Dutch thrash metal four-piece Legion or the Damned recently released their new album Ravenous Plague. Andrew Rawlinson asked singer Maurice Swinkels some questions for Ech(((0)))es and Dust.

(((o))): So according to your biography you formed in 2004, how did the band originally meet?

Maurice: The band was already formed in 1990, we only changed the name in 2006 to Legion of the damned, before that period it was under the name Occult, in 2004 we recorded our album Elegy for the Weak, which later was released as Feel the Blade!

(((o))): Did you name yourselves after the Warhammer 40000 regiment and if so did/do you collect any armies?

Maurice: Legion of the Damned is indeed a game as well, or whatever Warhammer is, but we got the term out of World War II.

(((o))): Apart from the obvious bands who else has influenced you?

Maurice: Some thrash bands from Germany that never got so big like Exhumer and Darkness, but also underground bands like Sathanas from the US.

(((o))): What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Maurice: There are many: Wacken Open Air, our South American tour, playing Graspop, playing the Sweden Rock Boat.

(((o))): Where did you find/meet your new guitarist Twan Van Geel?

Maurice: I know Twan already for several years, we have been playing together at a Chuck Schuldiner (Death) benefit concert in 2001. So I really quickly had him in mind, gave him a call and he said yes to the job.

(((o))): Apart from this change in guitarist did you change any other approach to Ravenous Plague?

Maurice: We wrote this album for 2 guitars, previous albums have always been written for just 1 guitar, but many of the songs were already done for Ravenous Plague even before we knew we wanted to put another guitar player on it. So the next album will be fully written for 2 guitars.

(((o))): Where do you get inspiration for the lyrics and especially the song titles?

Maurice: They are personally as well as from books.

(((o))): Can you tell us about the metal scene in Holland and how it has changed since you started?

Maurice: We have some pretty good bands, I think holland always had a strong packed of bands, they changed over the years though, but we have killer bands like Pentacle, Asphyx, Hail of bullets, Pestilence etc.

(((o))): According to Wikipedia the special edition of 2008's Cult of the Dead came with a block of cheese? Is this true and if so how well did it go down with the fans (as it were) and do you have other plans for interesting products?

Maurice: It was a funny idea of our manager, he wanted to include something really "Dutch". I do not even like cheese haha, but it's a cutting block in wood with our logo on it. It was limited to only 300 pieces I think. Descent Into Chaos had a goat like figure as statue, also limited to 300. The new album came in limited earbooks of only 500 copies.

(((o))): You’re given the opportunity to create your own festival. What would be the first five bands on your list?

Maurice: Devil Doll (even though they do not even play live), The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a Cloud (although they are RIP), Gae Bolg, Combichrist and Rotting Christ.

(((o))): Are they any places you have yet to play that you really want to?

Maurice: I would love to play Japan once 🙂

(((o))): What are your goals for 2014?

Maurice: There are not really any goals, we just going to play some festivals and we will take it from there.

worriedaboutsatan have returned after a four year silence to release the two track EP - I'm Not / The Next Round. A twenty minute expansive excursion in hypnotic beats and lush atmospherics, its a welcome reminder of how great the duo are. Excited to see them back, I caught up with Gavin and Tom to discuss their past, future and present.

(((O))): Hi thanks for taking time to talk to us. For the uninitiated how did worriedaboutsatan start out?

Gavin: It was basically a little side project I started to keep me busy whilst another band Tom and I were both in at the time was sorting itself out. It never really recovered in the end, so when Tom left, I approached him with the first worriedaboutsatan material and wondered if he'd consider making the project into a duo that played gigs, rather than just me doing a solo bedroom recording project thing. The rest, as they say, is history

(((O))): The name comes from being a self- described deus fanboy. Has it ever caused confusion though. Being booked on a metal bill or as some freaked out Christian group?

Tom: haha, yup. certainly has. it's been fun though, being 'accepted' by a lot of different genres (intended or not) because of the name. we've had some pretty interesting conversations with people about how we're inviting the Devil into our lives and so on. One guy took us aside and looked very deeply into our eyes and said we're inviting evil on a daily basis to cause havoc!

(((O))): Four years between releases is quite long. Has it been circumstances or just focusing on other projects like Ghosting Season?

Gavin: Yeah, we decided to do the Ghosting Season thing completely separately from the satan thing, as we didn't feel comfortable just changing names and alienating a whole branch of our fanbase, so we decided to keep worriedaboutsatan open, but just sleeping. I guess it took so long to come back to 'satan, as we'd been doing the GS stuff for a while, and as we're both quite restless people, it just felt right to breathe a bit of life back into worriedaboustatan and explore that side of things again. Especially after we kickstarted our own label to put our solo recordings out, it felt like the natural thing to do!

(((O))): I'm not/ The Next Round is well worth the wait however. Have the tracks been around long or totally newly written?

Tom: they've been around for a few years, just kind of sitting on the computer as demos. Back then we didn't really have much music equipment, so they sounded very different. we have a lot of analogue equipment now, so it was nice to run them through some gear to really beef them up and mess around with them.

(((O))): Early on, worriedaboutsatan were described as being electronic post-rock. While people are keen to put a label on music do you feel it was limiting at all?

Gavin: No, not really. I guess we were always outsiders I suppose, as we've always ended up doing things ourselves about 99% of the time, so we just kinda got on with it! Post rock has become almost a dirty word over the last few years, but I don't mind it. There's definitely a post rock element to our music, as when we started, we were both listening to loads of that kinda stuff, but over time we did get a little restless and explored other things, like ambient and techno, so we were always looking for new avenues to explore to keep things fresh. Plus, I suppose we've always been known as 'knob twiddlers' instead of a 'band' in the traditional sense, so there's always been more leeway for us to experiment and not piss anyone off!

(((O))): Apart from deus, who or what else influenced you to start creating music?

Tom: Just the usual - girls, getting to go to gigs for free… just joking. Sometimes I don't think you 'want' to make music, you just start doing it, and then you find out you've spent all of your money and time on it. There wasn't really anything else to do either, in a sense that there isn't anything else out there other than music!

(((O))): In the past worriedaboutsatan toured with the likes of Maybeshewill and Her Name is Calla. Have you any personal highlights from tours or shows?

Gavin: haha, oh my - far too many to mention here! We're massively thankful that those two bands saw what we were doing and decided to take us with them. We played some pretty crazy gigs on both those tours - places with no roof, bullet casings in the car park and rider-eating dogs (that was all at the same gig, incidentally) but they were amazing fun.

(((O))): How do you begin the writing process, is there an element of experimenting or do you start with a specific idea or sound?

Tom: We do tons of jamming around, and we don't really have any plan. Sometimes we'll start with an idea and it ends up going on a massive tangent and the results aren't anything like we thought they'd go. These jams happen at really random times too. we have our favourite sounds and bits of kit, but that's the only boundary.

(((O))): The first EP has been made available again via Bandcamp. Do you feel it's still a good representation of worriedaboutsatan and what memories do you have of creating it?

Gavin: I think it's a good representation of one side of us, but maybe not the whole, just because so much has happened to us since. It's one of those things though - like a little time capsule, or the foundations, so I think it's important to revisit it and have a look at how far we've come, as both songwriters and producers.

EP1 was mainly made by me, with very shoddy equipment, so now in 2014, hearing some of the drum tracks, I did cringe a little and wonder what the hell I was thinking! Still, I have very fond memories of making it - it was really exciting to work on something that felt quite new. Not a lot of people were doing that kinda thing back then, and certainly the thought of touring with a computer was quite alien to a lot of people. Now you see it quite often, but back then there was quite a lot of resistance to doing things electronically, especially live.

(((O))): Even when artists make releases available very cheap ( sometimes free ) they still seem to end up on illegal download sites. How frustrating is it?

Tom: VERY!! I really don't get why people feel the need to obsessively collect music and make it available for other people behind the artist's back. there's a lot of politics around this subject, it's a real minefield. on one hand, you have so many people who love music and are passionate about sharing their tastes with other people, which is brilliant! but in the long term, the way they're doing this has a huge negative effect on the music industry. and when i say 'music industry' that encompasses Sony, EMI etc AND the smallest of DIY bands who've just decided on their band name. the reality is that these days bands don't benefit from any of this 'distribution'.

(((O))): I'm sure I'm not the only one in wanting to know if there will be a new album coming soon?

Gavin: Well never say never! haha. We are working on some more new material, but we don't know what form it will take just yet

(((O))): Arrivals was released through Gizeh records. Will you be looking to continue to self-release now or are you open to working with a label?

Tom: anything's possible. it's very important to work with people who love the music just as much as we do!

(((O))): With the new release and worriedaboutsatan active again, have you any plans to play live or tour?

Gavin: Yeah, we've talked about it, and we thought it'd be a cool idea to do something. Maybe if there's enough interest in the thing, we'll take it to a stage!

I'm Not / The Next Round is available along with the remastered EP01 through Bandcamp now. As well as Ghosting Season, Tom releases music as Winter Son and Gavin as Gavin Miller.

Music therapy is something of strong interest to me; and something I endeavour to potentially work in, at a later point in life. 

I believe music holds the power to convey, relieve, live or escape from life's experiences, and to some, if not majority, as cliche as it is, music is the key to the soul. Music can bring us together, or tear us apart, but either way we live music. Everyday. 

Music allows us to say those words which we cannot speak, and listen with strong intent, regardless of whether we are a musician or not. A certain piece of music may be relevant for an individual to insight emotions, remember/reflect a certain time (visually potentially), and certainly for older generations may be a fond memory best shared and relived.

Music is equally a part of everyday life as anything we do; through rhythm (walking, repetitive movement) we engage with mild forms of musical activities and the way in which music makes us feel can indeed heighten emotions for better or worse through the potential release of endorphins, enabling us to 'feel good'. From a cognitive point of view, music's inclusion for younger generations can to be of high value and importance as it brings together key skills through repetitive actions wherein students memorise rhythmic patterns relating to a topic (for example verbs set to a specific clapping pattern - I can still remember some in this way taught in primary school).

Music can guide, provide focus or even just allow a stability. In a way, music is everyone's therapy through times of hardship and can be seen as our one true friend and guide. Music understands us, or we relate through experiences. In the Metal community, especially at smaller festivals such as Bloodstock, metal fans can be seen to unite through their love of music and share, experience and live music for several days, leading to a state of complete fantasy for an alternate life to the everyday grind. No doubt when you leave a festival of great music, friends and more behind, you feel some sort of 'loss'. 

