Plutonian Shore Interview

 ***Originally printed in Feral Noise #1***

I assume that your name was taken from the Edgar Allan Poe poem “The Raven”. If so, why did you select that name and what does the poem itself mean to you? 

Zvs: You are correct. The name Plutonian Shore comes directly from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven". Poe's writings delve a great deal into the supernatural and hidden realms, which we naturally resonate with. Pluto Corresponds to the Ruling God of the underworld, death and rebirth. We interpret "Plutonian Shore" as the Shores of the underworld. Upon forming this band we had intended to instill a name that would parallel our etheric sound. 

Dread Lair recently released your great split with Humut Tabal. Where you satisfied with the final product? In your opinion, how does it compare with the full length “Ave Mysterium”? 

Zvs: Oaths ov Stygian Dusk was originally intended to be a three way split. The original plan was to put forth one track per band. When the third band decided to back out, we decided to create an atmospheric/meditation track that would open the gates as an introduction into this split. If time had allowed, we would have preferred to add one more track. Regardless of this we are very pleased with the final outcome, and feel Humut Tabal was the perfect fit for this split. In comparison to Ave Mysterium, these tracks went a lot more smoothly recording wise, as we have greatly improved in our technical abilities to handle a studio environment. As with all of the tracks in Ave Mysterium, the two tracks for the split seemed to manifest themselves in a very short amount of time, which we were successfully able to organize amongst our members and release to meet our agreed timeline. The content of our entire body of work thus far relates directly to our fascination and study of occult knowledge. 

Yes I feel your recording on the split works perfectly. The sound is raw, but still has a brutal, yet audible vibe. Could you go into more detail about your recording process? Was an outside studio utilized or do you have home recording gear?

Zvs: All of the music is composed by Amethyst moon, Devastation and myself. We rehearse the material heavily for several months before we even attempt to record. Our first album was recorded entirely on a Korg D4 four track recorder, but for our recording of the split Oaths of Stygian Dusk as well as our upcoming album Lunar Rites, we invested more into computer software to handle the task. Our instruments are all recorded individually beginning with the guitar, then drums, followed with the keys and bass with vocals almost always last. At this point in time we wish to approach Plutonian Shore as a strictly DIY entity, with the exception of possibly outsourcing for mastering purposes. 

 As you mentioned above, the atmospheric track “Unicursal Mediation” was included on the split, which I thought was a great intro to the CD. Upon my first listen it reminded me of an old Italian horror movie score. After a few listens it brought me closer to the soundtrack of the 1979 mutant bear horror movie Prophecy (*Not the more recent series of films with Christopher Walken). Give us your point of view in what you where trying to create?

Zvs: The goal of the Unicursal Meditation was to specifically serve as a symbolic opening into the sonic ritual that is this split album. We wanted to capture a feeling that our doors of perception and the veil between worlds has been opened. We chose the symbol of the unicursal as our personal homage into the study of Thelemic Magick. This also serves as a small taste of what is to come. It is our goal in the future to release a limited series of atmospheric meditation tracks similar to this, specifically for entering the ritualistic state of mind. I have never heard but am very curious to hear the score to the Prophecy. 

Now that the split CD has been out for a while, what is next? Are there any other special releases on the horizon?

Zvs: The main goal at this point in time is to see the release of Lunar Rites before years end. Another split release is in the works for the middle of 2012.

Your bio states the band was created in 2010. Since then you have accomplished quite a bit in a short period of time. That says a lot about all of the member’s motivation. What has kept that fire to succeed burning so hot? What are your long and short term goals? Bands seem to start up and fade away very quickly. Most of our members have over ten years of experience in a band environment. With the knowledge acquired from past failures to succeed, we have managed to prioritize what we wish to accomplish and carry it out full force. The main goal of this band is to create music we want to hear. There is a certain magick all bands strive for, and can only be achieved when the perfect chemistry of members is implemented. Long term goals would be travel outside the country to perform and release a large body of work we can be proud of in the future.

For those who are unaware, could tell us about your former bands? You stated “past failures” Was that due to having band members with the wrong attitudes or was it something more?

