AUTUMN DOOM QUIZ part IV
Here's the 4th and final chapter of this Autumn Doom Quiz by Aleks Evdokimov... This time you've got here no less than 12 bands to close this real tour de force of 40 interviews by the mad comrade!!!
Enjoy now the good words of ALTAR OF OBLIVION, AS AUTUMN CALLS, DORMANT INFERNO, ECHTHROS, ELLIOT'S KEEP, HORSE LATITUDES, MAHAKALA, MARBLE CHARIOT, SONS OF TONATIUH, SUFFER YOURSELF, SWITCHBLADE JESUS, YAMA...
Altar of Oblivion (Denmark
Here's the 4th and final chapter of this Autumn Doom Quiz by Aleks Evdokimov... This time you've got here no less than 12 bands to close this real tour de force of 40 interviews by the mad comrade!!!
Enjoy now the good words of ALTAR OF OBLIVION, AS AUTUMN CALLS, DORMANT INFERNO, ECHTHROS, ELLIOT'S KEEP, HORSE LATITUDES, MAHAKALA, MARBLE CHARIOT, SONS OF TONATIUH, SUFFER YOURSELF, SWITCHBLADE JESUS, YAMA...
1. What is the band’s state at the moment? What kind of sinister affairs does the band plan to perform for autumn and the following months?
2. How did listeners and critics meet band’s last album?
3. "Paranoid" of Black Sabbath is an iconic song, what in this Earth can turn you paranoid?
4. Who was your childhood hero? What kind of dude did you want to become?
5. Last TV-news reminds me about it – this question is about "War Pigs". What is your opinion about conflict around Syria
Martin Meyer Sparvath
(guitars)
1. In
August of 2013, I moved to the same town in which our rehearsals take place
enabling us to rehearse on a more regular basis. For the first time in Altar of
Oblivion history, we are actually “behaving” like a real band spending time
arranging our tracks and in general giving the tracks the right treatment which
we should have started a long time ago.
In other words, Altar of Oblivion are slowly transforming
into a real band rather than a studio project. In many ways, I still feel we
haven’t recorded anything as a full-blown band yet, but that will change in the
future. I think this band has great potential but it has just taken us too long
to figure it out and up till now, we haven’t been taken our role as musicians
all too seriously.
In October, we are planning to record a two track 7”
named “State of Decay Austria
and Germany
In other terms, the band’s state at this present
moment hasn’t been better.
2. In
general, our 2012 full-length album “Grand Gesture of Defiance” was received
very well and out of the about 55 reviews I have read thus far, only 3 of them
have been negative. All in all, I was surprised to see the amount of positive
reviews which looks very promising for future releases as we have learned a
heal of a lot recording this album.
3. Yeah, you are right that “Paranoid”
has turned into a Black Sabbath trademark song although, from a sheer
songwriting point of view, I regard this track one of the less successful and
interesting songs to come out of the Ozzy era. If I miss my daily injection of
caffeine, I instantly become paranoid resulting in mood swings and stupid
behavior.
Despite
the fact that Altar of Oblivion consist of five completely different individuals
coffee addiction is a common denominator within the band, and in many ways, the
sole thing that keeps this entity from falling apart. Our bass player
Coffee-Christian is the worst and most dedicated addict I have ever laid my
caffeine-laden eyes on. As a matter of fact, he has travelled to many of the
world’s coffee-producing countries in order to find the magical coffee bean
that will set your body and mind free once and for all.
4. Actually, I didn’t have any childhood
heroes and I still haven’t got any. As a kid, I mostly played on my own
building sculptures of sand and plastic. I hated when other kids didn’t have
the same insane vision than me. When I was little, I was examined by numerous
doctors as my kindergarten teachers thought I suffered from some kind of mental
disease because I went manic when I played marbles in the sand.
When
I was a young boy my future dreams was to travel to the exotic places portrayed
in the songs we sung in kindergarten. When I grew a little older, I found out
that Jamaica wasn’t the kind
of paradise the song “Vi danser hele natten på Jamaica ”
(We are dancing all night long in Jamaica
Also,
after having watched numerous cheesy US
flicks with locations in and around New
York
Put
another way, it sucks growing up as one becomes wiser, haha.
