Now on Sludgelord I am interviewing the mysterious One-Man Drone/Doom/Sludge Metal Wrecking Crew – Beneath The Storm
Beneath The Storm has just released their excellent début album – Temples Of Doom. And it's one scary mother-fucking affair which I described as:
“Temples Of Doom is definitely the creepiest album I have heard this year. It's full of top-notch scary moments which is quite rare for a Doom/Sludge Metal album. Drone does play a big part in the album. It ties all the musical elements together. But it's the creepy sound-clips that gives this album a deeply unforgiving and unforgettable edge.
Listen to this at your own peril!!! - Are you ready to confront your worst fears!!!”
Now it's time to enter the disturbing mind of Beneath The Storm
Q1 – Hi dude. How are things with you today. Thanks for doing this. I take it you have some spare time to talk to me. Unless your busy talking to Satan.
Hi Steve, i'm doing fine thanks. First of all, thank you for the great review of Temples and the opportunity to do this interview. It's really an honor to be on Sludgelord.
Q2 – Can you give people a brief history on how you came involved with music.
I've been playing guitar since i was 10, started playing in bands with 14 and have been doing it ever since. I'm 29 now. A couple of years ago i finished an audio engineering school so i could start recording on my own. So besides playing in bands, i started to make different studio projects. Beneath The Storm being the latest.
Q3 – When did you decide to publish your music to the world. That must have been a daunting task for you to do. Possibly fear of rejection or criticism.
It was in early 2013. I've just finished an album for a sludge project and was sending it to different record labels. I knew that even if i would get a record deal, at least 3 months would have past before getting an answer. And even then it would take another 3 months for pressing the cd's and stuff like that. So since i just want to make music and don't really care about anything else, i've decided to make this project. The idea was to just put it on the internet and see what happens.
This way it was possible to put the music out as soon as it was finished, instead of waiting another 6 months or so. It also allows me to put out as much music as i like and gives me total control of every step. It gives me total freedom. If i want to put out 3 albums a year, i can do so (which is the plan). There was no fear of rejection. To tell you the truth, i thought only my friends would hear this album and maybe it would get 50 downloads max. So i'm really surprised about the response.
Q4 – Now your début album – Temples Of Doom. That is seriously one creepy fucked up affair. Was that always the plan to release something creepy as the début album.
Yes. I was trying to recreate the feeling you get when watching creepy old horror movies. And it is going to stay that way. I want to keep it as brutal as possible. no compromise, haha.
Q5 – Was it a hard album to record. It must have been especially with all of the sound-clips spliced with your music.
Absolutely not! I do this because i LOVE to do it. I have to do it, somehow. Nothing is hard if you really love it. It would be hard if i was not allowed to do it, haha. I recorded everything by myself which is, for some reason, easier and quicker than recording with a band. There was no timeline, so i recorded when i felt like it. I'd say searching for those sound clips was the least fun, but still not a drag.
Q6 – Which bands and artists have influenced you as a musician.
It's to many to mention, i listen to a lot of different music… like, i love John Coltrane as much as i love Cannibal Corpse. If you know what i mean. I guess Tool were a major influence... But i guess for this project, bands like Isis, Acid Bath, Rosetta, Eyehategod, Ahab, Electric Wizard… You get the idea.
Q7 – Now you record everything by yourself. Which instruments do you play. And what is your most favourite instrument to use.
I play all instruments in this project. Obviously, the guitar is my favorite instrument to play but it's also fun to do vocals.
Q8 – You have told me in passing before that your involved with other musical projects. Can you tell us about some of them. Though I know you want to keep your identity secret from your main band.
Ok, i play guitar in a death metal band. We're working on our 4th album right now. And also in a post metal-sludge project. We're still working on our debut. There was another solo sludge project but i don't know if i'm going to continue with it.
Q9 – When can we expect to hear music from your top secret other band.
I guess you're talking about the sludge project i was telling you about. Could be never. I'm looking for a label for it and i'm getting kind of sick of it. Maybe i'll release it as Beneath The Storm, my only worry is that it is a lot faster and more aggressive than BTS.