Can music help those in need as a therapy? I truly believe it can help people through hard times with mental illnesses, as a way to physically express themselves. One note can say so much about how we feel; how can one note represent several words of our emotion? The pathway leading from musical creativity could provide a bridge for those in need, who cannot speak of the past, by potentially having the ability to 'create' could invoke and encourage those in need to share, live or express their inner emotions. It could allow for progression and development of confidence and livelihood. The therapeutic qualities of music could be endless, if given the incentive.

When I had the opportunity to work with some people who were experiencing hard ship and mental illness, what I found was actually a wide range of individuals, some of whom were already accomplished musicians, eager and ready to participate in composition. All it took was one stimuli (a chord progression) and they were away; we constructed a full song with melody, lyrics and vocal harmonies. The experience was fantastic for them and to watch music literally absorb people in this way was tremendous. The work carried out into music as a therapy is substantial and diverse in its methods  (from the Nordoff-Robbins method to the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music) but it is something which could be vital; as music in someway is a therapy for us all. 

We only need to look at the work carried out into music therapy for (potentially) benefiting alzheimer's patients, in providing retention of memory through sparing brain function to see music could have strong therapeutic qualities (the release of endorphins through music is what could aid or slow down the process of memory loss in alzheimer's patients as it balances out the release, as patients often have increased or decreased levels of endorphins). 

There’s no reason why anyone would have a clue who I am, so to give a little context - I write for, and perform with, my 7-piece instrumental group The Monroe Transfer; I play in a band called Fireworks Night; I write and produce music & sound for a theatre and live performance; and now I’m releasing some solo ambient, modern classical, noisy albums, beginning with On není jako on and Grey season. 

First up - ‘make’ is an interesting word, when we’re talking about music. One very short word covers a huge range of skills that used to have to be split across a number of people - composition, performance, engineering, production, manufacturing and distribution (and nowadays this often follows on into marketing, PR, radio plugging and all that jazz) can all be done now by one person with an off-the-shelf home computer. As a way of working, there are obvious benefits- by not being dependent on anyone else, you can be in control of everything yourself. The downside is that you have to do everything yourself.

So, in terms of making the music, I’ve done a number of those roles separately (composer, performer, producer), and sometimes all together. In terms of writing, I think of myself as a composer first and a guitarist second, though I’m not sure others would agree. Given that I’m almost entirely self-taught, I’m not sure that I should use such a grandiose word as ‘composer’, especially when there are people like Nico Muhly wandering around and doing proper composing. I suppose what I mean is that I try to make sure that each instrument’s part works in the context of the whole piece of music, and that quite often my own guitar playing doesn’t even feature.

Broadly speaking, I try not to have a fixed process when writing or producing, or dealing with the grey area between the two. I worry about that analogy of the terrible carpenter: if the only tool you have is a hammer, you treat everything like a nail.  Once you have a process that you apply unthinkingly to the writing process (or production, or engineering, or marketing, or…), there’s a danger that your music will come out samey.  Or, at least, that’s my fear.

Of course, there’s often a great deal of overlap between the modes of ‘composing’ and ‘production’, and the proportions of time spent of each element will be different for each project. Having said that, I’ll normally have a pretty good idea of what that proportion will be when I start. For something like Grey 8: nocturne from Grey season, written for piano and ‘cello, I knew that the mix would be just those two instruments, with only a little reverb, correcting EQ and a little compression on the master buss. Grey 6, on the other hand, is an improvised guitar part, played live through an Audiomulch loop & granulator patch that I’d made for the purpose; while I knew the kinds of sounds that would come out of it, it was a very different style of composition.

Something that had a different method of composition again was On není jako on, developed from a soundtrack written to accompany a 2011 production of the play of the same name in Prague. In this case, the music had to mirror the play itself- the actress shifted between presenting four characters, with no clear delineation between them, and the instrumentation of the score reflects this fracturing of personality, using a combination of acoustic, amplified and electronic instruments.

The music makes use of what Schoenberg termed klangfarbenmelodie (‘tone colour melody’): while traditional composition prizes melody and harmony (in essence, an ear-pleasing sequence of changes in pitch), klangfarbenmelodie instead focuses on changes in timbre and quality of the notes: on a guitar, for example, many notes can be played in different positions on the fretboard, with each note having a different quality. On neni jako on uses this principle by way of a simple, four chord structure spread across the instruments, repeating and restating the melody lines in different octaves and rhythmic patterns, using a variety of playing techniques to produce the notes, as well as numerous combinations of the instruments themselves, to create a constantly changing sound within a static harmonic structure. Just as the idea of character and meaning are buried in the dense writing, so the music is swathed in crackle and hum, along with processed recordings of the rehearsal process, whose volume swells and fades around the instruments.

There’s a lot of equipment and software that gets occasional outings on different recordings; the most indispensable equipment, though, is Cubase, Audiomulch, a well-stocked pedalboard, and a selection of bows, picks, capos to whack a guitar with.  And, depending on the project, a large number of very talented musicians to turn my crummy scores into actual music.

On neni jako on is released on 31^st March, 2014, in an edition of 72 numbered CDs in hand-made slip cases. Grey Season will be released as an edition of 250 numbered LPs on heavyweight vinyl in letterpress printed sleeves with artwork by Steve Gullick in the first half of 2014. Both releases will be available digitally from iTunes and effrapress.co.uk.

(((0))): Thanks for taking the time to do this interview with Ech(((o)))es & Dust. Can you give our readers that may not have discovered you yet a history of Marijuana Deathsquads and what you're about?

Marijuana Deathsquads probably started somewhere around 2009, as a way to free ourselves up from the music we were making in a previous hardcore band. We wanted a project that could take many forms, that could play with as few or as many members as we wanted, that could include all of the musicians we wanted to play with at any given time, that could play the weirdest and wildest shows possible and act on any crazy vision we had.

We started by doing a yearlong residency in Minneapolis, then took the residencies to LA, NYC and Austin. Lately we've been touring with our best friend band Poliça and doing maybe the weirdest thing we've ever done: play as a five-piece band every night, same members, similar sets, playing songs that we all know, on the stage with lights at around 8pm. It's wild!

(((0))): In your press release for the album 'Oh My Sexy lord', it said that you were "a gang first, and a band second". That's a damn fine attitude to have, what kind of a gang would you describe yourself as?

A gang of kids sitting in a field, or on a hill somewhere smoking pot and coming up with awesome names for their gang.

(((0))): Can you tell me where the name for the band/gang came from? When I first saw it, I imagined a Mexican stoner rock band for some reason............

The name actually comes from the future, during the devastating Marijuana Wars, when weed is the only currency and the great floods have all but erased the crop from the planet. In the present context though, it's just two words that sound beautiful together.

(((0))): 'Oh My Sexy Lord' is an amazing album that's easy to get lost in and has an inkling of chaos and anarchy, yet the structures of organic-elctronica within also have a sense of order about them. What's the writing process like, and do you write specifically for recording in the studio or for live shows?

Controlled chaos is our main thing. We've always written for the live shows first, writing new sets before each show, so we amassed an insane amount of material after a while. A lot of that has ended up being used for other projects or rap beats or whatever, and a lot of it gets recycled and adapted.

If we revisit it and the sounds seem too old, we just write new stuff. The recording process for "Oh My Sexy Lord" was insane. We probably literally went insane over a 10 day period of recording something like 6 hours of material, which was then edited down, trying to find where the "songs" might be. It took a very long time.

To contrast that, we recorded and mixed the Music Rocks EPs in about a week. The process for the next recordings lies somewhere in between those two.

(((0))): Talking of playing live, I've been checking out some videos on Youtube. My favourite is the full show you did for K Radio last year, non stop for half an hour! There must be some serious communication between you going on to know where the changes all come in. There's a part in the video where you're all waiting for the drums to come back in with shit eating grins on your faces, and then the sonic insanity kicks back in! Even though there's huge concentration going on, you look like you're having the time of your lives. Do youprefer to play live or recording?

We use a lot of hand signals and visual cues to communicate with each other during the live shows so that we can change and react instantly and all together. I think at this point we still all prefer to play live, it's really what the band was built for. We learn new stuff after every performance, and are really excited to take that back into the studio as soon as possible for the next recordings.

(((0))): 'Ewok Sadness' is the first single to be taken from the album and the video does indeed feature a very depressed Ewok. I wondered what one would look like, and the video definitely captures that! Was it your intention to go with a literal vibe to take the song to screen?

Our intention was to do a literal depiction of the songs title, a title that was already ridiculous and really has nothing to do with the imagery in the song - Ewok Sadness was just what the original beat/map of the song was called, and it stuck permanently. The song itself is dark and serious, so it seemed like a good idea to go for a funny and wild take on that for the video.

(((0))) There's quite a few extra members to the gang on the album (Bon Iver, Policia's Channy Leaneagh & Har Mar Superstar). Is there anyone you'd like to work with who you haven't yet?

We've been really lucky to have worked with so many amazing musicians. We have a long list of musicians and artists we'd love to work with at some point. Brian Eno, Joey Baron, John Zorn, EyE from Boredoms… a thousand other dream collaborations…

(((0))): How was the tour in Europe? Do you notice a difference between these crowds and the ones back home?

This tour has been going really great! We play early in the evening, but the crowds seem to fill in and then actually stay to watch us which is very cool. The crowds on this tour haven't danced around as much as at home, but at home we're usually playing very late and under very different circumstances.

We understand we might be tough to take in when your just walking into the club at 8pm not expecting to be bombarded by an unknown opening act. But the crowds have been very gracious and we've met some super cool people out here.

(((0))): We like to let people know about new music (be it recent or from the archives), is there anything you'd recommend to our readers that you're listening to right now?

Why don't we just list off some of our favorite Minneapolis music that's going right now: The Cloak Ox, Lizzo, Tender Meat, Father you See Queen, Ronia, Plain Ole Bill and Get Cryphy, Allan Kingdom… Har Mar Superstar made an amazing album last year and is currently touring the shit out of it. XXXPRESSIONXXX from New Orleans.

(((0))): Before you go, Here's a random question in the form of a lyric just for the hell of it. Guess the song if you can, then answer in another lyric: "What is Love?"

"Baby don't hurt me"? Is that the right answer? From that terrible SNL sketch thing?
Response "love" lyric:

"Ain't enough room in this fucking town
When you see tin head, tell him be ducking down
I'm not romping around
He better be ready and prepared to be stomped in the ground"
-DOOM

(((0))): Anything else planned for2014 that you'd like to tell us about?

