INTERVIEW: "Descend into the Allure of Despair" - Amped & Doomed with Dan Alderson (Horrified)

As with all genres, the popularity of bands that are influential shifts as time goes on. Amongst the more underground death metal bands, the primary influential bands have been comprised of two main camps in recent years. On one side there is early Incantation and Autopsy and on the other is Dismember and Entombed. On the Incantation/Autopsy side, we have bands like Father Befouled, Ignivomous, and Dead Congregation. On the Dismember/Entombed side we have bands such as Black Breath, Miasmal, and Entrails. Those two camps have dominated the more old school-minded of the last several years.

A few years back, a new camp began to develop with a new set of influences. Specifically, Asphyx and Death, with the Death influence tending to come from the pre-‘Individual Thought Patterns’ era.  Two of the best albums of 2014 and featuring these influences were from Morbus Chron and Horrendous, along with several others. Indeed Horrified were one such band and they emerged with their debut album ‘Descent Into Putridity’ featuring similar influences, whilst also making use of the Sunlight Studios sound of Dismember. The focus of this debut album was on the uglier, simpler side of things as compared to Horrendous’ more melodic approach. It made for an enjoyable album but one that was not without its flaws, but with a nicely varied song writing style already in place, the future looked bright for Horrified. 

On their sophomore album ‘Of Despair’, they retained elements of what worked on their debut, but broadened their horizons considerably. Whilst they were very clearly still a death metal band, with a similar tempo to their previous material, the guitars on “Of Despair” took a more melodic turn and while the straightforward death metal moments on the album were  very good, it was  moments of downtempo grandiosity that separated Horrified from other modern day death metal bands.

Today will see the release of the highly anticipated third album from Horrified, “Allure of the Fallen” a work of towering, melodic death metal majesty.  To celebrate this release we offer this exclusive interview with main man Dan Alderson, who talks us through his influences and everything else in between, as we get AMPED & DOOMED with one of death metal’s rising stars. 

Can you give us an insight into how you started playing music, leading up to the formation of Horrified

I actually started playing music by picking up the Bass guitar when I was still in high school. All of my friends were getting into rock and getting their first instruments so I kind of followed suite. The bass didn't last long and I acquired my first guitar from one of my close friends and started taking it seriously as a teenager. I ended up going on to study music at college after high school, in my second year of college I finally met other capable musicians playing metal and started playing in bands.

Can you remember who are what inspired you to pick up the guitar and are there any bands, guitarists, musicians currently on the scene that continue to inspire you and push you to try new things?

Well back in those formative pre metal days classic choices such as Hendrix and Jimmy Paige really did make me to pick up the guitar and try to get some good lead chops down. The first metal album I ever heard was Megadeth's "Rust In Peace" album, which I discovered by one of my best friends sending me "Holy Wars.." via MSN messenger around 11 years ago now. I think looking back in hindsight the reason why I loved Dave's playing so much was down to him taking those classic pentatonic licks / runs and playing them at pretty insane speeds. I would honestly say that I owe a lot of my lead chops down to Alexi from Children of Bodom, when I was becoming more advanced in college, I really did challenge myself to start learning his leads, which lead me on to search out lessons and advice from other players to actually learn how to sweep pick and such in order to progress.

Ultimately my favourite lead players of all time are Andres Rain and Olaf Thörsen from Labyrinth, the lead playing on "Return To Heaven Denied" for me is simply unmatched and I often still jam lead sections from tracks such as "Moonlight" and "Night of Dreams" in order to keep my lead playing up to scratch and inspiring me to still focus on lead playing, which really does have to come second to songwriting now.

Whilst we’re on the subject of inspiration or heroes, do you have 5 records that stand out as favourites, what influence did they have upon you and what is it about those record that particular resonates amongst others?

