Interview: Copse
I think hearing both records back to back as a single body of work works really really well. It weirdly does feel kind of new.
Post-blacks metallers Copse have just brought out their latest release MMXXIV and Gavin Brown caught up with the band’s guitarist Philip Vernon to hear all about it as well as catching up with all that is coming up with Copse going into the new year.
E&D: Your new release MMXXIV has just been released. Can you tell us about it and the reaction it has had so far?
Philip: It’s actually been really awesome. With it being a compilation of the two EPs we weren’t sure it was going to get much attention but it’s been quite the opposite. I think some outlets that didn’t pick them up previously due to them being EPs have covered it now it’s an album. We’ve been lucky enough to have some incredibly kind words written about it and noticed a definite uptake in listeners overseas as a result which is great.
E&D: Does having the two EPs together still make it as atmospheric as if they were separate?
Philip: We think the atmosphere of the two EPs compliment each other really well. There was a natural step up in the songwriting on Old Belief | New Despair as there would be with most bands second released. But I think hearing both records back to back as a single body of work works really really well. It weirdly does feel kind of new.
E&D: Did the epic New Despair feel like the perfect way to end this EP?
Philip: We know it’s a very biased thing to say, but we fucking love ‘New Despair’. Ever since it was written it’s been in our live set and I can’t see it being dropped anytime soon, which can make picking sets difficult as it takes up half the time of the 30 minutes we usually get allocated! It’s such a great journey to go on both as a listener and as a musician. We did very briefly contemplate splitting it into two parts (no prizes for guessing the diving point!) but it was written as one and we decided to keep it that way. It builds to such a crescendo that I think it works well as a natural record closer for sure.
E&D: Did it also feel right to have the euphoric track ‘.‘ as an opportunity to allow the listener to have a breather before the epic heaviness starts again?
Philip: That was the intro track for the second EP but I think it works as a great breather and palette cleanser in its position on the album. You get a few minutes of tranquility before ‘Old Belief’ sticks the boot in. That track was all Craig. He’s ridiculously prolific and asked us if there was anything we wanted him to work on so we suggested playing around with an instrumental intro and knocked that up pretty quickly. Feels like wandering through an icy cave.
E&D: Do you feel that the heaviness melding with mellower moments is the perfect mix for the music of Copse?
Philip: 100%. The mellower parts make the heavier parts more impactful and vice versa. I think no matter what we do that contrast will always be there in one form or another. I think the more open mellower parts also give a lot more room for expression or mood setting. That’s why we love that first 7 minutes of New Despair. It also gives our drummer Ry a chance to catch his breath!
E&D: What have been the biggest influences on the sound of MMXXIV?
Philip: Like any band we have quite a wide range of influences between us all. But I think we could all agreed that records like Deafheaven’s Roads to Judah and bands like Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Bosse-De-Nage and Envy were all big influences. Especially those contrasts between mellow and heavy that we talked about before.
E&D: With the title of the album referencing this year, what have been some of the highlights of the year so far?
Philip: February was definitely a nice month. We had a great co-headling run with our good pals in Hidden Mothers which took in a few cities we hadn’t previously played and included an amazing show at The Black Heart in Camden. We also had Tayne and Still in Love on that show which is an insanely good line up when you think about it and i’m pretty sure it ended up selling out on the night. Unfortunately our singer Ed was ill and had to drop out of the tour last minute but Dave Duxbury from the incredible Hundred Year Old Man learned the set in 24 hours and did an unbelievable job at stepping in to help us out. A week after that tour we also played a great show with Pijn and it was amazing to have Ed back on stage with us for that.
E&D: What else have Copse got planned for the rest of 2024?
Philip: We have a hometown headliner in Bristol with Row of Ashes and The Earth & Me which sold out a couple of months in advance which we were so stoked about, so cant wait for that one. We’ve also just today announced another Bristol show in December with our Church Road labelmates in Underdark. And then we have a brand new single being released on 1st October which we are so excited about and cant wait for everyone to hear. Has a real fun b-side too so keep your ears out!
