When Ulver first formed in 1993 it is doubtful that even the group’s own members could have conceived of the incredible diversity and creativity that lay ahead in their future. Originally coming together as the second wave of Norwegian black metal began to fade, the band (whose name is Norwegian for “wolves”), swiftly gained a reputation for being highly mysterious. They scarcely performed live (indeed, between 1994 and 2009 they did not perform any shows at all) and steered clear of doing what was expected of them. Even today they doggedly remain one of the most enigmatic bands around, mutating their sound at will with every passing release.

Bergtatt (1995)

It all began with Bergatt, recorded in 1994 and released the year after. One of the first folk influenced black metal records, the five track album has become legendary, both amongst the kvlt and casual black metal fans. It is a record that lacks the aggression of contemporaries such as Darkthrone and Mayhem, but that shares the atmosphere cultivated by those groups. Vocalist Kristoffer ‘Garm’ Rygg’s interchanging of powerful clean vocals and savage shrieks made him one of the first to alternate between two styles of singing successfully in a metal context. Similarly the band’s use of acoustic guitars (including one fully acoustic track, ‘Een Stemme Locker’) points forward to techniques that would soon be mastered by pioneering extreme metal acts such as Opeth. Kveldssanger, the band’s second album, would go further by being entirely folk based but its follow-up, Nattens Madrigal, proved to be one of the harshest black metal records ever committed to tape (it is so lo-fi that rumours spread that the band had recorded it in a forest). It is Bergtatt that remains the highlight of this period of Ulver’s history, however; an essential listen for anyone even vaguely interested in black metal.

Themes from William Blake’s ‘The Marriage of Heaven and Hell’ (1998)

After Nattens Madrigal, Ulver decided it was time to really spread their wings. The addition of sound artist Tore Ylwizaker to the group resulted in the mind-bending double album Themes from William Blake’s ‘The Marriage of Heaven and Hell’ in 1998. Although it retains element of the group’s metal past, Themes… dispenses almost entirely with anything even resembling the harsh lo-fi black metal aesthetic of its predecessor. Even today it is almost completely unclassifiable as anything other than ‘avant-garde’, as its melding of ambient, electronic, metal and progressive rock stylings sounds like little else recorded before or since. It is perhaps the most boundary pushing of a series of experimental late nineties releases from ‘black metal’ acts, such as Garm’s (then) other band Arcturus and Solefald. Themes… is not the easiest of listens, but necessary to hear both as the first indication of Ulver’s dramatically individual future and as a rare example of the genuine cutting edge.

Perdition City (2000)

Following Themes…, the Metamorphosis EP signalled a more electronic focused future for Ulver, and Perdition City emphasised the band’s complete change of direction. The influence of leading British IDM and trip hop artists like Aphex Twin and Massive Attack is apparent throughout, but Ulver’s own unique take on electronic music means that the resulting album sounds almost nothing like either. There are large hints of Coil’s complete disregard for genre categorisation in Ulver’s sound here, with fragmented beats, dark ambient atmospherics and avant sonic textures preventing this record from having an accessible dance edge. This is a record that would be as at home soundtracking a gangster film (especially on the chaotic ‘We Are the Dead’  and ‘Dead City Centres’) as being held up as a pinnacle of turn of the millennium musical experimentalism. Perdition City might just be the best thing Ulver have ever done.

Shadows of the Sun (2007)

In the years post-Perdition City Ulver kept busy, partially through the production of two excellent soundtracks in the shape of Lyckantropen Themes and Svidd Neger, but 2007’s Shadows of the Sun would be the next time the band would produce a real classic of their back catalogue. A haunting ambient record which features some of Garm’s finest vocal performances to date, Shadows… is possibly Ulver’s finest collection of songs, although it lacks some of the indefinable experimentation of their other records. Opening track ‘Eos’ might just be the highlight - it’s pretty much as perfect a song as the band have ever written - but an unexpected cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘Solitude’ also deserves special mention. Wars of the Roses, the band’s 2011 record, comes across as a collation of ideas featured here and on Perdition City, and is equally recommendable, but listen to both this and Perdition City first.

Messe I.X-VI.X (2013)

Ulver’s latest work of genius, Messe I.X-VI.X represents something of a culmination of the band’s journey over the last two decades. A collaboration with the Tromsø Chamber Orchestra, Messe sees Ulver’s music presented without comment in a classical environment, and it fits beautifully. The orchestra embellishes the band’s compositions rather than dominating them and the record as a whole works as a brilliant exemplar of the possibilities of contemporary compositional collaboration between groups from wholly different backgrounds. It’s yet another example of Ulver leading the way whilst others trail behind in their wake.

Jim Carrey doesn’t crowd surf at a lot of Cannibal Corpse shows anymore, and the world is a bleaker place for it.  That scene in Ace Ventura, in which Jim Carrey is trying to escape two henchmen during an increasingly silly metal concert, was a bit of a shock to the system when I saw it as a kid.  The heaviest thing I had heard up to that point was probably ‘In the Garage’ by Weezer, so I wasn’t sure how to process what I was hearing.  Only now do I grasp how weird that scene is, though.  The 90s were a fertile time for metal creatively, but people were still a long way off from incorporating it into the social lexicon as they do now (no car companies were putting out Enslaved EPs in the 90s, remember).  To feature ‘Hammer Smashed Face’ in a mainstream comedy largely geared toward kids seems like it never should have happened.  But the weirdest part about this scene is that it’s not the only movie from that time period with a scene like that, in which the character is transported to some “nightmarish” laser-light nightclub with some form of blast-beating metal dominating the atmosphere.  At the time it was a common movie trope to show the audience that a character was out of place and might be in trouble.  The “sister scene” to the one in Ace Ventura is in the Mortal Kombat movie, during a nightclub police raid set to Napalm Death’s ‘Twist the Knife (Slowly);’  I begged my mom to buy me the soundtrack the next day.

I loved the Mortal Kombat soundtrack - especially the remix of the theme song, which I played to accompany my fake karate moves in my room.  The Napalm Death track, however, terrified me.  Barney Greenway’s vocals made me think I’d misstepped and fallen into Hell (which I thought was a real possibility at age 8 because I was a weird kid).  I kept listening to the song, though in fact the whole album was a sort of obsession.  This was a turning point for me because it was the first time I really discovered music on my own.  At that age I pretty much only learned about new music from my brother, who got me into Smashing Pumpkins and pretty much all the great 90s alternative rock.  My parents tried to get me into some music as well, but they mostly listened to the Eagles which even then I despised.  Movie soundtracks were the first way I learned about new music, at a time when I had just begun to learn what it is I really like in music (I could have just as easily written about the Spawn soundtrack here, which also left a deep impression).  I started to gravitate toward music that made me think I was falling into Hell; once I felt like I was no longer in control, I relaxed.  
    

There were some other great, mostly industrial bands on the CD that I liked but didn’t listen to in earnest until I was older.  There’s a GZR track on there, and it wasn’t until high school that I realized who Geezer Butler was and why that was a big deal.  I listened to that track, ‘The Invisible,’ until it skipped.  Burton C. Bell from Fear Factory sings on that track, and one of that band’s classic songs ‘Zero Signal’ sent me further down the road of finding music that was always faster and heavier.  There’s even a Type O Negative song, ‘Blood & Fire,’ that at the time I thought was boring, but it stuck with me.  Years later I picked up Bloody Kisses thinking maybe I’d matured enough for it; I loved it.

The weird thing, though, is that while some of the music on the soundtrack definitely doesn’t hold up - I still have zero interest in listening to Traci Lords or Gravity Kills - a lot of these bands are still bands that I love today.  So while the Mortal Kombat soundtrack might not be the best album ever, and it’s about 70% unbearably cheesy now if I’m honest with my 8 year old self, it set two things in motion.  It set into motion my insatiable desire to find new music, even if it was just through movie soundtracks until the internet thankfully exploded with content.  It also marked the first time I realized that bands like Napalm Death, while they irritate some people (my parents especially), help me reach an equilibrium.  It’s meditation music to me, and I’ve never stopped searching for that sound that’s faster, meaner, and heavier.

Adam Nodwell has been a huge part of the Leeds DIY scene for some time now. Amongst the chaos of sorting out this year’s British Wildlife Festival festival (now in it’s EIGHTH year!) between 7th-9th March, he took what little time of his own to answer a few questions for us.

(((o))): Thanks for taking the time to talk to us Adam! How are things?

Very good thanks, letting time get the better of me a bit, just about to sort out a few extra surprises for the festival!