This is going to be a long answer, as I love talking about albums close to me, here goes:

Edge of Sanity – “Crimson II”

This for me is my ultimate album, my greatest inspiration. Not only does this album inspire me to write music the most out of any album I've heard, but it also helps me push on through life during hard times. The entire album is incredible from start to finish but those highly layered, intense melodic parts stand out the most and has really made me push my song writing to layer up a lot of sections and build on themes in order to strive for really epic and tight arrangements for Horrified. This album really does captivate my imagination and create an emotive response unlike anything else.

Caladan Brood – “Echoes of Battle”

The album which made me read "The Malazan Book Of The Fallen" I wasn't prepared for the impact that series would have on my life in general and the inspiration it gives me. But back to the album itself, again, it's all about those dense, heavily layered sections which really do define the term "epic". This album manages to encapsulate the feeling of a 11k word plus series in a 70 minute run time and that is definitely a huge achievement and an inspiring feat in my opinion. Countless times this album has moved me and still does on every listen; I can assure you this has racked up a pretty insane play count since it was released in 2013.

Horrendous – “Ecydsis”

Oh boy, this album really did follow me through the most difficult and demanding 2 years of my entire life. I have followed this band closely ever since “The Chill”s and started communicating with Damain online via discovering his studio work in the run up for the release of “Ecydsis”. This album was a huge step up from the debut in my opinion and added incredibly sombre, melodic sections to an already melodic, intense death metal style and at the time that was everything I wanted to achieve in music and given to me on a silver plate with this record. This album really did inspire me to improve my own song writing and push on through times of severe adversity in my personal life. For all those reasons stated, this album will always remain close to me.  

Sacramentum – “Far Away From The Sun”

This should be pretty obvious if you have heard "Allure Of The Fallen”. This is the ultimate black metal album for me. The overall intensity from start to finish and melodic atmosphere is unmatched by anything else. The Swedish, melodic black metal movement of the mid 90's is easily my favourite scene overall. But the icy, sombre and nihilistic atmosphere of the riffs, vocals and lyrics hits me the hardest out of the countless gems from that time period.

While Heaven Wept – “Of Empires Forlorn”

Probably one of the saddest albums ever made, it’s hard for me to go into detail what makes this such an important record for me without going into very personal details. Musically an inspiration and a very relatable record in every way for me.   

Can remember your first electric guitar?

Yeah, it was an entry level Washburn guitar included in one of those beginner packs to get you started. I mentioned it in an earlier question, but by that time it was a pretty beat up guitar with a very high action. I ended up getting my first decent guitar the Xmas of that year.

What guitar(s) are you using today and how did you gravitate towards the guitar you currently use?

I'm currently using an Ibanez ICT 700 or "The Iceman". I played one of these on a music trip to a gear convention in college, pretty expensive guitar at the time though. So my first guitar close to the high end spectrum was a Jackson DK2M, which I used for countless shows and tracked guitar parts for quite a few releases with. Both guitars are actually discontinued, around 9 months ago now I really, really wanted another guitar with a fixed bridge and also a little more high end than the Jackson. I ended up scoring my Iceman for around retail price used and it now serves as my main axe. I would always remember playing that iceman at the sounds live in college and knew I had to get one, one day.

What do you like about the guitars you currently use and has there been any specific modifications to it?

“The Iceman” has a neck thru neck and a string thru bridge, the sustain is insane and the Dimarzio pick ups are incredibly high end. The action is very, very low and it’s an overall joy to play. The guitar has not been modded at all. 

What amps and pedals do you currently use? Do you use a combination of amps, or a full half stack? Talk us through your set up both in the studio and in the live environment?

I use an ENGL Powerball II - 100watt tube amp for live's, this will go into a 4x12 at any venue we play.. The tone is incredible and I just play it direct in with no pedals. Obviously Horrified had a history of being a HM2 using band and I have a Japanese model HM2 I used to use all the time, but it's currently out of action at the moment. I don't really have much of a studio set up (Oddly enough even though I have a music production degree) Guitars for releases I write and play on are tracked dry with my interface for reamping purposes later in the mix phase

What are your amp/ pedal settings?