We have a small tour in March starting with a bunch of shows at SXSW. Then we're going to try to write and record 4 new albums this year. And we'd like to set up some more residencies somewhere, possibly in Europe.

(((0))): Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions, all the best!

Cheers!

Last week Withered Hand's new album New Gods was released, which is another great collection of songs by the Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Dan Willson. After reviewing New Gods (see here), Kevin Scott now asked Dan a couple of questions about the new album and Withered Hand.

(((o))): It's been almost five years since Good News - is that stretch of time down to the demands of touring, or did you take a hiatus before working on new material?

Dan: I have been busy, but certainly not on hiatus. I couldn't afford to be. I quietly released two EPs on limited edition vinyl in that time and toured and played one-offs all over the UK and in Europe. The songs for the new album were gestating for a while, until I could work out a new band and how to record the album I wanted to make.

(((o))): How have you changed as a songwriter in that time?

Dan: Well, I suppose I am more comfortable with the idea of being a songwriter, for one thing. I have learned a lot about how songs work. My approach to writing is the same, I don't force it.

(((o))): How did you recruit Tony Doogan, and what did he bring to the album?

Dan: I wrote to his agent and met him for a coffee. I knew he was into recording bands 'live' in the studio, which appeals to me and obviously I am a fan of his earlier work already. Once we started looking at the material I had played him, he brought a belief that we were working on an album of great songs and he applied himself to get the best out of everyone involved. I think the main thing is Tony is very experienced, perceptive, and impervious to fashion.

(((o))): Your address book clearly has some impressive names in - what was it like having members of bands like Belle and Sebastian and Frightened Rabbit on the album?

Dan: Weird. But good weird! I knew Scott and Eugene and obviously Kenny (Anderson) a bit already but I had not met Chris or Stevie before. I think there was one moment when I went to Belle and Sebastian's practice space to borrow a Nashville tuned guitar and I knew a younger part of me was just wanting to flip out with excitement.

(((o))): What artists were an influence during the writing and recording of the album?

Dan: I wrote those songs over such a long time it would be impossible to say.

(((o))): Given the prolific nature of folk musicians, how many songs did you write for the album, and how did you decide the final selection?

Dan: I am about as far from prolific as you could get! We recorded 12 songs and I picked 11 for the album and one B Side. The selection wasn't too hard. The sequence was a little trickier as some of the travelling songs had to be in a certain order and I knew I wanted ‘Horseshoe’ first and ‘Not Alone’ last. It was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle but I feel I cracked it.

(((o))): The sound of New Gods is familiar but there are new themes explored throughout, particularly life on the road; do you feel this record more closely represents your physical world?

Dan: I feel every song I have written has represented the physical world I inhabited at the time as well as my own inner world. I try to ground the songs in my actual lived experience. I suppose it is inevitable that, having suddenly become a travelling musician now for five or so years, some of the insights that peculiar life affords will seep into some songs. It's not an album about trashing hotel rooms.

(((o))): While Good News isn't a concept album, there's a link between several tracks on side one - documenting a trip from Las Vegas to L.A., and then what sounds like quite a night out; how did you come to write these songs, and how do you feel they differ from the rest of your material.

Dan: There are three songs in sequence on the album that refer to my experience of USA in 2011. I have noticed it takes me a while to process experiences and notice them cropping up in my songwriting. There's usually a disconnect of about a year and a half. I don't think they differ from the rest of the material. It was my way of addressing what I experienced there, good and bad.

(((o))): In L.A., were you really as hungover as 'California' sounds?

Dan: I was tripping on strong cough medicine. It took me quite a while to realize. So it was bad, but no not a hungover as such. I rarely booze it up on tour. I don't have the constitution for it.

(((o))): And did you win on the puggies at Las Vegas airport?

Dan: Nobody ever really wins on the puggies.

(((o))): What have you planned for live shows to support the release - full band or solo? Or both?

Dan: Well obviously I am in USA in March for SXSW and a headline show in NYC on 20th March with the band. I have booked a few UK band shows in April to take these new songs on the road but I expect to do a longer UK tour and maybe some more European dates later in the year. I expect to book some solo shows later in the year.

(((o))): As a well-kent face in Scotland's folk scene, and an important part of the Fence Collective, how did you feel about the demise of Fence Records - and can Lost Map Records maintain the influence of its predecessor?

Dan: Personally I think Lost Map is carrying on what the label side of Fence was doing, in terms of running an indie label and putting on interesting events, developing a great roster etc and Fence as an ideal and a broader collective is still alive and well over in the East Neuk of Fife and is as intriguing, homespun and brilliant as ever.

(((o))): Finally, you've mentored young musicians as part of the The Fruit Tree Foundation. Echoes  and  Dust is a huge believer in the power of music to develop and maintain positive mental health; what were your experiences with this initiative, and how important do you believe music to be for people with mental health issues?

Dan: I found it very positive, working with younger people who make music. I mentored Marie Collins, a young songwriter from Paisley. I personally have found music and art very important for my own mental health, as many have before me. So it was nice to give something back.

Next month A Storm of Light (Storm) will embark on another long European tour, including Roadburn Festival and Temples Festival. Bruce Cowie fired some questions to guitarist/singer Josh Graham over the internet to find out more.

(((o))): Your recent release, Nations to Flames, seems - to this listener’s ears anyway - a tad snappier, less ‘sludgy’ than previous Storm albums. Was this a conscious decision or natural evolution?

Josh: It was a combination of both. We were bored playing the slower stuff and we wanted to do something more challenging for us. Once we made the decision on how to move forward, it became more deliberate to edit and push ourselves.

(((o))): As ever, though, the album concerns itself with the damage and destruction of the environment. What does Storm think about those who deny man-made climate change? Do they have a valid argument, or are they mistaken/misinformed? Or are there hidden motives?

Josh: People that don't accept the fact that humanity is playing an active roll in climate change are either: uniformed, blind, selfish, or more simply put, morons. While it's true the earth temperatures tend to cycle over time, the amount of damage we've done is undeniable. No, there is no valid argument against fact. As far as motives to deny, well those are endless. The industrialized corporate world would be far better off without anyone paying attention to cause and effect.

(((o))): Cats or dogs?

Josh: Raptors. Domesticated animals are boring.

(((o))): The first time I saw Storm, in a tiny, sweaty room in Glasgow, you were only three. You were terrifyingly loud and, frankly, awesome. Each time thereafter, with Sleep and with Converge, you were four. Still awesome. Why did you feel it necessary to add the second guitar, and what led you to the young lady in question?

Josh: Josh Holt will be disappointed to find out he's a young lady. Actually we cycle through friends being able to tour with us, so we have different people out with us depending on the tour and circumstance. Drea is busy with other things and Josh is joining us for a while. We added 2nd guitar because we wanted the live show to reflect the two-guitar approach we used on the last two records. It's fuller and more sonically interesting…at least it is to us.

(((o))): Whilst on the subject of tiny, sweaty rooms, you’re playing at Audio in Glasgow this time – again, not the most generous of spaces. Is this through choice – i.e. you like playing in tiny rooms as much as I like seeing bands in tiny rooms – or do you feel that you’d not manage to fill a bigger space?

Josh: We've actually never played in Audio…unless I’m having a serious memory lapse…which isn't entirely out of the question. We've played Captains Rest, Classic Grand and The Arches. I personally love small rooms; they are my favorite place to see a show too. Intimate and loud. If we get to the level of playing larger rooms it will be interesting, but we're not in a rush.

(((o))): Playstation or Xbox?

Josh: Chess. I have never owned Playstation or Xbox.

(((o))): Another – sort of – venue related question. When touring bands like yourselves come to Scotland, it’s very rare for them to play outside of Glasgow. Is there a reason for this? Is it logistics? Have you ever considered playing Edinburgh, for example?

Josh: I have always wanted to play in Edinburgh, as long as I have been touring. I guess it's probably more up to the promoters though. I imagine that they believe people will come to Glasgow from other parts of Scotland, and adding more shows may make less sense that having one focused show.

(((o))): The Beatles or The Stones?

Josh: Blah. Pink Floyd…or 2nd Led Zeppelin.

(((o))): Some years ago – 2010, if I recall – you were booked to play in Glasgow with the mighty Minsk, but had to cancel. Is there any possibility of this happening in the future, given that Minsk appear to be working again? Please say yes. Also, was the gig cancelled because ISIS chose – rather rudely, I thought – to book a Glasgow gig on exactly the same day?

Josh: Haha. Yes, our show was indeed cancelled because of the ISIS show. We hoped to combine but just didn't work out. I'll complain to Mike about that during this tour. Haha. Minsk rules, and if we ever play with them again, it will be awesome.

(((o))): OK, the cliché questions – let’s get them out of the way…First, what’s Storm listening to for pleasure these days? And second, what’s next for Storm?

Josh: I'm in a midlife crisis and listening to a lot of 80's and 90's shit. Black Flag, Discharge, Jane’s Addiction, Ministry, Hair and Skin Trading Company. I revel in the days of taking lots of acid and listening to intense music, and melting (mentally and physically) in the Arizona heat. Other than that…Woven Hand, Fever Ray, Meshuggah, True Detective soundtrack. If anyone is following me on Spotify they are probably thoroughly confused or disappointed.

(((o))): Finally, as I’m guessing you’re on friendly terms with the lads in Neurosis, can you please do me a favour and, when you see them at the Temples thing in Bristol, ask them to play a gig in Scotland? I am prepared to beg.

Josh: Yep we are on great terms. I begged for Scotland for 12 years to no avail. haha. They just need the right circumstance and I am sure it'll happen, and they can finally level the city.

European tour dates with Welsh power trio Hark and M.G.R (aka Mike Gallagher from ISIS):

11.04.14   Belgium, TBA
12.04.14   Netherlands, Tilburg (Roadburn Festival)
13.04.14   Germany, Berlin (Cassiopeia)
14.04.14   Czech Republic, Prague (.007)
15.04.14   Germany, Leipzig (Conne Island)
16.04.14   Germany, Hamburg (Hafenklang)
17.04.14   Denmark, Copenhagen (Underwerket)
18.04.14   Norway, Oslo (Inferno Festival w/o Hark)
19.04.14   Day Off
20.04.14  Germany, Frankfurt (Elfer)
21.04.14   Germany, München (Backstage)
22.04.14   Italy, Bologna (Freakout Club)
23.04.14   Italy, Rome (Traffic)
24.04.14   Italy, Milano (Lo Fi)
25.04.14   France, Clermont-Ferrand (Raymond)
26.04.14   Switzerland, Martigny (Les Caves du Manoir)
27.04.14   Switzerland, Luzern (Schüür)
28.04.14   Germany, Stuttgart (Juha West)
29.04.14   Germany, Köln (Gebäude 9)
30.04.14   Belgium, Liege (La Zone)
01.05.14    UK, London (Birthday's)
02.05.14   UK, Glasgow (Audio)
03.05.14   UK, Bristol (Temples Fest w/o Hark)

Daniela Patrizi recently reviewed the new album Sjätte Vansinnet by Swedish band Scraps of Tape (read her review here). When she got the opportunity to ask the band some questions she didn't hesitate. Find out more about Scraps of Tape and the new album.