(((o))): Let's start things off with some history of British Wildlife for those who may not (yet) know about it, care to enlighten those people?

I started BWF 8 years ago, embarrassingly the first one was called 'British Wildlife's Big Fat Weekend'. Slightly more embarrassingly the second one I called 'British Wildlife's Big Fat Number 2'. Thankfully the third was 'British Wildlife Festival_3' and it has stuck since.

(((o))): As a DIY promoter, do you prefer to be approached by bands, or do you go out there and ask the bands you'd like to put on yourself? Maybe a mixture of both?

A mixture of both, though I get approached by more bands than I can count in a bag of skittles. When it comes to the festival It tends to be 70% or so bands I have already tested the water with and generally already know personally, then I stick a few wildcards in there for good measure. I like to keep it fresh, when criticized for putting too many obvious choices on, I’ll react by booking something no one has heard of (but should).

(((o))): You must put in a shitload of hours to put on so many great shows! Where do you find the time? Does anyone else get involved?

People have come and gone and I do like to collaborate with other people, Nathan at the Brudenell has helped me over the years, Nick at Oporto too, and I have collaborated with Vessels and That Fucking Tank as co-curators as well.

(((o))): Do you remember the very first show you put on? How does that compare to where you are with things these days?

Yep, it was on 16th January 2006. These Monsters , University friends, headlined with Meet Me in St Louis supporting. My second show was Liars as TJ's (Woodhouse Liberal Club) which was timelessly captured as the front cover for their fourth album Liars. I have a photo of the photographer taking the photo that was used, trippy!

(((o))): How does the DIY scene differ from way back then to these days?

I don't check my myspace messages as regularly!

(((o))): This years British Wildlife Festival is fast approaching with another fine line up over three days, how's the preparation going? That's a lot of bands to be looking after!

Where to start! Well I have almost finished designing the program, it's nice and foldy. Stage times are sorted, I'm expecting a few changes still as usual. Other than that I'm ready to go, need to get the word out a bit more, if you are reading this, thanks very much, pass it on!

(((o))): Are there still tickets available? Apart from the bands, what else can people look forward to?

There are still plenty of tickets available, I'm not putting on Sting. Prince may make an appearance, he may not. There will be cake, some good food vans, maybe a BBQ if the weather is nice, I suppose there's still a risk of snow. March is a random month for weather.

We are also having the first ever "Awkward Family Photo Booth" That should be fun.

(((o))): As an ongoing theme in my interviews, I'm throwing this out there to everyone. Guess the song if you can (should be easy), then answer in another lyric: "Can you feel my Love Buzz?"

Nirvana! My answer: “I can feel it coming in the air tonight!”

(((o))): We're all about sharing new music with our readers, is there anything you can recommend to them?

Like Steve Albini said at Shellac's ATP back in December 2012. All the bands are amazing!!!! So go grab a glass of wine, sit back relax and enjoy all the bands - I have made a Spotify playlist of all the bands and also provided plenty of links on my website.

(((o))): Finally, what's next for British Wildlife? Any future plans?

Once we're over the hill there's plans to get involved in a few existing events in Leeds that I can't disclose as it's not set in stone. I'm also getting married in August so that's exciting!

(((o))): Muchos Gracias for this! All the best to ya!

Buy Tickets! www.britishwildlife.info I'm going now BYE!

That could come across as quite a dramatic statement but looking back it it's true, I'm not a fanatical fan of his music by any means, I own his releases and have seen him live, shared the odd pleasantry on twitter, that's about it. It was in September 2011, I had reached rock bottom, I had tickets for a show I had no idea what about called "The Revival Tour", all I knew was  Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem was headlining it, or so I though at the time. I had tickets for which I was going with my brother and his other half but for reasons my mind can't recall now they pulled out, I know I blamed myself at the time, no evidence for such a response but with serious depression and social anxiety issues in these situations blaming myself was my go to move. So I did the ultra cool thing of taking the parents as it seemed better than going on my own...

Now already feeling low and down I had to put up with them not having any faith in my ability to drive the short distance so instead we had to get the train and stay over in Bristol. I was at rock bottom, I could see the end and no real way of getting back. I had decided that the show that night would be my last. Then something changed, I walked into the venue as I've done countless times before but this time it wasn't right, looking upon the stage instead of the one microphone I expected, it was a night billed with four singer songwriters, there were four. Having done more gigs than I can count I'd never come across a singer songwriter, in this case the opening act Dave Hause needing four mic's. But as the houselights went down it became clear, the tour arranged by Chuck Ragan flipped normality, turned it sideways and did what they wanted, for nearly three hours the four musicians (six if you include Chucks band) played together, joined others for collaborations, but most importantly started the night as equals and ended the same way. On paper there was a clear hierarchy with Brian Fallon headlining the night and Dave Hause (unknown on these shores) as the clear opener.

Then from rock bottom I felt a lift, that I had been living with the concept that a hierarchy system was the only way the world worked and I would never reach the levels I felt I deserved, but on this night the music brought the idea that it's just about having fun, supporting each other and most importantly no matter how important someone is or just thinks they are everyone is an equal and if we all treat others as such then things aren't so dark. If I hadn't attended that show put on by Chuck Ragan would I be here now? Honestly I don't think I would, for me that night was the start of a new me, a version that was more at peace with things.

Looking back over the years since that awakening moment I have noticed that subconsciously my mind has been switched on into the world of music therapy long before, with the concept that music can be used to control emotions and be a driving force behind feelings. It's not something I'd ever thought about as a treatment for my issues but over the last few years I've come to know its power. For instance no matter what mood I find myself in if a band like Madness or Reel Big Fish come on my iPod then I can't not smile, tap my foot, music is infectious and I've learned that it can bring me back from the brink of despair. On the flip side, a band like Radiohead if I'm in a down mood can have the power to make me want to crawl in a corner and die, the power and dark emotion can be too overpowering. 

To this day, I still get comments about passing up on the opportunity to see Radiohead live in favour of AFI and Lost Prophets. At the time I couldn't work out why my mind was telling me to avoid Radiohead, I remember that night and Lost Prophets finished and Radiohead still had twenty minutes left, but rather than watch the rest of the set I found my body walking me away. Looking back I think on a subconscious level I think my mind knew I was feeling on the verge of a crash so took the step it knew would lead to my continued survival. The end result was that I left with a smile on my face and that is what's important.

These days the music I listen to is entirely based on how I'm feeling, I found myself listening to a lot of punk music when I was experiencing issues and conflicts at work, when I'm chilled and relaxed I tend to find myself listening to bands like The Gaslight Anthem or Pearl Jam. It's an odd thought that music has such power but it is all around us, a well placed piece of music can turn a meaning completely on its head. Like in films, imagine the iconic reveal in Star Wars of Darth Vadar telling Luke "I am your father" being played out with a pop song like Roar by Katy Perry in the background, it just wouldn't work. The drama and intense music changes the mood in films and television so why shouldn't it work just the same for people's mental health in the real world?

Music is poetry for the soul... to me it's as simple as that, it shouldn’t just be dismissed as background noise.

Mantar are a two-piece from Hamburg, Germany who just released their debut album Death By Burning. In his review (read here) of Willie Cross described the album as "although Mantar aren’t necessarily rewriting the book on the genres they employ, Death By Burning is an endlessly heavy album that bodes nothing but good things for the duo’s future." Here Willie asks guitarist and vocalist Hanno some questions about the band, the album and about the 'sludge' label.

(((o))): What are the origins of Mantar?

Hanno: We know each other for almost 16 years. We both played in plenty of bands and hung out together, went to shows…but never happened to start a band with each other. Some time ago I came up with the idea to form a new band…something more on the heavy side. So we met…jammed about 3-4 hours and it worked out fantastic. It got together what belongs together… So the rest is history so to speak. We rehearsed and practiced a whole year, got a bunch of songs together and quickly recorded them in a friend´s studio where we can rehearse as well. Today we are mainly surprised to be already asked to play Roadburn Festival. Everything is going quite fast. We are beyond stoked to play shows like that after having played our first show only 8 month ago!

(((o))): What is the driving force behind the band, in terms of musical vision and motivation?

Hanno: Well, I think we just share the same vision of a musical aesthetic. We both have the same urge to play music. We don't have any message to spread. We just like to play music in a violent way. That's all. We don't talk much about music, we just let it happen. And actually there is no need to talk about the music in general as we know each other pretty well. We started early making our own music, playing in bands, doing shows. Next to that we both started listening to (heavy) music pretty early as well. It kinda shapes your skills and your general idea of how a “heavy” band has to sound I guess. The songs for Mantar came pretty easy. We know each other for a long time but just made it last year to finally get together as a band, even though we always wanted that. Something in us seemed to have been waiting for us to get together. There was a strong urge to create something. That´s why it came all that fast and turned out to be that powerfull I guess.