On the ENGL I use something close to this:

Gain - 7
Bass - 6
Mid (boosted) - 5
Treble - 7/7.5
Presence - 6/7

What tunings do you use and why, and as a result is there a specific brand / gauge of string you prefer ?

I have been playing in D standard for years and using 10 gauge strings for a very long time. A lot of people poke fun at how light gauge strings I use but I much prefer playing a lighter gauge strings. I find it much better for phrases and legato runs in terms of lead playing, as for the reasons for playing in D standard. I just find that it’s a tuning that provides a perfect middle ground in terms of pitch and I also love writing in D Minor. Since Horrified is quite melodic going any lower would be out of the question.

Do you have any advice for up and coming guitars players, bands?

Be patient, put the work in and keep grinding out. 

Do feel there are deeply help misconceptions about being in a band?

A ton, haha. Being in a band isn't touring the road 24/7 and partying. Its hard work, its stressful, there are elongated periods of little to no activity on the live front, its lots of practice, it can be disheartening, frustrating, etc.

Moving on a little then, what can you tell us about any of your current projects, tours, CD's, etc you’re currently promoting, completed and anything else band related we should know about?

The new Horrified album "Allure Of The Fallen" is coming out on Shadow Kingdom Records on September 29th, a release I worked incredibly hard on and I'm very excited for it to be finally coming out! This is the best record Horrified have done to date, we are also working on getting back out on the live front to support the release. With at least one show planned and hopefully gaining interest again from promoters to book us for shows post release. I'm also playing live in Sojourner and our debut live appearance is currently being organised and that may progress into a touring band to. I've also been working on my funeral death side project called Enshroudment. Which I have wrote a three track EP for, we have been practising it in the shadows for around a year and we are about to record the EP and start playing live in the final 1/3 of 2017. So after a pretty tough year of inactivity and hard work in regards to making "Allure Of The Fallen" I'm pretty excited for what the music has in store in the future!  

What springs to mind when you think about the completion of your upcoming record and how is the mood in the camp at present?

Excitement and maybe some nervous anticipation. We are all very eager to push the new album hard and start playing again, it’s been a long and at times tough journey. But now things are finally coming to fruition... 

What can fans look forward to from you over the next 12 months? How is your schedule shaping up?

Hopefully a few decent shows for Horrified, it’s long overdue and deserved with this new record I feel. I'm also starting to write material for the fourth album. I want to try and out do “Allure…” and give Shadow Kingdom another epic!

Finally, do you have any final comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow upon us?

Just a thanks for the continued support from THE SLUDGELORD and anyone else out there who has been with us, or will join us with this new record. A lot does go into Horrified and I greatly appreciate all forms of support for the band, cheers all!

The End

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

INTERVIEW: "We never want to stand still in terms of songwriting": Amped & Doomed with Simon Ohlsson (Vokonis)

Vokonis Hailing from Borås, Sweden and formed in 2015 out of the ashes of stoner rock band Creedsman Arise, with a well-received EP ‘Temple’ under their belts, the band became embroiled in a legal dispute over the name. Well what better way to stick it to the lesser ‘Creedsmen’ than with a new album of six psych-tinged bangers? Rising like a phoenix from the flames Vokonis  released their brand new album “The Sunken Djinn” on 9^th June via Ripple Music,  an album that has been met with almost universal acclaim, topping our own Sour 16 chart just last month.  

The Swedish doom trio, consisting of guitarist/vocalist Simon Ohlsson, drummer Emil Larsson and bassist Jonte Johansson, are hewn from the same doomy bedrock as genre titans Sleep, and with Iommi’s influence looming large, their new record is about as strong a rebrand as is possible.

