Wrapping up a project: Albuquerque-based L'uomo Nero set to release final EP in trilogy at Launchpad

Robson Guy first met Nico L’Oscuro at Hooligan’s Tavern about 11 years ago.

The night of music turned into a conversation about working together.

A few months later, Guy went to rehearse with The Horned God.

“I immediately loved the heavy riffs, the direction, the energy, the intensity, the humor, the comic-based outfits, and the way we could all quickly mesh well together,” Guy says. “It felt very natural. Tim Nixon was playing drums with Nico when I joined (the band) The Horned God and the three of us played in The Horned God together for years and through the founding of L’uomo Nero. Tim and Nico are old friends and were playing together in punk bands like Dead On Point Five before l met them. When Tim left, I asked my buddy Luke Seelau, who was playing with me in our other band, if he wanted to come jam with us. Luke jumped in, recorded the percussion for L’uomo Nero ... and Luke has been rocking with us ever since.”

L’uomo Nero is gearing up to release the third EP, “Voda Alebo Ohen,” in a trilogy of albums on Thursday, Dec. 14, at Launchpad. The EP follows the release of “Andiamo Nel Deserto” and “Elle Del La Mer.”

The night also features Blue Heron, Guadalupe Blue, Manhigh and Ashes of Jupiter.

The idea for a trilogy of EPs didn’t transpire until the trio began working on music.

“At the time, we had more than an EP almost completed, at least instrumentally,” Guy says. “Then it hit me. I turned to Dom and asked, ‘What if we split the album up into three EPs?’ And the album art from all three could come together to form one cohesive piece. Nico then began envisioning how we might implement and execute this idea, reworking some lyrics, thinking of artists we could collaborate with, and it evolved from there into this meaningful Lovecraft occult trilogy.”

L’Oscuro says the project began because the band has a deep inner desire to express feelings through music.

“We are musicians who love to play music, so a big part of it is just what we do,” L’Oscuro says. “(We) get inspired and write and inspire each other. This project was something different than the usual heavy stuff we have played in the past, a little more accessible to a broader audience.”

All three EPs were recorded during the same session at Rio Grande Studios as the group ended up with 12 songs.

“(It) probably took one day for the drums and bass tracking. Then my guitars and vocals took a couple more sessions,” L’Oscuro says. “The 13th track was written later and recorded in two brief sessions at Rio Grande Studios.”

The planned release schedule took a detour due to the pandemic, as vinyl presses were bogged down.

“We wanted to release one EP every six months,” L’Oscuro says. “We had to slow down and spread out the releases.”