(((o))): What motivated the band to make Death By Burning as a DIY production?

Hanno: We just have a strong DIY work ethic. We come from a punk rock background. We did the record with close friends in Hamburg (Germany), like we did the artwork, videos and all other stuff, too. We want to keep the control over our outputs. Money is an issue as well. We did the record pretty quick, self-produced and for less money bands usually spend on the production. If you have a strong vision you don´t need much money to create a good record. Furthermore I like working in the studio. I am used to it and know about the gear. It's good fun. I always did my own recordings. I started back in the days with 4 track recorders and therefore I still like to work pretty basic.

(((o))): What were Mantar’s strongest influences on Death By Burning?

Hanno: It might sound a little aimless but actually we didn't think about too much about the music that we were supposed to create. Basically I really enjoy dark, heavy music like black metal, doom metal and also have a pretty heavy punk background. Erinc, the drummer is more on the groovy side, which means that he manages to make “real songs” out of my destructive ambitions, haha. The strongest influence might have been the two of us together in one room going berserk and playing as hard as possible. So the strongest influence and the urge of the record has been the pleasure of pure honest rage.

(((o))): In terms of production, how did the record turn out so heavy- even without the presence of a bass guitar?

Hanno: The main reason might be that the band actually IS heavy. Furthermore we are using equipment for at least 4 people combined with a good amount of violence. I use three amps at the same time and some special FX pedals to get that low end. I use bass amplifiers, too. Erinc is hitting the drums as hard as possible, that´s quite important, too. He really is an insanely loud drummer. Every second club asks us to put duct tape or shit like that on the cymbals. But we deny to do so and decided only to play shows where we can put the sound on stage that we deliver on the record. For the recording work we wanted to keep the (live) energy from the rehearsal room. That's why we kept it as simple and raw as possible. We used exactly the stuff to record the album that we use live and in the rehearsal room as well. And the result is great. We dig it. The record is basically what the band stands for. Raw display of power. If you know your gear/equipment you can create a hell lot of bass. There is no need for a bass guitar to raise some hell.

(((o))): What are the lyrical themes motivated by?

Hanno: The urge of man for the final battle. The return to nature. And for sure the general sickness of mankind. I dont't judge though, I just tell. We don´t have any certain message. I don't care what people think. I dont want them to act according to my lyrics. Our only message is the power of the music.

(((o))): Are 'The Berserker’s Path', 'The Huntsmen', and 'The Stoning' a trilogy of sorts? And if so, what is the story that is being told?

Hanno: I like the fact that you think that this might be an option. It could be, but it's not though. But at least the first of the three songs deal with the issues I have mentioned above. As a matter of fact there is some kind of fascination for old Northern warriors ('The Berserker's Path') and the power of nature in general ('The Huntsmen').

(((o))): The cover art for Death By Burning is very unique and intriguing for a metal album. What’s the story behind that?

Hanno: We just knew pretty early that Death By Burning was going to be the name of the record. It just sounds cool. And might give you a slight idea of what you can expect from the record. It's a good expression for a heavy band without any gimmicks. When I discovered the painting for the cover artwork it was magic. I immediately knew that this needs to be our cover. That painting is called The Crown from a great American artist called Aron Wiesenfeld. I think it describes our music better than we ever could. That kind of nothingness in the face of the girl with the burning crown…just epic. Furthermore death by burning is an expression that can express much more than just getting burned alive on the stake. We asked Aron about using The Crown as the cover art and he kindly agreed. So it’s a fucking honor for us to have such a wonderful piece of art to represent our music. He sure is an incredible artist.

(((o))): Why does the band say, “don’t call it sludge”?

Hanno: Personally I just avoid that label. Don't get me wrong, we did not reinvent the wheel. Never had that ambition though. But i think that the genre "sludge" isn't something you can rely on any  more as a trademark for something particularly good. It's pretty worn out these days and a lot of bands use it nowadays as a brand because they don't have any own character or don't know about their own roots. Maybe due to the fact they never had any. Don't get me wrong, I love shitloads of stuff that is branded as "sludge". Great bands out there, but well... some kind of inflation is going on nowadays. I don't have the intension of making music for a certain kind of “scene” or even worse, target group.

Maybe I am not educated enough with that musical genre but for me a lot of bands, branded as sludge sound all the same to me. Don't want to make anyone down here, I just never had the intension of playing “sludge”. A couple of years ago I didn't even know what that is.

(((o))): Does Mantar plan on playing live shows? If so, will it just be the two members performing?

Hanno: Yes indeed, as mentioned above we have absolutely no problems with putting on a fat sound.

We already played a couple of shows and got a lot of positive feedback. We will play many more shows soon and there are no plans for expanding the lineup. It can be worse getting beat up by two people full of rage than by five lads that aren't sure about their own mission, you know?

(((o))): What are the band’s plans for the future?

Hanno: I hope we will literally play the whole world. Would love to play the UK asap, same with the United States. But for now we have to start somewhere. That's mainly over here right now. In May we will tour Portugal and Spain, and in April we will play Roadburn. Hopefully some festivals during the summer. We have an invitation for Turkey and Greece as well and I hope we will fly to South East Asia this year, too. I know a lot of people over there and they have a wonderful healthy scene. Especially in Malaysia. I have been there on tour already. If anyone wants us to play anywhere or book a tour, please get in touch. You are more than welcome.

(((o))): Thank you very much for answering my questions, is there anything you would like to add?

Hanno: Thanks for your support, Willie. And thank you for your interest and your questions. We really appreciate that.

Death By Burning is now out through Svart Records and available here.

Monte Pittman is a guitarist based in Los Angeles known for playing on the Madonna live tours and teaching people like Guy Ritchie to play the guitar. He has also played guitar for the metal band Prong. He recently released his solo album The Power of Three (read our review here) and Andrew Rawlinson asked him some questions. Please read on!

(((o))): Who were your guitar heroes that inspired you when you were younger?

MP: Ace Frehley, Steve Vai, Jimmy Page, Randy Rhoads, Ottmar Liebert, Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Prong.

(((o))): How did you teach yourself to play guitar?

MP: I did for about a year. I would learn songs measure by measure. Then I got an awesome guitar teacher. That made a drastic difference.

(((o))): Who are your favourite ‘current’ guitar players?

MP: Vogg from Decapitated, Kellindo Parker from Janelle Monet's band, Rob Chapman, Ray LaMontagne.

(((o))): Are you planning to make ‘Monte Pittman’ solo a full time project or as an outlet between other commitments?

MP: Yes I am. I have to take it one day at a time and build it brick by brick. I'll always play guitar for Madonna as long as she keeps having me. 

(((o))): According to your bio your third student was film maker Guy Ritchie, how did this come about, have you taught any other ‘famous’ people? 

MP: His assistant, Nathan, got my number and let up lessons for "his boss". When I left for the first Madonna tour I did, I had 55 students in circulation. I taught Kathryn Morris who later went on to star in the show "Cold Case". I taught Catherine Keener and Dermot Mulroney. I taught Brad Pitt. Those are a few that immediately come to mind because they were so cool to me. I gave Dido a guitar lesson once. One of the guys who got me to start thinking about teaching in LA was Johnny Rzeznik. He would come into the Guitar Center, where I worked, and asked if we could suggest any teachers for alternate tunings on the guitar. I never taught him anything but we talked about it a few times. That's where I started thinking I could teach in Los Angeles like I did in Texas. It's such a small world. The Goo Goo Dolls were one of the most successful Metal Blade bands.

(((o))): How did you get involved with Prong and do you plan to work with them again?

MP: When I had just moved to Los Angeles, I became friends with Ivan DePrume. He and Tommy Victor had been jamming together. Ivan put me and Tommy together. We immediately started discussing starting Prong up again. I would love to do something again if something is needed. Right now, Tommy has a killer line-up in Prong. Maybe we'll do some writing. Maybe we'll do some shows together. You never know.

(((o))): What bands have influenced you in making your new album The Power of Three?

MP: All the bands I grew up listening too, like Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Testament, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Pantera, Prong, Cannibal Corpse, Acid Bath and so on. Also, some old blues like Freddie King or Elmore James. Take that and mix it with Stevie Ray Vaughn and Gary Moore. Take that and add a little Ray LaMontagne and Neil Young.

