Interview by: Angela Ambrose
SHIBARI
Congratulations on your upcoming release! How did your fans receive the first two video singles? “These songs have been received really well. “Where Gods Fear To Speak” is the title track from the upcoming album, and it debuted my harsh vocals. That received a lot of surprise and a lot of support. People were pretty stoked to have me finally growling, and so that was really fun to debut, and then with “Poem Of Ecstasy” growls on that one and another fun video. They’ve both been received really well, gotten a lot of playlisting, and it’s just been exciting for those little little snippets to be out.”
The videos are really beautiful, especially “Where Gods Fear To Speak”. That was something very different that I haven’t seen before. “We wanted to do the Shibari* to sort of represent the duality of what the song was pushing. And so it’s an illustration of a contrast between pleasure and pain, ritual and sacrifice, torture and art. We’re on a limited budget, so we wanted to make the biggest impact with what we could do. I felt like that was the simplest way to illustrate those meanings and those dualities in a very concise, succinct sort of way for the music video. It took a bit of practice and a lot of scheduling, but it came out really nice, and it definitely pushed the limits of what I thought I could do and how much sacrifice I’m willing to make for art. So it was really neat, and it was definitely a very expansive experience for myself. It’s a new side of my artistry for myself.”
*Shibari is a Japanese word meaning “to tie” or “to bind”. It’s the practice of rope-binding as an artistic and physical endeavour, but has emerged over the years in artistic photography and performance arts contexts.
BOGOTÁ
I read that this album was meant to be a dystopian, post-apocalyptic survival movie. What is the connection between these songs and the overarching concept of the album? ““Where Gods Fear To Speak” is the main track that lays out the theme of the album. All the songs play a part in that overall storyline with each one being its own narrative of a part of this world and so with “Where Gods Fear To Speak”, it’s the overarching question that gets the listener involved to figure out what the title means. It’s made to mean something different for everyone. It’s sort of a “what is the meaning of life?” kind of question. Then there’s “Poem Of Ecstasy”. It’s more of like a zoomed-in love story, what the antagonist is going through as they move through this world. I think no matter where we are or what’s happening, there’s always room for love. And love is kind of the main thing that we should be seeking, whether it’s love for our children or love for our families or love for a spouse, or love for ourselves. That without love, there isn’t a lot of meaning to life and there isn’t a lot of hope and a lot of eagerness to make a difference for anything. It’s this element that exists kind of outside of ourselves that we cultivate around the people that we interact with, but it doesn’t always just make everything work out.”
What made you decide to record the album in Bogotá, and how did it influence the sound and mood of the album? “Artistry has become less about art and more about following a formula. We wanted to go to a place where things were organic and real, and where you found inspiration outside of your day-to-day surround- ings. Our producer, Joel Hamilton, is very comfortable in the studio there. Bogotá is a vibrant, turbulent city with a rich, devastating history. It has a dark underbelly but incredibly kind, open-hearted, and loving people, much like anywhere touched by extreme poverty and capitalism. Being there helped us experience a culture shock, pulling in ideas that found their way onto the album. We wanted to understand what people are going through and make their story a part of our art. People forget that musicians and artists have a duty to unite people, not just over entertainment, but also to show them hard truths. I don’t think a lot of modern musicians take up that charge anymore, everything’s just fantasy and fun. That’s fine, but when everybody does it, we miss something important for society, fans, and listeners. It means something to me when I do a show and people cry in front of the stage. They need to get something out, to feel seen and heard, in a space safe enough to cry. I don’t take that for granted, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. People’s suffering and stories are worth knowing and seeing past our cell phones.”
