Dark Greetings!!
Here is a new interview with the mighty U.S scene {specifically California} GraveSpawn and talking about their past and future and their newest release "Woe To The Conquered" released by the band themselves.GraveSpawn are a band you will defintly like if you enjoy the mid 90's black metal with fast and furious guitars and drumming and some of the best vocals out there.Enjoy the interview and keep watching the blog for more reviews and interviews coming soon.
Regards
Patrick
Interview with Gravespawn done by Patrick
1. Hails!! Gravespawn was formed in 2004 when did you all get the idea to form this band? How did you all choose the name for the band?
Rellik started doing Gravespawn as a solo project when he was in the military apart from another band he was in at the time. At the time there really was no purpose behind the band other than creating an "over-the-top", raw as fuck, satanic black metal band. Honestly, the name is the result of finding that all the "good" black metal names were taken so he decided to just roll with the first silly name that came to mind. It happened to be available hahaha!
2. What is the current line up for Gravespawn? How do you all feel the music has changed over the years?
Rellik Sephiroth on lead vocals, Atrum Abbas on lead guitar, Verigo on rhythm guitar, Advorsus on bass, and Mattias on drums. Over the years, our music writing has transformed from less of a fast in your face black metal sound, to more of a sound which incorporates elements of black metal, along with melodic riffs, allowing our music to develop various atmospheres. We changed what needed to be changed but at the same time also preserve what needs to be preserved. The most noticeable change would be Rellik moving to vocals after having played rhythm guitar for the entire existence of the band. Also moving Verigo to guitars and adding Advorsus to bass duties. Unlike before, Gravespawn finally feels like a genuine brotherhood. There is a feeling of camaraderie finally.
3. Gravespawn has just released their new cd "Woe To The Conquered." How long did it take to write and compose the new songs? Does the whole band work on the music or does one member usually write everything?
Completing this album was a painstaking process but was worth it in the end. We went through three different mixes. The whole thing was written over the course of about a year and a half or so from 2011-2013. We really like to keep the whole band involved in the writing process, and most songs are composed in a section by section manner when writing. Each member not only contributes their part; we all throw ideas at each other during the writing process, regarding to the structure of each song, and various ways of playing sections, etc. Before, it was only two or three members contributing to the music and lyrics…now we are an entire band of competent and talented songwriters. No loafers or free loaders allowed!
4. Who usually writes the lyrics for the band. What are some topics/subjects you all write about?
In the same regard to writing the music, with lyrics, we like to have every member involved. Each member has their own personal interests, and we like to incorporate aspects of those while writing both lyrics and music. Some lyrics are written entirely by different members, while others are written as a group effort, with multiple members contributing sections to make the whole. In the past our lyrics centered entirely around the typical "Hail Satan/fuck religion" theme. Now that things have changed quite drastically within the band this past year, we want to expand our horizons and write more about our particular interests and studies as a whole.
5.Besides the new cd "Woe To The Conquered", does the band have any other merchandise available for the fans? If yes where can the fans buy it?
At the present moment, the cd is the only available merch that we have available. However, T-Shirts will be re-stocked in the very near future, as we have a new T-Shirt design undergoing completion to be pressed into shirts. For merchandise sales you can contact any one of our pages on the internet. (Facebook, Reverbnation, etc.)
6. I believe "Woe To The Conquered" was self-released. Has the band searched for a label to work with or do you all prefer to release everything yourselves?
To date, mostly everything has been released on our own, but we have considered pursuing a label to work with, and may start searching after our "Woe To The Conquered" release is well established. However, plans are also in place to release all of our own material in case we are unsuccessful in finding a label that meets our demands. There have been many labels that have offered what we would consider to be “sub-par” offers; we are in no hurry to sign with anyone, but a great opportunity presents itself…
7. Are their any tours or shows planned for 2015 in support of the new cd? If yes where are some places you will be playing?
We actually recently played the Kansas City Black Death Fest at the Riot Room in Missouri, last month in April. At the moment no further shows or tours are booked, but when something comes up, we'll be sure to let it be known.
8. Where have been some of your most memorable shows to date? Who are some bands you have had the pleasure to share the stage with?
We did a West-Coast tour with Dodsferd back in 2011, and played some amazing shows in San Fransisco and Sacramento. The tour itself is something that will never be forgotten. Kansas City was also an insane show with incredible amounts of support while we were on. To date, we've had the pleasure of sharing the stage with some greats such as Horna, Blood Stained Dusk, Stonehaven, Wayfarer, Dodsferd, and Nightbringer.