The craft that afforded Vokonis such acclaim on their debut “Olde One Ascending” has been refined and renewed. Whilst being undoubtedly heavy what makes their sophomore effort stand out is the variation employed in the bludgeon. By embracing less traditional doom landscapes ‘The Sunken Djinn’ has allowed Vokonis room to demonstrate the full raft of their audio-weaponry, and in doing so propelled them to the forefront of the heavy underground. 

Today, Amped & Doomed is back and it gives us great pleasure to invite Simon Ohlsson to answer our questions.  You can check out our interview in full below. 



Simon, welcome to The Sludgelord.  Could you give us an insight into how you started playing music, leading up to the formation of Vokonis

I started playing when I was about 15 because I suddenly had this urge to play the guitar. I had just discovered grunge and alternative rock from the 90’s and was immediately smitten by the sound and feel of it. I’m very certain that to this day I am hugely influenced in my writing by Dinosaur Jr. and Nirvana.

Vokonis came about when our previous band, Creedsmen Arise, imploded. The three of us all had Sabbath worship as the main goal with the band. But now we’re trying to incorporate a lot more in the mix than that. We never want to stand still in terms of songwriting.

Can you remember who or what inspired you to pick up the guitar and is there any bands, musicians currently on the scene that continue to inspire you and push you to try new things?

The one guitarist that made me pick it up at the first place is probably J Mascis. I was sitting around in my room and just trying to nail every Dino Jr. solo I could find tabs on. That certainly sparked my interest for everything loud and fuzzy.

Shifting attention to the now there’s a lot of bands doing great stuff right now. The new album by Elder (“Reflections of a Floating World”) have really given me a revelation on how to construct songs with different sounds and soundscapes. Nick is doing a wonderful job of always keeping it interesting with textures and dynamics in his playing. So he’s a major influence on me.

Going in a completely opposite direction, Thomas Jäger of Monolord have been a huge influence for the past years. His no-nonsense sludgehammer approach is something I admire and get inspired by constantly.

Whilst we’re on the subject of inspiration or heroes for example, do you have 5 records that stand out as favourites, what influence did they have upon you and what is it about those record that particular resonates amongst others? 

Elder – “Reflections of a Floating World”. This is a new record but it has had such profound effect on me that I have to list it. It’s pushing the genre forward and I think it’s going to be regarded as a classic in a few years.

Monolord – “Vaenir”. They kinda perfected the Wall of sound bludgeoning doom with this record. Playing as a unit it’s always about the song and what the song needs.

Bad Acid – “Revelations of the Third Eye”. One of my favourite records of last year. It’s got a lot of cool things happening, a very psychedelic rock take on stoner and doom. But never losing its footing or direction. I appreciate when psychedelic music keeps a good flow and they managed that perfectly.

Slomatics – “Future Echo Returns”. Don’t know where to start with this. It’s something that just grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. You can’t just listen to separate songs; you have to listen to the record in its entirety to fully understand these guys vision.

Skraeckoedlan – “Sagor”. When Sagor first released I didn’t really understand it. But returning to it a few years later it have turned into one of my favourite records of all time. The way they took their influences and ran with it is outstanding.

Can remember your first electric guitar?

I think it was a no-name Jagmaster copy. Not quite a Jazzmaster not quite a Jaguar. Wasn’t very good but I loved the shape and feel of it. As previously stated I had a huge thing for Dinosaur Jr and Nirvana, so that’s why I even got it. Sold it many years ago.

I still have my third guitar though, my trusty Fender Jazzmaster that I got as a graduation gift from my family. Last time I used it was recording clean parts for our debut album, “Olde One Ascending”. I consider this my first “true” guitar though, given the bond I have to it.

What guitar (s) are you using today and how did you gravitate towards the guitar you currently use? 

I use a variety of SGs.

For recording I have an old Gibson SG from 88 or 89. It’s supposedly from one of the first years of the 61 reissue. It’s got a thin neck and a warm sound.