(((o))): Hi guys, how is it going? What did you do this past weekend?

We've been touring Germany to promote our new album Sjätte Vansinnet. It's been great being back on the road again, and meeting our German friends/fans!

(((o))): How’s life in Malmö? How is the music scene there?

Malmö is a fantastic city to live and work in. There's a very diverse and open-minded cultural output and you can find top notch bands/artists in almost every genre and art form. It's very inspiring.

On the other hand there are many problems with segregation and recently during the 8th of March-party "Take back the night" two people were stabbed and assaulted by neo-Nazis. The reaction after this incident has been huge. In a city of about 300000 inhabitants, 10000 took to the streets to protest against racism and intolerance.

(((o))): Do you live close to one another?

Some of us do, but most of us live pretty far away from each other. Two live in Malmö (which we refer to as our hometown), one on the countryside in Skåne, one in Stockholm and one in Gothenburg.

(((o))): You have been recording music since 2001. How long have you been knowing each other?

The band started around 2000 with only Johan and Marcus being left of the original members, but most of us has gotten to know each other first through the band, and then as friends.

(((o))): How did you get into producing music and how did the Scraps of Tape project come about?

Marcus and Johan had a smaller project that developed into Scraps of Tape. Before that all of us has been involved in various musical projects, but Scraps of Tape was the first where we played together.

(((o))):  Where your band name come from?

From the linernotes of a fantastic fucking record.

(((o))): I listened to Sjätte Vansinnet countless times and I really like it. What I like most is the mix of different music genres and the outcome  is  really unique. How would you describe it? How come you choose to use lyrics in some songs only?

Sjätte Vansinnet is the logical next step in our sound. We've always mixed various styles and never had a streamlined sound in the original sense, but our strength has been in combining a lot of influences in to something that is our own. The vocals have always been just another instrument/sound in our band, not something that is more important than anything else, so we've only used lyrics/vocals this time when we felt the song needed it.

(((o))): Pick a song and tell me something about it!

'We, the Leftheaded' was actually written around the time when we recorded our previous album Resident Flux, so it's the oldest track on the record.

(((o))): How was the recording of the album for you – fun?

Well, recordings are always a love/hate thing for us. We all have pretty strong visions of what we do, and we have VERY different tastes in music and sound, so at times there were hard words back and forth, but most of the time we all just did our part and tried to do our best. It's an amazing thing to see an album materialise out of thin air on to tape.

(((o))): How did the cover art come about?

The cover art was made by our member Johan G. Winther, and was made early on in the process of the album

(((o))): Who are your favourite musicians? Would you like to collaborate with any of them in the future?

That's too big of a question to answer here. But we've already gotten to collaborate with two very important influences to us, Mattias Alkberg and Cecilia Nordlund.

(((o))): Which band would you say you are most like?

Sonic Youth, Bob Hund, Refused and Mogwai. We are basically a mix of all of those bands.

(((o))): Do you guys have other projects in addition to Scraps of Tape?

Yup, there's a bunch of them. Jerker has Lymland, Marcus has Vädret and a couple of other projects, and Johan has a solo-project as well as Blessings, The Silence Set and more...

(((o))): Have you ever thought, "this is what life was made for"?

Life was made for living. That's super-cliche but also true. Our families and children are the most important things to us, but also working on creative projects such as Scraps of Tape.

(((o))): What is your favourite thing to see in the audience while you are on stage?

The best thing is to see the audience really into the music, and to have a feeling of the audience being a part of the show more than passive on-lookers. We want to connect with people when we play, not just perform for them.

(((o))): What distracts you while you're on stage?

The worst thing is definitely technical troubles. That can throw you off more than anything else.

(((o))): Thanks very much for your time; it was a pleasure reviewing your album and I love your style. Any last words?

Thank you for your interest in what we are doing! Keep up the good fight!

When Martyn reviewed the Warfaring Strangers compilation last week that had been designed as a musical accompaniment to The Darkscorch Canticles, a traditional table top role playing game, as an old gamer myself I wanted to know more about this project so I spoke to Rob Sevier from the label that put it out, Numero.

((o)): Before we get in to the game and the album can you tell us a bit about Numero Records?

Numero Group is a tiny cluster of labels amassed around the obscure recordings lingering in the depths, refurbishing and preserving for today and tomorrow.

((o)): Looking through the artists on your website, the label seems to be quite diverse stylistically. Is there an overiding approach or do you just go for what rings your bells?

The paths do branch out directly from our interests, which of course are ever-evolving. At this point, after ten years, I'm always in the process of figuring out what roads we haven't gone down yet. That said, there are still plenty of projects we've already unearthed that just haven't been completed. We might be taking a violent left-turn right now that no one will know about because they project takes 1-3 years.

((o)): Firstly, isn't a table top role play game quite a strange thing for a record label to produce? What lead to you doing this? What came first, the music or the game?

The game more or less directly came out of our habit of playing Trivial Pursuit on long road trips to keep the mind sharp. That certainly predates the compilation. The whole project came from an observed connection between the rise in hard rock and D&D and the popularity of other fantasy worlds at roughly the same time, in the early 1970s.

The fact that we had access to all this great amateur artwork conceived for a '70s high school D&D game just tied it all together.

((o)): Console gaming has made role playing in to a mainstream activity in recent years, but in this age of internet gaming what made you want to create a physical table top game?

Board games are not obsolete, they definitely dovetail with our analog interests. Think of it as an analog antecedent to console gaming.

((o)): To what extent were the visual aspects of the game shaped by the music you were including? Did you actually create the game art yourselves or did you bring in outside help for it?

Much of the artwork, like the board itself, was created back in the 1970s, simply repurposed for this project. Others, like the cards, were created by the same artist and a few other illustrators we work with and like.

((o)): How did you source the bands & were there any problems trying to find band members or any copywrite issues? What were their reactions to the game idea?

The compilation totally stands on its own, and was completed before we started work on the board game. There were some really fun songs we had to leave off the original intended tracklisting, like "Prayer of Despair" by Gollum, but we're pretty adept at tracking people down and none of these guys were particularly hard to find.

((o)): Why this sort of music? There's a definite psychedelic / mystical vibe to some of the tunes. Did you felt that lent itself naturally to the feel of the game?

The running theme is fantasy, sorcery, magic, and medieval terror.

((o)): I'm an old school gamer myself and played all the classics like D&D, Call Of Cthulu, Cult & the rest; do you guys have an old favourite?

The only game that anyone here played was D&D and AD&D. We're not that deep, for better or worse.

((o)): When we used to play many of us used to create playlists (well, tapes back in those days!) to enhance the atmosphere of the game, is that where this idea came from?

Not directly, but essentially.

((o)): Any plans for a sequel?

We don't intend to tread over this same exact idea again, but there will be similarly high concept compilations coming from our camp of course.

Many thanks for your time.

"I said to you on the night that we met, 'I am not well'" ~ Waxahatchee

 -

I remember vividly the very first major anxiety attack that I had. It was around 6 years ago (when I was 31), on an October morning, around 5am. After waking up in a start and sitting bolt upright, I became aware that something was wrong very quickly. All at once it felt like my mind was screaming, horrible thoughts and images filled my head, and I was absolutely terrified. Not knowing what was happening, I jumped out of bed, the room was dark with a small amount of light as dawn was breaking. For around 30-40 minutes, there I stood, by the end of my bed, rocking a little back and forth and thinking that I was going out of my mind. After 40 minutes, things started calming down and normality began to creep back in. Then I made what can only be described as a monumentally stupid move, in which I dismissed it as a one off and continued on as normal.

Around 3 days later it happened again, this time late at night, still unaware of what was happening, the same feeling of terror as before, horrific thoughts that added another layer of fear to my mind, that I might hurt someone without actually realising it (I was living with my parents and horrible panic induced thoughts filled my head that I may be losing it and inadvertently hurt them), this bout lasted a few hours on this occasion. In the end I semi barricaded myself in my room so that I couldn't get out in the night and do some horrific deed that my mind was conjuring up. After calming down, feeling completely worn out I fell asleep around 2 in the morning but first thing in the morning I made an appointment with my GP. 

Sitting in the doctor's waiting room the first ideas filled my mind that I had not been feeling right for a while, nothing I could really put my finger on but just odd I suppose. Looking back later the whole episode had been building up for many years but I'd just ignored it as something that would pass and got on with the stresses of life. After talking to the doctor for about a minute, and him commenting on me not looking well I burst into tears. He prescribed me some pills (I can't remember which ones) and sent me on my way, telling me to rest up and try not to worry as it was just my body’s way of telling me I'm overdoing it (said in a rather condescending way where he may as well have patted me on the head when he sent me on way with a "chin up old chap")

I started taking the medication that night, all the while keeping this from my parents. 2 days passed and then another big attack hit. That was the night my parents found out. It was late in the evening again, and the first they knew was when I walked into the lounge just before midnight and started begging my mother to take all the knives out of the kitchen drawer and hide them. Again I was convinced something bad was going to happen and that just made the anxiety worse. Not knowing what the hell was going on, she woke up my dad, who then spent around an hour trying to calm me down while I was sitting on the sofa rocking back and forth still pleading to get rid of the knives in the kitchen. In the end he did just that and after another hour of him talking to me and reassuring me that everything would be okay (and my mother not quite getting the hang of calming someone down by exclaiming that if I continued on I would end up in a mental hospital…Motivational coach clearly not her calling) I finally calmed down. 

I couldn't face work the next day, called in sick and had some more minor attacks during the day followed by another evening bout exactly the same as the night before. Back to the GP the next day who signed me off work. 

For the next 3 months I was off work, and could barely leave the house, it felt like I was in a constant state of fear. 2 weeks into being signed off I saw a psychiatrist. We went through a few things and he explained about anxiety attacks and decided that counselling was the best step forward at this stage. He also prescribed me Diazepam along with what I was already taking. 