(((o))): How did you meet Kane Ritchotte (drums) and Max Whipple (bass) and how much involvement do they have in the writing process of the album?

MP: Kane played drums on my last album, Pain, Love, & Destiny. Kane and Max grew up playing together. I had written everything and made a demo of the entire album. I would play them the songs and we would go learn them and work them out. We weren't able to go through all the songs before recording so some of the songs we recorded the first time we played them. We will be writing together in the future. I'm excited to see how it sounds with Kane coming up with a beat and max coming up with a bass line. That will add something different to the mix.

(((o))): The new album was produced by Flemming Rasmussen, how did that come about?

MP: I met Flemming on a day off while in Copenhagen one year. We stayed in contact and said one day we'll have to work on something together.  We recorded an acoustic EP in one day while I was there on another day off. From there, we made plans for me to bring the band with me and record my heavy album.

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

MP: U2, Madonna, Metallica, AC/DC and Iron Maiden. The next 5 would be Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, Bruno Mars, Amon Amarth, Ray LaMontagne and Against Me.

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

MP: Africa! I hope I play with someone some time soon who plays in South Africa. Also, Maine. I think that's the only state I've never been to. 

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

MP: To book as many shows as I can and get this thing out on the road. Spread the word to everyone out there about the new album The Power Of Three.

(((o))): Thanks a lot for answering my questions. Is there anything you would like to add?

MP: We have a video out for 'Before The Mourning Son'. We'll do another video in the near future. Keep checking in at our website and on Twitter and Instagram. You can find our MontePittmanMusic channel on YouTube and there's a Monte Pittman Facebook page. Thanks for the great questions and thanks for the support!

Italian one man depressive suicidal black metal band Vardan released a new album The Woods Is My Coffin through the much respected Moribund Records (read our review here). Daniel Chavez took the opportunity to find out more asking some questions to Vardan, who appeared to be a man of little words.

(((o))):  First, I would like to say that I enjoyed your album very much. It was dark, it was foreboding, and it was cold. I enjoyed the atmosphere and musicianship of the album and it was a treat to listen to. I can tell that you spent some time to really make a great sounding record.

Vardan: Thanks for your words. Yes I use some time to get my sound, I like chance in my works.

(((o))): In your own words, how would you describe your album The Woods Is My Coffin?

Vardan: Cold and raw depressive suicidal black metal.

(((o))): What were you trying to get the listener to feel or visualize though the album?

Vardan: Open and cold sad atpospheres during the music, the artwork was created after the recordings on the music.

(((o))): You have put in a lot of work in the past year -three full releases- and you are in a number of other bands, what drives to make album after album?

Vardan: Sometimes inspiration runs fast so I feel to record the music.

(((o))): ‘Dawn of the Followers pt 1&2’ was my favorite tracks on the album. They have a different feel then the rest of the songs, what is the background of those two songs?

Vardan: No particular background, the long text was written for the two songs, the entire album was written and recorded 2005 / 2006.

(((o))): What inspiration or music do you look for/listen to in making your music?

Vardan: Inspiration is from my personal sensations. Regarding my music I listen to black metal and its sub-genres but not to create my works.

(((o))): Lately there seems to be a flood of black metal albums and bands popping up, what is your take on the black metal scene today?

Vardan: Yeah, some bands are growing up very well, others not so good so as a listener of the black metal scene of today it is necessary to make a selection.

(((o))): A lot of reviews say you have a more "Norwegian sound" then that of your homeland, what is your take on your sound?

Vardan: Hmmmm, I don't know if it is a "Norwegian sound" but anyway I appreciate that someone wrote that my sound is a cold and grim depressive sound.

(((o))): Is sounding "Norwegian" a good or bad thing?

Vardan: It is a good thing if someone likes think in this way.

(((o))): A lot of people put sub labels to black metal (i.e.: atmospheric, depressive, symphonic, etc) do you categorize yourself in any sub genre?

Vardan: I like categorize my music as cold black metal maybe with raw depressive and suicidal touches, but it is better you don't ask me and let the listeners decide.

(((o))): What do you think of the "labeling", or trying to fit it into neat little sub-genres of black metal music?

Vardan: I don't have an answer to this... sorry.

(((o))): What can we expect next from Vardan? Where do you see yourself going in black metal?

Vardan: Another new album will be released by Moribund in the same Vardan way with a little bit of a different sound.

(((o))): Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions!

Vardan: Thanks to you!

Pulled Apart By Horses have just announced dates for a UK tour and will debut new tracks from their upcoming album, the follow up to 2012’s ‘Tough Love’. James Brown took some time out to talk to us about what to expect, and also gave us some exclusive song/album titles!*

(((O))) First and foremost, thanks for doing this interview with Ech(((o)))es & Dust (and for taking my interview cherry)!  How about we start off with a little band history for the uninitiated?

Well, basically we all played in bands that either became defunct or spilt up in Leeds, and from sheer boredom I started messaging Lee over a forum about starting a nasty sounding Jesus Lizard style band after his band Concentration Champ (Yes, they were called Concentration Champ) split up. I met Rob in a pub with his girlfriend and told him about the idea for the band and he was game to get involved. After a few practices we needed a singer and next thing we knew Tom came to our third practice for a laugh and now five years later our full time careers are playing in a band, but we sound nothing like The Jesus Lizard. Pretty fucking sweet really.   

(((O))) How was 2013 for you?  The Charity gig you played for Shelter last year sold out pretty damn fast! What else have you guys been up to? Have there been any other highlights you'd like to mention?

2013 was a kind of slow year for us really. We purposefully decided to take a little break from any kind of touring to really focus everything we could into writing the third record. Its been kind of hard with us being a predominantly live band, but its been for the best as the new record is shaping up to be a total monster. We were all quite surprised how quick that show sold out to be honest and it was just a really mint way to road test some of the new material to our lovely fans before we began recording it. Crowd were wild, in fact, wild isn't even the right word,....... demonic.

(((O))) It's been a while since you released 'Tough Love', which had an amazing reaction from the general public, along with some awesome reviews and great live shows!  It's beast of an album that's for sure, as heavy as Black Sabbath and as raw as early Nirvana with some Queens of the Stone Age thrown in for good measure! Are you working on a follow up, and what can we expect?

Yes! We've been working on the record since late 2012 when we finished touring Tough Love. Its been a highly enjoyable process as previously we've knocked out and written the other two records pretty quickly in sporadic blocks of spare time off from touring. Its been so refreshing to relax with it and focus on sounds and vocals instead of writing just enough material to put down 12 songs and hope for the best. We've written about 30 in total but we aren't recording all of them. Expect a change from the last two records, but not a total departure. Its still rock but with a bit more thought in it then anything we've done before.

(((O))) Any working titles you'd care to share with us? Feel free to just make some up on the spot right now!

Chris Tarrant's Ankle Grind is the first single released in May, which will be followed by Blue Cheese Fuck Holes in late August. The album is called Piss On This Here.

(((O))) How was your Christmas/New Year? Did you all party together or is it a time to get out of each other’s hair for a while? 

We had a big NYE party at my house actually which is still a bit of a blur really, although I can kind of remember us all listening to Gary Barlow on the TV for an hour before the clock ding donged, I think. Lee didn't make it as he resides in London now with all his bags of money. Christmas was a drinking write off, but in the best possible way. I love that time of year because everyone is drunk and happy to be not working.

(((O))) Did you buy each other anything nice?

Respect.

(((O))) You released a split 7" with Blood Red Shoes on your own record label, 'Covered Records', covering each others favourite tracks. Any plans to do more of this? If you had your pick of any band in the world, what would be your dream split 7"?

Yeah I really enjoyed doing that and people seemed to love it which was sweet. I've got another couple of releases planned and as soon as the album is recorded I'm gonna put those plans into action. My split would be Radiohead and The Jesus Lizard, purely because them covering each other isn't even something I can even comprehend!

(((O))) As we're all about introducing people to new music (including bands that may have been going for a while that people may not have heard of yet), is there anything you'd recommend to our readers?  What's the music scene like in Leeds these days?

Leeds is always pumping hard when it comes to new music in every shape, way and form. If you haven't heard of Eagulls I'd totally check them out if you like your guitars sleazy and lo-fi. Another band making waves from up North is Hookworms who seem to be doing really fucking well at the moment and are busy working on a follow up to their debut record. Its been pretty good for new music up here over the past few years and it never really seems to slow down.

(((O))) Before we finish this, I'm thinking I might just throw in a random question  in the form of a lyric for shits and giggles in this and future interviews.  Guess the song if you can (should be easy), then answer in another lyric:  "Where have all the cowboys gone?"