I also have a Japanese Gibson knock-off from the late eighties called Burny. These are quite common in Europe I think due to them being as good as Gibson but without the price tag. I used this all over our new album, “The Sunken Djinn”, and live all the time.

For live use I have a Boult “Troglorite” which I love. It’s made of Zebrawood so it looks totally insane. It’s a very sturdy guitar and always manages to turn some heads so I use it live whenever I can.

Also I don’t want to forget telling everyone about my signature guitar over at Boult, “The Djinn”. It’s got the shape of the Yamaha SG but without the backbreaking weight. So that’s a huge honour for me. Will come in silverburst with Zombie Dust pickups that me and Willie (at Zombie Dust) will design together.

What do you like about the guitars you currently use and has there been any specific modifications to it? 

I like the way the SG hangs on the body. They’re very light and easy to play. And they always sound a lot bigger than you’d imagine.

I tend not to do that big of modifications to them, mostly swap pickups or stuff if I become bored of them. I have a set of Lace Dirty Heshers in the Burny SG that is totally face-melting.

What amps and pedals do you currently use?  Do you use a combination of amps, or a full half stack? Talk us through your set up both in the studio and in the live environment? 


For guitars I use two Orange OR100 heads. They just have a big and bold sound that go well with pedals in general. I have either an Orange 4x12 with V30s or an Orange 4x12 with Celestion G12 100 K speakers. We don’t play on big enough stages to warrant a full stack but we’ll see for the future.. For bass Jonte is using an Orange AD200B MKIII head along with an Orange 1x15 cab and my Orange 4x12 with G12 100 K speakers. This is a really menacing combination and gives us a huge low-end but a focused and aggressive mid-range punch.

I have a variety of fuzz-boxes and overdrives but I usually tend to go back to the Pharaoh and Black Forest by Black Arts Toneworks. They have been really supportive of us and have been kind enough to grace me with a custom-pedal. So I’m using that for over the top insane sounds. Jonte is actually using a Pharaoh as well on bass, but I know he’s been using a DOD Boneshaker and a Boss ODB-3 in front just to tighten things up.

Our setup is basically the same for studio and live use. Last time we were in the studio we used an Ampeg 8x10 cab and a Sovtek Mig100 for a huge clean sound along with the dirty Orange tone for bass. Turns out they complement each other in a really nice way.



What one pedal could not live without and why?

That would be the Pharaoh. Best fuzz pedal I’ve ever tried, and I’ve tried a few that have come close. The thing I like about it is that it can leave your EQ intact and deals more with the texture and gain of your sound.

What are your amp/ pedal settings?

Amp is set up just to get some break up. Mid heavy, roll off some bass and up with the treble a bit to get a cutting sound. Then blast with the Pharaoh. It’s got the volume all the way up and the gain all the way down. Think of it as the doom metal version of using a Tubescreamer with a 5150 haha..

I would say Jontes bass amp is setup fairly the same gain-wise but with almost a flat EQ. No matter what you do the AD200B just sounds great on its own. But it’s a great platform for dirt too. He’s very delicate with the way he tunes his pedals.

What tunings do you use and why, and as a result is there a specific brand / gauge of string you prefer?  

We play in C standard and we use D’addario strings. I use a set with 0.13-0.56 with a wound G-string that I like. Sounds fat but it’s tight and doesn’t get too floppy. Don’t know the gauges Jonte is using though.

Do you have any advice for up and coming guitars players, bands?

Practice your instrument, challenge yourself musically as a group and while writing, always think “what’s the best for the song?”

Do feel there are deeply help misconceptions about being in a band? 

I know that when we started out I knew there was going to be a lot of work. But the extent of it, I had no idea. We spend a lot of time rehearsing and writing just to become better as a band. But in the end, with a little luck, people will notice that your hard work pays off.

I mean look at a band such as Conan. Completely D.I.Y approach to everything. They’re a band that has truly forged their own path. I don’t think I know a more hard-working band than them.

