Every
now and again a band comes along and turns the whole Doom/Stoner
Metal community upside down with their blazing riffs. And that's true
for the next band I am honoured to be interviewing. As these guys
have released one of the best Psychedelic Stoner/Doom Metal Records
of 2014 with Nocturnal.
Nocturnal
is starting win praise all over the place from blogs and even
mainstream magazines such as Terrorizer. So this next band are
definitely going places.
I
called their début album:
“Can
I start an album review with that statement as it's true. Aleph Null
have finally released their stunning début album – NOCTURNAL.
After teasing the Doom/Stoner Metal world with two excellent E P’s
back in 2012 - Dale and 2013 - Belladonna
These
German Psych based Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metallers have themselves quite
a considerable fanbase due to their style of hard-hitting Psych based
riffs. Taking influence from Black Sabbath, Kyuss and Mastodon, It's
time for Aleph Null to truly announce their arrival to the metal
world. And they have with Nocturnal.”
Ladies
and Gentlemen it's my pleasure to be interviewing Philip
(Guitars/Vox) from German Sonic Riffsters – ALEPH NULL.
Q1
– Hi Philip. Thanks for doing this. How are things with you all
today.
Hey
Steve! Thanks for the opportunity to spread the word. We’re doing
really great these days, a lot of exiting things are happening –
like this feature on Sludgelord!
Q2
– So let's get down to business. Can you tell our readers a brief
history on how the band started and where it is today.
It
all started 2011 when Jens, our drummer, and I got to know each other
and did a jam session. The result was the song “Dale”. I
immediately had to think about Carsten, a long time musical comrade
who played in several bands and projects with me before – I knew he
would love that sound. I wasn’t mistaken, he was absolutely
enthusiastic about it, grabbed the bass and Aleph Null was born. A
year later we released our first sign of life. The resonance was
overwhelmingly positive and we played some shows. Then another year
later we released the four tracks of “Belladonna”. Right now we
completed our third round with “Nocturnal”.
Q3
– How would you describe your sound. Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal
is what I call it. Would you call it something else.
Yeah,
the question of labelling. You know, we’re not against it –
actually we feel quite comfortable with the categories, people put us
in, and we can comprehend their notions in most cases. But the point
is, we don’t have the interpretational sovereignty. What we hear
or feel about these songs isn’t more authentic or real than any
other association that comes to someone else’s mind. And we think
that’s a good thing – that it gives this music somehow a life of
its own.
For
example, people called our first EPs “grungy” – that was quite
a surprise for us, but yeah, we can understand what people have in
mind when they call us that, and it’s definitely true. These days
people call the new record “psychedelic” or “tripping”.
Although I can image which elements substantiate that labelling, I
personally always experienced this album more a solid rock in
comparison of what we did before. But again, although I have this
guitar in my hands, I’m not “in charge” of what people
perceive.
Q4
– Before you released Nocturnal – you released two excellent EP's
– Dale and Belladonna, which received many excellent reviews from
the Doom/Stoner Metal community Were you surprised by the reaction
that you received. As you guys seriously struck a chord with fans and
reviewers alike.
Yes
we were! None of us could have anticipated that response. But
especially the profound way people discussed and still discuss what
we do. This worldwide community consists without exception of very
dedicated listeners who know exactly what they’re after. You know,
the whole musical landscape has changed completely during the last
ten years at least.
Releasing
a record back then was a totally different thing. But I think it has
changed for its benefit. Creative folks and consumers are much more
at eye level – probably because in a lot of cases they’re one and
the same. The communication is much more personal. We enjoy that a
lot! Mere click numbers tell you nothing about whether anyone digs
your enterprise. For me it’s the greatest thing on earth when
someone tells us that he or she has been spinning our records for
days – that this or that track really means something to them. I
know for sure that for everyone who reads this on Sludgelord music is
a part of life – we’re trying to contribute to that.
Q5
– Were those EP's easy or hard to write and record for. Would you
change anything about them now looking back on them.
No,
we wouldn’t change a thing! You know, we do everything by
ourselves: writing, recording, artwork, video clips and so on. But
we’re not that results-oriented, meaning apart from the ends we
learn a lot about producing stuff, how to bring ideas to life. That
in itself is a quality that we appreciate about the band. It’s the
process that inspires us – a process which is irreversible. What
we haven’t told you guys yet is that the tracks on “Dale” and
“Belladonna” are actually in the same order in which we wrote
them. In this respect these records are very organic and really
document our quest, so to speak.