Zvs: Around 2003, Devastation and I had started a black metal band while living in Bitburg,Germany called Monotor. We were able to establish somewhat of a following and decided to migrate to Winnipeg, Canada in 2006 since we had mutual friends living there. This is an example of how we dedicated a good portion of our life to music, even switching between countries to follow this path. The band dissolved in 2008 without ever have recorded a single album only a handful of demos. Lack of dedication was the main reason. From Canada we moved to San Antonio, Texas to try and reorganize our lives. There are many other bands we participated in, but I will not mention them as many are still stiving to accomplish something with little progress. 

In the live setting your visual stage presence nicely compliments the dark tone of your music. Do you feel image is just as important as the music? We thank you for your opinion. With Plutonian Shore, our image is not a gimmick, that we use for shock value. We feel it is necessary process to express our music by shedding our outer ego to reach a ritualistic state of mind. Much in comparison as a shaman would to receive divine intervention. The music itself would loose much of its intensity without our visual atmosphere.

Yes I agree, your music and the image go hand in hand. I could not imagine seeing a Plutonian Shore gig without that atmosphere. Has corpse paint been used since day one or was it something you migrated to later? 

Zvs: Even in the early stages of writing music before ever performing live, we had all agreed to use corpse paint for every show, with no exception. 

Over the years San Antonio has gained a formidable reputation of having a great metal scene.  Did you grow up in this city? If so, give us a small glimpse of the scene of yesteryear.

Zvs: I can only speak back to about 2008 which isn't that long ago, and not much has changed. 

Speaking of your scene, what other bands in your area are worth checking out? Most people know of HOD, but what are some of the new upcoming groups?

Zvs: The bands that come to mind from San Antonio are Butchered Saint, Emperial Massacre, Angel Flesh, without a doubt Hod, and Sturmgewehr. Xapharon from Corpus Christi are also an excellent live entity, as well as our brothers in Humut Tabal. I also would like to mention the young band from Laredo Divison Black Noise, who I recently brought up for theyre first out of town show ever. They blew San Antonio away with there huge sound and I expect great things from them in the future. 

I find your logo appealing and memorable. To me, it has a dark, artistic feel that still allows the band’s name to be legible. Please explain the thoughts in creating it? Who is the inventor? For this logo we had drawn out a rough draft of ideas that included a symbolic tree of life motif, a unicursal hexagram and the alchemical symbol for the planet Pluto. We wanted not only a literal tree formed from the name Plutonian Shore with the branches growing out the top of the letters and the roots growing out the bottom respectively, but interweaved the Qabalistic tree of life as well. This symbolically shows the basis to which our study into the hidden paths begin. The finished artwork which you are familiar with was illustrated by the mastermind and lord or logos himself, Christophe Szpajdel.

I will now conclude this interview by saying thanks for your time. Please give any final thoughts or contact information.

Zvs: We appreciate the support and thank you for the interview. Many Hails  Find us at www.reverbnation.com/plutonianshore

KRULLUR - Interview

***Originally printed in Feral Noise #1 (2012)***

Krullur is one of the longest lasting Houston bands. When exactly was the band’s origin date?

We started KRULLUR in the summer of ’89, but Marty and I have been jamming since  childhood.

Could you give us a little history on the band’s early days?

It was way cooler in the beginning. There were more venues to play at and better bands to play with. Also was a lot easier to get on with a national act. We’ve played/opened for shitloads of great bands such as Hellwitch, Exhorder, Morbid Angel, dead horse, Anal Cunt, Incantation, Total Chaos, Grimple, Napalm Death, Destruction, EyeHateGod, etc.

What has been the key element to your longevity?

Kicking out the dead weight/meat and having a good time rehearsing/playing live-even had to ax Marty once or twice! Ha-ha. Also, have a goal set. Ours is world domination. What else?

Throughout the years the band has gone through many line-up changes. Despite that, the band has remained loyal to its trademark style. Although I feel that Krullur has a unique sound, how would you describe your music?