Q10 – Will their be any more future releases from Beneath The Storm or is too early to talk about that yet.
Oh yeah. There will be another release in a couple of months or so. I've got 2 songs finished already.
Q11 – Do you have any additional help in the studio when recording your material or is everything done by yourself.
No, just me. There is going to be (at least) one song on the next album with sound fx by a friend of mine called Neuf Meuf. But apart from that, i'm doing everything alone in the studio. It's easier this way. I know what kind of a sound i want to get out and i know how to get it. By doing it alone i can also record at 4 in the morning if i want (which i usually do).
Q12 – What are your favourite bands around at the moment. Do you listen to modern day rock/metal or do you just listen to the classic era of Stoner/Sludge/Doom Metal.
The last few years have actually been great for Sludge-Doom. I was very impressed with Grimpen Mire's album (A Plague Upon Your Houses). Also Obscure Sphinx from Poland, Serpent Omega, General Lee, Titan, Kehlvin, Murkrat, Rwake, Demonic Death Judge, Whales And Aurora, Time To Burn (a bit older, but their last album Is.land is a masterpiece), The Canyon Observer (from Slovenia) and so on. I recently discovered Impure Wilhelmina which is great fucking band!
Q13 – Do you think you will perform LIVE with Beneath The Storm or is it purely a studio only project.
It's a studio only project. I have thought about it and talked about it with possible "future band members", but for now, no. Something drastic would have to happen, like getting a big label contract (which is not going to happen, haha). It's just to much of an effort to rehears all the songs with a band just to play 3 shows a year in front of 10 people… But like i said, anything could happen. If someone's really interested in getting the band out to play some real shows, then sure.
Q14 – What are the most and least rewarding aspects of releasing and recording music as a solo artist. Possibly the expense of it all can be classed as a negative aspect.
By doing everything myself, i don't have to compromise about anything. Basically, i can do what i want… Like i said, i love what i do. I would record even if no one would ever hear it, it's a way of self therapy i guess. The most rewarding (or i should say surprising) aspect was the great response from people all around the world. So i don't mind doing it all by my self, to answer your question.
Q15 - Are you fans of any other one-man metal projects like Deterior, Judd Madden, Cloudkicker and Diamenson X. Are you aware of their music or any other projects like that.
I'm not aware of those bands, but i'm going to check them out. I like Murkrat which is a two-man project (actually a man-girl project). The only one-man (sludge) project that i know of is Fading Waves from Russia.
Q16 – Has BandCamp been a big help of getting your music across.
Yes it has. It's a great site for getting your music heard.
Q17 – What are you views of record companies shutting blogs and websites down due to illegal downloading. Some people have a very different opinion on this.
Well, i guess for bands making a living with music, illegal downloading is a bad thing. But for me it's the best thing ever! I'm making music for the love of making music, not making money. It's the best way of getting heard by people all over the world. It really is! No one is going to pay to listen to a no-name band from Slovenia. By putting it on the internet for free, your not going to make money but people are going to hear you and that's the important thing.
Q18 – What do you think of bands and musicians using sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo to help raise funds to record their next release. Would you yourself ever go down this route.
I've never heard of those sites. Sure, if that helps them, why not. I would never use them though, cause i don't need money to record since i'm recording myself.
Q19 – So what are you currently listening to on your MP3 Player. Any album that is starting to rock your world big time. Any albums your too ashamed to admit to liking and listening to.
Lately a lot of Noothgrush, Grief, Zozobra, Eibon, Palms, Kongh, Noye… I don't have albums i would be ashamed of, just albums you probably wouldn't expect from a doom musician, like: Ella Fitzgerald, Sophie Hunger, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk…
Q20 – So what are your future plans for the next 12 months or so. Anything exciting we should be looking forward to.
To make at least 3 albums and some T-shirts.
Q21 – Finally do you have anything to say to our readers.
Keep supporting sludge and doom.
Well dude thanks for your time doing this. Hope you continue to release more excellent releases. Best of luck in the future.
Check Beneath The Storm From Links Below
BandCamp