Q6
– Now lets talk about your new album – Nocturnal. WOW. What an
album that is. Can you tell our readers what was the recording
process like. Did you know you had something special on your hands.
Thanks
a lot mate! We started writing these songs immediately after
“Belladonna”. You know, we’re always working on new material –
even now we have three new songs in the making. So it took us half a
year or so to get the tracks together, then recorded them in
September/October 2013. We invested in new instruments, gear, mics
and tube preamps and turned our rehearsal room into a studio –
cause it actually has a good resonance, especially for drums. After
that we really lingered over the mixing and mastering process, made a
lot of pre-production mixdowns to find the energetic sweet spot for
this recordings.
And
no, we didn’t feel like having something special on our hands
because, as I said before, we don’t plan albums but follow a
process. Every track that’s finished somehow demands the next. And
there comes the point when you feel that this is a coherent unit.
Q7
– Was Nocturnal a hard or easy album to record for compared to your
previous releases.
The
more you work together the more confident you become. I mean between
having an idea and making it become reality you really have to dig
into the material you want to shape. But once you come to this point
you really can express yourself which is the greatest feeling of all.
The danger then is that you back down onto save ground – that your
expression gets worn out. So we always try to explore new styles or
technics. Simply because we’re fans of heavy music and hate to get
bored! So all in all, what we tried with this album was to be most
transparent and in your face. Except for the vocals there are hardly
any additional effects in the mix.
Q8
– What is the meaning behind the album as I feel it's a conceptual
album in some way. Or am I looking far too much into it.
Well,
I’ve talked much about process, conception and the organic – so
actually no, we hadn’t that in mind. If anything you could say that
there is a consistent theme in the lyrics which would be nothing else
than “the nocturnal”. In every song you can find metaphors about
sleep, awakening, dawn and so on. You know, for me every verse, every
line is a little canvas you paint. And I’m just letting the words
flow until there is a picture that affects me. I’m into a very open
style of lyrics – only when their meaning is unclear, they actually
start to thrive in me.
So
in general the lyrics deal with all the nocturnal things that are at
work even if we are not aware of them. Beyond the glade in which you
think you know who you are and where things seem definite, there is a
whole dark realm of things that you can never control. To meditate
you into some sort of somnambulistic state where everything is
unclear is probably the lyrical intention of this record. Because
only where you’re not afraid to let loose new things come by.
Q9
– It's winning praise everywhere even in Terrorizer. Congrats on
that one. It seems this album is winning more praise than your last
two releases. Has this surprised you. Did you expect this kind of
response.
Interesting
here is the people’s perception of this album as our “real”
debut. We called Nocturnal an “album” simply because it’s over
40 minutes of playtime. But this is not a statement of quality. For
us the first EPs are as "serious” and “real” as anything
we do now or will do. But anyway, we are of cause thrilled and won’t
disagree if someone likes to say that this record is well done…
And
yes we are very happy with the growing attention, especially because
the community is spreading the word just ‘cause they like what they
hear – that has a great authentic vibe to it.
Q10
– Now a few fans of Sludgelord have asked me to ask this question.
So here goes – HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU GIVING THIS ALBUM AWAY FOR
FREE!!! - as we would of paid top-dollar to buy this album. It's
seriously better than some of the albums currently being sold right
now.
Haha!,
I know this is a big issue for a lot of people and it would be the
easiest thing to sell it to you as some kind of idealism. We’re not
stoned communists or something but we decided to do so for other
reasons. First and most obvious of all, we don’t believe that you
can make a living with this music. All three of us, we have simple
jobs, just enough to keep our mouths fed. But if you add this up at
the end of the year it’s a shitload of money if you try to make
that much in a subgenre band. But even if you don’t try to be a
full time musician we simply don’t need it right now. Right now we
have all the means to express what we want.
Q11
– Obviously you have given all your music away for free. Would you
ever consider charging people to buy your music. As it's seriously
of a high standard.
We’re
not categorical here. If we ever come to the conclusion that we can’t
go on if not buying a 10000 dollar console, than we would work
precisely on that to happen – but I seriously doubt that. Again
it’s the music that decides what it needs.
But
as you insist on an idealistic discussion: isn’t it interesting
that money is associated with high standard?
It
sometimes seems to us that people demand to give us their money so
that they can “rehabilitate” their idea of a worthy record. I
don’t want to say that good gear isn’t expensive in most cases
nor that a recording session in a high end studio wouldn’t ennoble
your sound beyond compare, but the drive to perfection is at some
point a really neurotic enterprise! We’re absolutely happy with the
way we work and are absolutely convinced that we are most productive
doing it like this.