The answer is Paula Cole and my lyric back is "To the Gay bar, Gay bar, GAY BAR". Good question that pal.

(((O))) What are the band's plans for 2014? Are there any gigs/releases you'd like to let us know about? With 2014 being the Year of the Horse, I'm sure there's some obvious puns that could be exploited in relation to your bandname.  Same for 'Stablemates' Foals (BOOM!)

Neigh. Its awesome that 2014 is the Year of the Horse and it kind of fills me with an over whelming sense of confidence, so much so that I had my first horse riding lesson in January. I shit myself at first but you soon get into the beasts rhythm and become at one with its power and beauty. Erm, anyway. We've just announced an intimate warm up tour around the UK in April and May which is gonna be flaming fantastic as we've been dying to get back on the road. Its the kind of tour where you visit all the towns that aren't the major cities that never get many shows. Its gona be so good getting up close and personal with folk again. We'll obviously do another run later in they year when the record is out so we don't leave Manchester, London, etc, hanging. Oh, and we'll release some new music pretty soon and the third album this year!

(((O))) Thanks again for taking the time to do this.  It's been an absolute pleasure!

*This may not be true, and could be ‘horseshit’ (sorry)

If you stop and think about it for a minute, music is a curious thing.  Sure, it’s fun, exciting and vibrant and can trigger the most beautiful and important youthful memories, but the way that we’ve been consuming it since the birth of the Walkman has moved it from a pastime that involves many, to something altogether more insular.  And I suppose this is why it still figures so importantly in my life.

Having lived with Depression for many more years than I care to recollect, music has been both a cure and – if I’ve been feeling particularly self-vindictive – a cause of the darker moments.  This seems to be all straightforward enough, given our desire to find understanding and a sense of belonging from wherever I need to, but sometimes it can be hard to explain to others that I turn to what would outwardly be seen as depressive sources of entertainment in order to trigger feelings of sadness or to find somewhere to safely and willingly withdraw.  These places created by various artists, whether they mean to or not, can be (and no doubt have been) absolute lifesavers for many people who don’t wish to be a burden to those close to them.

Like most people, I have certain musical destinations I head to whenever I feel at the top of my game, or when things are at their bleakest – or, worse still, when I’m emotionally numb.  Listening to Nick Drake’s “At the Chime of a City Clock” or “Northern Sky” puts me up among the stars; hearing him perform the self-loathing “Parasite” cuts me to the bone, and both of these extremes don’t strike me as being anything out of the ordinary, as these swings affect us all throughout the day.  But it’s when I hear “Know” that I feel the most resonance.  To hear someone so normally musically eloquent reduced to four notes clumsily yet accurately hit over and over again may seem merely odd to most people, but it terrifies me because it seems to come from a place where the protagonist simply doesn’t care anymore.  And if I can relate to something like that, then there’s something very wrong indeed going on.

But this is the thing – if I can hear something very obviously going wrong in the voice, music and performance of someone I have no tangible connection with, then recognising those same things in my own feelings or behaviour means that I can also realise that I need to do something to prevent that behaviour from escalating.  And for me, that’s the difference between falling into old habits of self-destruction (for which I carry scars both psychological and physical) or asking for help; and there’s no contest about which is the most beneficial course of action, even if it sometimes feels like the hardest thing to do.

I guess what I’m trying to justify here is that we all set our own markers that we use to act as a warning to ourselves that things are going wrong, and the hope then is that we catch it early enough so that we can at least prepare a softer landing.  This is why I listen to certain music that has cropped up during my life, it is why I continue to listen to it, it is why I share it with my friends in the hope of understanding, and it’s also why I write about it in the hope that somehow this will help to dissipate the awful Depression I feel sometimes.  Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn’t.  But it’s worth it for the sometimes.

In the first of a new series of 'scene reports' of varying foci from all around the world, our chief antipodean correspondent Gilbert Potts gives an introduction to the Melbourne live music scene and the many great new bands to be found within it...

Despite some venue closures over recent years there's a good range of spots to see bands in the CBD and inner city suburbs of Melbourne. Like a lot of cities there are strong music communities and bands that tend to play together a lot. Sunday to Wednesday are pretty quiet, although there's normally someone playing, but Thursday to Saturday is when most of the action happens. Most gigs finish between around midnight and 1:00 am, although the pubs tend to kick on, some as night clubs.

Two venues that you'd class as icons are The Tote and The Espy and I invite you to come on a short walking tour that travels between the two.

Built in 1876, The Tote has been the home of punk, hardcore, heavy rock and the like since 1980, and in 2010 became the flashpoint for licencing laws and rallies of 2,000 and then 10,000 live music fans saw changes to laws and the saving of the venue. It's got a band room that hold 300 with adjoining beer garden on one side and front bar on another. It's daggy, worn out and displays flyers from past performers including The Birthday Party, The Meanies, Cosmic Psychos, Mudhoney, The White Stripes and Fugazi.

Bands you'll see there now include the likes of local punks Cuntz, grindcore outfit Agents of Abhorrence and the much loved psych band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard  who have earned a spot at this year's Austin Psych Fest and whose “Float Along – Fill Your Lungs” has been named album of the year by Beat magazine and in Buzzfeed's album of the year list. They head a healthy list of local psych, dreamy pop and shoegaze bands that includes The Ancients, Flyying Colours, The Citradels and one of my favourites, Lunaire. There's a few small pubs-cum-bandrooms where you can regularly catch bands like these – such as The Public Bar, The Old Bar, The Bendigo Hotel, Ding Dong Lounge and Yah Yah's!.

Venture down to St Kilda and you have The Esplanade Hotel, or The Espy as it's known. With a good sized bandroom, a front bar, a basement and a mezzanine, there can be four bands playing at once and it makes a great place for inner city festivals that attract crowds of a couple of thousand. It's home to the annual Progfest where you'll see the likes of A Lonely Crowd, Caligula's Horse, Toehider and Glass Empire. It's a festival that draws from both metal and rock progressive acts over a broad spectrum so the variety is huge.

The Espy also attracts plenty of indie, hard rock and metal bands. Sonic Forge is run annually with around 30 bands and last year included locals like Ne Obliviscaris, King Parrot and Okera. If you ever need proof how much Aussie metalheads love their music, this is the place to come. Speaking of metal there's also a strong black metal representation with the likes of Encircling Sea and Thrall who we both love here at (((o))).

Well I've just scratched the surface but I hope this gives you an idea of some of the variety of quality live music we have here in Melbourne. If you're ever in the area now you know where to go...

Swedish glam punk band Sister have just released their new album Disguised Vultures on Metal Blade Records. Andrew Rawlinson described it as "an uncomplicated blistering fun for all you air guitarists out there!" (read his review here). Andrew asked drummer Cari Crow some questions, so please read on!

(((o))): So according to your biography you formed in 2006, how did the band originally meet?

Cari: I started to build a band with my friend and classmate in school around 2005 and I came up with the name Sister. We met Jamie outside a concert hall and made him leave his current band to join us. The first bass player left the same time as Rikki's former band split up and he joined us. After releasing our first album and one year of touring, our guitar player left the band and our old mate Tim joined the band as the lead guitarist.

(((o))): Both the band name and logo are an unusual for the style of music you play, how did this come about?

Cari: The original idea of the band name comes from Blackie Lawless and Nikki Sixx's band from the 70's. I used to read all the these old magazines about Wasp and Crüe and found out about that name. I had a clear vison of my band when I saw that name and I thought it was too good to not being used, so I pretty much took it from  there. Our original guitarist  draw the logo. If it's not our style? Well, what style are we? The logo looks the way we want it, then it is our style I would say. The same goes for our looks and sound.

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

Cari: We are listening to everything. I guess that you become influenced from pretty much  everything you hear. But ok, not to mention Kiss, Crüe or Guns N' Roses. Well, Deep purple, Roky Erickson, Turbonegro, Sepultura, I mean,  Swedish death and black metal bands like Entombed and Dissection, punk bands like New York Dolls, Iggy and stuff like that... Well, I can go on forever.......... Rock N' Roll.

(((o))): How do you go about the writing process for an album?

Cari: This time me and Jamie started working on the lyrics and melodies, Tim came up with killer riffs and then we started working it together all of us to build the songs.

(((o))): Alan Averil (of Primordial) helped get you signed to Metal Blade Records with your debut EP Deadboys Making Noise. How did this come about and do you still have contact with him?