KRULLURKORE w/ a dash of death. Kinda like to mix up early crossover, thrash, death, hard rock, punk and modern and classic metal. You get more hardcore/punk songs written by Marty and more techno type metal stuff from me. Diego also writes songs-the ballads.(joke)

In your existence there have been quite a few releases (demos, cassettes, CDs, compilations). Below is a list of some of items from your discography. Please comment on each. Give any recording details or memories you can recollect.

Enormity (1990):

Our first “official” demo. Recorded in 4 hrs over 2 days in Baytown, TX. Engineer was a poser-didn’t have a clue what we were trying to do. Demo was never mixed. It’s basically a sound board recording. Raymond on vox & Scott on bass. That demo has had a long life. We still play a couple of those songs.

Embalmed with Hate (1991):

This was a rehearsal demo recorded in my bedroom at my parent’s house. Remember that shit? You used to come over w/ Dave. Anyway, most of these songs were recorded on Churlish. Raymond on vox and Brian on bass. Placed a condenser mike in the middle of my bedroom and pressed record on a tape deck connected to 16 track mixer. Sounds like shit but was heavy.

Ahh yes I remember those old days of coming over for your practice, great times, memories of being packed in your bedroom and having my eardrums blown out. I also remember your drums elevated on some contraption over your bed haha. That was an ingenious idea for making more space in the area.

Churlish Rubbish (1993):

Our first mega-multi track recording. Had 4 mics on Marty’s amp and was tuned to “C”.

15 mics on drums. Was a nightmare to try to mix along w/ all the sampling. It’s an unfinished work, but one of our best sounding demos. Recorded at HotDog studios in Bellaire, Tx. Owners were cool-let us get high/drink/bring chicks. This demo had the most airplay when it was coming up on local/regional radio stations. Chad on vox and Dave on bass.

Open Ass Surgery (1997) cassette:

We don’t really acknowledge this as a demo. This was also a rehearsal recording but on a 4-track. Pretty bad sound quality and more hardcore (as in crossover/punk) than anything we’ve recorded. Greg on vox and Will on bass. Mixed by Will also. Funny thing about his mix is that his background vox are set higher than Greg’s lead vox!

Haha yes when Will’s parts come in, they overpower everything in volume.

Open Ass Surgery CD (2001):

The demo we had the most fun recording. We drove to Santa Fe, TX to record it because it had one of the cheapest rates available. We got there and they had pictures of all these country dudes w/ cowboy hats on the walls. Should have seen the engineer’s face when we started jamming. It was a motherfucker to get a good sound there but we did ok in my opinion. Our sickest demo up to that point and the most successful selling wise. Robert on vox and Kevin on bass. Underground crust punks favorite by us.

We also recorded another demo, although vocal-less, at U of H in 2009. Self titled. We were looking for a vocalist at the time. Friend of ours had some free time in his sound engineering class and asked us if we wanted to record so we took him up on it.

Of all the old material, how much of it do you still play live?

We play one or two from each demo along w/ metal/hardcore covers. The demo we play the most off of is “Enormity”. At every show seems like someone yells out a song from it. Most of our songs are new though.

PLF (Houston, TX) covered “Stalker Of Time”.

How many new songs do you have that are yet to be recorded?

About 20.

Speaking of recording, do you have anything planned or any new releases?

We are in the process of recording now at my home studio w/ Pro Tools. Should be out the first of the year along with a covers CD.

It seems your current line-up is one of the strongest. Would you agree? How did it come together?

It took forever to find the right matchup. Didn’t think we were ever going to make it happen but a friend of ours brought Diego over and it was the right timing and the right person. We’re fortunate to find a singer/bassist these days –know what I mean? We’re off and running now. Ready to incinerate a path to oblivion.

As in the past, Krullur seems to be hitting live circuit quite a bit. How have the shows been? Are you getting any gig offers outside of Houston?

Shows have been great. We were wondering if there was a demand for us but every show has been better than the one before. Going to San Antonio in January-Friday the 13^th.

In the current music scene is there anything that warrants your interest?

No-not really. Most all new metal/hardcore nowadays are watered down versions of their predecessors.-you know? But there are a couple of alright bands I guess.

For readers interested in correspondence or merchandise, how would they contact you?

Facebook or bo7338@sbcglobal.net.

Any final thoughts?

