AN NCS INTERVIEW: JASON WILLIAM WALTON (AGALLOCH, SELF SPILLER, ELS, SCULPTURED)

 Interviews  2 Responses »
Nov 082011
 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Our first guest post of today is an interview conducted by Stephen Parker, the talented guitarist of Oregon’s Arkhum. I’m a big fan of Arkhum and have written about them multiple times at NCS, including this fairly recent post. The subject of Stephen’s interview is Jason William Walton. He’s probably best known as the long-running bass player for Agalloch (another big NCS favorite and still one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen) but his musical resume is a long one. In addition to playing bass for Sculptured, Nothing, and Celestial, he has also played with Self Spiller, Especially Likely Sloth, and a half-dozen other bands that I know of. He’s also the owner and operator of a recording and production studio called Audio Savant. I’m really grateful to Stephen for landing this interview for us, and of course quite grateful to Jason Walton for participating.

SP: First of all, I’d like to thank you for answering these retardedly repetetive questions. I can understand that life has you pretty busy right now, but I genuinely appreciate you taking the time for this.

JW: Of course. I enjoy doing interviews from time to time, and it has been a while.

SW: I’d just like to jump into some business. How are things going with Audio Savant Studios? I know you recently relocated, so has that played a part in a lull, or has it really mattered?

JW: I have had a lull in business over the last year, but it has nothing to do with location, and everything to do with time. I do expect a couple projects coming up this fall and winter, but I have had less work this year than usual. Plus, Agalloch touring has taken precedence over Audio Savant. It is always a balancing act. In 2012 I hope to refocus my energy on Audio Savant.

SW: From all of the reviews I’ve seen, it seems like Marrow was widely regarded as “fantastic.” I remember even seeing it on Tom Gabriel’s list of the best of 2011 in Decibel. Do you think you’ve achieved a better response to this album, compared to Ashes Against the Grain or The Mantle?

JW: I don’t think it is fair to say a better response, but it has undoubtedly been very positive. Way more positive than we had anticipated. Each of our albums receives negative and positive feedback, and for different reasons and Marrow of the Spirit has been no different. I think it may appear that we are getting a better response for this album, but I also think we are more in ‘the public eye’ this last year than we have been in quite some time. I think if you asked the average Agalloch fan what their favorite album was, most people would still say The Mantle.  (more after the jump . . .) Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: AXL ROSENBERG OF METALSUCKS

 Interviews  8 Responses »
Nov 022011
 

NCS is planning some boffo coverage of the inaugural Metal Suckfest sponsored by MetalSucks, which is set to begin at New York’s Gramercy Theater on November 4. Our roving reporter BadWolf will be on site along with talented photographer Nick Vechery, and we’re expecting cutting-edge show reports, band interviews, scene commentary, and pics of back-stage carnal activity unmatched by any other organ of responsible metal journalism. Whether BadWolf and Nick survive for their return trip home to Ohio remains to be seen. As a prelude to all the carnage, BadWolf managed to snag some quality time with MetalSucks’ co-creator Axl Rosenberg.

-Could you give me a narrative of MetalSucks’ origin story — it’s often alluded to but seldom divulged.

Sure. It all started when my mom met my dad, and discovered the hard way those discount birth control pills she’d been buying from the “doctor” who lived in the van down the block, were, in fact, Tic Tacs. Then —

Oh, you probably want me to skip ahead a bunch. Okay. So basically Vince and I have been friends since we were five years old. And one night we got really stoned — hard to believe, I know — and went to this Children of Bodom/Amon Amarth show in Times Square. And I can’t for the life of me remember what inspired this conversation, but at some point in-between sets, Vince turned to me and was like, “Hey, you know those music blogs like Pitchfork and Idolator?” And I was like, “Yeah.” And he was like, “Why isn’t there one for metal?” And I was like, “I dunno.” And he was like, “Wanna start one?” And I was like, “Okay.”  (more after the jump . . .) Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: GREG MACKINTOSH OF VALLENFYRE AND PARADISE LOST

 Interviews  20 Responses »
Oct 272011
 

Anyone who’s been reading NO CLEAN SINGING over the last two months knows how pumped we are for the release of the debut album, A Fragile King, by Vallenfyre. Hell, we got very excited before we knew who was in this band or how they came together, just based on hearing pieces of two songs the band had released on a 7-inch single — which apparently was sufficient to land them a record contract with Century Media. Sharp ears, those Century Media folks have.