5. I practically never watch the news as
the media usually serves the same kind of bullshit every time I turn on the
telly, meaning I haven’t paid attention to the Syrian conflict. All I know is
that there has been some kind of unpleasant release of nerve gas hitting
innocent civilians and now, the international society is trying to determine
whether it was released by the Syrian regime or not.
In
general, I think that people should mind their own business but when one
stumbles upon injustice in some parts of the world, it can be necessary to
intervene, I think. I hope they will not make the same mistakes once more like
they did after September 11, 2001.
As Autumn Calls (Canada
James (bass, vocals)
1. We are
getting set to release our second full length album "Cold, Black &
Everlasting" on October 25, 2013. Once the album
is released we will return to our practice space and begin preparing for a
small, intimate show.
2. Our last album
"An Autumn Departure" was met with a mixture of opinions. The album
was never really meant to see the light of day. When it was eventually released
it was in extremely limited quantities so it never really reached a wide
audience. That album was written between 2005-2008 and a lot has changed for us
since then. Anyway music for us is a very personal experience. It's kind of a
cool thing that there is a small number of people out there that can relate and
get something out of it.
3. The lack of privacy
on the Internet and smartphones. Knowing that a person, organization or
government can spy on almost everything you do online.
4. I can't speak for
the rest of the band but growing up in Canada
Dormant Inferno (
Sunny Bhambri (guitars)
1. Dormant Inferno is very much active,
reforming with new members after three years. We just played a gig yesterday!
More gigs coming up. We recently got signed up on Transcending Obscurity India,
so its a good time for us moving ahead. We are also releasing a split with an
international band!
2. The response was surprisingly positive and
encouraging to our EP In Sanity released in 2011, since specially in India
3. Bad music makes us paranoid!
4. Umm.. Tom G Warrior?
5. Well
each country is independent, don't see why any country would go peking its nose
into another country's affairs.
Echthros (Poland
Bartosz Frąckowiak
(vocals and all instruments)
1. I'm recording material for the new album
entitled "Шеолъ" (Sheol in Church-Slavonic). I plan to finish it till
the end of winter. It will be in a same manner as first album - but with more
orthodox chanting. I try to keep the balance between drone and dark ambient
moments. The main concept of the album is fear of death and what's beyond it -
presumably darkness, void, place of stillness - Sheol.
2. "Iyov" was met with very good
reception. All of the reviews and comments I've read were very positive. I've
met with lots of feedback from listeners and, which was a suprise for me,
people that don't listen to music such as drone or dark ambient. I tried to aim
with my album only to doom and dark ambient listeners, but it turned out that
the audience of my music can be found in other places. I think that's great!
3. My wife! (she stands right beside me and I
need to add it: just kidding!) :)
4. I can't seem to recall any specific hero of
my childhood. Maybe from some TV cartoons but it was simply I liked them not
that I wanted to become one of them. I've never thought of my long-term future
when I was little. Heck, I was a kid that ran around the yard, walked on trees
- didn't have time to think who I wanted to be!
Elliott’s Keep (USA
Jonathan (guitars)
1. All is well with Elliott’s Keep! We have
recently completed the recording of our third full-length album, Nascentes
Morimur. We are well-pleased with all of
the new songs and look forward to the album’s release to the world very
soon. Those few who have heard the new
material echo our own excitement about it.
The new album is nine heavy songs of metal doom that will not
disappoint.
2. Our second album, Sine Qua Non, was well
received in reviews and by listeners. We
greatly appreciate the support and kind words that we have received regarding
those songs.
3. Black Sabbath is truly an iconic band and a
major influence on us. While I would not
say that any of us in Elliott’s Keep are particularly paranoid about any
subject, we do have a deep respect and appreciation for the music of Black
Sabbath.
4. My childhood heroes tended to be adults
within my own personal sphere. It was
not until I became older that I came to find musical and professional heroes
and mentors. On the guitar front, I
would list John Perez, Tony Iommi, Jeff Hanneman and Jon Schaffer as
significant influences.
5. As a band, we try to stay out of political
discussions because of the intense and diverse feelings that accompany those
subjects. I will say that, personally, I
do not know any person who supports involvement in the Syrian domestic issues.