Thanks Jeff- Now everyone must die.

Reviews

***Originally printed in Feral Noise #1 ***

Hellbastard/Dissent split 7” EP (Torture Garden) This is a pretty damn good split release between two great bands. Hellbastard is an old group I remember back from their Earache LP Natural Order. That album was unrelenting, fast thrash. The updated material for this split sounds somewhat different. I am sure that has to do with the fact that only one original member remains. The music is still heavy and thrash influenced but more crust sounding. Regardless, I still like their side of the split. My only complaint is the vocal effects on the song “Sea Shepherd”. I feel that ruined the whole song.

On the flipside was Houstonian band Dissent. Honestly I found their songs the best of the split. Dissent just sounds so much more brutal. The opening track “Built on Blood” really grabbed me by the throat and would not let go. That chokehold continued through the following two tracks. They really do grasp the elements of crust, death and thrash. On the first listen I had an open mind, but Dissent’s side really blew me away. Hellbastard’s tracks are pretty good, but could not stand up to Dissent’s fury.

Plutonian Shore / Humut Tabal - Oaths ov Stygian Dusk (The Dread Lair) After some procrastination, I finally picked up this Texan split EP at Sound Exchange. Being a fan of both bands, my expectations were extremely high. Was I let down? Absolutely not, both bands delivered some quality material.

“Unicursal Mediation” is the opening track by Plutonian Shore. A great piece of ambient atmosphere along the lines of a late 70s Italian horror score. For some reason it also reminded me of the soundtrack from the mutant bear movie Prophecy (1979). I think that comparison is mainly to the deep keyboard tones that dictate the piece.

For track 2, Humut Tabal rips open the moody haze with the fiery “Smiting the Peons”, an epic black metal scalping. I really like the mix on the song; all instruments are decipherable yet maintain a haunting atmosphere. The riffing on this song is memorable, with lots of changes. The listener is definitely given a plethora of flavors.

Plutonian Shore come along next, not to be outdone, they deliver the goods as well. “To Conjure Goetic Spirits” is black metal in the darkest tone. Fast beats woven with some mid tempo cadences really paint a beautifully evil landscape. When closing my eyes I envision a medieval foundation, yet with an American flavor and I mean that in a positive way. The production is comparable to Humut Tabal’s, raw with a supernatural brutal aura.

Humut Tabal finishes things off with “Ode to Misanthropy – This I swear”, a powerful track, perfect for leading the listener to the end of the CD and to the jaws of Lucifer. As in their accompanying track, the trash elements are there, but the hypnotic middle stanza is what stands out. The spoken word section is extremely creepy, almost like a spell from a diseased alchemist. I know that sounds cliché, but that is the best way to describe it. 

Overall, my judgment is extremely positive. This split EP is a nice taste of both bands that will make the listener crave more.

War Master – Pyramid of the Necropolis 12” (Torture Garden) Early on this band was considered Bolt Thrower worship, but I honestly think they really have found their own sound. I have liked all their releases, but this record really does put them on a different playing field. As one would expect, there are plenty of mid tempo war metal numbers, but also are some more upbeat tracks. From beginning to end, I like all the songs included. So it is hard for me to decide on a favorite. The recording is clean and the production is thick, giving the record a wall of destruction causing chaos. The vocals are still guttural and menacing. Instrumentally, everything is solid. Lots of catchy guitar riffs are found throughout.

The packaging is magnificent. The cover artwork is definitely fitting for a 12” sleeve. Also included is a glossy fold-out poster featuring the cover art and band photos. No printed lyrics are to be found. That is ok, because I listen to this record for the rage filled emotion the overall sound creates.

Bahimiron – Rebel Hymns of Left Handed Terror (Moribund) Although the production is muddy in sound, it really does compliment the music nicely. If this album was produced any other way, the whole atmosphere would be completely lost. There are some cool tempo changes that set the pace behind ripping guitar riffs. The vocals fall somewhere between Death and Black Metal. Collectively, all the tracks work together as one functioning unit. From beginning to end, images are brought forth of a journey through Satan’s diseased rectum. The dark desolate world is amplified with a few ambient interlude tracks between the songs.   