Once we found out who was in Vallenfyre, our excitement grew. The band was started by Greg Mackintosh, whose name you will recognize as the long-standing guitarist and a co-founding member of Paradise Lost. He wrote Vallenfyre’s music and the lyrics and called together a group of friends to fill out this band — and they happen to be top-shelf musicians too:   Hamish Glencross (My Dying Bride) – Rhythm and Lead Guitars; Mully – Rhythm Guitars;  Scoot (Doom, Extinction of Mankind) – Bass; and Adrian Erlandsson (At the Gates, Paradise Lost) – Drums.

Many albums are inspired by the songwriter’s personal experiences, but A Fragile King is a more personal creation than most. The music and the lyrics were largely the result of Greg Mackintosh’s effort to work through the grief he experienced over the death of his father John from cancer. It’s an album that’s in part a reflection of the anguish and the anger he felt, in part a tribute to his dad, and in part a re-connecting to the kind of metal he loved in younger and happier days — a voyage back in time to a place of refuge and comfort. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: KRAMPUS

 Interviews  7 Responses »
Oct 192011
 

(Recently, NCS guest contributor Trollfiend reviewed the new EP by an Italian folk-metal band named Krampus. The album is called Kronos’ Heritage, and you can find Trollfiend’s review here. Today, he follows up that review with an interview of the band.)

First of all, thank you for taking the time to respond to this interview!

You’re welcome!

What made you choose the Krampus as the image to represent your band?

Well, the choice came after the name, chosen by the past guitar player Riccardo.

Your promo photos look very post-apocalyptic, not at all like the ‘swords and furs’ you usually see in folk metal bands.  Is this a theme you plan to pursue further?

We feel that this is the right outfit for our lyrical themes, all our songs are different from the “classical” folk metal themes. We talk about environmental problems, we speak against what we believe to be the new “demons” and foes of the modern world, but we try to do it with a “past values” approach. We think that everything went too far and we are probably heading to something we won’t be able to confront, if we keep wasting time and turning our heads away from all this, there will not be that much left to cry over. Let’s say, our “image”, it’s some kind of “word to the wise”.

Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: TEXTURES

 Interviews  4 Responses »
Oct 142011
 

(Textures‘ new album Dualism has been making quite an impact. We sure as hell liked it here at NCS, as reflected in TheMadIsraeli’s review. Now TheMadIsraeli follows that up with this interview of the band.)

Hello there! First off, how are you all doing today? I’m honored to even be doing an email interview with you guys, you’ve been one of my favorite bands since Drawing Circles.

Hi! Very good! We just got back from the USA tour these days, so life is turning back to normal again, getting used to the European rhtyhm again, and we’re preparing for the upcoming release shows.

I’m curious to hear from you guys, how does it feel to be on your 4th album now?

It feels natural haha, it’s just what we like to do! Time flies when you are having fun! We are very proud when we look back at all the 4 albums, and if we had to do it again, we would have done it the same way i think.

So you’ve just wrapped up the Frak The Gods tour. In hindsight, how did you enjoy the tour and what were your favorite or favorites of the three other bands on the bill? I know you guys love The Contortionist for example.

Yeah that band has really amazed us, it’s a great live band, and their sound and set was ultra steady, each night! I must say i didn’t know them before this tour, so for me it was a double surprise, just awesome to watch, every night. And great guys as well! Periphery and the Human Abstract are fun to watch too, great musicians!

Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: MOLOCH OF MELECHESH

 Interviews  2 Responses »
Sep 222011
 

(NCS writer BadWolf is killin’ it this week. Yesterday he turned in a Wolves in the Throne Room concert review with some amazing photos, and today we’ve got another one of his typically entertaining and insightful interviews. This time the subject is Moloch of Sumerian black-metal band Melechesh, who we find out is pursuing a PhD in philosophy, and this interview veers away from music and into some very different territory by the end. )

Melechesh want you to kill your TV.

This enlightening interview was held on St. Patrick’s day at Blondie’s in Detroit, while Melechesh was on tour with Hate, Rotting Christ and Abigail Williams. My subject was Moloch, rhythm guitarist and original member. Our conversation began with music, and the band’s excellent 2010 record The Epigenesis.

By the end our minds were on… other things.

Oh, and they were by far the best band on the bill.

BadWolf- This is your first national tour of the United States, how does it feel?

Moloch- It’s an interesting experience to say the least. We’re here to test the grounds, see how things are going. So far it’s been a mix of amazing, special and crappy. We’ve already covered a wide spectrum in the first week. From now on things are going to get really good.  (more after the jump . . .) Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: THE OCEAN’S ROBIN STAPS

 Interviews  10 Responses »
Sep 152011
 

(NCS interviewer deluxe BadWolf turned in this revealing interview of Robin Staps from that mind-bending multinational collective The Ocean.)

