As a metal journalist and critic, I occasionally run into albums that are so fucking good that they’re confounding. No amount of hyperbole will suffice with which to convey the brilliance of their myriad layers and intricacies. Such is the case with The Book of Kings, the fourth full length from Australian funeral doom practitioners Mournful Congregation. In listening to it, I feel as if my meager skills as a wordsmith are completely incapable of describing such a masterful recording, and yet I’m still compelled to spill the digital ink in service of this great work.
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Tag Archives: Australia
Interview: ASSAULTER
At this point, my love for Australian metal is well documented. I compiled an Australian metal scene report for Invisible Oranges, and have separately interviewed Vomitor, Denouncement Pyre, Cauldron Black Ram, Stargazer and Hotel Wrecking City Traders. Now add Assaulter to that ferocious list. Their sophomore album and Metal Blade/Poison Tongue debut Boundless! is one of the year’s finest metal albums, a neck-wrecking brew of black metal, thrash and epic traditional heavy metal that will pummel your sorry ass into dust and incinerate the remains. I tracked down vocalist/guitarist S. Berserker via e-mail and the following interrogation ensued…
THKD: Boundless! is a huge step up from Salvation Like Destruction in all aspects. How would you describe the musical evolution of Assaulter between the two albums?
S. Berserker: I think it’s simply a case of us knowing exactly what we wanted to do with ‘Boundless!’, where as ‘Salvation….’ was essentially a trial by fire. It’s no secret that the debut was a right cunt of a process to record. You live and you burn. We had a few extra bucks, but were far more prepared and had worked harder on our arrangements. Musically speaking we’ve honed in our style on ‘Boundless!’ – It’s sharper, harder and tougher.
THKD: Was there anything you were looking to accomplish with Boundless! that you hadn’t achieved with your debut?
SB: In all honesty it was just to record and release an album that we felt was Assaulter to a tee. It had to be tightened and screwed in all the right spots. We wanted to record an album that was absolutely Metal most pure – Hooks, leads, aggression, speed, sprawl – All that kind of stuff. We had a little bit more coin this time ’round too, which allowed for a better sound. You can essentially hear everything on ‘Boundless!’ unlike the first LP.
THKD: What lyrical themes are being explored on Boundless? How would you describe your approach to writing lyrics?
SB: Power, propaganda, proselytism – That’s the essence of it all. I think it’s best if people just read the lyrics, but, for example, we cover the ‘flag of liberation’ in ‘Exalt the Master’, a tribute to the proselytising of the broken, godless and conquered. A nod to our modern day ‘Animal Farm’ in ‘Slave to King’, and the burning-brightest star of man in ‘Outshine’ which is essentially ‘Better to burn out than fade away’……… that’s as much as I’ll say. All the releases will feature the lyrics, so get from them what you will!
THKD: When and where was the album recorded? What was the recording experience like this time around? Did you record yourselves or with an engineer/producer?
SB: It was recorded and mixed at a small ‘establishment’ on the Central Coast called Emerald Point studios. Drums were done at Challenge studios in Sydney. All mixing was done by ourselves with two bloke from the Elanora Hotel called the ‘Bonic Bros’. Like any good recording session, it was loaded with high blood pressure, trials and fuck-ups, but, according to us, it came good in the end. We have a clearer idea as to how we will record the next album. I think when it comes to engineering, unless you REALLY know what you’re doing, it’s best to leave it up to the pros.
THKD: Describe your approach to composition. Does Assaulter write songs as a group, “jam”, etc, or is there a “primary songwriter” in the band?
SB: A lot of the material on ‘Boundless!’ was written by myself, with Hellfinder contributing to some aspects of a few songs, but embellishing all of them with his guitar themes. Jamming can fuck off. I think it would have to be the WORST way to write. I find it better to develop the crux of a song in solitude and then work out the finer details with Hellfinder.
THKD: The songs on Boundless are dark and heavy, but also have a catchy, almost epic vibe that really sets Assaulter apart. Was this approach intentional or a natural byproduct of your songwriting style?
SB: A bit of both really. I mean, you naturally put everything through the sifter so that only the strongest elements of a song remain – Yet, the riffs tend to come naturally to a certain extent. The most important element to me is the arrangement.
THKD: In listening to Boundless!, I detect some traditional heavy metal influences in addition to thrash and black metal. Is this accurate? What bands have inspired you over the years?
SB: Fucking oath. Clearly you’ve actually listened to the album. And, I’ll just add, it’s very, very fucking annoying when you see a reviewer say something like “….this is just thrash like the old Teutonic three….” or whatever. The fact is, the riffing probably has more to do with your straight up Heavy Metal than it does with ‘Thrash’ per se. That’s how I see it. Listen to the lead guitars – Oh so Heavy Metal in scale and playing. I don’t know how people can’t hear that?Inspiring bands???? Eh, too many to mention. I find a lot of bands inspiring – Whether they’re an influence is an entirely different kettle of fish.