The packaging is nice, with simple, yet effective demonic cover art (I believe was done by a member of Chronophage). The booklet, of course has the lyrics. Also you will find old era satanic woodcuts, the same ones that everyone has already seen before. I really like the cover artwork and wish they had used the same artist to fill the booklet.

My slight criticism about the booklet is minor. This is raw, chaotic black metal in its darkest form. The disc is still in my car. With no exaggeration, I probably listened to it 20 times in a row. That is how much I like it, or maybe I was forced into some sort of trance. I am not sure.

Heavy Roach Activity (HRA) S/T 12” In this day of bland hardcore bands, I always find myself sticking with the old classics when listening to this genre. HRA, on the other hand have reached back into the past of attitude filled hardcore punk and forcefully brought it here in the present. Consisting of veterans of the Houston music scene, this band has recorded a fantastic piece of throwback hardcore. I can hear influences of bands such as the FUs, Negative Approach and the Necros. Even the cover artwork reminds me of an image that would be on a Wasted Youth album. Don’t get me wrong, this is not just a piece of nostalgia. This music is fast, aggressive with a modern day, pissed off attitude. The vocals are performed in a rapid, shouted delivery, which is perfect for the music. 20 songs packed in a for a circle pit listening extravaganza. Production wise, it really does justice in recreating the aggressiveness of a live setting. This record is not exactly brand new, but I felt a need to cover it here.

Bound in Flesh - S/T (Dread Lair) This Houston band rips out some pretty good death metal in the classic sense. Although only two tracks, they are powerful. Bands such as Suffocation and Pyrexia come to mind when listening to this release. Amongst the classic death metal riffs you’ll find some catchy, memorable mosh parts. For good measure some doom sections are thrown in. The production showcases the music perfectly. All instruments and vocals can be heard. They are a three piece, but their powerful sound would make one think otherwise. A debut full length is in the works, so this EP is a pleasant sample of what to expect.

Anal Cunt - Fuckin’ A (Patac) Now this CD is a solid example of why Mr. Putnam will be missed. His sudden, but not surprising, demise last year was a great loss. No more will we have the pleasure of hearing his foul, offensive humor. So where do I start? Well for one, the cover is a rip off of Motley Crue’s “Too Fast For Love” LP. That image alone is a small sample of what to expect. The booklet itself is worth the price. It features nice, color photos of debauchery. The best one features Mr. Putnam shooting up with a needle while receiving a blowjob from a whore. I find that completely hilarious. Unlike many of the early AC EPs, this actually has lyrics included. The topics are your usual pop rock features: Heroin, STDs, rape and violence. You know the type.

Oh I almost forgot, the music. Those of you who are familiar with AC know what to expect. However this album actually has structured songs and no blast beats are to be found. As with the Motley Crue inspired cover, the songs are pure hair metal cock rock, AC style. A different sound compared to other AC releases, but still just as heavy and noisy. It is a matter of taste, but this one gets my vote. If your feelings are easily hurt, stay clear of this release.

Discharge - Disensitise (Candlelight Records) A brand new Discharge record! Was I excited? You bet! Being that it was released on Candlelight, I expected something special. Well I was slightly disappointed. Don’t get me wrong; the songs still followed the formula that they are known for. The only problem is the production. To be forward, it was demo quality. I like that raw sort of sound, but from a legendary band with a new release on a larger label, I expected a whole lot more. I assume they were trying to recreate the sound of their early singles. That early material is a pillar in time that can never be replicated.

What I find sad is that today there are many bands playing this style and playing it better than Discharge themselves. This sounds like a bad review, but not really. The album has some good songs and I do still listen to it. I just expected a lot more.

Nails - Unsilent Death (Southern Lord) Speaking of bands playing the Discharge style the right way, we have Nails. Although this three-piece is not a direct D-Beat rip off band, they do have a metallic hardcore punk approach. The packaging is definitely reminiscent to a Discharge release, a simplistic cover and a black and white layout. I like that style and it is one that always catches my eye.