AI
“Starlight And Ash” was less heavy and you had some pushback from your last record label related to this stylistic change. Now you’re bringing back some interesting heavier elements. Was this a natural evolution of the band’s sound? “We are the kind of band who are very responsive to what we’re going through and what’s going on around us, in the world and in society. Bands have to kind of fit the status quo, and I feel like they really have to define their sound and then do exactly that so they can fit into an algorithm that knows exactly where to feed them. Then they miss out on being responsive to the world around them. The world has changed, and “Starlight And Ash” was a reflection of how that year, how COVID felt. We were back home, things slowed down, things were quieter. We revisited albums we had grown up with, which had a lot of folk, country, bluegrass, jazz, and gospel influences. So we wrote an album that was reflective of that. While it was very emotionally heavy, it wasn’t as musically heavy. As a label, they definitely want the next big thing that’s going to sustain itself and you’re like: “Sure, but you’re missing out on the magic and essence of what art used to be before you were just trying to capitalize on it”. When the world opened back up and things got on our nerves, and tensions rose in the world, and we found new things to be angry about, it reflected in the music. Times changed, the world got very agitated, even down to the weather. It’s tension, anger, corruption, things falling apart, and needing to find a new way to come together. It’s people needing to find their voice. So we wrote an album that reflects that, and it’s heavier because things are louder now, and there are bombs going off everywhere. That transition was natural. We ebb and flow.”
“At the end of the day, it’s our magic and art, and we’ll just have to be side-by-side. It’ll be us and the cyborg band on the next stage!”
– CAMMIE BEVERLY –
What are your thoughts on AI in the music industry? “You can use it for a billion different things. It can be a tool, a brain, everything, or just one variable among what you do. Administratively, sure, I don’t want to answer 50 emails. But it can make album art too. It’s maybe stolen this art, put all this stuff together, and wedged out people who would’ve been up-and-coming. It’s so insidious, but we can’t go backwards. Maybe that means live shows are that much more important. AI could write the songs, tweaked by a person, but that’s what happens when you make music that’s a formula in the first place. At the end of the day, it’s our magic and art, and we’ll just have to be side-by-side. It’ll be us and the cyborg band on the next stage!”
GROWLS
Going back to the tracks, you mentioned it was your first time showcasing your growling vocals. What made you want to incorporate this vocal style? “I’ve dabbled with them for a long time. I had a couple of friends whose bands have become more prominent this year, and I was so impressed with their growls: Bridget Lynch (Stabbing), and Chaney Crabb (Entheos). I took lessons with my friend Mary Zimmer and also Melissa Cross, and we unlocked a safe way to do it. Dobber, my husband, always says, “Just don’t hurt your voice,” but I figured out a way to do it with their help: proper technique and coaching. It’s been amazing and so fun. We did the demos and then in the studio with the right technique, and I’m so satisfied with how big and deep the growls sound. I didn’t want there to be any vocal area that was off limits. Next up, Gregorian chants or something… that’ll be the next album, right?” (laughs).
How was it to work with the vocalists of Moonspell and Dark Tranquillity? What made you want to collaborate, and what did they bring? “We went on tour with Fernando from Moonspell and talked to him about being on the album. We’re big fans of each other’s bands and vocals, and he agreed while we were on tour. He did such a great job… his clean singing is so dark and husky, and his growls are just so good. With Mikael, we’ve been fans of Dark Tranquillity for a while. He doesn’t do a lot of guest vocal spots, but he agreed to be on the new album. We wrote both songs with each of the guys in mind, and they nailed it. They understood the elements and aggression needed. Mikael is so ominous and mysterious with his vocals. These songs are devastatingly good, super exciting. I think people will be really surprised when they come out. We also had some local musicians. Unfortunately, two songs didn’t make the cut, they ended up in the vault. They had native singers on them who did this wonderful ethnic, tribal singing. We’ll have to do something with those songs later. On “Prayer” there are instrumental guest spots, and harmonies were provided by a friend of ours in Bogotá. It was really a community effort, which is cool.”
Do you have any other words for our readers? “There’s a lot to it (“Where Gods Fear To Speak”): storylines, depth, layers, not just in the storylines, but in the songs themselves. So many musical elements. I hope everyone enjoys the album!” ■