Moving on a little then,  what can you tell us about any of your current projects, tours, cds, etc you’re currently promoting, completed and anything else band related we should know about?

That would be our newly released album ‘The Sunken Djinn’ that’s out now through Ripple Music We’ve got a few shows lined up, including a Swedish iteration of Ripple Fest that will be a lot of fun.

 

What springs to mind when you think about the completion of your new record and how is the mood in the camp at present?

Having just released our new record I think we’re in that mode where we can finally breathe after 6 months of holding in a lot of material. For me this record is more of a first record for us than “OOA”. That’s not a knock on our first record in any way; I just view it more of a demo than our first real offering.

And we’re looking forward to bringing this new record to a live setting. There’s some cool parts on there that I want to see how people react to.

What can fans look forward to from you over the next 12 months? How is your schedule shaping up?

Other than appearing on a as of now secret double LP compilation we hope that The Planet of Doom have neared completion. Very anxious to see how it will turn out and how our music will complement the animations. We’re probably going to write another record this fall. But we’ll be a bit more patient with recording it this time. So don’t expect a new LP until around 2019..

Finally, do you have any final comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow upon us?

Just something that I try to remind myself of once in a little while, to try and sit back and enjoy the moment when you can. Life moves fast, two years ago I wouldn’t dream of doing the stuff I’m doing with Vokonis.

Thank you for taking the time for us. It’s been a pleasure.

The End

“The Sunken Djinn” is available buy here

 

Band info: Facebook || Bandcamp



"the most interesting and original music is written by those with the most open mind": Amped & Doomed with Kyle Alexander McDonald (Zaum)

 By: Aaron Pickford & Kyle Alexander McDonald 

Based in New Brunswick, Canada – ZAUM is a dark passage into the unspoken realization of the old world; a monolithic doomy mantra-based meditative experience forged by bass and drums interwoven with sitar, woodwind, string and synth textures resulting in a tranquil resonance whereby the astral and physical planes can co-exist and be understood from a natural perspective.

Their debut album "Oracles", released in June 2014, garnered widespread critical acclaim, primarily throughout Europe, and was eventually nominated for an ECMA Award for Best Loud Recording. In their one and a half years as an active touring band, ZAUM have amassed more than a hundred live shows (mainly international) including support stints for Voivod, Pentagram, and Cauldron.

Chapter II in the existence of ZAUM - ”Eidolon”, is an illuminated revelation of the ancient past with furthered lush and organic soundscapes as its vibrant artwork depicts. While concurrent with respect to the time period, “Eidolon” summons the mind into a lost world afar from the Middle Eastern deserts of debut album ”Oracles”. (Sureshotworx)

What makes Zaum’s music so intoxicating is the sheer density of their sound. Layers of synths, sitars, flutes and who knows what else, build up to create a foundation of all-encompassing drone for the bands epic compositions.  Prepare to be transported to a higher realm as we get Amped & Doomed with ZAUM kinpin Kyle Alexander McDonald 

SL: Can you give us an insight into how you started playing music, leading up to the formation of ZAUM

I’m actually a drummer first!  Started drumming at the age of 11 in a concert band, and shortly afterwards a jazz band.  Played in my first official original band in 1994 – and went on to play in a dozen of different bands throughout the years (including a band called MEN formed with Eric’s Trip / Elevator to Hell drummer Mark Gaudet) - leading up to the point of Shevil (named after a Melvins song) – which was a stoner-doom band I fronted which formed in 2011 with my best bud Shaun Crawford.  The band consisted of 3 bassists and 1 drummer.  We recorded an EP and then a full length which was released posthumously.  In a certain way of it, the Shevil record “Kilts of War” is kind of a prequel to ZAUM - https://shevil.bandcamp.com/track/kilts-of-war.  The album took place in Scotland in and around 600 A.D. (same time frame as in “Oracles”).  2/3 bassists moved across the country at which point I considered the possibility of doing another Shevil album as a 2-piece but that instead I would play through 2 bass heads/cabs.  The more I thought about it, I wanted to tour more and knew Shevil drummer Errol Girvan couldn’t commit to the touring level I was looking for out of a band – so I decided to move on from that idea and instead leave Shevil be and form a new band. 