Cari: Yes we still have contact with Alan, of course. We are really happy for what he did for us. How did it come about?.. Well, Ask him;) !? We have no idea. We just recorded a killer EP and spread it all over the world, hoping that someone like Alan would pick it up.

(((o))): How is the music scene in Sweden today compared to when you formed?

Cari: Well, the glam/sleaze scene isn't that huge anymore, which is good, only the good bands did survive and are still killing it. The oldschool hard rock/heavy metal scene is big, also the black and death scene I guess. To me, the genre doesn't matter. We have a lot of great bands here in Sweden.

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

Cari: Sonisphere festival 2012 in Madrid. Playing the same stage as Metallica and Slayer. It doesn't get much bigger I guess?

(((o))): At the end of November you played Hard Rock Hell and a few other UK dates, how was the reaction and when do you plan to return?

Cari: UK has been awesome, nothing is planned but I want to come back again soon.

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

Cari: Hanoi Rocks, Dead Boys, Guns N' Roses, Misfits and Kiss. And now we're talking the classic  lineups 😉 And ah, fuck. Pantera as well!

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

Cari: Australia and Brazil seems to be crazy. That would be cool.. and Japan.

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

Cari: Well, we have just released the best album of 2014, now let's tour the living hell out of it!

Having been held up getting something finished at work, you race across London, battling the rush hour crowds, convinced you’re going to be late, and arrive at your destination sweaty and flustered. You spend money you don’t have on expensive beer and smoke too many cigarettes because chances are you’re still there before everyone else and you need to kill the time somehow. You spend more time fretting and analysing the room than you do actually experiencing the gig – how many people have come? Is everyone happy? Will they stick around for all three bands? You crawl home after the show, utterly exhausted, but likely still hyper. Your alarm goes off 6 hours later and you drag yourself out of bed, desperately hoping the bottle of Lucozade you plan to neck on the tube will see off your hangover. You spend most of the day turning the gig over in your head when you should be working – did it flow? Did people enjoy it? What could have made it better?

Sound familiar? Who are you? Chances are you’re in a band. Or you could be a promoter. Maybe a blogger? Photographer? Small record label? If my opening paragraph didn’t resonate in some way with each of those people I’ll eat my hats. Or at the very least I’ll be moderately surprised. (Please don’t make me eat my hats, I've got dozens of hats and none of them would taste good).

Andy Inglis’ recent piece for The Quietus purported that independent music could be saved almost instantly if people just lost the attitude. I exaggerate for effect, of course, but if you've read the article you’ll know what I mean. Who needs to lose the attitude, you might wonder? According to Andy, that would be bands, promoters, booking agents, crowds, friends/family of the band, industry members and anyone else who has committed the unutterably heinous crime of securing themselves a guestlist ticket. Wow, ok. I had no idea music was in such a dire state, but apparently every single person involved in the scene needs schooling on how to be a nicer person.

I realise my experience is every bit as subjective as Andy’s, but I couldn't disagree more. Having been (and in many cases, still being) a musician, promoter, blogger, photographer and small record label, the vast majority of my exposure to “independent music” has been overwhelmingly positive.  Yes, it’s expensive, it’s hard work, it’s stressful, it’s emotionally draining and things are all but guaranteed to go wrong, but dear Lord we love it. 

Independent music is failing in no small part due to a flatlining economy, the rising costs of living, and a decline in disposable income; which is used for everything from buying gig tickets, having posters printed for a night you’re staging, getting a cab to the venue with three guitar amps or paying for the hosting on that website you run. It’s failing because instead of sticking up for each other and acting together to confront the issues, people are scrambling around looking for someone to blame. That’s the attitude that needs challenging.

People talk about saving “independent music” as if it’s an entity in its own right. But when the promoters are bitching about the bar owners and the bands are bitching about the promoters and the journalists who were reviewing gigs at brilliant, historic venues are now raving about the food in the trendy gastropubs they’ve become and there are three gigs – each of which I’d happily pay for – that I have to choose between because they’re all on the same night, it couldn’t feel more fractured.

In truth, if we really want to save independent music, we have to unite, not pull apart. We have to be honest with ourselves about what “independent music” really means. It’s not this band or that venue or the other blog, it’s all of us, all together, all of the time.  Let’s lose the ego and start supporting each other.

Oh and bands? Don’t nick the towels. That’s just not on.

Written by Hannah Morgan

Abyssal are not well-known for their eagerness to give interviews, and so I count myself as extremely lucky to ask some questions to the band on the heels of their excellent release Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius (reviewed here).

(((o))): It really sounds as though you’ve grown a lot in the time between Denoument  and Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius. While both albums are indicative of your band’s signature style, I would say that Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius elevates the sounds explored in Denoument in a much more mature way. Do you think this is just a natural progression from having worked together for longer or do you attribute this growth to anything else specific?

Abyssal: I would note that Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius was a conscious decision for the mood of the music to adopt a darker and more extreme tone, however I feel that its air of maturity in comparison to its predecessor is more of a commentary on Denouement's immaturity as a release. Denouement was for all intents and purposes a demo which collected several years' worth of material together into one session. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius is much more focused, as all the tracks are specifically engineered to be part of a whole.

(((o))): Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius definitely feels like a cohesive album in that each track feels like a movement in a larger piece. Was this album written song-to-song or was there a desire from the beginning to create something more like one long form work?

Abyssal: It is always half and half. The flow of the album must take precedence of course, but a good album is made of coherent and distinguishable tracks. Your analogy regarding movements as part of a larger piece is probably quite close to the point, as the hope is the album is well balanced enough to not exhaust a listener attempting to listen through it, while individual tracks remain interesting enough to be listened to on their own if need be.

(((o))): Your sound is described as black/death/doom, and you’re not the first band to require so many different adjectives/genres in describing a complex, multifaceted sound. I feel like metal sub-genres used to be created at a much more frequent pace, but that now we seem to have the old, “traditional” styles of metal and use these as reference points for new music that often seems difficult to describe. Do you feel like “black/death/doom” is a clear enough identifier? I’ve heard the term “occult metal” to describe bands with similarly broad influences. Does this phrase speak to you in any sort of meaningful way?

Abyssal: Genre labels are always just descriptive terms which hopefully convey some form of meaning between people. There are always alternative paths to describe similar sounds. Abyssal have been described as everything from "Post-Death Metal" to "Atmospheric Blackened Death". I personally have no preferences to what the music is described as, and black/death/doom certainly seems sensible enough.

I would however wish to avoid the term "occult" metal, as this says nothing about the actual sound of a band. It is particularly irrelevant for us as Abyssal have no occult lyrical content.

(((o))): Along the same line of questioning, do you feel that ultimately the label or genre comes last and can even get in the way of simply creating music that you find personally important?

Abyssal: There are undoubtedly some bands who have indelibly tethered themselves to a rigid genre definition and will likely never create music beyond its limits (Cannibal Corpse for instance). However on the flipside there are artists who seem to take joy in completely re-writing the rule book (Ulver springs to mind).

Ultimately it comes down to the personnel; I can see musical merit in both side of the coin. Abyssal lies somewhere in the middle.

 (((o))): You have been, seemingly willfully, reserved in terms of giving much information to the public concerning who is behind the music you make. How important is anonymity and presentation in how it relates to your music and the experience of the listener (or the experience of yourself)?

Abyssal: The release of the first album omitted names and contact details from the sleeve notes; there was no conscious decision to deceive the public or indeed remain anonymous. However almost instantly the topic of discussion regarding Abyssal seemed to gravitate towards the identities of the musicians. This became somewhat of a frustration, as the music should be the main concern of the listener, not the banal names of the composers. As such, the anonymity remained intact going forward - a self fulfilling prophecy you might say.

(((o))): While you have spoken in previous interviews about the lack of “catchy riffs” in your music, I would almost argue that there is a groove at the heart of your music that helps anchor the complexity of it in a way that makes it more memorable and in many ways a more enjoyable listen than some other bands working in a similar style. Is this something that you would agree with, or is it possible that I’m insane to find what I would even call hooks in your music?

Abyssal: There is certainly at least a structure in there, more so that truly freeform music. I would suppose in this case that the catchiness of an artist is in the eye of the beholder. If a listener finds Abyssal to be catchy then I am not going to tell them they are wrong.

(((o))): What is the general musical background of the band? I hear touchstones of not only several different styles of metal, but even jazz and classical music. Do any members of Abyssal have formal training in music of any genre or are you all self-taught?

Abyssal: There is no formal classical training behind Abyssal's music. There are a great deal of influences that come from outside metal as you have astutely observed. The atonal compositions of Krzysztof Penderecki are a huge component in there, as is dark ambient music, jazz noir etc.