I had to wait around 4 weeks from that for my first appointment, where my daily schedule was pretty much the following : 

1. Get up around 9am feeling like I had the worst hangover from hell and sluggish to the point I could just about slump into an armchair. 

2. From 9am until around 6pm I would sit in that chair playing The Sims. 

3. 7-10pm I would watch a film. Usually a romantic comedy, something like One Fine Day. 

4. Around 9:30pm I would take the Diazepam, which by around 10:15pm would send me into a blurry haze and I would need to go to bed. 

A brief explanation on points 2 and 3. They were safe activities, and the routine became familiar, ergo more safe. I would occasionally venture out with my parents to the supermarket, but if I'm honest, I was scared to death from the moment I left the house until the second I got back into the safety of home and my room. Also in this time my medication was changed as the first batch I'd been given really wasn't doing me any good at all. 

Counselling started around 6 weeks in and was brilliant. I went once a week for 45 minutes, talked about how I was feeling, what was going on in my life etc. I got a proper explanation about anxiety, how it works and some breathing / coping exercises. As each week got on I started to feel a little better, I was taken off the Diazepam and switched over to my third different type of medication (this was due to truly horrible 48 hours and a trip to the docs where they decided the second lot of pills I'd been put on weren't for me). I even managed to go out for one evening with my friends for a few hours (which I felt was a massive step for me after the past few months), I thought that slowly I was getting somewhere, even the panic attacks had lessened a little (although they were starting to be replaced by prolonged bouts of depression). 

Then on the 6th week of counselling, the counsellor advised me that it was the end and that I'd only had 6 lots of counselling arranged and I'd have to go back to my GP after that. 

Feeling a little lost I went back to the doctors who then declared me fit to go back to work. I was a little better and the counselling coupled with the medication seeming to be helping so I then tried to get back to normal as much as I could.

As I have mentioned this was around 6 years ago. Since then I have managed to work and function in a semi-normal existence. I still suffer from bouts of prolonged anxiety (mainly late in the evening) that can last for a few hours at a time or longer. In the mix with this are periods of massive depression. An example of this was boxing day a few weeks ago, where I spent the day with thoughts about my own death and suicide. Now I must state here I have no intention of actually ever taking my own life, I never have and I'm certain I never will. But this is what goes on my mind when it's at its lowest. 

In this time I have tried to go via the NHS for some help but admittedly I have given up. Examples include one trip to my doctors when I was a complete wreck, sobbing and didn't know what to do, and then being told to pull myself together and sent out. I changed my doctor the next day I was so disgusted. Another example around 3 years ago after a 6 month wait I finally got to see another psychiatrist. I had a 45 minute review where I was told I was bipolar and I would get an appointment. Another three months I had the first of I think 6 appointments over the course of the next 18 months. Each of these were around 25 minutes, the first two were with a great doctor who I felt comfortable with immediately. These first two sessions were spent with me telling them what had been happening and I thought things might actually start moving forward again. This was short lived as after the initial visits I then had 4 appointments with a different doctor each time who had to spend the first 15 minutes of the session reading my notes and then 10 minutes where I pretty much had to go through things again. My medication was also increased to a higher dosage in this time. I then stopped getting appointments and I didn't chase them.

Now I understand that the NHS is stretched and they do the best they can. But, during quite a large part of my twenties I suffered with kidney stones, which required a hell of a lot of treatment, surgery, laser treatment, frequent trips to A&E. I was very sick at several points. And the treatment I got then was superb, a completely different contrast to my experiences with the mental health treatment I had received.

And if I had to choose between the mental health problems I had and the physical health problems I've been through I would choose the physical any day of the week. I also am fully aware that there are people who have things a lot worse than me, and I know things could be a lot worse. But I still struggle, my moods can sometimes change from anxious to depressed and back again several times an hour, it wears you down, it makes you frustrated as hell. I never know how I'll be feeling from one day to the next sometimes. There are good periods, which are a nice relief, but the bad times always come back. And there is where music comes in (finally! I'm actually going to write about music!)...

Growing up I adored music. Between having a brother who is seven years older than me and my aunt and uncle, I grew up listening to artists such as Kate Bush, Gary Numan, Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, The Damned, Metallica, Anthrax and a shedload more. I remember being 14 and through a friends older sister and her boyfriend discovering Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, Ride, Swervedriver, Spacemen 3 and the like. In 1991, when I was 15, the Seattle scene exploded, and I got caught up in Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Mudhoney etc after that there was britpop. My life was just filled with music. This continued until I was around 19 - 21 when I got diagnosed with the kidney troubles I mentioned earlier. From then on, with being ill a fair bit of the time I kind of just stopped paying that much attention to music. There were a few bands / artists I picked on (a 3-4 year obsession with Tori Amos being one), a few gigs attended but that was about it. 

When I was 31, after the 3 month period I mentioned at the very start of this piece, I started to get back into music heavily. The love affair I'd had earlier on in life reignited. I was completely obsessed all over again, most of my free hours were spent either online trawling over new releases and discovering all this amazing music I'd missed out on or with headphones on, in my own little world. And this is what got, and still gets me through the rough times to this day. 

However I am feeling, terrified to my core or in a deep depression, there is always a band, or an artist, who relieves some of that pressure. Sometimes I need to hear 45 minutes of drone-y feedback, sometimes I need to hear the voice of Nina Nastasia pouring her soul out, other times I need to scream along with Falco while listening to Mclusky Do Dallas. 

About three and a half years ago, a work friend who would listen to me daily going on about music, what bands I'd been listening to, that kind of thing, asked if I ever considered doing something on the radio. He already did a show on a Brentwood based radio station called Phoenix FM. I went along to watch a couple of times, then did a trial hour for a couple of weeks. These two trial hours were absolutely terrifying (after the first I admit I nearly didn't go back), I met the station owner and was offered my own show. I called this 33RPM and have been doing it weekly ever since. 

To say I love doing it is an understatement. For starters I have amazing freedom in that I can play what I want. Most of my week is spent listening to music, new and old, in preparation. But the playlist is usually quite indicative of what mood I am in that week and the kind of week I'm having emotionally. Also, I'm a firm believer that great music should invoke some kind of strong emotional response, good or bad. Something that springs to mind is I went through a period last year of falling in love with the Heavens To Betsy album Calculated. I played a particular song from the album called Stay Away, which has a chorus that's screamed rather than sung. A listener informed me they had to turn off while it was on as it made them feel so uncomfortable (they did tune back in after though, which was thoroughly nice of them). Of course I want people to enjoy what I play but at least it wasn't shrugged off with a mediocre that was average, that was alright; it provoked an emotional response, admittedly it was bad but still, it connected emotionally. 

It's possible that the fact that my mental health goes through extremes, ups and downs that reflects in the kind of music I listen to and enjoy. I need that variation, I need that mix, whether it's in the form of a 25 minute Godspeed track, a minute of noisy punk, something ambient, something folk, whatever. There's always that track that will make dark days a little brighter, a lyric that you hear and you know, that the singer has been there, they've been in the darkest place and they've felt despair.

There is a part of me in every show I do, every track I pick means something to me. The feeling that I get when someone says "I love this track, going to check out more" or something similar is amazing. For me it's all about the music, I just want to share with people the music I love and support the artists I care about and music in general.  

The station I'm on is a community station and we are all volunteers, and through this I have met some great people. The work everyone puts in amazes me time and again, it's not just about music but it just shows what can be achieved when you have passion and love what you do. 

Live music also has a part to play in helping me in a positive way. If it's a small local gig or something bigger, once I'm in the venue I not only feel at home but I feel part of something. Everyone in the room is there because they want to be part of an amazing moment, and for those few hours I forget about everything that's going on and I just let go, completely in the moment.

I've been lucky enough for the past 3 years to go to Latitude festival with the station, interviewing bands etc. I love that community feeling you get being at a festival. And very much like at a one off gig, I can forget about my troubles and just enjoy myself.

So where am I now? Well, I still struggle at times, but I am better now at managing when I know that a mood swing is coming. I know the signs. I have had no official diagnosis on what exactly is going on. I've been told it's anxiety disorder, I've been told it's bipolar. I don't really know. I've been on medication now for 6 years, but I also don't know whether the medication actually helps or whether it's just with time I've got more used to what's going and can deal with it a little better. I do know one thing though, that music is a massive help and it's one thing I can always rely on that never ever lets me down. And I also have to give thanks to Steve and Paul at Phoenix, for believing in me and letting me loose on the airwaves.

Finally. A lot of what is written above is known by very few people, some of it by no-one. I have some amazing friends that I know are there for me, but to be honest, I never know what to say. I hate to burden myself onto other people when everyone has their own problems. Saying that I firmly believe in Time To Talk, and that the stigma about mental health has to stop. In my time I have been called mad, accused of faking and a fair few other things. Part of that possibly may be my own doing for not telling people how I'm feeling and just getting on with things. Maybe I am now ready to talk, after 6 years. And I hope that maybe someone reads this and decides that they too, know that is Time To Talk.

Today ConSouling Sounds have released the split album between the Italian band Vanessa Van Basten and the Belgium band Hemelbestormer. Daniela Patrizi recently reviewed it for Ech(((o)))es and Dust (see here) and she decided to get to know something more from these two bands that seem to perfectly complement each other on this six track split release.

(((o))): Hi guys, how is it going?

HMBSM (Jo): Everything's fine here at Hemelbestormer's HQ.  Taking some time to prepare for upcoming shows and writing some new sounds.

VVB: Not so good…at the moment I have some problem with the regular job you know…just fucking crisis. But Rock ’n’ Roll will save us all.

(((o))): How’s life in Genoa/Belgium?

HMBSM (Jo): Life in Belgium is good, enjoying it...

VVB: I currently live in Trieste (Italy), a small town with a lot of good musicians, sea, top-class food. Social desperation is all around, but we have good remedies in this country after all.

(((o))): Where does your band name come from?

HMBSM (Filip): We absolutely weren't keen about having an English name. Though it should be easy to pronounce unlike some alienating Finish names. Hemelbestormer is a Dutch word that doesn't really have an English translation, but it should be something like "sky stormer". Someone who's called a hemelbestormer, means he's an idealist, who has got revolutionary ideas and wild plans.

VVB: It’s a joke…we mixed my ex-room mate’s name with the famous football player and then we played this metaphysic heavy stuff. Ironic. At least to us.

Hemelbestormer

(((o))): Let’s start at the very beginning. How did you get into making music?