THKD: There are tons of memorable riffs and some cool solos on Boundless!. How would you describe your approach/technique as a guitarist? What is your equipment setup?
SB: Just play, really. Play until a riff sounds right, or a bridge sits well. If you wanted to talk guitar techniques, you’d have to ask Hellfinder, as he’s the man with all the chops.
THKD: Boundless! was released in conjunction with Metal Blade Records and Primordial vocalist Alan Averill’s Poison Tongue label. How did this come about?
SB: Poison Tongue is like a sub-label to Metal Blade, more aimed towards the underground – The idea for the label came from Alan when he threw the idea towards Metal Blade. I’ve been a friend of Alan’s for many years and he approached us with his idea for the label and whether Assaulter would be interested. We naturally took up the offer, and it seems to be actually looking to bear more fruits than we’d predicted. Having said that, promotion is good, but we have no idea how it’s selling.
THKD: Assaulter features former members of Destroyer 666 and Razor of Occam. How did your experiences in other bands affect your approach to Assaulter?
SB: Not in any way at all as far as we’re concerned. A new band is a new band. Critics don’t see it that way though – I find a lot of them to be very fuckin’ lazy… “Ex-D’666 member – Well, clearly it must sound like D’666, problem is, it’s not as fast…” or shit like that. I don’t think ‘Boundless!’ actually sounds like D’666 at all.
THKD: Australia is known for producing a wealth of great blackened thrash bands like Assaulter, Destroyer 666, Nocturnal Graves, Razor of Occam, etc. What do you think it is about your country that inspires this particular type of music?
SB: This gets asked a lot and I really have no idea. I think bands here tend to influence each other, as it’s our own ‘scene’, you know? I think this theory would have been more relevant before the days of internet, but it still seems to hold water. So, yeah, I have no idea.
THKD: What are you listening to at the moment? Do you have any recommendations for THKD readers?
SB: Wardom – When Darkness Reigns (Get this if you can!)
Accept – Blood of the Nations
Death Breath – Stink up the Night
Danzig – Lucifuge
Grand Magus – Hammer of the North
THKD: Will you be doing any touring in support of Boundless? Think you’ll ever make it to the US?
SB: Mate, we would be happy to tour anyway. Actually, anywhere. About to start the planning for hitting Europe in 2012. I guess if the album sells, we could get to the States????? Who knows how the ‘industry’ works these days………..
THKD: Are there any final thoughts you’d like to add?
SB: No, no thoughts. A cheers to you for the interview and support and ‘hoi’ to anyone looking for Assaulter merchandise – Hit us up at: burning_front@hotmail.com
Salut!
Interview: STARGAZER
There are many metal bands out there claiming to tap into mystical, esoteric energies. But how many actually conjure that feeling within the listener? How many bands successfully fill your ears with that sense of unnameable crawling cosmic chaos that HP Lovecraft so easily invoked on the printed page, that feeling that can only be described as “the occult”? Australian death metal trio StarGazer is one of those bands. Their sound is mesmerizing; the music is technical and progressive without ever forgetting the importance of the song. Listening to their latest album, A Great Work of Ages / A Work of Great Ages (Profound Lore, 2010) feels like unearthing some obscure musical grimoire that had been previously lost to the sands of antiquity. I contacted guitarist/vocalist The Serpent Inquisitor to discuss the inner workings of StarGazer and various arcane subjects.
Listen to “Passing Stone – Into The Greater Sun”
THKD: It has been five years since the last StarGazer full length. Why the long wait between albums?
The Serpent Inquisitor: There had been many hurdles in the intervening years. Initially there was the training of the new drummer, Selenium, towards local, national and a Japanese tour. The onus had been then set on finding a new record label whom would believe and support the band, which was achieved with the empirical Profound Lore Productions. Lastly, as an album that had incubated so long had to be mediated correctly, a thorough amount of time was drafted to all aspects of the package.
THKD: How did you come to release A Great Work of Ages on Profound Lore? Were you a fan of the label beforehand?
TSI: Yes. We were fans of the label and vice versa. Profound Lore harbor a slew of unique bands and seems to love them all like their little children.
THKD: How do you think the band has progressed since The Scream that Tore the Sky and how was this progression incorporated into A Great Work of Ages?
TSI: Whether StarGazer has progressed or not is a curious question. Our songs progress in myriad ways. One man’s progression is another man’s regression. I believe we have captured the ubiquitous nature of the band on this new album more obviously than the last. Half of the songs are old enough to have been on our debut too. The 3rd album will no doubt stunt expectations of progression further. That would be the aim anyway!