(((o))): What lyrical themes inform your music? Do the lyrics in fact inform the music or is the music generally composed first? What does the title of Novim enim Dominus qui sunt eius, which roughly translates to “For the Lord knoweth them that are His” and originates from the time of the Crusades, mean to you and how does it relate specifically to the themes at work in these songs and the music itself?

Abyssal: The title of the album doesn’t specifically define any constant message that underpins the disc, however it is generally fitting and indicative of the range of ideas covered; most generally the futility of human endeavours and their inevitable decay and degradation.

The context in which the words were most famously spoken does originate from the Albegensian Crusade as you pointed out, however this time period is not necessarily relevant to the music or the concepts covered.

(((o))): While a dark, bleak atmosphere is clearly prevalent in your music, I feel that there are very triumphant passages as well. This creates a feeling of tension and release which I think sets your band apart. Is this a conscious decision or simply a result of the feel of particular pieces? How much of your music do you feel is writing-based or arrangement-based and how much of it do you feel comes from a more organic, even improvisational process?

Abyssal: This is a very accurate observation, and it is most definitely a conscious decision when writing. Many tracks on the album build up to melodic crescendos in order to instill a sense of changing mood, and a release of the tension as you suggest. The most noticeable would be on tracks such as ‘A Sheath of Deceit’ or ‘The Last King’.

In terms of writing style, it must be said that much of the arrangements are fairly rigidly organised in advance and fine tuned iteratively. However, there is some room for improvisation on some of the lead melodies that cut in here and there.

(((o))): How important is the visual element of your music? I feel that your album covers so accurately capture the sound of each album. Do you design your own album art, and is this an important aspect to your identity as a band?

Abyssal: To date, almost all of the artwork has been produced by a Lithuanian photographer named Kristina Gentvainyte. Her art is generally quite varied, but consistently dark, mysterious and poignant. Her photography for each of the layouts was handpicked by the band in order to fit the mood of the disc in question.

In general, I find that a solid and fitting layout of album artwork is incredibly powerful when accompanying music. It can add dimensions to the listening experience that would otherwise be unexplored.

(((o))): Do you have plans for any upcoming tour dates in support of Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius? What is the best way for fans to support you, i.e.: where can they buy your albums or see you live?

Abyssal: Currently, the band is not a live entity. This is due to other commitments, and the ongoing writing process for the third album. Near the end of this year, we may see Abyssal performing live, but until then, the best way to support the band is through the Bandcamp site. Both albums are available for free download, with complete artwork layouts. Our newly pressed double LP of Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius is also now available (through  Iron Bonehead Productions).

Slomatics are a heavy doom band from Belfast, Northern Ireland who have been building a strong reputation in the Irish and British doom scenes. They will release their latest album Estron next month (see our review here), so John Dickie asked the band a bunch of questions in the lead up to the release.

(((o))): How's it going lads?

David: Great thanks. Just sitting here mapping out our plans for 2014 as it happens.

(((o))): Estron will be out soon, how are you all feeling about its release?

David: Really excited. I’m sure all bands say that, but we really think this record is a step up for the band, and is probably the first release we’ll have put out where there’s literally nothing we’d like to change. Also, I can’t deny that holding that slab of vinyl with the artwork and all is a pretty good feeling, and definitely a real reward. We’ll be interested to see how it’s received too, we’re not a new band at all so it’s always interesting to see if other folk get where we’re trying to go. Feedback so far has been great.

(((o))): What did you guys want Estron to sound like and were you happy/surprised with the end product?

David: We wanted it to sound as big as possible, and to be something that had layers to the sound. I always like it when I hear different things the more I listen to a record and hopefully there’s a bit of that on Estron. We definitely wanted to keep the heaviness of the guitars, but to be able to have enough clarity that the melodies were still there. We use synths live, but with Marty being a singer/drummer/synth player it’s harder for him to do it all at once, so in the studio we were able to indulge that side of things way more. There was a piano in the studio which we ended up using a lot too. We spent a lot of time mixing it, and made quite a few changes to the original mix which isn’t like us, but hopefully it has paid off. We’re really happy with the end result – this is probably the first recording we’ve been completely satisfied with, although I’m sure in a few months we’ll spot bits we’d like to change.

(((o))): Estron is a concept album, could you tell us about the story the album follows?

Yes, it most certainly is a concept album! We have the story clearly and completely mapped out, in fact we’ve planned this one since A Hocht. The aim was to write three records in a row which were linked thematically and were like three chapters of the same concept. The lyrics and the structure of the record are hopefully pretty clear, but the thing is we don’t want to spell anything out for the listener. I know that sounds like a cop out, but the sequencing of the album was really important and deliberate, in order to tell the story. We really want people to take their own interpretation from it, or at least hopefully feel like it takes them on a journey. The narrative of the record is an analogy for the wider theme of where we are now as a race, and the questions which we have to address as a result of the way we’ve chosen to be. Even as I write this I’m aware of how pretentious it sounds, but as a band it’s something we felt we wanted to do.  A couple of the reviews have picked up what we were getting at, so hopefully it works on some levels at least. Estron is meant to be listened to as one piece, it’s not a random collection of songs – we’d toyed with the idea of mastering it as one 40 minute song actually. I know this isn’t really answering your question, sorry!

(((o))): The artwork again is mind blowing. Tell us about the artist and your working relationship with him.

David: The art was handled again by Tony Roberts, who has done two of our last three, dating back to the Conan split. We hooked up with him through Jon and the Conan lads, although I was aware of his work with Electric Wizard in the past. Tony’s great to work with. All the communication is online which was initially a bit weird for us, but it actually works really well. We sent him ideas as the record was being written, and explained the concept behind the songs, and what we hoped to capture. Marty sent him all the lyrics, and we sent some very rough demos of basic sketches of the songs too. He’s an interesting guy because he doesn’t say much, he just sort of gets on with it, and works really quickly too. He’ll send us a first sketch, just to make sure we’re into the concept, but from there on it’s really all about his interpretation of the ideas. He had the unmastered recording, and in about a week had produced the final artwork. Honestly, when we saw the art we were floored, it just perfectly encapsulates what we were going for, which felt really great. We’re very much into collaboration, and like that Tony has his own approach in there – we definitely wouldn’t want to tell him exactly what we want or anything, which would feel like insulting him. Artwork is a really important part of the whole thing too, not only from an artistic perspective, but also for the consumer – vinyl in particular isn’t cheap so we want to come up with something that’s interesting to look at and is part of the whole package.

(((o))): Is it true The Dubliners were Ireland's first doom band?

David: I think that they could have been – the beards, age/social demographic, alcohol intake and general demeanour would have been a big advantage, but I think the problem came with trying to detune the banjos. Or plugging them into a fuzzbox. So really, it was just equipment that let those lads down, shame.

(((o))): You guys seem to still be pretty underground, like one of those secret bands people cherish; do you see Estron elevating you guys higher in the metal scene?

David: In a word, no! The longer we do this, the more apparent it becomes that there’s a lot more to being bigger than just the music, and to be honest, we’re not interested in any of that stuff. I mean, of course it’d be great to play to bigger venues, and sell more shirts, but really we’re pretty content with where we are, and we do ok. I like going to small gigs, and I like playing them too. We’re extremely grateful to be where we are, and considering how many bands never survive beyond the practice room or a couple of gigs I think we’ve achieved a lot. Our roots are firmly in the DIY scene, and those values are too ingrained at this point to be lost. We’ve been recommended to use PR people and stuff like that (which I understand folk who do this full time probably need to do), but for us that just seems weird. I think this sort of music probably has a limited appeal, and that the “scene” is very much saturated already, so I’m not sure it’s really possible anyway. We’d certainly like to be playing some of the festivals, and getting overseas more, but we’re not about to start begging people to put us on. When the band started the aim was to write a good set, play some shows and record a 7 inch. Everything we’ve done since has just been a huge bonus. The fact that anyone at all is interested in our stuff still blows us away to be honest, we sent stuff to Japan last week which is absolutely mad, some guy on the other side of the world wanted to hear something we recorded in Belfast.

All that being said, if the heavy rock world suddenly shows a demand for three 40 year olds playing down-tuned Hawkwind worship at unnecessarily high volume, then we’re right here!! If more folk got into it through Estron that would be great of course, anyone who puts out music and pretends not to care whether anyone hears it or not is fooling themselves. Plus, there’s no denying it’s a good thing to be able to sell records, particularly when labels are putting their money into it!

(((o))): Plotkin produces again, how did you feel after hearing the finished master?