HMBSM (Jo): Everyone in Hemelbestormer is playing music since their early teens. All members are coming from different musical backgrounds such as hardcore, death metal, rock, etc. Inspiration for getting into music is both spiritual as emotional. Making music for us is much more than just playing songs; it is something we need to do.

VVB: I’ve been playing guitar since I was 13 but my real ‘career’ started at 17 as a rock DJ. This helped a lot because I’ve listened to tons of music and all the styles through the years, making me able to understand what really happens in the ears of people. In 2005 I founded Vanessa Van Basten as a personal psychedelic experience (I used to smoke a lot of weed…), but the project became something more, involving other musicians, so we released 3 albums and some EPs, and we toured a lot as well.

Vanessa Van Basten

(((o))): How did the Vanessa Van Basten/ Hemelbestormer project come about?

HMBSM (Filip): In the past ConSouling Sounds released albums of my previous bands P:407 and Gorath. I know the guys personally and sent over some demo songs we made. Later ConSouling told me about the anniversary project they were about to set up. They wanted to release a batch of collaboration albums of artists connected to the label. First one out was the Alkerdeel versus Gnaw Their Tongues album, which is very good actually. ConSouling matched Vanessa Van Basten and us. Even though our styles aren't likewise, we both created a monolith of a song!

VVB: Everything came from Mike and Miguel of ConSouling Sounds. Our Psygnosis EP was one of the earliest release of their label, back in 2009. The split has born as an anniversary release and the idea was to find some points in common and share some minutes of music. Vanessa has a typical post-rock background but then we evolved in a very personal mix of nineties rock, Swans, Godflesh-esque stuff. At the end we’ve shared with Hemelbestrormer our passion for ambient and drone.

(((o))): I listened your Split EP and I think the way you complement each other is brilliant. The two songs you made together are very beautiful. How did you guys first meet, and what persuaded you to work together?

HMBSM (Filip): we never met in real life, though I'd like to meet mister Morgan some day. Like written above, ConSouling matched us. Initially, I would go for an ambient artist to work with, so we could make an ultimate dark mix of drones and heavy guitars. I knew Vanessa Van Basten as a poppy post-rock band. Anyway, Morgan and I started to communicate through mail and he showed me the song he had in mind for our collaboration album. I was stunned. Just like us, Morgan included loads of ambient and soundscapes to finish off his 20 minutes lasting track. In fact, our songs were quite alike, his being more poppy, ours being more heavy. Later on we mixed the ambient parts and glued one very lengthy song of about 40 minutes.

VVB: We have never met each other. We worked with a distance of 2000 km.

(((o))): Talk about the recording process of the Split EP. How was the recording of the album for you – was it a fun process?

HMBSM (Jo): The recording process was all DIY so it was real fun for us to do. We recorded bass and guitars at a friend's place. Drums were recorded at another place for the acoustics.

HMBSM (Filip): For years I've been working with producers and doing stuff in my home studio. The same can be said about Joris, who was taking care of the synths back then (he had to quit the band, because he moved to England). In the past Joris and I did many recordings together and decided to do it totally without any help or interference from the outside. It was cheap, we had some knowledge and most important: we didn't have any cash to rent an expensive studio. I'm really satisfied about the final product and would redo it again! It just took a lot of time and was quite stressfully sometimes. Joris did a mastering job for the Hemelbestormer track, like it's listed on YouTube, but Morgan made the final master of the CD which is slightly different.

VVB: Of course it was fun. We received the songs from Belgium some time in advance, so we started to figure out how to do it. From the beginning I imagined this strange structure, with our part in the middle and Hemelbestormer opening and closing the album. It’s like changing dimensions twice in half an hour. They liked the idea too. I still love it.

(((o))): Is this your first collaboration? What was it like working with Vanessa Van Basten/ Hemelbestormer on the music? Would you be up for another Split album?

HMBSM (Jo): Portal to the universe was the first release for Hemelbestormer so it was our first collaboration. It was real fun working with VVB, we each wrote our track and it was mixed to one whole. Another split album would be considered if the right band/artist crosses our path.

VVB: This is the third time that Vanessa made a split collaboration. We’ve already done it with Nicker Hill Orchestra and MoRkObOt. The guys of Hemelbestormer are very nice and helpful and the whole matter came out really easy. But we probably never collaborate on an album again in the future simply because… we’ve  already done what we had to do with this release, and it’s out now! You know, it’s been a very special happening. But I will follow their next steps and I will support them in the future, if I can, and I hope for the same from them.

(((o))): What did you enjoy most? Were there any difficulties in the collaboration?

HMBSM (Filip): No, everything went smooth. We were merely focused on our ourselves and the recordings. The collaboration between both bands wasn't absorbing that much time and efforts.

VVB: No difficulties. As I said, I love how the atmosphere changes twice on the album. And their last song, ‘Omega’, comes like a liberation at the end. I like the way this drone (‘Portals II’) evolves into an apocalyptic, metallic assault. Like waking up after a long, strange dream. Or the opposite.

(((o))): The artwork for the album is really interesting and it’s brilliant for the way it encapsulates the balance between darkness and light I recognised in the album. How did you choose that particular artwork?

VVB: You have to ask it to Hemelbestormer, but yes, they made it very well.

HMBSM (Kevin): The inspiration for the artwork came from painters artists like Magritte, Friedrich and digital artists like Dave Mckean. It was very important to capture the balance between darkness and light, because it adds to the experience. The overall sound of the album is obviously very heavy, cold and destructive. But it’s absolutely not the only feeling we try to summon, we also try to shine a light on "the bigger picture”. So aside from the heavy parts, there are plenty of parts where the listener gets time to breathe and where he gets time to self-reflect. There’s obviously a lot of darkness in the world but it’s very important to remember that the world is always moving and developing. Darkness is never a permanent thing, and eventually it will cease to exist. It will die out, and that will be the beginning of something new. We’re all looking for an answer, the truth. The desolate landscape on the cover represents our mind. The enormous floating mountain represents “the truth”. The truth cannot be questioned and it is invincible. Its beauty and its unlimited power equal a greatness that can never be measured. It is, what it is. It can never be reproduced and it can never be imitated because it grew over time. In one way or another it stuns and numbs our soul, and it leaves us with new views. Those new views will eventually lead us to brighter paths... the portal to the universe. So, we do want to wear the listener out, but we also want to offer them hope, something to hold on to.

(((o))): What are your thoughts of composing a soundtrack for a film? And what kind of a film would it be?

HMBSM (Filip): That's actually something on my to do list. For years I'm thinking about writing a soundtrack. Not just some short parts, but one lengthy track for about one hour. The music will be dark, dissonant, bone crushing heavy and with loads of soundscapes. Imaging a post-rock version of Sunn O))). Good question. It's hard to say what the movie should be about. Most obvious should be a perfect match between visual art and musical art.

VVB: I really would like to. In the past I worked on TV documentaries and I know there’s a totally new creative universe behind this. If I could choose two movies, then I’d say ‘Eraserhead’ and ‘Begotten’.

(((o))): What are you working on right now?

HMBSM (Filip): At this moment we are booking shows to promote our portal to the universe. We've got some nice ones listed and are about to announce a few more. Further we're working on our debut full length. All music is written but needs to be fine-tuned. We don't rush things and put efforts in producing quality.

VVB: I’m working on three different fronts: the recordings of a new Vanessa Van Basten EP consisting of four cover versions from The Cure’s Disintegration, very heavy and hypnotic and featuring many special guests. Then I’m selecting stuff from our huge archive of live versions, outtakes, demos etc. for a retrospective compilation to release in fall 2014, and finally I’m rehearsing for a new project that I’ll probably bring on stage.

(((o))): What do you listen to when you’re not writing music?

HMBSM (Filip): We can drop a shitload of bands and various genres here. However it's of no importance. Hemelbestormer absorbs so many influences, ranging from the obvious musical ones to those spiritual, emotional and even personal. Listing down names would indirectly push us into a certain label which we don't like.

VVB: A lot of different bands, styles, ages of rock music. From Motörhead to Cocteau Twins, Distorted Pony, Unsane, Bad Brains, Scorn, The Secret, Grime, Swans, Ennio Morricone, Sonic Youth...

(((o))): Are there things you can only express through music?

HMBSM (Jo): Guess that's why we are in this band.

VVB: Yes. Our condition, to be put here in this world, without any certainty except death, a death that will come soon if we don’t use all our evilness, insincerity and selfishness.

(((o))): Thanks very much for your time; I’m a huge fan of the kind of music you produce so I’ll keep an eye on you. Any last words?

HMBSM (Jo): Let the music speak.

VVB: I would like to thank Mike, Miguel and the guys of Hemelbestormer for the great job done and of course you for this interview. Visit our official blog. A presto!

For quite sometime now Matt Stevens has been heralded as an up and coming guitarist on the British prog scene and with new album Lucid we think it’s safe to say he has now upped and come. We’ve been big fans for a long time, both of his solo work and with The Fierce And The Dead, so we thought it was about time we sat him down & had a chat. Our Mr Prog, Chris McGarel, did the honours.

(((o))): When writing, how do you decide what is a solo piece and what is for The Fierce and the Dead?

Matt: They tend to come about the same way.

It just depends how the piece developed, I might just bring in a small idea for Fierce And The Dead and the other three develop the parts, sometimes the others bring riffs and stuff in. Fierce And The Dead is very much a democracy although I bring in the majority of the initial bits and Kev is very much the “arranger and producer” but Stu and Steve are essential to the process, they write their own parts, it’s not my band. They have their own distinct styles, I really love playing with those guys, top players. Actually the first riff of the first song on Spooky Action Steve wrote so it’s very much a collaboration, very democratic.

If it’s really odd timings like 13’s or 17’s or more acoustic type stuff I’ll normally squirrel away for a solo record, although I’ve brought in acoustic type ideas to Fierce And The Dead and they have become rock songs, 'Ark' was like that. For the solo stuff I develop the idea much further myself then I bring in the people later in the process, although I don’t really tell them what to do. I’d rather get good people in and let them crack on with it, just give them a general idea of what I want. There are two approaches really, you either really arrange it like Zappa or let them get on with it like Miles Davis. I prefer the latter approach, you get the best from people.

(((o))): Can you tell us about how you came to work with such a raft of talented guest musicians on Lucid?