THKD: How would you describe your songwriting/compositional approach? Is it a group effort or does the band have a “main composer”?
TSI: I am the primary composer, inasmuch as the crux of the song (guitars/lyrics/some drumming etc), but the group melds them to varying degrees. All bass lines are written by T.G.R.D, and as the listener knows, they are paramount to the overall feel of every song.
THKD: You recorded/produced A Great Work of Ages yourselves. What made you decide to do this and are you pleased with the results?
TSI: Should we be pleased with the results? T.G.R.D is an experienced engineer so the bulk of the technical work was adopted by his hands and ears. He and I were the producers, with the drummer stepping in with advice hither and thither.
THKD: What are some of the lyrical themes explored on A Great Work of Ages? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
TSI: Dimensional Apocalypse, Inner Earth Races, Harmonic Nature, the Karma and Magic of Thought, a Myth of Race Origin and the Serpents, Demons, Multi-dimensionality of the Hue-Man, Ley Lines and Conjunctions empowering Portals.
As the album goes, the subjects are in that order.
Everything, and I mean everything drives my inspirations. How can it be any one, or even a few things, when so many things are interconnected?
THKD: What does “the occult” mean to you? How does your interpretation of the occult inform StarGazer’s music?
TSI: The occult is obscuration, both to the benefit and detriment to the hue-man condition. The correct definition of the occult is supposedly ‘the secret origin of mankind’. Now, the history of the race of man has been obscured and certain ‘theological’ sects hide this for the particularly ‘initiated’. Would we, as a race benefit from the privation of our true and aeon spanning heritage? Probably. Would it suit vested financial, spiritual, media, financial interests (all interconnected mind you)? Definitely not.
The human race is enslaved and that’s how it is desired it should stay. Freedom is a finer goal to strive for. Enlightenment and wisdom is freedom. Freedom of unaffected Thought, unaffected Will, unaffected Love.
That is the True Occult.
THKD: StarGazer’s music is quite technical and progressive, but also sounds very earthy and organic. Is it difficult to keep such complex music emotive and engaging for the listener?
TSI: We aren’t writing ‘for the listener’ so I would say that when we are no longer achieving those tenets, then it has become hard!! What you have just asked defines our approach to the music well.
THKD: With that said, why do you think so much modern technical metal comes off as clinical and soulless?
TSI: I understand what you infer and I believe it relates to a lack of ‘song’. There were plenty of technical bands from the 70’s (and let’s not forget classical, latin, and jazz; all technical as fuck!), whom were careful to write ‘songs’. I don’t know how else to frame this. The studio productions are also cold aren’t they? When drums are triggered, guitars overproduced and there is no room made for integrating frequencies, then where to go??
THKD: Are you at all influenced by the “classic” technical death metal bands such as Atheist and Cynic? What about the progressive rock of the 1970s?
TSI: Not just technical death metal bands, but technical rock, heavy metal, speed metal etc. What modern band is more extreme than WatchTower’s ‘Control and Resistance’?? Not every bit of StarGazer is brazenly technical, we just procure ideas that are somewhat unexplored in the modern metal scene.
I listened to the Cynic demos in High School, not a fan of the albums though. Atheist, well, deathrash masters unbridled!!! Progressive rock I enjoy to a degree, mostly a handful of select albums by select bands.
THKD: What can you tell us about the album art? What is the significance of the nautilus shells and the dragons/hydras?
TSI: Being a prime representation of the Golden Mean, the nautilus represents the logistics of our immediate creation and materiality. The Hydrae personify the obscuration, it’s 7 maws devouring truth and synergy.
THKD: The full title of the album is A Great Work of Ages / A Work of Great Ages. Can you explain the meaning/meanings behind it?
TSI: ‘A Great Work of Ages’ was originally the sole title. It’s reference is two-fold without resorting to any dualistic concepts. It implies the enfeebling, misleading and subsequent enslavement of our known human race. The second title denotes this album to be a tribute and attribute to a greater age to come.
THKD: There is a quote from Francis Bacon on your myspace page: “He That Will Not Apply New Remedies Must Expect New Evils; For Time Is The Greatest Innovator”. What does this quotation mean to you and how does it tie into StarGazer?
TSI: The beauty of quotes like that above is that it generally means much the same to everyone whom resonates to its premise. I understand it as you understand it, that is why it could be considered ‘profound’.
Francis Bacon also had some interesting ties to various cults/groups, so his words could hide or infer something more. Time is not on our side; all truths are concurrently being raked like a Japanese stone garden, to whatever patterns the rake-wielder deigns. As time wears on, these truths will become completely lost and enslavement complete.
THKD: Do you have any touring plans for A Great Work of Ages?