Q12
– Which bands and artists influenced you as musicians. Any
particular album that changed everything for you.
Well
I can’t speak for my comrades here. For my part, everything changed
when I was thirteen and bought my first Iron Maiden and Anthrax
records in the early nineties while my uncle was feeding me with prog
and kraut like Gentle Giant or Colloseum. Besides the obvious, later
on it was among others Eyehategod and Acid Bath that really were an
revelation and allured me from more metalish sounds back to the roots
of heavy riffage and rather lysergic lyrics – Dax Riggs is one of
my favourite singers anyway. Recently I’m into All Them Witches,
Waning Moon, Correction House or monolithic sludge minimalists
Sunwolf from Leeds. Just a collection of what I think Sludgelord
readers are familiar with.
Q13
– You may know I am a huge fan of the German Sludge/Doom/Stoner
Metal Scene. Loads of great bands such as WALL, The Moth, Mantar and
yourselves are starting to make a name for yourselves. How is the
scene in Germany. Do you guys perform a lot of gigs in your hometown
or do you have to travel further afield.
We
do know quite a number of these protagonists who bring forth this
scene – great guys, dedicated and fun to be around. But if you
wanna know what’s going on in the German scene you better ask them,
because we don’t play that many shows and our first gigs weren’t
even in Germany but in neighbouring countries such as Netherlands and
Belgium. But we enjoy watching and participating in this new
prospering collective. It's exciting to see how this creative area is
getting its own profile and worldwide attention.
Q14
– What is your musical setup when playing live or recording your
music. As you do have a very psychedelic sound. Any hints and tips
would you like to give to the budding musicians out there.
Well,
in my case it’s a Mockingbird into various pedals into a single
channel Peavey tube head into a Marshall cabinet – nothing to brag
about. Just recently I started soldering my own stompboxes and right
now I'm experimenting with all kinds of fuzzes and overdrives.
The
most valuable equipment is a good set of ears anyway!
Q15
– We are massive Vinyl Heads here at Sludgelord. Are you vinyl fans
yourselves. Your album would sound amazing on Vinyl as it has that
huge epic sound that only Vinyl can capture.
A
lot of fans have been asking for vinyl and: actually we have good
news! We got in contact (thanks to everyone who made this possible)
with Daniel and his Los Angeles label EASYRIDER RECORDS. He’s an
absolutely terrific guy, does excellent work that comes 100% from the
heart. His whole catalogue is all killer no filler. Right now we are
working out all the details but we can proudly and officially
announce a vinyl release of Nocturnal! It’s gonna be a high quality
package that leaves no vinyl enthusiast unsatisfied! The time of
release will be roughly summer, so watch out!
Q16
– What is your verdict on the whole crowd-funding scene. Where
bands ask fans to fund their next album. Are you a fan of that
platform. Would Aleph Null ever go down that route.
The
music industry is on its knees. Just because you know how to milk a
cow doesn’t mean you know how to take care of it. I don’t want to
generalize but a lot of these agents of the golden days were just
frustrated musicians who became unskilled businessmen, which was even
worse! And because of that they didn’t see it coming and now they
try to close ranks but it’s too late. So nowadays artists are
facing an unknown future and are in a state of transition. Crowd
funding seems to be a way to take things in your own hand but it also
means you have to do business. As far as I can see conditions and
risks are manageable. Until now we’ve always decided to shoulder
the risk by ourselves but we are watching these new possibilities
with interest.
Q17
– If you could give any advice to someone wanting to start a band.
What would it be.
I
don’t know, maybe: start with our own ideas not with those of
others. Keep asking yourself where the rules you think you have to
follow come from!
Q18
– Well guys, thanks for talking to us here at Sludgelord HQ. We are
massive fans of your band and music. All the best with the album. Do
you have anything else to say to your fans.
Thanks
for this opportunity! Steve, you’ve supported our enterprise since
day one – we appreciate!
To
everyone out there: thanks for your support! You are a part of Aleph
Null. Keep telling us what you think, and if you like it, show it to
your friends! We’ll continue being hard working bees of rock trying
to provide you with the sweetest honey possible!
Cheers
Philip
A0
I want to thank Philip for talking to us here
at Sludgelord HQ. If you haven't downloaded or listened to Nocturnal
then you're seriously missing out on a brilliant album. Headover to
Bandcamp
and download this now. You won't be sorry.
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