Actually James mastered the recording, but the actual engineering was done here in Belfast by Rocky O’Reilly at Start Together studios. We’re always quick workers on the recording part, a couple of days does the actual playing, but this time we spent longer mixing than usual, and were really painstaking in getting the details just right. We were really happy with the unmastered recordings, but of course James adds a gloss to the whole thing which really lifts it all up. He’s a real perfectionist and incredibly good at what he does. Nice guy too. There were a few slight changes this time, like having the vocals slightly higher, and we’re dead happy with how it sounds. We always try to listen to it on different systems to make sure it’s spot on, and this one passed the test everywhere we tried it, so that was good. I only started playing music quite late, after years of not being able to get beyond two chords, so it’s still a class feeling to listen back to a “proper” studio recording and think “ I did that” – I guess everyone who plays in a band feels the same.

Photo by Sandy Carson

(((o))): What is the alternative music scene in Belfast like?

It’s good, and to be honest always has been. There’s quite a lot going on, and given the size of the city I think there’s more than our fair share of great bands. Stuff like Hornets, Maw, Pigs as People, the Bonnevilles and Zlatanera, all very different bands but all really great. There’s a really surprising amount of doom/sludge/whatever coming through too, with bands like Nomadic Rituals and Tome playing great shows. It’s funny, we’re now the older generation of heavy stuff, dinosaurs already! In the industrial estate where we practice, you hear an amazing amount of heavy riffs coming from just about every unit. I guess there’s the usual complaints, we could do with more smaller venues, there’s not as much mixing between scenes as would be possible, and there’s no real link between music and the wider art scene, but overall if I want to see a gig any weekend there are usually a few good things going on. We’ve a great studio here with Start Together, and the Oh Yeah centre does a lot to promote local, young bands. There are a couple of rock solid promoters who do a great job. Belfast has always been like that though, I’ve been going to shows for over 20 years and although it’s been a bit up and down, there’s never been a shortage of good stuff to see.

(((o))): What kind of gear did you guys use while making Estron?

We’ve used the same gear for quite a while now. We’re definitely gear-freaks, when it comes to guitars Chris and I spend too much of our time discussing the merits of different types of strings/valves/pickups and all that, but it’s half the fun for us. Marty’s as bad, he custom ordered his kit from England to be built to the exact specification of the kit John Bonham used at Madison Square Gardens, which says it all really. This time round we used our Matamp 120s for pretty much everything, although Chris used an old Ampeg 8x10 too, after seeing Tobin from Ommadon use one in the summer. I used a Mesa in a couple of places too to add some high end stuff, the Matamps tend to be really bassy so we’re careful to try and balance that a bit. We use a variety of fuzz boxes, stuff like DAM, Dunwich, Eldritch, and a combination of analog and digital delays on guitar too.  Chris plays a Les Paul, I use an SG, but both guitars have been completely rebuilt with different stuff, the only original parts are the wood. Obviously we know more about this guitar business than Gibson, ha! Marty has started using synths more live too, and we got to use really cool stuff in the studio like Moog Voyagers and Farfisa organs. We like to improvise where we can too, and Marty found a piano in the studio which we ended up using quite a lot. Overall though I think we used less gear than last time, we just knew exactly what we were doing before we hit the studio.

(((o))): I love that word, Estron. It's pure sci fi. What does it mean? Who came up with it?

David: It’s actually a Welsh word, and means stranger, alien or foreigner. Our guitarist is Welsh, and I think he was getting tired of the Irish titles! We had planned out the record and were talking about how it would be for humans to be the outsiders, or to be newly introduced somewhere and be trying to become established. A sort of the reversal of the food chain or whatever. My wife actually had the idea for the title, and we liked the sound of the word, it’s not specific or cliché, and doesn’t have any particular connotation. And yeah, having grown up as sci-fi nerds it definitely fulfilled our inner space travel fantasies! It became an integral part of the concept, a real focus. We started talking about it as if it was real. Seriously, the conversations we as three middle aged men were getting into were not ones we’d want anyone outside of the practice room to have to endure!

(((o))): Are you guys touring this year?

David: Not as such. We’re all working full time, and have young families, so as much fun as a couple of weeks on the road would be, it’s just not possible. We’ll get away and play two/three night runs though. At the moment we’re arranging Scottish dates with the Headless Kross guys, shows around Ireland in places we’ve not played in a while, and we’re looking at English shows too. Chris is Welsh and has always wanted to play Cardiff, so that might happen this year too. We’d wanted to get across to mainland Europe again, so hopefully we’ll work something out. This aim is definitely to play places we’ve not been before.

(((o))): Where can the readers buy Estron?

David: Vinyl is direct from Head of Crom records. We’ll have copies ourselves but they’re spoken for already. CD is on Burning World Records, so it’s available direct from them, they also have great distribution so it’ll be on Amazon and all the mainstream outlets too. There’s a limited cassette release this time too which we’re dead excited about, it’s direct from Tartarus Records.  We’ll have CD copies and shirts at shows and through our Bandcamp too.

(((o))): What bands inspired Estron?

David: That’s a long list alright. I wouldn’t say we ever sit down and think “we’ll write one that sounds like Harvey Milk”, but of course we’re a product of the stuff we like. So I guess the usual diet of Hawkwind, Pink Floyd, Amon Duul II, the Melvins, Floor, Gore, Black Flag, all that stuff. I was listening to a lot of Kraftwerk and Neu, and electronic stuff like the Drokk soundtrack quite a bit when we were writing, so maybe some of the monotony/simplicity of those records rubbed off a bit too. Bands we play with are always an inspiration too, stuff like Ommadon, Headless Kross and Wild Rocket really blew us away last year so we probably stole a few tricks there too.

(((o))): What are your thoughts on the lack of females or ethnic doom bands in the whole scene?

David: I think it’s a shame, as anything which brings a bit of variety in terms of approach is going to be a good thing. I mean, of course a woman can have the same musical approach as a man, but I think there are probably subtleties which can only add something different. That’s a dissertation in itself, I mean it’s down to the whole range of social/cultural/historical factors, there’s no straight answer. There’s definitely a degree of sexism, or at least gender inequality, in doom which is less apparent in indie rock or whatever. I think that’s partly as doom is a sub-genre of metal, which of course has a dodgy enough record when it comes to sexism. The ethnic thing is harder to pin down, I suppose it’s linked to cultural factors but still a bit hard to understand. It is encouraging to see bands like Boris though, where Wata being a Japanese female is barely even remarked upon, or newer bands like Windhand where the female element is actually seen as a strength. It would be nice to see things change, but I’m not sure they will, and it’s encouraging that when women or people from different backgrounds do attend shows, there doesn’t seem to be any issue.

For me, anxiety brings two kinds of insomnia. One is the heart-racing, frantic kind. The one that keeps me hovering on the edge of a full-blown panic attack for what feels like hours. The one that has me envisioning all kinds of horrors that will probably never come to pass. The one that when I do eventually drift off, wakes me every few hours, heart still pounding and unsettled. This one requires music that will distract me, but not engage me too much. So I choose classical pieces or post-rock, and nothing in between. I don’t want lyrics because I don’t want other thoughts to intrude; I want background noise. It’s comforting, I suppose – if I want to focus on it, I can, or I can let it just be. And having that choice is important, because panic totally and utterly robs you of any sense of control. ‘Winter’ from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is a favourite, for the way its pacy violins move from chilly and insistent to pure and joyful. Sigur Rós and some of Mogwai’s sunnier moments also do the trick, as anything too heavy or clashy jars in my head. ‘How To Be A Werewolf’ is a good soundtrack to a freak-out, as is ‘Letters To The Metro’. 

The other kind of anxious insomnia is more subdued – which sounds like a contradiction, but isn’t. My fears are low-level but unrelenting. My body seems resigned to the fact that it will not sleep. And so I go to Radio 2 – easy listening. The sound of my grandparents’ house, where I spent most of my childhood. It’s the sound of home. I hear the music I was raised on, singers my uncle introduced me to when I was 10, 11, 12, and just beginning to find my way around a guitar fretboard. Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Blondie, U2, Alison Krauss, Jewel. Songs I could sing along to without thinking about it, songs that are just there, as if by osmosis. 

Usually I’m something of an insufferable hipster when it comes to music; I love the thrill of discovering an artist or band that no-one’s heard of yet. Anxiety drives me back to the familiar, the music I’ve known for most of my life. Back to a time when I wasn’t prone to panic attacks, when I didn’t know what it was like to be scared of everything that may or may not happen.