TSI: We would have it so. There will be shows initially within Australia and further into time, overseas. Where we tour will depend largely on whom could raise their hands to aide in structuring said events.
THKD: Are there any final thoughts you’d like to add?
TSI: I don’t like hip-hop, I don’t dance and I don’t offer final words.
Interview: CAULDRON BLACK RAM
It’s no easy task tracking down the trio of Australian pirates known as Cauldron Black Ram. When they’re not busy crafting twisted, old school death metal, they’re out pillaging and plundering across the seven seas. Their latest recording, Slubberdegullion (Weird Truth Productions), is one of the most downright bizarre pieces of heavy music you’ll hear this year; a concept album based on the exploits of a nefarious buccaneer known as Black Douglass, rife with sea-serpentine riffage and demented vocals. After several months, I finally caught up with CBR bassist/vocalist Ishum between voyages to discuss pirates, sluts and olde evil. Here’s to swimmin’ with bowlegged women…
THKD: After a 6 year wait, Cauldron Black Ram returns with Slubberdegullion. Why such a long delay between albums?
Ishum: Because the miscreants that make the collective Cauldron Black Ram were up to secret, nefarious activities that can’t be revealed here. There were also some delays with the CD, but the people that were responsible were found and dealt with accordingly. The next album has been written and recording will commence soon. So there will not be as long a wait for the next CBR opus.
THKD: What can you tell us about the creation of the new album? What were you looking to accomplish this time out?
Ishum: We recorded it a long bloody time ago, and a few important factors delayed the release. But overall, we are satisfied for it is what we were looking to achieve. That being a unique album of old-schooled death metal, with a compelling story of booze, sluts, pirates, and olde evil. It’s an album that takes repeated listens and new things will be discovered upon every indulgence of this fine heavy metal release.
THKD: What was the recording setup for Slubberdegullion? The album has a dense, gritty- sounding atmosphere.
Ishum: Well unlike Skulduggery, which was recorded in a cave, this was recorded in a back-alley brothel. This of course led to a different sound from previous outings, and we were quite distracted by the scenery, if you get my drift. The main reason we chose a different recording location was because we couldn’t find that fucking cave again, and we couldn’t be bothered sailing out trying to locate it.
THKD: How would you describe Cauldron Black Ram’s songwriting approach? How has it changed/evolved during the years between Skulduggery and Slubberdegullion?
Ishum: We get drunk, brawl, wake up, and a new song has been masterfully conjured. It’s that easy. The difference between the two is that now they’ve got a better looking bass player, who can not only drink like a pirate, he’s a winner with the ladies.
THKD: Is Slubberdegullion a concept album? How does the album tie into the overall concept of Cauldron Black Ram?
Ishum: Yes it is. The concept will be finished on the next release. We wanted to create an album of not just music, but aural soundscapes that help develop and enhance the story. Even though we have focused largely on the pirate theme, newer material will take a different path. But expect the same dark, twisted, old-schooled death metal quality.
THKD: Who is Black Douglass? Is this a reference to the historical Sir James Douglas or is he a character you created?
Ishum: Neither. The information you seek is within the lyrics. For me to reveal any further here, I would need to dispose of you and watch my back. Ha!
THKD: According to my research, “slubberdegullion” is a term that can mean villain or fiend, but can also refer to a worthless or slovenly person. Why did you choose this word for the album’s title?
It sounded good, it ties in with the concept, and we’re sure no-one else has used it.
THKD: Another interesting word that pops up on the album is “blunderbuss”, which refers to a type of muzzle-loading firearm. Do you do a lot of research to find these terms?
Ishum: Research? Ha! We are hard-drinking, womanising, brawling sons-of-bitches. We know this shit because we live it.
THKD: Much of Cauldron Black Ram’s lyrics deal with pirates. What lead you to choose this as the band’s primary theme?
Ishum: Pirates like to drink, brawl, bed the curvy women…. and so do we! We have, and will, cover other subjects of debauchery. But we do not want to be lumped in with these other so-called pirate bands of today. They celebrate the glitzy, Hollywood side of piracy. We delve into the darker, sinister elements of high seas smuggling. Not this puffy-shirt, wooden-leg, parrot-on-the-shoulder facade.
THKD: Both Slubberdegullion and your previous album Skulduggery were released by Japan’s Weird Truth Productions. How did you hook up with the label?
Ishum: One of the members, Alim, knew of them through one of his other bands. We asked, they agreed. They’re an excellent label, dedicated to supporting their bands!
THKD: All of the members of Cauldron Black Ram are involved in other projects. Does this make it difficult to find time for the band?
Ishum: No. It just naturally comes around that it’s time to work on CBR. No other projects cut into each other. It just happens sometimes other projects are the main priority over others and vice versa. It just happens at the moment, since the Slubberdegullion release, that we have been concentrating on CBR.
