very first moment. I've never done anything in my life without putting in it 150% effort and dedication.

If you had to describe your music in three words, what would they be?

D. : Ritualistic, hypnotic and liminal

Your EP “De Arcanis et Ritibus Sulphuris” has a very ritualistic imagery.

What was the concept behind this work?

D. : I personally conceived the concept and lyrics of the EP as a sort of initiatory journey for the listener.

I wanted to address, in a broad and (intentionally) unobtrusive manner, themes dear to scholars of occultism, spirituality, Hermeticism, Orientalism, and other occult-philosophical disciplines.

The album is conceived as a journey; I recommend listening with headphones, preferably in the dark and alone.

Where does your interest in occultism, symbolism, and ritual come from?

D. : Personally, I've always been interested in certain themes since I was a child, and I've studied and explored them through hundreds of books and other sources.

I've had more than one experience in life and in what people call "reality," which is not what it appears to be. I believe the need to go beyond the third dimension is intrinsic to every human being.

Given the above, the reference to certain themes in my music with Noctivagum is now easily revealed.

When you compose, what comes first: the atmosphere, the riff, or the conceptual idea of the song?

D. : I'm the drummer and lyricist, but I've also been learning guitar for a few months.

Having listened to years of black metal and other genres, I've developed a critical and creative ear for riff composition and song structure in general...which has helped Lightning improve his skills, enhancing his already innate ability to create melodic yet raw and fast riffs.

Much of the credit here goes to him; despite having guided and suggested some ideas, he was the one who shaped the riffs that comprise the EP.

Right now, with the union between him and the more experienced Einherjar, some decidedly superior songs are emerging, which will be included in our upcoming full-length album.

Lightning: For me I create these riffs out of emotions before I touch the strings.

The riffs will be created from within. That builds the atmosphere by itself and goes hand in hand with the conceptual idea. Of course, we all composed the song together at the end of the day.

Your sound has something hypnotic. Is this something you deliberately seek when writing music?

D. : The sound is deliberately hypnotic, since the Noctivagum project, as explained in the questions 5 and 6, is linked to the occult themes mentioned above.

Lightning: It's a concept and as D. already said the album is conceived as a journey. That can make it hypnotic.

Is there a song on the EP that feels closest to your identity?

500. : all the ep and music of Noctivagum, but if I had to choose one track, I would say Carpe Noctem

How important is atmosphere to you compared to musical technique?

D: : In Black Metal, the raw and passionate approach to the instrument, without too many frills and unnecessary technicalities, is everything in my opinion.

This does not preclude sensible, reasoned stylistic choices that have an absolute impact on the listener.

Which bands or artists have influenced your journey the most?

D. : Personally, the bands that have been most influential for me are often underground bands (especially from the Italian scene) or in any case appreciated by not all listeners,

above all I would say Spite Extreme Wing, Janvs, Forgotten Tomb, Nova... abroad I would say Acherontas, Horna/Sargeist, Taake…

Lighting: Actually I'm from another metal genres. I'm influenced by Death, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden. This kinda music. D. just got me into black metal. Nowadays I also like to listen to Sargeist or Janvs and more…

In the current landscape, what does making black metal mean to you today?

D. :For me, black metal is a philosophy of life, not just music.

Not for everyone, not accessible, and not "marketable" as some clowns would have you believe these days.

Be yourself, screw the patterns and human-made despicable labels.

This is black metal for me.

What kind of experience should someone have listening to Noctivagum

for the first time?

D. : Being transported out of "Reality", beyond the Threshold

If your music were a place, what kind of place would it be?

D. : All Places, and No Place at the same time.

How did the band's visual aesthetic come about? Is there a specific symbolism behind

the images and artwork?

D. : I personally crafted the sigils in the booklet of the Ep, and created the inside graphics. I was helped in the Layout by Elisa Urbinati(www.elisaurbinati.it).

The Front cover is an Engraving from Albrecht Dürer, from 1513, called "The Knight, Death and the Devil".

Artwork at page 4 and 5 taken from Michael Maier’s Alchemical Grimoir “Tripus Aureus” ,1618

How important is the live dimension for a project like yours?

D. : Noctivagum is a studio-only band. No live(for now, who knows....)

Is there a particular moment during the creation of the EP that you remember

most vividly?

D. : The whole process of making the EP happened in my home studio (I recorded all the instruments except the vocals),

in a constant flow of ideas and attempts, so I would say there is no single specific moment i particularly recall.

Was there an obstacle in your artistic journey that helped you grow as a band?

D. : With two members in Germany and two in Italy, the distance might seem like a problem for many bands, but for us it's become a strength, as it allows us to take our time and gather ideas more sensibly than at the beginning of the project, before actually recording the songs. I'd say there haven't been any obstacles so far.

What are you working on now? Can we expect new music soon?

D. :With Einherjar joining the band, we immediately started writing the new album. Let's say we're halfway there, but we don't want to reveal too much...

I'll just say that it will be a full-length album this time, and that the quality will increase significantly.

If you had a message for anyone discovering Noctivagum today, what

would it be?

D. : Share our Art, and support the Underground.