I’m both a live and studio sound engineer day/night job wise when I’m not playing music, and at that time I was working with an old friend of mine Chris Lewis who was bartending the venue I was booking and doing sound at.  He had drummed and sang in bands for years (since maybe 1990?) and I got to picking his brain with respect to his potential interest in touring more wide scale etc.  One thing lead to another and I asked him if he would be into drumming in a new 2-pc band just he and I.  Some parts of songs on “Oracles” – I had actually written on an acoustic guitar as early as 2007.  We started jamming and things were really crushing and fun and we made a conscious effort to be as self-indulgent as possible without any concern toward anything or anyone but our own interest.  We actually didn’t have a name for the band until almost all of “Oracles” was in an early form.  ZAUM had been a pseudonym I’d used since 1992 and later as an “artist name” for personal demos of mine I wouldn’t ever show to anyone.  I mentioned the name to Chris to see what he thought and he was instantly intrigued, so ZAUM it was.

SL: Can you remember who or what inspired you to pick up the guitar, bass? Are there any bands, guitarists, bassists currently on the scene that continue to inspire you and push you to try new things?

Quorthon of Bathory was probably the one guy I can pinpoint who made me realize to just go for it.  He struck me as a guy who wasn’t a professional player or singer but encompassed a vibe and just made it happen. 

SL: Who or what do you take inspiration from, do you have any heroes in music and do you have 5 records that stand out as favourites, what influence did they have upon you and what is it about those record that particular resonates amongst others?

My heroes in music are Buzz Osborne (Melvins), Brian Williams (Lustmord), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Peter Gabriel (Solo career, not Genesis), and Quorthon (Bathory).

5 favorite record of all time is Peter Gabriel – “Passion”.  Beyond that, I’d say Lustmord – “The Word As Power”, Bathory – “Blood On Ice”, Earth – “2” : Special Low Frequency Version and King Crimson – “Red”. 

SL: Can remember your first electric guitar, bass?  

Well as aforementioned I was a drummer first.  That said, the first guitar I had my hands on was my mothers.  She bought one when I was quite young and she practiced for a short while but gave up quickly (it seemed).  It was a really nice classical guitar I actually held onto my entire life – and even “Omen” was written on it back in the mid to late 2000’s (I subsequently lost it in a sewage flood).  Bass wise, my younger brother’s girlfriend had this shiddy red Warwick bass that was always kicking around that I tinkered with for years. 

SL: What guitar(s) bass (s) are you using today and how did you gravitate towards the guitar you currently use? 

I prefer playing a shortscale basses in general.  I’m currently using a black 1978 Fender Musicmaster I found in this deadly vintage shop while on vacation in the USA (in New Hampshire, which is a tax free state!).  I felt “Eidolon” was going to have a little more clarity overall and as such I felt it best suited to use this bass rather than the SG I used on “Oracles”.

SL: What do you like about the guitar/basses you currently use and has there been any specific modifications to it? 

On “Oracles” I used an 2007 Gibson SG Bass with stock pickup, but modded it by adding a Fender Jazz pickup next to the bridge (almost touching) – bass output was modded from mono to stereo - so each pickup had its own output.  The Musicmaster I’m currently playing has a stock single coil pickup in which it dishes out so much brightness and presence (especially for a shortscale). 

SL: ZAUM create a unique an enveloping sound which is all the more amazing given that there are only two members.  What amps and pedals do you currently use that enables you to create your unique sound?  Do you use a combination of amps, or a full half stack? Talk us through your set up in the studio and do you find it is easy to replicate your recorded output  into the live environment? 

I split my bass output signal and run TWO pedal chains. 