THKD: I posed this question to Vomitor when I interviewed them recently and I would like to get your opinion also. Is the Australian metal scene really as amazing as it seems?
Ishum: Yes. We are in it! But Australia’s heritage in the hard rock/metal scene has always been high calibre, and still is.
THKD: How you think your heritage and surroundings influence Cauldron Black Ram, if at all?
Ishum: Realistically, this country was colonised by convicts. So in essence, we are all convict scum. That sums up Cauldron Black Ram quite nicely, don’t you think? We also live on the coast, and us Australians are known to be hard-drinking bastards, which we excel at.
THKD: Will you be doing any touring in support of Slubberdegullion?
Yes, we are supporting Coffins on their Australian tour, playing our own shows here and will be conquering and plundering European soil next year. Unfortunately, we had to cancel European shows we’d organised for this year, as a few factors fell through.
THKD: Are there any final thoughts you’d like to add?
Cheers for the interview. New shirts, CDs, patches, vinyl are available through The Cave distro. You won’t be waiting as long for the next CBR release, which should be released next year. In thuggery and buggery!
Interview: HOTEL WRECKING CITY TRADERS
Ben Wrecker is a rad dude. Not only was he kind enough to contribute to the Australian Metal Scene Report I wrote for Invisible Oranges, he also graciously sent me a ton of stuff from his equally rad band, Hotel Wrecking City Traders. If you’re not familiar with HWCT, the duo (which also includes Ben’s brother/guitarist Toby) play a smoked-out yet devastating brew of instrumental thunder in the vein of such vocals-free monsters of rock as Karma to Burn and Capricorns. One can’t help but feel there is some sort of sibling mental telepathy at play when listening to the Wrecker Bros’ heavy ‘n’ hypnotic stoner jams, such is the effortless interplay between instruments.
I caught up with Ben for an e-mail interrogation just as he was returning from a trip to the United States. Wrecker had been tapped to play drums for ex-Kyuss/Queens of the Stone Age madman Nick Oliveri’s Mondo Generator, but the tour was unfortunately cancelled. He once again went above and beyond, taking time out to talk about instrumental music, running a label, and the dynamics of being in a band with your brother.
[Note: For some reason I was under the impression that HWCT were not native Australians, but as it turns out I was wrong.]
THKD: You guys are based in Australia, but aren’t natives. How did you wind up there?
Ben Wrecker: Actually we are. We were both born here but moved overseas when we were young and spent the better part of our teenage years in Hong Kong and the UK. Since then we’ve continued to move around a lot. Ending up back in Melbourne around 5 years ago and started the band.
THKD: What made you and your brother decide to start Hotel Wrecking City Traders together? Would you ever consider adding other members to the lineup?
BW: We started jamming when I was around 13 years old. We were just kids learning how to play our instruments and never played any shows. Toby was 11 at the time. Later on as I got older, I was in bands in high school and after that we both went our separate ways and I ended up touring with a band in the UK where I was based at the time. That didn’t work out and both Toby and I ended up moving back to Australia and started HWCT, proper. Toby had never played shows before. He was a demon on the home recording front, though. Constantly sent me tapes of DIY demos he made on his 8 Track at home. The band started when we moved to Melbourne and decided that the time was right to play live shows. We liked the idea of a duo and the intention was to sound as full as any other band with 3 or more members but make the sounds by ourselves. Whilst we never really had a specific set of rules as far as getting extra players in we have always been open to the idea. We have been involved in some live collaborations, most recently with Bonnie Mercer (of GREY DATURAS/BREATHING SHRINE) on 2nd guitar when we opened up for Robert Lowe aka LICHENS and Emil Amos aka HOLY SONS (both from the band OM) at a show in Melbourne a few months back. We have also recorded a new project with Gary Arce (TEN EAST/YAWNING MAN) playing bass and guitar. It’s due out on BRO FIDELITY later this year and sounds amazing. It’s called HOTEL WRECKING CITY TRADERS with GARY ARCE, funnily enough.
THKD: Are there any advantages/disadvantages specific to be being in a band with a close family member?
BW: We have always been the best of friends, first and foremost. People who don’t know we’re brothers come and tell us that we appear to have some form of mental telepathy going on in the way the live sets unfold. I believe to some extent there is some truth in that. I’ve never felt so comfortable as when I am playing in HWCT with Toby. It feels totally natural and is the most fun and challenging band I’ve ever been involved in. I think also when we are touring that we know each other so well it makes the process enjoyable and free of bullshit, that some bands encounter when egos and personalities clash. It’s an all round good time and we are yet to have any major blowups or disagreements.
THKD: I have to ask about the band’s name, Hotel Wrecking City Traders. Where did this moniker come from?