All the songs are short, raging manifestations of aggression. Nails is a hardcore band for sure, but with an early Napalm Death twist. The drumming varies between traditional beats, breakdowns and blast beats. The production is really what brings out the aggression. The guitars are thick and the drums are loud. As for vocals, they are conducted in a half scream, half shouting manner. I think they work perfectly with the music. Nothing is original here, but then again what is original these days? This is a great band and I will continue to pick up all material released by them. The best words to describe this band’s music are aggressive and violent!

Morbid - Year of the Goat (Century Media) First off I must commend Century Media for doing an incredible job on this attention-to-detail package. This 2 disc set is definitely catered to all the collector nerds. The packaging is quite impressive. The CDs are housed in a large DVD/book type case. Also included is a collector’s book, which I feel is the highlight of the package. The pages are saturated with photos and memorabilia. The memorabilia consists of old demo/bootleg covers, flyers, hand written letters/lyrics/drawings from Dead and more. The meat of the book is a comprehensive band history, gig details and recording info. Nothing from the band’s history is left untouched. 

The audio portion contains the infamous December Moon demo, a rehearsal session and the rest are all live tracks. Obviously the demo is the most listenable of the collection, but for historical purposes it is interesting to have everything presented.

Morbid is mainly legendary because of the bands some of its members went on to join, namely Mayhem and Entombed. Regardless, the band will always remain a vital landmark in the extreme music scene and this release does a grand job of celebrating its existence.

Black Witchery - Inferno of Sacred Destruction (Hells Headbangers) One listen to Black Witchery’s chaotic black metal conjures one word, Blasphemy. Literally the description comes from the word’s actual definition, but mainly from the band called Blasphemy. BW is heavily influenced by those Canadian Satanists, and do not deny it. Even the band photos pay homage to the Blasphemy look, hell even one of the members is sporting a Blasphemy shirt. Original? No. Great album? Yes!

From start to finish, this CD is a continuous barrage of goat semen coated, shards of glass. There is literally no time to catch a breath during this auditory molestation. When coming to the end of my listening adventure, I literally felt if a q-tip was put in my ear it would be covered in black grime. What a fantastic experience!

The packaging gets an A plus for a lavishly illustrated booklet, which is slightly thicker than one would expect in a CD. Of course the darkened disease called lyrics was on display as well.

There is more. Imagine that? A bonus concert DVD which is shot with multiple cameras. The sound and video are clear. In actuality, the DVD could easily have been sold separately. Inferno of Sacred Destruction is a win/win situation.

Destroyer 666 - To the Devil his Due (Hells Headbangers) Well another solid release by the Hells Headbangers. They continue to produce the goods. On this collection you will find all this Australian band’s EPs. The sound quality varies from track to track, but still all mandatory. Destroyer is a veteran band, so you should know what to expect, high quality thrash influenced black metal. All lyrics, original EP covers and liner notes are included. Not to mention some old photographs. This is a testament of the band’s progression. With each EP it is overly apparent of the growing musicianship. Beginning with a Motorhead/Bathory type influence migrating to the Destroyer sound of the present, all is covered here.

Werewolves on Wheels – Soundtrack (Finders Keepers) This film has one of the best titles in cinematic history …..and a fantastic tagline: “Tough Gang vs. The Bride of Satan!”. If you’ve seen this motorcycle gang-lycanthrope exploitation movie, you know the absurdities and the soundtrack follows that same course. Scored by country-pop songwriter Don Gere, this album is the pinnacle of b-grade camp. Being a child of the 70’s, this recording is filled with hallucinogenic passages, a couple of ridiculous folk pop songs, satanic hymns and a fuzz pedal driven guitar. The disc ends with two original radio spots. Although bizarre in its own way, this is probably one of my most played CDs.

To accompany this great disc is a thick booklet filled with a ton of information. Everything a fan would want to know is covered, the history of the film, Don Gere’s recording history and a large amount of photos. This is definitely an acquired taste that is not for everyone.    

VOYAGE OF SLAVES: Kentucky Viking Death Metal.

Hailing from Kentucky, Voyage of Slaves is a brutal, riff filled unit. Be sure to check out the Houston stop of their tour. The gig will be on April 29th at the White Swan.
So tell us about your name. How was it created? Is there any meaning to it?