E&D: Is there a big folk influence to the music of Copse?
Philip: Certainly not intentionally. A few us are fans of Bon Iver, especially the self-titled, so some of the layering an melodies from that record could well have subconsciously inspired certain parts! We’re never gonna be Panopticon when it comes to stuff like that. Austin does it so perfectly so we’ll leave him to it!
E&D: What have been the albums do the year so far for you?
Philip: Pijn – From Low Beams of Hope. Hope Conspiracy – Tool of Oppression/Rule by Deception. Ulcerate – Cutting The Throat of God. Deadyellow – What Was Left of Them. Dawn Treader – Bloom & Decay. Olhava – Sacrifice. Still In Love – Withdrawal Symptoms
E&D: What are Copses plans for 2025?
Philip: Record and release an album of all new material is the main aim. Writing is in progress. We have 5 new ones in various states of WIP. Octobers upcoming single won’t be on that record. All totally new. We have a show or two already booked in and hopefully will add to those as time goes on.
E&D: What are your favourite black metal and blackgaze albums of all time?
Philip: Deafheaven – Roads to Judah and Sunbather. Trna – Earthcult. Krallice – Years Past Matter. Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Finisterre. Bosse-De-Nage – Further Still. Wolves in the Throne Room – Two Hunters. None of these are particularly cvlt, so sorry to all the first and second wave gatekeepers.
E&D: What newer black metal bands are you a fan of?
Philip: Our Church Road labelmates in Underdark and The Suns Journey Through the Night. Dawn Treader put out a fucking great record last month that we mentioned earlier. Deadyellow. Abyssielle. Dulle Griet. Maybe not classed as particularly new but Olhava and Trna have been on constant rotation for the last few years. Both are stunning.
E&D: What are the most influential hardcore/post hardcore albums to you?
Philip: Glassjaw – EYEWTKAS. Envy – Insomniac Doze. Hope Conspiracy – Death Knows Your Name. Alexisonfire – Watch Out! Refused – The Shape of Punk to Come. Trapped Under Ice – Big Kiss Goodnight. Hatebreed – Perseverance.
E&D: How did your recent show at the Crowded festival in Leicester go and what were the highlights for you?
Philip: Yeah, it was great! Jared and his team did a great job of putting it together and the line up was so sick. Unfortunately to traffic and stuff we didn’t get to see as many bands as we’d have liked. But we caught Bile caster who were punishingly heavy and then Pijn, who were absolutely majestic as normal. Always lovely to catch up with them, I think they’re probably the nicest group of people in the scene!
E&D: Did you play any new material at the gig?
Philip: We played ‘New Despair’ and ‘Mondrem’ off the album which are obviously both older songs, but we opened with our upcoming single, ‘Wish Ender’ which was the first time playing it live. So that was fun. Always weird playing stuff that people definitely won’t know but it was nice to get it out in the air and I think people liked it! The song features Dave from Hundred Year Old Man and they played the fest too so it meant he could get up and do it with us which was awesome.
E&D: What other gigs have stood out for Copse this year?
Philip: We’ve had a pretty quiet year for shows this year so mainly the ones we’ve previously mentioned to be honest. Really looking forward to the upcoming headliner. It’s in a very intimate venue and its going to be packed in tight, so that should be a really fun and no doubt very sweaty one.
E&D: What have been some of the most memorable gigs Copse have ever played?
Philip: Having the opportunity to play Arctangent last year was a dream so that is probably far and away our best live experience so far. The Black Heart show on the Hidden Mothers tour was also a special one. Really busy, really receptive crowd rhat seemed to know most of the songs. All in all a great night.
E&D: Who have been the best bands you’ve seen live this year?
Philip: Still in Love and Tayne were both amazing. Seen Pijn three times and they’ve been outstanding all three. A whole bunch at Arctangent obviously – Hundred Year Old Man were stunning, Glassing, Vower. But Meshuggah were the standouts as always. Godlike.