BW: Toby came up with the name years before we started the band. It’s a tongue in cheek thing. The ‘Hotel Wrecking’ part is kind of a joking homage to the era of rock bands trashing hotel rooms and general rock n’ roll debauchery. The ‘City Traders’ part refers to our lives growing up moving around city to city, country to country. So it’s like we move from one city and trade it for another. Some people have asked if we are Wall St bankers or something and wonder if the ‘Trader’ part refers to that. How they could come to that assumption is beyond me but it makes me laugh thinking about it. The name still continues to baffle people and we often get the ‘HWCT’ acronym used in place of the full name. Either way is fine with us. The name isn’t really important to us the music is where the focus is at.
THKD: Who are your primary influences as a drummer? What drew you to the instrument?
BW: I have played guitar longer than I have played drums. I know I’m a better drummer than I am a guitarist. Drums are very primal and physical and a great way to release stress and discontentment. Some of my favorite drummers are: John Bonham, Ginger Baker, Dave Grohl, Dale Crover, Gene Krupa and Damon Che . Plus I am surrounded by friends in bands from Australia who we play with who constantly raise the bar for me personally. Good dudes such as Joel Ellis (Nunchukka Superfly), Jem Moloney (Fire Witch), Deryck Hunt (Spider Goat Canyon), Pat Warner (Wicked City), Steve Ob (Tumbleweed) and Robbie Avenaim (wOg), to name a few.
THKD: How would you describe the writing/composition process for HWCT?
BW: We are largely improvisation-based. We hadn’t rehearsed in over 2 years until about a month ago. We started jamming when we did our first shows then kind of got tired of formulas and rehearsed songs, so we gave up and allowed the songs to unfold live. We play so many shows all the time that it strengthens us to try stuff out of the cuff, in front of people and get a response out of them that way. We have recently started jamming again, for fun more than anything, but feel that both methods are productive ways of developing new approaches and sounds. I think we work well in both scenarios and try and use both.
THKD: Hotel Wrecking City Traders are an instrumental band. Do you think the lack of vocals allows you to cover more ground/emotions from a strictly musical perspective?
BW: I have always loved instrumental music. I write lyrics all the time for my own songs that are outside of HWCT. I think so far it’s worked well in not having vocals because it frees us from traditional structures and we thrive off of that. Our shows tend to cover a range of moods and nuances ranging from human emotions to concepts or environments we are playing in. Outdoor shows, indoor shows, shows on the floor or on a stage will have the potential to affect a performance and we both enjoy those outside factors and acknowledge their influence on the music we make. We are not averse to having someone sing for us. Believe me it’s happened at shows where we get heckled about it by some drunk asshole and invite them onstage to join us and usually just embarrass them! But we do have a friend of ours from the US who is gonna sing on some songs we will be recording at some stage later this year and will be the first HWCT songs to incorporate vocals. There are no strict doctrines or rules for us. We enjoy trying new avenues of experimentation and expression as we go along.
THKD: Were you at all influenced by any of the other more infamous instrumental bands out there such as Karma to Burn or Pelican?
BW: Most definitely. Our record collections are full of different sorts of stuff from the many eras of music. Many that do not contain vocals. Everything from Don Caballero, Oxes, Yawning Man, Dirty Three, 5ive, Gay Witch Abortion, Neu!, Russian Circles, Sonic Youth, Che, Capricorns & Earth. And even guys like Masonna who is only vocals but you can hardly even tell if you didn’t know what that guy was doing with his voice. Another person whom we both admire is Eugene Robinson and the way he uses his voice as an instrument as much as he does a delivery of lyrical ideas. I think that variety is the spice of life (sorry to use such a lame cliché) but it’s true. Another early inspiration for us was the soundtracks of John Carpenter. The inspiration comes from everywhere.
THKD: I’ve seen you guys called everything from sludge to stoner rock to post-metal. How would you describe HWCT’s sound to someone who hasn’t heard you?
BW: ‘Maximum Rock n’ Roll with minimal instrumentation’ was an early description. I’m not sure if that one applies now that we’ve done these songs with Gary and possibly the stuff with Vocals we’re working on. I guess it changes each time we play and evolves as time moves on.
THKD: Tell us a little about your label, Bro Fidelity. What made you decide to start your own label?
BW: Bro Fi started out as a vessel for releasing HWCT records and has recently put out a deluxe CD for Fire Witch, my favorite Australian band. Having the label allows me to put out my own records and those of other bands that I genuinely admire and want to help open up their audience and hopefully, expand it and gradually create a body of releases that I’m proud to attach the name of Bro Fidelity to. It’s a labor-of-love and one that is often restricted by insufficient-finances but never from a lack of effort or lack of good stuff out there to want to promote.
THKD: What are the pros and cons of starting your own label as opposed to working with one of the larger metal/rock labels out there?