Our guitar player/vocalist Dean Dokken got the band name from the title of a book about the journey of Libyan Slaves traveling over seas. On the cover of the book there is a man being attacked by a shark in which he's about to slam with an oar. Dude was probably like "That's epic as fuck!" and there you have it. There is no definite "meaning" to the name but it fits a lot of our lyrical content which usually involves traveling to distant lands and fighting some ridiculous monster but people can interpret it however they please.

Your music is extremely thrash oriented mixed with a healthy serving of mid 90s death metal (at least that is what I hear). Give some details about your style and influences.

We've often played around with what our specific genre would be named. The best (and most drawn out, haha) thing we could come up with would be "Thrashing, Blackened Zombie Viking Death and Roll". But more or less we're trying to incorporate many different sub-genres into our sound. Dean and I are heavily influenced by melodic death metal and black metal such as Skeletonwitch, Inferi, Belphegor, Enfold Darkness, etc... Our bass player John Fronza grew up in the Tampa Bay area and literally went to high school with members of bands like Obituary so he brings a lot the old-school death metal sound to the table. Our drummer Jon Grace has had a long run with punk bands that he's previously been in so you can definitely hear that in the mix as well.

I really like vocals. They are at a mid range and understandable, yet still extremely harsh. What are the influences in that department?

As mentioned before we're huge Skeletonwitch fans and we love the work that their vocalist Chance has done throughout their career. That dude is very animated and pronounces his words very finely. There will definitely be more range with the vocals on our new material since both Dean and myself handle that department now. The demo that you've heard was before Jon and I had joined the band. So there is still the harshness of Dokken's tone but I suppose I bring a lot more "lows" into what we do. I'm very partial to the vocals of both traditional and new wave/progressive death metal. Here most recently the works of Stephen Babcock of Diskreet and Alex Hofmann of Fallujah.

On all your promotional items you utilize lots of Viking imagery. Is that a theme that is prevalent in your lyrics?

Absolutely. Most of our songs involve the extravagant ventures of Vikings or at some sort of warrior wielding a sword and shield. Most of our lyrics revolve around fantasy, horror and sci-fi imagery.

Coming from Kentucky, how is the live metal scene there?
There isn't a whole lot coming from Western Kentucky which is where we are from but there are good bands spread far and wide. For example Louisville has a pretty good scene. There's a lot of sludge/hardcore punk influenced bands from that area. As far as there being bands similar to what we do check out Anagnorisis from Louisville and Kephalus from Owensboro. Both of those bands are very thrash/death/black metal influenced. But again as far as Western Kentucky goes the only other "metal" bands in the area are Throne of Legions (mine and Dean Dokken's tech death side project) and Havamal (a black metal project I started with Necrophecy's Trevor DeGaine).

Your band started in 2008. How did it all come together? Is the current line up the same as on the band’s creation date?

No, the line-up is not the same as it was when the band originated. It started with Dean Dokken and our bass player John Fronza. At that time our good friend Johnathan Hernandez was taking on second guitar playing duties and Rob Waller was on drums. VoS went on hiatus for a while when Rob stepped out of the picture but since Jon Grace and I joined the band, things have been pretty solid for the year and-a-half that this line up has been together. The chemistry is good and we all have a great time with what we do.

Your 2009 demo is a great presentation of your band. The production is up to par and music is extremely driving. Was it self produced or recorded in a studio?

Our 2009 demo was recorded at The Ruckus Room here in Paducah with Kevin Gong. I've worked with him on a few other projects as well. Our new release was recorded at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, TN.

You had mentioned to me a new recording is being completed. Will it be released as a demo, full length or EP?
It will be released as a 7" vinyl EP when everything is said and done. We plan to milk that throughout the rest of the year and then work on a full-length at the end of this year or early 2013.
Tell us about your tour. What cities are you hitting? Is it self produced? Your show at the White Swan here in Houston, is eagerly anticipated.

We'll be out on the road for about two weeks swinging through Texas, Louisiana and Florida. We'll be hitting Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Houston and Austin in Texas, New Orleans in Louisiana and Jacksonville and Tampa Bay in Florida. We'll be sharing the stage with The Sword in Texas and Nasty Savage in Florida. It's gonna be a total blast. We can't wait!

