Interview: Getting to Know Black Reuss

The solitary creation of musician and producer Maurizio Dottore, Black Reuss is a project rooted in gothic metal, doom, and dark rock. The album ‘Death’ is out now, and in this interview, we get to know the project a little better.

1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

Thank you for having me. I’m Maurizio Dottore, the person behind Black Reuss, a melodic gothic metal project from Lucerne, Switzerland. I write the music and lyrics, play guitars and bass, sing, and produce the music.

Black Reuss started in 2018, although the first album, Metamorphosis, came out in 2021. From the beginning, the idea was to create a tetralogy based on the flow of life: Metamorphosis, Journey, Arrival, and finally Death. The whole concept, including the four chapters and their covers, was already defined at the beginning.

2. Someone comes to you and asks you up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?

Melodic gothic metal. The music combines elements of gothic metal, doom, dark rock and traditional heavy metal. It’s heavy and atmospheric, with a strong focus on melodies and introspective lyrics.

My influences are quite broad. Type O Negative certainly had a major influence, but I also listen to bands and artists like Black Sabbath, Paradise Lost, Katatonia, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Pearl Jam, as well as classical music and film scores. So there are influences coming from well outside metal too.

3. What’s currently keeping you busy? A new album/EP/single release? A new video? Playing live, or planning ahead?

At the moment, a lot is happening. The new album Death is the main focus. It completes the four-album cycle that started with Metamorphosis.

At the same time, I’m preparing Black Reuss for the live stage. We are building the live setup and have shows planned for 2027. So after spending several years mainly creating Black Reuss in the studio, bringing the music to the stage is becoming an important new part of the project.

I’m also already thinking about new music. Death ends the tetralogy, but it definitely doesn’t end Black Reuss.

4. What is about this current period that is particularly exciting for you?

Probably the feeling of transition. I’ve completed something that was planned many years ago, and at the same time I’m entering a period where there are fewer boundaries.

For four albums, I always knew where the river was going. Now it has reached the sea. Creatively, that gives me a lot of freedom because the next music doesn’t have to fit into another chapter of the tetralogy. And bringing Black Reuss live adds another dimension that I’m very excited about.

5. Tell me about the work that has gone into making it a reality and what it means to you.

It has been a lot of work because Black Reuss is essentially a one-man project. I write and arrange the songs, write the lyrics, play most of the instruments, sing, and produce. Of course, there are great people involved in certain parts of the process, but the creative responsibility ultimately stays with me.

Completing four albums this way means a lot. When I started, the complete tetralogy existed as an idea. Now it actually exists as four finished records. There is definitely a sense of accomplishment in that.

6. Making music and being creative can be a very positive experience and can be very good for the mind. In what way has making music had a positive impact on your mental health?

For me, music is a way of processing thoughts and emotions. I wouldn’t describe it as therapy, but creating something forces you to spend time with yourself and understand what you’re actually thinking or feeling.

Especially with the first three albums, I could draw heavily from my own experiences. Putting those thoughts into music gave them a place. Sometimes simply turning something difficult into a song changes your relationship with it.

7. It can also be incredibly challenging, more so in modern times. What have been some challenging aspects of making music and how have you overcome them?

Time is probably the biggest challenge. Black Reuss is not my full-time profession, so making four albums while having a career and a life outside music requires discipline.

There’s also the challenge of doing so much yourself. Complete creative control sounds wonderful, and mostly it is, but it also means there is nobody else to make the final decision when you’re unsure. I’ve learned over the albums to trust myself more and to accept that something doesn’t need to be perfect to be finished.

8. How do you handle the online aspects of being in a band? Having to put out content constantly, promoting across several different social media platforms, and having your success measured in likes and follows?

That’s probably one of my least natural parts of being an artist today. I’m a musician first. I don’t wake up thinking about what content I can create that day.

Social media is obviously important because it’s one of the main ways people discover music today, and I appreciate that it allows an independent artist to communicate directly with listeners. But I try not to confuse social-media numbers with the value of the music. A song isn’t better because a post gets more likes.

9. How do you make this part of things enjoyable, and fulfilling, for yourself?

By trying to make it an extension of Black Reuss rather than simply promotion. If I can share something about the music, the lyrics, the creative process, or what happens behind the scenes, it feels meaningful.

What I don’t want is to create content just because an algorithm expects another post. I’d rather share less and have something to say.

10. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help support you?

Listen to the music. That’s really the most important thing.

And if you genuinely like it, share it with someone. Add a song to a playlist, buy an album or some merchandise, come to a show, or simply tell another person about Black Reuss. For an independent artist, those small things make a real difference.

11. Outside of music, what do you like to do to relax?

I enjoy spending time with family and friends, travelling, being outdoors, and simply having some quiet time. Music takes up a lot of space in my life, but I think it’s important to have a life outside of it as well. Often that’s where new ideas eventually come from.

12. Where can people find you?

The easiest place is the Black Reuss Linktree, where you’ll find the music, social media channels, videos, and all the other relevant links.

LinkTree

And of course, you can find Black Reuss on the major streaming platforms and on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.