BW: The internet has been the most impacting development within the record-releasing world, I would say. Suddenly everyone has a platform to spread the word about their music and bands. Even me! I think it’s somewhat leveled the playing field but also widened it so much that everyone has a band and everyone has a label. So, possibly we are no better off now than we were before with the old mode of releasing records like the Majors did/do. Ten there’s the ‘so called Independents’ parading as Independents but are really just Majors in disguise. I think the vinyl resurgence has really hit and people are buying records again. Selling CD’s is harder in Europe than the US and in Australia it seems the trend is following in the same direction. Downloading has become an acceptable way of adding to ones record collection and that’s really shaken things up for a lot of people who used to buy CD’s from record stores. I think nowadays the labels identity means much more than in the past and labels are like bands with their own personas, styles and musical outputs and identities. Labels that I always admired were ones like SST & Man’s Ruin. Currently, the smaller boutique labels in Europe like Electrohasch, Tee Pee, Supernatural Cat and Aussie ones such as WeEmptyRooms, Impedance & Heathen Skulls are bringing quality stuff out and touring bands in Australia. They are doing it with a very band orientated mode of operation. Keeping their releases limited in numbers (not always out of choice but because the costs are high) for the people who really don’t mind coughing up the cash for quality sounds and artwork and presentation of good art. That’s the way it should be. The kind of music labels like us do is very niche-based and isn’t designed or intended to be a mega-money-maker or global giant. They exist out of necessity and a genuine love for music.
THKD: Are you actively looking for other bands to work with the label? If so what are your criteria?
BW: I am always open to new bands, if it resonates with me in some way and the pieces fit and the costs are realistic, then I will endeavor to release it. It’s always a gamble releasing records, particularly in today’s download-driven Internet world so I tend to only focus on the stuff that really blows me away, bands I’ve usually seen live before I hear it on record. If it’s powerful and resonates with me then I can discover whether or not it’s going to be backed up by the band themselves with sufficient touring and promotion etc. It’s a team effort so you wanna make sure your team is ready to go out with all guns blazing.
THKD: You’ve also release material by the band Fire Witch on Bro Fidelity. What can you tell me about that band and your kinship with them?
BW: So far the first band other than HWCT to release something on Bro Fidelity has been Fire Witch. My favorite band in Australia. Saw them when I first moved to Melbourne from having lived overseas for most of my life and instantly fell in love with their DIY ethics, personable natures and most importantly their music and live shows. Jem from Fire Witch runs WeEmptyRooms records and the two of us collaborate on promoting shows and organizing tours and shows for bands a lot. I really enjoy this part of what he brings to Bro Fi as well. Not only my favorite band but a like-mindedness and community spirit that we enjoy working together with. Buy ‘Liars!’ by Fire Witch!!! You will not be disappointed!!!! The screen printed covers were all drawn by our good friend Jace (Fangs Of…) and done by hand by Jem, myself and a few other generous souls. Labor of love! They will never be repressed so get your mits on one now.
THKD: What releases do you have planned for Bro Fidelity in the near future?
BW: I’m very excited about the next release, it’s a collaboration between HWCT & Gary Arce (Yawning Man/Ten East). We met Gary about a year and a half ago when HWCT opened up for Ten East in Australia. Gary dug our sounds and asked if we could get something happening, the result being this next release. It is going to be on vinyl only and will be limited to 500 copies. It contains two pieces roughly 10 minutes in length each and really sounds great. I couldn’t be happier with how it’s sounding.
THKD: You were recently asked to play drums for Mondo Generator. How did this come about?
BW: Nick’s Aussie label Impedance, called me and said that the drummer had dropped out and they needed me to start a tour in 2 weeks. I had previously filled in on drums for Winnebago Deal (who at one time were also Mondo Generator members) so I’m pretty sure that had something to do with me getting asked to do it.
THKD: What other projects, if any, are the two of you currently involved in?
BW: We have a band called Daggers Mid Flight which is an improv based noise project with Deryck and Jawsh from the Aussie band Spider Goat Canyon. It features two drummers , guitar and bass and is instrumental. We are gearing up to release our second full length this year which will be a double album on CD. It’s supremely heavy monolithic, spaced out madness captured on tape. It’s a super fun band to play live shows in. Toby also has a project that has that sort of ‘Desert Sessions-vibe’ to it. Him and Gerasimos from Peeping Tom/Sons Of The Ionian Sea started it and kind of randomly create different lineups from our pool of friends in Melbourne to play shows. The band is called The New Quiet. Expect a release on Bro Fidelity sometime late this year, early next.
THKD: What does the rest of 2010 have in store for Hotel Wrecking City Traders?