9. What does black metal mean to you all?
Black metal is a musical expression of revolt against the structured fabrication of society or quite simply an expression of darkness in general. It is a means of tapping into our primal and unfiltered true self, by using a form of music which allows one to transcend the causal world and enter a world of their own creation; it is an escape from the mundane.
10. Are any of the members currently working with other bands or solo projects? If yes please tell the readers a little about them?
Actually all the members are involved in other projects. Rellik and Advorsus are also involved with an atmospheric epic metal project inspired by Robert E Howard's Conan the Barbarian stories called Ben Morgh. They also just recently finished an album for a death metal project called SVU. Advorsus plays in an extreme metal band called Dark Apostle. Their music is essentially a mix of black, death, and thrash metal.
Atrum Abbas is involved in Indesiderium, which is not your average typical black metal. It has all the blasting and sinister riffing black metal is known for, but there is so much depth and complexity to it that is stands out from most black metal out there. It is very unique, yet extremely dark and evil. Very atmospheric as well. Mattias is involved in Indesiderium as well along with other projects called Heši, and Abysmal Chaos. Heši is a Dark Metal 2-man project with an atmospheric-melodic sound, somewhat similar to Fen, and Abysmal Chaos is a solo-project, whose dark sound creates an atmosphere of solitude and melancholy
Charles is also involved in a black metal band called Vesterian who recently released an album on Glorious North and is about to embark on a US tour.
11. Gravespawn comes out of California's black metal scene.What is your opinion of California's black metal scene?
The California scene has is strengths and its weaknesses. In many Los Angeles clubs, the audience will have a fair amount of people who want to look different and act different for egotistical and self-image related reasons, but outside of L.A., there is a real strong energy and interest in black metal, and those who show up are die-hard fans of the music and give tons of support. Overall, the CA scene is strong and in full force, with a plethora of Black Metal bands emerging.
12. Besides California what is your opinion of the U.S black metal scene as a whole? Who are your all-time favorite bands from the u.s? Are their any new bands you feel the readers should check out soon?
The U.S. Black Metal scene as a whole is fitting and appropriate. There are a lot of fucked up issues in the U.S., and therefore people have a lot of reasons to need and desire an extreme outlet from the strains of everyday life. From the average cost to live v.s. the average salary earned, to the excessive amount of everyday murders, robberies, public shootings, rapes, etc., the U.S. is an extreme environment. It is therefore not surprising to see the amount of Black Metal and other forms of Extreme Metal in the U.S.
We highly respect such U.S. Black Metal acts as : Inquisition, Grand Belial's Key, Crebain, Leviathan, Crimson Moon, Nachtmystium, Ceremonial Castings, Krallice, and Falls Of Rauros, Thy Infernal, Caladan Brood, Bloodstained Dusk, to name a few. We would definitely like to support our fellow comrades, and advise all readers this to turn their ears towards Ritual Combat, Conjuror, Revanant Vrykolakos, Killgasm, etc.
13. Would you all consider yourself's Satanist or just anti-religions? When did you first start questioning organized religions?
Each member of the band has their own individual beliefs, and we choose not to label ourselves in such a way. While some members walk a spiritual path, they choose not to label that path, for it is ever-growing and ever-changing, and, like all spiritual paths, is personal to their beliefs and understanding.
We are against any form of organized religion, and believe in thinking for oneself.
14. Who are some Satanists/occultists you enjoy reading and studying?
Each member of Gravespawn has his own unique interests that we all bring to the band. Rellik and Avorsus, for example, primarily enjoy studying ancient and medieval history as well as mythology. Atrum Abbass and Mattias enjoy reading about various topics such as consciousness and psychology, the occult, entheogens, etc., from authors/publishers such as : Lux Ferous, Black Tower, Thomas Karlsson, TOAF, the ol' Lodge Magan.
15. Thank you all for taking the time to fill this interview do you have any final comments for the readers?
We would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to discuss our music and band to all who are interested, and thank you for presenting this interview. To the readers - we would appreciate you checking out our latest release 'Woe To The Conquered', if you haven't already, and we would like to thank you for supporting the band throughout the years, and giving us a reason to keep the flame burning!
Band Contacts
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gravespawn-Official/