The “mandatory/mainstay” components in chain one is : EHX POG2 à EHX Holy Stain (Hall Reverb Function) à MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay .  The tones dialled in on both are ultra-specific and make or break the sound of said chain.  This chain runs into a 1970 Traynor Monoblock II à Ampeg 8x10 Bass Cab.

The “mandatory/mainstay” components in chain two is : HBE UFO Octave Fuzz à MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay.  This chain runs into a 1970 Traynor Monoblock II à Emperor 4x12 Guitar Cab

SL: What one pedal could not live without and why? 

HBE UFO Octave Fuzz.  It’s so hard to go back to a regular fuzz once you play the most badass gross sounding OF ever.

SL; Do you have any advice for up and coming guitars players, bands?

Take any preconceived notions and toss em out the door.   Just go for it, experiment.  All that matters is you like what you’re doing.  Also I think the best thing you can do is open your mind with respect to music.  Get out of being stuck in a certain genre.  I think the most interesting and original music is written by those with the most open mind.

SL: Do feel there are deeply help misconceptions about being in a band? 

In general terms (overall) – I’m sure there are many but none pressing to the forefront in my mind. 

SL: Moving on a little then, what can you tell us about your forthcoming record “Eidolon”.  What are some of the overarching themes running through the record and/or what springs to mind when you think about the completion of your new record?

Our 2^nd full length album is titled “Eidolon”, which consists of 2 songs and runs 40 minutes in length.  The album is released by Swedish label I HATE on October 24, 2016 on LP and CD, and via Canadian label Superbob Records on Cassette Tape only.  The album takes place around/during the same time frame - but far away geographically from the Middle Eastern desert sands in “Oracles”.  The album is a little cleaner and polished sounding, yet slightly more organic and linear.  We’re incredibly proud of it and hope people can draw something from it!

SL: What stands out as your overarching memory from the recording sessions? 

Probably recording the bed tracks on Oct 29, 2015 at Pumpk’n Patch Studios out in the countryside in Atlantic Canada in the wee hours of the morning.  We actually also recorded the bed tracks for our next album as well, but in a bizarre turn of events, the tapes were lost – and as such we will have to re-record them when the time comes.  Strangely enough, “Eidolon” will be released just a few days short of exactly one year later.

SL: What is in the pipeline in terms of future recordings and how is your schedule shaping up over the next 12 months?

We have a full 5 week European tour spanning 12 countries (listed below).  This spring we will do an extensive UK tour with British friends of ours Telepathy – and next fall another full EU tour with Swedish friends of ours Firebreather.  We will likely re-record our bed tracks for our next album over the winter before our spring UK tour, artwork is already being worked on now :)

SL: Since the inception of Zaum , what stands out as some of your fondest memories?

Touring with some of the best people (who ended up being some of my best friends) I’ve ever met in my life.  The quality of the bands we have toured with and shared bills with over there is totally unbelievable.  Supporting Voivod last summer here in our hometown was a personal favourite show of mine.

SL: Finally, do you have any final comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow upon us?

We encourage everyone to share our music with your friends and family – spread the thought of ZAUM!   If you’d like to see us in your city or country, please contact your local promoters and/or refer them to us (message us on our facebook page anytime).  We bow to the almighty Sludgelord!  Thank you, and see you all soon.  

Live Rituals

14.11 Marburg, DE @ Trauma

15.11 Saarbrücken, DE @ Kleiner Klub

17.11 Würzburg, AU @ Immerhin

18.11 Olten, CH @ Coq D'or

19.11 Martigny, CH @ Sunset

20.11 Salzburg, AU @ Rockhouse

21.11 Bratislava, SK @ Fuga

22.11 Budapest, HU @ Dürer Kert

24.11 Szeged, HU @ Grand Cafe

25.11 Timisoara, RO @ Daos

26.11 Vienna, AU @ Kramladen

Band info: facebook