Matt: They were friends or friends of friends. Chrissie, the violinist played on Relic, she’s a wonderful musician. Kev did a fantastic job on the production and programming and I’ve worked with him since we were kids. Stu and Charlie were mates and I imagined them playing together since I saw Knifeworld first play. Stuart is one of my favourite drummers and Charlie has a lovely distinctive melodic style. Emmett is a friend and I love his playing, his new solo stuff is incredible. Jem is a mate and we like a lot of the same music, in this case the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Cracking solo that.

Lorenzo is a great player and a friend and he was recording with Pat Mastelotto and asked him to play on it. I must admit I was really pleased Pat heard it and wanted to do it cause I’m a big fan of his playing, especially on the King Crimson Thrak album.

So it’s all really just friends. I’m very lucky, they’re great players but there was no grand plan to get these stellar players in. Nick from Trojan Horse we’ve played with a lot, I really like that band. Jon came from my friend Pete Chilvers.

(((o))): Your last solo album and the upcoming Lucid have seen you use more electric guitar and focus less on your trademark acoustic guitar looping techniques. Is this because you are now able to collaborate with guest musicians rather than being a Frippian ‘small, mobile, intelligent unit’?

Matt: It’s just a case of changing the approach to force me not to repeat myself. I think it’s all about progression and not making the same record, you go where the music takes you. I had been listening to Jesu and Celtic Frost and Miles Davis and Crimson so it felt a bit more band influenced. If people want the old approach they can listen to the old records or come and see the acoustic shows. You have to make the record you want to make, take risks.

(((o))): Recently you have hinted at the possibility of adding vocals to your compositions. 'The Bridge' from the new album includes a spoken word section. Do you think you will collaborate with vocalists in the near future? Are you hearing music as you compose that is heading in that direction?

Matt: Yeah, I sort of think vocals are the next thing, perhaps 6 instrumental records (solo and TFATD) since 2008 and various EP’s and stuff is enough for now. I’ve had a few approaches to play with vocal orientated bands but nothing that was quite right. I’ve talked to a few friends who are amazing singers so hopefully that’ll come together; Judy Dyble, Ross from Haken, Tim Bowness. Amazing people, so if that works out that would be cool. I’ll only do it if I like the people and the results are really good. Although I might have amazing idea for an instrumental record. soon. I just feel that Lucid and Spooky Action represent everything I wanted to do with instrumental music for the moment. Although I do fancy doing some music for a string quartet.

(((o))): Solo shows are you plus acoustic guitar and effects. As your solo output has become more band-orientated would you like to tour with a group or to introduce your solo compositions into TFATD’s repertoire? Do you see your output and the band’s as separate concerns?

Matt: I think for the moment they’ll be separate. I couldn’t see TFATD playing my solo stuff, I don’t think that would be appropriate, it’s not my band, I’m just a quarter of it, just one of the guitar players. I’m going to tour acoustic and play these tunes with a loop pedal for the start and then if things work out I’ll get a solo band, maybe a three piece. It’s so much more work and expense to gig with a band, I couldn’t pay for it at the moment to be honest.

(((o))): You have announced a project with Andy Tillison of The Tangent. How far along the road are we to hearing some music from those sessions? What other projects are in the queue?

Matt: I went up and recorded with Andy a few weeks back, he’s a top bloke and great musician. We recorded some lovely spacey stuff, I’m not sure when it will be out but it’s cool stuff, improvised. It was an inspiring session, I think we have a good chemistry as players. I’m also working on stuff with my friend Lorenzo Feliciati, he’s amazing. There are a few other potential things, I’m really into doing collaborations now cause I feel like I’ve said what I wanted to say as a solo person and it’s time to learn some new ideas. Try collaboration and teaching and playing on other people’s records, that's a great way to do that.

(((o))): Which musician would you most like to collaborate with?

Matt: Bob Mould. I love his songs, he’s been such an inspiration to me. I’d like to do something like Nels Cline has done in Wilco, like be the weird experimental guy in a vocal/song orientated band, if the right thing came up. I admire what Steven Wilson has been doing lately with his solo stuff, he seems like a smart chap.

I like playing with my mates so Simon Godfrey, Robin Armstrong, Kavus Torabi, Emmett Elvin, Kevin Feazey anyone like that really. I think it’s easy to put famous musicians on a pedestal but you may not have any chemistry with them. But if they want me for Iron Maiden, I’m available!

(((o))): Which guitarists active today, established or up-and-coming, do you see as doing something individual or with their own distinct style?

Matt: The stand-up comedian Stewart Lee has really inspired me, as an improviser, he’s fearless and he uses repetition in an interesting way, the way he phrases and rephrases things for effect. That’s really affected my playing.

For guitarists, Mike Bearpark is really good, he plays in Darkroom and Henry Fool. I’m a massive fan of RM Hubbert as a guitar player and a songwriter, he’s amazing. Nels Cline from Wilco is amazing, really melodic. Dave Gregory is really great. There are loads of people really but I think we need more people with individual voices, I tend to see people and think they can do “the tricks” but don’t have their own voice or phrasing.

I always think of Miles Davis, he got his style cause he couldn’t play like Dizzy. Sometimes your limitations define you and create your own individual style. I think it’s more important and harder to be a remarkable guitarist than it is to be a proficient one. I think you need Belew or Fripp or Holdsworth’s, not clones of them, people who do their own thing.

(((o))): Your influences are very esoteric, from Fripp to Mahavishnu, John McLaughlin to Piggy from Voivod to Thurston Moore. There’s a very melodic sense to your music though, and a definite ear for hooks. Where do you think this more poppy sensibility comes from?

Matt: I love pop music like Bob Mould or The Beatles, strong melodic stuff. The Sugar Copper Blue record is a huge influence and that really melodic thing. Miles Davis was melodic, Frame By Frame is a melodic. I love great pop tunes, Johnny Marr is another big influence, layered melodic playing, harmonised arpeggios.

(((o))): 'Coulrophobia' from Lucid is named after the fear of clowns. Are you in fact the Northampton Clown?

Matt: Yes I am. I loved all that, bloody brilliant but they messed it up, the mystery was solved by some rubbish tabloid. That’s the problem, people want to take the mystery out of bloody everything now. I am terrified of clowns though. Northamptonshire is a weird place. It’s produced Alan Moore who was a huge influence on me as there was nothing else. I’m from Rushden anyway, to me Northampton is an exotic city. Rushden was a great place to grow up cause all you had was music, nothing else to do pre internet. Well almost nothing….

I recently reviewed the latest release Circles by Swiss post-metal/sludge band When Icarus Falls (see review here), which is a very impressive follow up release to Aegean. I asked singer Diego Mediano and drummer/keyboard player Xavier Gigandet some questions about the new release, the band and if the story finishes here or if there's more to come in the future. 

(((o))): For who isn't familiar with When Icarus Falls, can you please introduce the band to our readers?

Diego: Of course! When Icarus Falls is a Swiss quintet based in Lausanne which plays heavy music since 2007. We've always been into heavy built up sounds but I think we manage somehow to bring from the beginning a “cinematic touch” that really defines what When Icarus Falls is: a good blend of hazy atmospheres and loud riffs.

(((o))): How and when did you guys come together as a band?

Diego: We've known each other for years and we naturally also started to play together but the final line up as it is today really began in 2007 with the arrival of Luis [Cordeiro: guitar].

(((o))): I really like the new Circles EP and I also really enjoyed your previous release Aegean. Did Circles take long to get recorded?

Xavier: It was indeed quite a slow process. We’re not the kind of band which enters in a studio with a few ideas and comes out two weeks later with the final product. We rather book the studio once we have a clear idea, i.e. a demo, of what the songs will be. Drums were recorded first in May 2013, followed by guitars and bass two months later. Synths were added at the very end, in order to optimally complete the compositions. Overall the recording took about 5 months during which the songs evolved significantly.

(((o))): What are your songs about? Are there any specific messages or stories you would like to get across with your music?

Diego: Each song is like a small metaphorical tale but there’s not really any specific messages or ideologies behind it. In fact, the myth of Icarus is only a good starting point for broader (and maybe darker) stories about mankind.

(((o))): The artwork for Aegean and Circles is really beautiful. Can you tell us who did those artworks and if there is a specific meaning behind them?

Diego: The magician behind the geometric artwork of Aegean is a young illustrator based in Paris named Synckop. He has done numerous posters and gorgeous artworks for several bands, magazines and theaters. He's very talented! Being a graphic designer myself it was really interesting and inspiring to have someone else giving his own vision of When Icarus Falls' music. Circles, on the other hand is a personal photographic work. It brings something mysterious that fits quite well what I had in mind for this EP.

(((o))): It is obvious that Cult of Luna is a huge influence in your music. Do you see them as an influence as well?

Xavier: Cult of Luna is actually the kick in the ass that made us stop playing covers and put ourselves on the way to Over the Frozen Seas. They were for us the ultimate demonstration of how mind-blowing post-hardcore can be, and they still are. We never try nor want to copy them, they’re just a source of inspiration like many other bands. But unconsciously, they might influence us more than anyone else.

(((o))): Are you influenced or inspired by other bands or artists?

Xavier: Of course we have many sources of inspiration, but most importantly each member has its own influences. Come touring with us and you’ll see five guys, each with their own mp3 player, fighting to have access to the USB cable of the van’s radio, and desperately criticising the winner’s tastes. But in the end, this diversity of influences is very appreciated and inspiring for us.

(((o))): What is the Swiss heavy music scene like?

Diego: It’s a small world with a lot of talented bands. In Switzerland, if you want your band to go somewhere, you have to seriously move your ass and be your own producer, promoter, tour booker and whatever you have to do to make it happen. That’s why the only bands you’ll hear from in this scene are truly passionate people.

(((o))): Let’s assume you are asked to organise your own one day festival. What bands would you ask to play?

Xavier: If I had to choose I would stay rather conventional. I have a personal “to see” list of bands I had no opportunity to meet so far, among which Sigur Ròs and God Is An Astronaut would be good candidates. But more importantly, I’d ask them to play together with other bands, trying to combine various musical universes together and see what comes out of it.

(((o))): I understand that your latest release Circles is going to be your last release for a while. Is this the end for the band or are you going on a long break?

Xavier: It is hard to predict the future of the band. We now focus on the European tour and we’ll see what we decide afterwards. What we know is that we need a new breath to continue afterwards. A fourth release only makes sense if it has something different to propose. Therefore, it is important for us to make a break to think about how the band can evolve and renew itself.

(((o))): Are any of the band members involved in other projects or planning to start new projects?

Xavier: There is no on-going or planned individual side projects. Currently, we’re fully dedicated to When Icarus Falls and I don’t think we can find more energy to do something else.