Horse Latitudes (Finland
Harri (drums, vocals)
1. Given the release of our latest record
“Black Soil” in June (both as vinyl and cassette tape on Doomentia Records),
the UK
2. Besides the published reviews it’s always
hard to tell what listeners think about the music you do unless you have a
chance to talk with them in person. We’ve never been a band that every critic
praises or anything, and the reviews of “Black Soil” have been quite like as
with the previous albums. Some like it, some don’t. And that’s as it should be
I think. I’m not into pleasing everyone, yet I’m delighted to see more people
“getting” the band slowly, album after album. As the music of Horse Latitudes
evolves through the organic process of the living visions enfleshed, also the
recognition by some of the continuity between the music we’ve done and what
we’re doing is of course gratifying.
Horse
Latitudes jgb
3. I don’t know if “being paranoid” is the
right expression, but from a very young age I’ve had moments (sometimes
shorter, sometimes longer) of hanging in between the worlds, or dimensions
perhaps, looking into the infinities beyond the everyday life and the present,
sensed world around us. Those moments can both fascinate and terrify,
especially when you start to doubt the things you see and things you thought
you “knew”, but above all they’ve been one of the main reasons keeping on the
fire burning, keeping me on my quest trying to really understand and feel the
world as a whole, with all its unspeakable and hidden forms and meanings.
4. Does the hero have to be a dude? When I was
a child I had lots of heroes both fictive and factual, and so it’s quite
impossible to start naming the most important of them. But I’ve never had an
idea that I should be locked in the narrow conception of being either masculine
or feminine and having ideals of such, so through my life I’ve had heroes both
male and female. In my childhood I really loved different kinds of stories and
tales of characters overcoming their difficulties and troubled conditions, or
ones with supernatural qualities, were they of a spiritual or physical nature.
The same went with many bizarre and misfit creatures, being alienated from the
“normal” world by some of their extraordinary and dark features as I had a
strong feeling of not quite belonging wherever I was. At my early teenage I found myself being
fascinated by the arts, trying to reach and expand the boundaries of the
perception and especially I got attracted in the mystical, psychedelic and
surreal forms of art but also the spiritual side of practicing them. I wanted
to become an artist of a kind!
5. I don’t feel I’ve got the needed information
about the situation there to be strongly against or for anything, but I’m very
skeptical about the motives of any military interventions, as so many times it
has been shown how it’s essentually the aim to profit that drives such acts…
Though I’m not a nationalist in a way thinking that every country should do
their own dirty laundry, but instead I actually think that for example when
talking about the problems with environmental issues there are essentially
universal obligations we need to take care of, regardless the borders and differences between countries. But like
said, I don’t think I’m aware enough of the things going on around Syria
Mahakala (Greece
Jim Kotsis (bass, vocals)
1. We are currently spending some
significant amount of time on the road, by touring Greece (mostly) and
promoting our latest album “Devil's Music” while at the same time composing
-slowly and steadily- new material for our upcoming release. If we find the
budget needed, we'll definitely depart for a European tour on the forthcoming
winter but we also want to be able to release our next album until the end of
2014. It's not like we're in a rush, but now that we're on the run, it's a good
opportunity for things to move forward!
2. Can't complain! Reviews by the
international press were awesome (we scored an average of 8/10 ratings) and the
feedback we're getting both from the internet and while on the road is
overwhelmingly positive. We opened for all kinds of bands this year (from black
metal to stoner rock acts) and all crowds seemed satisfied, even enthusiastic
about our sound and performance. We sold a lot of items too, which is
important, since this is the band's main income!
3. Ingratitude is the worst quality of a
human being and it can really turn me paranoid in zero time.
4. My parents were always my heroes,
mostly because of the way they raised me. They were understanding and supportive
in everything I did and as a metalhead, I did a lot of things that drove them
mad through the years! Hahaha! If I ever become a parent, I definitely want to
be like them. As far as musicians are concerned, I've always been an admirer of
the playability and musicianship of bass players such as Cliff Burton, Geezer
Butler, Steve Harris, Geddy Lee and John Entwistle, but I never really idolized
any of my childhood heroes, or even wanted to be like them. I always wanted to
be me and it seems like I achieved it after all.