The struggles that met The Ocean on their 2011 Spring tour supporting Between the Buried and Me and Job for a Cowboy have been well-discussed, but perhaps not well-documented. This interview I conducted on the Toledo date of that tour on May 28 supplies a missing piece of the puzzle.

Now that The Ocean are returning to the U.S. next month with Devin Townsend, it’s the perfect time to bring the mind of The Ocean’s mastermind, writer/guitarist Robin Staps, to light.

Do yourselves a favor and SEE THAT TOUR. The Ocean are a heady, proggy band, but they put on a visceral stage show with stage diving and, apparently, an intense light show which wasn’t present at Headliner’s in Toledo. Staps and his friends deserve your support!

INTERVIEW

BadWolf – This is the first time you’ve played this part of the country [Toledo].

Robin Staps – We played Chicago last time, I think.  We were here three years ago with Kylesa, Lair of the Minotaur and Withered.

d00shc00gr [Badwolf’s compatriot] – Man we should have seen that one!  (more after the jump . . .) Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: CHANCE GARNETTE OF SKELETONWITCH

 Interviews, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  4 Responses »
Aug 182011
 

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Last Sunday, our favorite NCS writer from the UK (okay, yes, he’s the only NCS writer from the UK) killed three birds with one stone. Actually, he didn’t kill anything (at least so far as he can remember), so let me change that: Andy Synn did a lot of multi-tasking last Sunday night, to whit:

He and his band Bloodguard opened a show in Nottingham headlined by the almighty Skeletonwitch; he interviewed Chance Garnette, the frontman for Skeletonwitch — on video no less; and he filmed Skeletonwitch playing a new song (“Reduced To the Failure of Prayer”) when they took the stage. And he probably did some other things that night, which are better left private. Not too fucking shabby for one night, huh? So, here we have both the interview video, a transcript of the interview (which Andy did, too), that live video, and one more Skeletonwitch video just for good measure. UPDATE: We’ve now also got the song that will appear on a flexi-disc in the next issue of DECIBEL mag.]

Sunday evening I had the chance to interview Skeletonwitch singer Chance Garnette just prior to their show at Nottingham Rock City. It was also the first time I’ve attempted to video an interview… and I think it turned out ok!

I edited the original footage down from 25+ minutes, simply to remove some of the more conversational and rambling stuff that Chance and I got into, so don’t worry, there’s been no editing trickery to alter the content of the interview as presented – just some to make me look better as an interviewer!

After the jump there’s a transcript for those of you who, like me, don’t always want to watch/listen to an interview and prefer to read it at their own pace! Continue reading »

NOCTEM: “NOW IS THE TIME FOR OBLIVION…” (AN NCS INTERVIEW)

 Interviews  2 Responses »
Jul 192011
 

(NCS writer Andy Synn follows his review of the new album by Spain’s Noctem with an interview.)

After my recent review of the rather excellent Oblivion (HERE) by Spanish extremists Noctem, I have been emailing back and forth with the band’s guitarist (and general mastermind) Exo, garnering some background information on the group’s formation, transformation and the creative process which informed both their debut release and their latest album.

A thoroughly pleasant and clearly passionate individual, Exo passed my questions on to his dedicated partner-in-crime, lead singer Beleth, who has been with Exo since the band’s inception. After the jump you can read the responses Beleth provided to my email interrogation, offering his own distinct perspective on the group’s past, present and future . . . Continue reading »

MORE 2011 SICKNESS (PART 7)

 Forthcoming Albums, Interviews  19 Responses »
Jul 012011
 


June is behind us, July lies ahead. Here in the U.S., we’re about to start the long weekend leading up to Independence Day, when Americans celebrate the birth of the nation by buying explosive ordinance wherever fine explosive ordinance is sold and lighting up the night sky (in addition to blowing the shit out of objects and sometimes themselves). People will also be exposing unsightly parts of their bodies wherever sun can be found and eating large quantities of health food prepared on outdoor grills. Our Founding Fathers would be proud of what they wrought!

Because the last month has ended, that means it’s time for another installment of METAL IN THE FORGE, in which we collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — this isn’t a cumulative list. If we found out about a new album during May or preceding months, we wrote about them in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier. This month’s list begins right after the jump. Look for your favorite bands, or get intrigued about some new ones. And feel free to tell us about how we fucked up by omitting releases that we overlooked. Continue reading »

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