BW: We are currently working out a European trek. We’ve wanted to go there for ages and it’s finally looking like the pieces of the puzzle are coming together so fingers crossed. The record with Gary Arce will be out in a few months and then we will probably record some new stuff for another release next year. We’re also opening up for Zeni Geva soon on part of their Aussie tour and have a run of our own Aussie shows planned for the rest of the year.
THKD: Are there any final thoughts you would like to add?
BW: Just a big thanks to you man. Thanks for taking the time and interest in HWCT/Bro Fidelity. Here are links where you can find out more about everything we’ve discussed and purchase copies of the records:
HOTEL WRECKING CITY TRADERS (HWCT)
http://www.hotelwreckingcitytraders.com
http://www.myspace.com/hotelwreckingcitytraders
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Hotel-Wrecking-City-Traders/93896866528?ref=sgm
BRO FIDELITY
http://www.myspace.com/brofidelity
http://brofidelity.bigcartel.com
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Bro-Fidelity/431929970065?ref=sgm
Cauldron Black Ram – Slubberdegullion (Weird Truth Productions, 2010)
As far as I know, metal is the only genre where a band can base its entire career on one subject. I don’t know of any pop or jazz bands who only write songs about ancient Egypt or the Vikings, for instance. Metal however is rife with these types of bands, every note and every lyric in service of a specific historical period, people or event.
Enter Australia’s Cauldron Black Ram. The band has based their musical output on tales of pirates, but not in a lame or silly way. If you’re looking for that shit go listen to Alestorm or Swashbuckle. Cauldron Black Ram’s dark metallic sea shanties are twisted and gnarled like the planks of a ghost ship. Their sound reflects the grit ‘n’ grime of the age of Blackbeard and Captain Kidd, with not a hint of the humor or quasi-drinking song nonsense that other pirate-centric bands tend to incorporate.
From what I can gather, Slubberdegullion is a concept album about a villainous buccaneer named Black Douglass. Whereas I could not find any historical evidence of a real pirate by that name, there was a Sir James Douglas who fought for Scotland’s independence and was known as “the Black Douglas”. However, there is nothing stating that he ever engaged in piracy, so I am fairly certain that the album’s story was entirely concocted by the band and is not related to him in any way. I find it refreshing that Cauldron Black Ram opted to take some creative license with their concepts rather than the “painstakingly researched” route that many historically minded metal bands opt for. However, the band does use authentic terminology such as “slubberdegullion” and “blunderbuss” to add an air of legitimacy to the proceedings.
Musically, Cauldron Black Ram’s specific influences are difficult to pin down. Though I do hear some Hellhammer/Celtic Frost in the riffing and tonal departments, the band has a very unique approach to rhythm and composition which is aided by a thick, crusty and bottom-heavy production scheme. The trio’s song-writing sense is simplicity itself, yet there is something decidedly off-kilter about it that makes it difficult to describe or draw comparisons. Essentially, Cauldron Black Ram is just too goddamn weird to be derivative.
With Slubberdegullion, Cauldron Black Ram have conjured up something sonically and conceptually unique, cementing their place as one of Australian metal’s most underrated bands. Easily the most creative black/death metal album I’ve heard this year and one that isn’t likely to leave my playlist for a long time to come.
(Note: Be sure to check out Cauldron Black Ram’s first album, the equally impressive Skulduggery, as well.)
Interview: DENOUNCEMENT PYRE
Denouncement Pyre’s World Cremation is one of the best black metal albums I’ve heard in quite some time. It’s not at all surprising that the band hails from Australia, the land of all things filthy ‘n’ furious when it comes to heavy metal. While many of their countrymen emphasize thrash over black metal, Denouncement Pyre does just the opposite, cultivating a heavily blackened sound with hints of thrash creeping up around its rough edges. I got in contact with D-Pyre mastermind Decaylust for the following interrogation.
THKD: Denouncement Pyre started in 2003, yet World Cremation is your first full length. Why did it take so long to release an album?
Decaylust: We have previously released a demo, 2 x 7”eps, a mini album & a split LP, so we have been very active since the bands conception. The album took a while to surface as we have had various line-up changes and some other delays too, which are of less relevance now. Finally we are at the point where we want to be. World Cremation is a positive step and provides a gateway for us to move forward into the next stage for this band.
THKD: Where and when was World Cremation recorded? What can you tell us about the process?
D: The drums were recorded in October of 2009, in a separate studio to where the rest of the recording was completed. I was present in the room with InVotan when he recorded the drums, as we wanted to try and channel a similar atmosphere as in our rehearsals. I had to take some time out after the drums sessions due to other commitments, so the rest of the album was completed during January-February of 2010. We recorded at Burning Leather studios with the assistance of former D.PYRE member J.E. We tried a few new things in the studio this time & I am pleased with the end result.
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