Thanks for the interview and we look forward to your gig. Any final words?

Thanks for setting UP the interview! Any sort of promotion is greatly appreciated! All I can say is keep an eye out for us in the future. This is just the beginning!

FERAL NOISE Issue #1 now available.

What is the point of producing an actual printed zine in this information saturated age? As everyone knows, the internet is an instant volcano of up to date news. Gone are the days of relying on printed matter as a valuable outlet for news, especially in the music industry. Magazines, periodicals, zines, whatever you want to call them now seem to be catered only to the dedicated reader. Also the pool size of extreme music publications has decreased, particularly in the DIY zine arena. The black hole of countless music websites and blogs is single handedly destroying the demand for printed matter. Eagerly waiting for a new magazine to discover the current is a notion that is now half dead and rotting on a pile of diseased fecal matter.
So the obvious has been stated, back to the original question: why make a zine? For one, it is for my own personal entertainment, but two, to produce each issue as a solid statement in time, a microcosm of what events transpired during the current issue’s print time. It is a piece for reading in the present and a relic in the future for reminiscing.
Websites eventually get deleted and all that information vanishes into cyberspace. However a zine is something in the physical world, something that can be touched, an item that can be collected. Basically a testament that will remain in your possession forever, well until you wipe your ass with it or trash it.
Now with that boring garbage out of the way, I will discuss the real highlight of this publication - the bands! This first issue is across the board in that regard, some are long standing war torn titans and others are fairly new powerhouses looking to get their name abroad. Although they have slight stylistic differences, two things they all have in common are a self driven motivation and an unquestioned savagery. All are extremely proactive in playing shows, recording and doing their part in support of their respected scenes.
Being a fan of all bands present, I was extremely excited in regard to the content. Included is a nice conversation with Cryptos as he gives some insight about his Wraith Metal horde, Spectral Manifest and the ever present Dread Lair label. Also is an information saturated interlocution with Austin’s extremely busy black metal entity Humut Tabal. To add to the great roster, I was extremely pleased to have longtime Houston underground legends Krullur on board, as they discussed their current resurgence and some memories from the past. Also we have Brimwylf, the band formerly known as Iapetus. They are a relatively new group that brings a fresh black metal approach with a rock feel. Another treat is from the popular San Antonio black metal dwellers Plutonian Shore. They were gracious enough to give an interesting personal interview. To top all that off is the bonus DVD! That piece of plastic includes promo videos and live footage.
Overall, I am pleased with this debut issue. It took some time to get all the content together and completed. Unfortunately a few bands did not make the deadline, however I look forward to having them included in the next issue. With that being said, Texas is a state chock full of great bands. So having a shortage of groups to include in forthcoming releases will never be a problem.
For those in Houston, the current issue can be found at these fine establishments: Sound Exchange, Vinyl Junkie and Domy Books.

BELOW THE RUINS

Here is the third version of the “Below the Ruins” video. Initially, the first version was hastily thrown together. Mainly it was just to have something extra on a DVD promo. That version was a compilation of home videos of cathedrals.
Unsatisfied, I put together a second version. I added footage from the Christopher Lee classic film Horror Hotel (which is in public domain). Anyone who has seen the film knows what a great, creepy atmosphere it has. For that reason, it is one of my favorite films. Years ago, Iron Maiden also used clips from the movie in their “Bring your Daughter to the Slaughter” video. So my idea of using it was not original, but none the less I had the urge to do it.
Finally, I decided to re-edit it again with shots of the band playing. In this final version, I feel the true essence is present. The visual properly represents the song’s slow, brooding style.

Encore Records: R.I.P.

This is somewhat old news, but it still enrages me: Encore Records closing its doors! Absolutely terrible news! I feel as if one of my favorite relatives has just been executed. Over the years my many trips to Austin always included the mandatory stop at Encore. This place has…well HAD a phenomenal metal section. A two hour minimum was always required in going through their stock. For me, Austin will never be the same.


http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/music/2011-12-16/encore-records-closing/