5. Being
in war with other human beings always seemed both stupid and sad to me. Despite
the fact that the human species disappoints me day-by-day, I still haven't lost
my faith in it. I always believed that us, people, can achieve a lot if we work
together, as one, but most of us don't seem to be understanding that. The whole
Syria situation, just like every other similar case, is a game of the
world-leaders that benefits the few. Just like Black Sabbath say in “War Pigs”,
we're just “pawns in chess”. Oh lord yeah!
Marble Chariot (France
Nicolas Eymerich
(guitars)
1. We are currently working on new
songs for the recording of our first album that we hope record next
summer. In addition of this we will release a split cd with cult French band
Northwinds what we are very proud of. This split will include a new song from
each group and mean marble an important step. Expect to twenty minutes of pure
fucking crushing doom anthems. This output will be an opportunity for me to
present my Nadsokor Records label named in honor of the Elric Saga by Michael
Moorcock and underrrated Cirith Ungol band, a fantastic and super
original band. As for the album's release, I prefer to take my time and
get a beautiful vinyl.
2. The reviews were generally
very good when you consider that we recorded our 3 songs while we had only one
year of existence. It is important to note that our EP reviewers were
made by people possessed by the devouring heaviness of Doom metal. Therefore,
the criticisms made against us were very much relevant. We were aware about it
and those who listened too. Beyond all that, I'm happy that people were very
receptive to the dark and desperate atmosphere of our music.
3. To start and at the risk of
offending some, I think paranoid is one of the worst songs of Black Sabbath. To
return to your question several things can make me paranoid but it seems to me
that this state of mind is the result of decisions and mistakes made by the
western world. a race to consumption, dependence on alcohol and drugs of all
kinds, the instability of the world of work and family, the domination of the
Almighty individual instead of community life and to finish extremely perverse
game of political and media while serving the interests of a few oligarchs
blurs truth to better control us. Everything is done so that we lose our
bearings so be paranoid is a sort of defense system against outside
aggressions. As you can see i'm fuckin' paranoid.
4. Like all kids, I guess, my
father, but I was terribly disappointed. As a youngster I identified with Dave
Mustaine. The discovery of his music has been a revolution for me. This was the
beginning of my consuming passion for heavy music. Before that I wanted to
become a professional footballer and especially goalkeeper. I was fascinated by
the exploits of Lev Yashine, Walter Zenga and Peter Schmeichel among others.
5. Indeed, there is no reason for there to be a military intervention inSyria Syria britain russia
5. Indeed, there is no reason for there to be a military intervention in
Mournful Congregation (Australia
Damon Good (vocals, bass, guitars)
1. We are
about to begin rehearsing our new material after a few months break from
rehearsing. Although we've all been busy in our own time working on certain
other aspects of the band. Our plans at this stage are way too sinister to
divulge I'm afraid.
2. Seems to
have been received well enough. Some have said it's our best album. Not too
much negative appraisal.
3. Being
thrust into a human vessel at birth, not knowing how or why. Being surrounded
by other human vessels in the same situation. Detaching from your ego center
and realizing you are not really just a human vessel. Pondering this shit can
get you pretty paranoid.
4. There
was a few. Before Angus Young, Mr T was pretty cool. Also George Trosley and
Shawn Kerry from Cartoons magazine were influential as I wanted to be a
cartoonist. And Bob Haro when I wanted to be a freestyle BMX dude. This was
before I got a guitar I guess.
5. Pretty
certain in all such cases there is some underlying agenda other than what we
are told. It's pretty obvious. Chemical weapons are not cool but drone strikes
are?! Don't all weapons involve chemicals these days? I don't buy it, or
anything else these "leaders" say.
Sons of Tonatiuh (USA
Dan Caycedo (vocals,
guitars)
1. Just got back from a Northwest tour of the
states. Later in October we're playing with our friends, Cheap Art, at a local
show. Other than that we're back to the grindstone of writing new material for
our next album in 2014.
2.
Overall it was better than the reviews we received for our first album. But
honestly, who even reads any of that stuff?
3. You mean, what on this Earth? Probably
paying taxes I guess. Nothing much else surprises me.