(((o))): I believe you will go on a tour soon to promote Circles? Where will you play and is there a specific place you really looking forward to play and why is this?

Diego: Pretty much everywhere in the east as far as I remember. We don’t tour often so when it happens it’s like Christmas for us! So we’re really looking forward to it!

(((o))): Thanks a lot for this interview. I wish you guys all the best on your tour and with the future. Is there anything you would like to add?

Diego: Thanks for this kind interview and if you need more infos on the forthcoming tour, you can join us on Facebook.

A couple of weeks ago we published Andrew Rawlinson's review of Woland's latest album Hyperion (read it here), which impressed Andrew immensely. When Andrew got the chance to ask the Finnish post black metal band some questions he didn't hesitate.

(((o))): So according to your biography you formed in 2010, how did the band originally meet?

Woland: Me (W) and our guitarist LXIV are long time friends with our first drummer that we started the band with. The original idea came when I was supporting Mayhem with my other band Cavus and LXIV was our sound engineer. After a rather intoxicated night we ended up discussing doing something together that would slightly differ artistically from the gritty and destructive things I, or we, were up to at the time. After a while LXIV just sent me some riffs and ideas and then we started working on the first songs.

(((o))): The only material released before this was a double single back in 2011, what have you been up to between then and now and how much (if any) has your style or songs changed?

Woland: The double single was actually 'Conquer All' and 'Live Forever', which both are on our album and also the very first songs that we finished. After we put those out we continued to work on what now is the Hyperion album. We worked in our own studio, which meant that we can put down quite a lot of time in things, which turned out to be both a blessing and a curse. Some songs were left out, some were heavily re-edited or re-recorded. In all we used about 2 years on writing and recording, having breaks in between. The last year has mostly been setting up the release. I would say the newest songs on the album are a bit more experimental or twisty than the oldest material, but in general the core idea is very much intact.

(((o))): What bands or other artists have you taken influence from?

Woland: We have very differing tastes in music in the band, but what we all share is a long background in black metal from the 90's. That is then combined with whatever we might be in to, might it be classical music or jazz, metal or pop. I think we've killed all our idols years ago so when we're working with Woland the ideas come more from literacy than any particular musical artist per se. Specially when it comes to the lyrical and internal side of the band.

(((o))): I’m assuming that the band name comes from the Russian novel “The Master and Margarita” why did you decide on this name and how do you feel it represents your music?

Woland: This was our guitarists idea since the book is one of his favourites. It shows the Devil as a modern, mysterious gentleman named Woland. Due to the books satirical approach to a suffocating society it had the perfect tone to the messianic undertone we are trying to translate musically - and apparently our original drummer also had a uncanny resemblance to the cat Behemoth.

(((o))): According to your biography the album’s content has been “inspired by mythology with its gods and heroes”. Which leads me to the name of the album itself, again why did you decide on this name?

Woland: The lyrics combine a lot of modern philosophers and writers like Camus, Huxley and Austin Osman Spare with old mythos like Prometheus or Dionysus. The symbolic value of ancient tales and beliefs are stronger symbolically so they are easier to use when emphasising certain things. Hyperion comes from the Greek language and actually means "the high one" or "in the highest". Hyperion was also one of the 12 titans and the father of the sun and dawn. It's fitting to the content and portrays it quite well in my mind.

(((o))): “The band gazes to the future with a Nietzschean vision”; is there any particular part of Hyperion that you feel encapsulates this idea best?

Woland: It's not so much about the album, it's more of the attitude and ways of thought in general. To overcome not only the set morals and dogmas of society, but yourself and become everything you can and find your inner god. You could just as well call it Satanic or some other secular life stance, Nietzsche just happen to be one of the people who put nicely while having a wonderfully grandiose way about it.

(((o))): You have classified yourselves as “post black metal” what does this term or genre mean to you?

Woland: We felt a need to use a prefix since I would not personally call Woland a "pure" black metal band. We differ both in sound and style from the classic setup and calling it that would be misleading in my point of view. This is something based on black metal but then performed in a new way. We've been called "avant garde black metal" and "melodic black metal" too but that is up to the listener.

(((o))): Who do I congratulate for writing the amazing riff at 3:20 and 4;28 in ‘None’! And on that note there are a lot of great ideas and moments used surprisingly sparingly throughout, was it hard not to keep using them?

Woland: I must admit that I only know that our beloved LXIV had a terribly long night while consuming massive amounts of absinthe and then wrote the song the day after while in some sort of horrible artistic delirium. The progression of the songs are however quite simple so the "spices" just there to give the final feel or emphasis.  There would be no point for us in doing a album of just guitar solos or max-speed blastbeats, or in this case, crushingly heavy djent guitars.

(((o))): It appears that Hyperion has been receiving great responses across the press (and so it should) has it surprised you at how quickly it has gained this?

Woland: The pace itself does not come as a surprise since Indie Recordings are very good at what they do and handled our promotion very well in advance before the release, but the fact that most reviews give praise is a bit interesting. Even the label thought this might be a love it or hate it album and we were sure to have to justify us and our vision through gray stone and stormy water. The album is not designed to be a safe crowd pleaser, quite the opposite. However I am personally very pleased to hear any great review of it, since we poured our blood, sweat and semen into this.

(((o))): You have recently played and released Hyperion at Blastfest, how did that go?

Woland: Blastfest was amazing and we are in awe how good we were treated throughout the event. We had a nice slot together with Shining and some other good bands so we got to perform for a full house and got very good feedback afterwards too. All in all it was a extremely nice event. We are going back to Norway for the Inferno Festival in April so we're hoping that will be just as good.

(((o))): You’re given the opportunity to create your own festival. What would be the first five bands on your list?

Woland: What a horribly difficult question. I'm just going to say the first five that pops to mind. Sunn O))), Thorns, Funeral Mist, Behemoth and Peste Noir. It could be opened by the monks choir of Kiev Pechersk monastery and the head of ceremony would be that Jason fellow from Akercocke.

(((o))): Are they any places you have yet to play that you really want to?

Woland: Space, the final frontier!

(((o))): What are your goals for 2014

Woland: We are now confirming festivals for the summer and then starting to look on tours for the autumn and winter. Depending a bit on how much time we have on our hands, we will probably start working on the follow up for Hyperion at some point too. This is a journey and we don't expect it to end soon, so we just need to wait and see where it takes us.

Gretchen Lyme has emerged from seemingly nowhere to release a highly impressive debut EP. The producer from Glasgow took time out to discuss the music, evil clowns and more with Phil Johnston.

(((o))): Hi Gretchen, thanks for taking time to talk to us.

You have recently released your debut EP. Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you began creating music.

GL: Hey!

My Dad and brother are very musical and I played violin and piano in school when I was a kid.

When my brother went to art school in Dundee I inherited all his vinyl, lots of Mo Wax, Ninja Tune, Warp ect.

I was into a lot of indie at the time and hearing this stuff was a revelation for me so I wanted to try and recreate these sounds myself.

(((o))): Listening to 'Mogadon' there are hints of influences like Boards of Canada and also some elements of shoegaze. Are those close to your main influences.

GL: I'm definitely into Boards Of Canada and shoegaze like Slowdive but I don't think these were a direct influence in these songs but a lot of people have said that to me so I guess it must be subconsciously or something.

(((O))): The music is Electronic based but with a warm and organic texture to it. How would you describe your sound.

GL: I don't know really, I just try to do my own thing. My Dad describes it as "just noise". Thanks dad.

(((O))): The release is titled Mogadon, how did you decide to name it this.

GL: Because its a sedative I thought it would fit with the vibe of the songs and its just a pretty cool word!

(((O))): You use some field recordings and samples of spoken word parts. What do you look for and what is the process like.

GL: I use the recording thing on my iPhone to get most of the field recording stuff.

I'm usually out and about on my days off in Glasgow and I hear all sorts of mad stuff. Sometimes it could be in a crowd or someone talking on the tube just whatever's interesting.

(((O))): There is a track called 'Metamfiezomaiophobia' on Mogadon. Which I think is a fear of clowns. Is there a meaning behind naming the track that. (for the record Clowns freak me out completely)

GL: I found this old poetry record in a charity shop and loved the rhythm and the way he spoke. It kind of reminded me of being young and watching Stephen Kings 'IT' on TV with my brother and being completely freaked out by it. Still am actually.

(((o))): Glasgow has an impressive emerging Electronic scene. With the likes of Atom Tree and Machines in Heaven among others. Do you feel it's a good time to be creating music in the city.

GL: I don't really know many Glasgow electronic bands to be honest. I quite like Sharptooth and Tuff Love but they are more guitar based.

Glasgow has always been a music city since way back so its always got some kind of scene happening be it the Postcard Records thing in the 80s or Chemikal Undergrounds run of great bands, always something happening.

I'll be sure to check out your recommendations tho!

(((O))): How much time do you put into making music, and have you plans to release more in the near future.

GL: I try to do it when I can. I've always got stuff floating around to work on. Might be a wee tune on the guitar or playing about with my sampler. I have a few more songs pretty much finished that I'll try and put out soonish.

(((O))): Have you played any shows yet or is that something your working towards.

GL: I'm not really interested in being one those folk who stand on a stage and push play on a laptop. I'm more into doing my own thing and see where it goes. Saying that some of my new tunes have live guitar and bass on them so never say never I suppose.

(((O))): The artwork is also very eye catching and complimentary to the music. Is it correct you created it as well, can you tell us more about it.

GL: Yeah that's true. I didn't really want to have a something knocked up on photoshop or me posing on the cover.

I wanted it to be something real and I'm quite into art and film so it kind of made sense to use something that I made.

(((O))): Outside of music, do you take inspiration from anything else. Be it art, film or your surroundings etc.

GL: Anything can inspire you. Glasgow is one of those cities where you can walk into any bar and see a great band then walk 10 minutes up the road to see an amazing art exhibition.

(((O))): Bandcamp is used by both established and emerging artists. Do you think you would have been able to get your music out there as easily without the digital platform.

GL: There's no doubt about it that it helps anybody get their music out there easily without the aid of a label or anything else, I certainly wouldn't have been able to get in touch with as many people as I have in this short period that I've been around. As grateful as I am to this digital platform I do intend to do some self funded physical releases as well.

(((O))): Finally is there anything you would like to say that has not been covered already.

GL: I think you've covered everything pretty well. I'm not one to talk about myself but I'm just grateful for the response I've received so far so thankx! 666!

Mogadon is available as a name your price download via Bandcamp and highly recommended.