4. Clint Eastwood. I want to become the man
that my father never was. Someone who gives a shit about their kids. I've got a
nine year old girl who looks up to me. She is the center of my life. After not
seeing her for almost a week and a half we hung out all day yesterday, went to
the park, watched a movie, read some books together, made her dinner... basic
kid stuff. I pity people that don't understand how to connect with their own
kids. This is probably the main reason for me playing such hateful music
though. I enjoy playing the stuff that we do but it stems from a dark place in
my life that I cannot let go.
5. No.
Suffer Yourself (Ukraine
Stanislav Govorukha
(all instruments and vocals)
1. Currently we are gathering Evil Legions to
devastate this planet. No mercy!
Honestly, we are making great job around our
upcoming first release "Inner Sanctum". And I'm also working with
newer material which will be much more evil and crushing.
2. What? Any survivors detected?
All I have now - only opinions about demo
release, which have some mixing\mastering issues. In general, critics met it
warmly and marked my project as "promising".
3. No comments.
4. Cthulhu of course!
5. Suffer Yourself haven't any opinion about
any political stuff. We are not related with such subjects in any way. All
gonna die sooner or later, that's all what I want to say about it...
Switchblade Jesus (USA
Eric Calvert (guitars)
1. Very head forward and ready to take on the
world one dirty riff at a time, under a few circumstances we have slimmed down
as a band but we feel it works better this way as we feel tighter as a unit. It
might catch a few off guard but have a GREAT responses on it. We just got
signed with Bilocation Records who is going to put out our first release on
vinyl by the end of the year. We love the quality that comes from them and
honored to be on a great label with the likes of Lonely Kamel, Sons of Otis,
The Heavy Eyes, Toner Low, Valley of the Sun and alot others. Have alot of huge
plans and have been offered to play some rad festivals next year that we can't
wait for. Also have a split in the works with Buzzard out of Canada
2. Amazingly well! We've gained so many fans
after the release, especially overseas. All reviews that have come out have
been extremely well even some like Ripple proposing one of the tracks best song
of the year. Really glad on the reception on this album and already working on
the next one. Within days of it's release we were contacted from Bilocation and
this last month we've talked to two other labels interested in the next
one....so guess they liked this one. Bandcamp has been extremely useful in
promoting it and also selling cd's (soon vinyl as well) so much we're out of
cd's and have to get another batch on the way.
3. Rain when we have to move gear in the bed of
the truck .... and also the sold out of beer sign. Don't like that one at all.
4. Everyone that sweat and bled for there
goals, one's who busted their ass for years playing for 3 people and never gave
up, one's that no one said they could do it and in turn became one of the
greatest. Also my father ........ and Batman. See previous answer for this
question.
5. We could sit here for hours on this but no,
in my opinion we should not be in this civil war, it's their war not ours. Did
they come to our side during America Syria
Yama (Netherlands
Alex Schenkels
(vocals)
1. We’re in a blissful state! But that’s
because, in spite of metal/satan etc. our album is recorded and we’re working
on mix/master. So well, that’s an important thing we’re up to currently. Next
to that we’re planning new shows around the globe (especially Holland
2. We got
some really nice reviews! Stating that we offer heavy riffage, great
songwriting and show a ton of promise! Hopefully our new release will gather
even more positivity.
3. Hahaha!
People coming to you after a show stating that our material really sounds like
Rammstein or Nickelback! What the fuck mate! If you want to freak me out, make
these kind of comparisons. The worst one was at a show in Utrecht
4. The
Dude. The Dude.
5. Pfjiew.
(On a personal note, not the official band statement) First of all: why did the
international community/UN respond this late? Of course, using chemical weapons
is for itself monstrous, dehumanizing. But violence on a large scale was
already taking place the last few years.
But I think it’s not that wrong that the international community tries it the
diplomatic way. Even more blood would be shed with an intervention. Besides, do
you know whose the bad guy? Is that so evident? And if you know, will your
actions make it better for Syrian citizens? (woman, children etc.) I don’t say
an intervention is not an option. But somehow I’m glad that the international
community called a halt to the quite impulsive militaristic statement of the US
Steph, great Q&A sessions here. Thanks.
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