The Man With The Golden Riffs - An Interview with Thomas Andersson from KAMCHATKA

Kamchatka have been playing their blend of Hard Rock/Blues Rock/Stoner Rock vibes for 14 years now. Since then they've released a string of acclaimed albums with their latest album and 6th overall – Long Road Made Of Gold – being their most diverse and hard rocking yet.

Last year the band released their acclaimed 5th album – The Search Goes On – which we rate very highly here at Sludgelord HQ. I interviewed Thomas from the band back in May 2014 and I've been given the honour once again to interview Thomas (Lead Vox/Guitars) and see how are things with Kamchatka.

So let’s get started.

1 - Hi Thomas. Good catching up with you again. How are things with you today. Thanks for doing this.

-Thomas: Hi Steve and Sludgelord ! All good here and Kamchatka is feeling stronger than ever.

2 – Before we start talking about your new album – Long Road Made Of Gold. Can we talk about the last 18 months or so for Kamchatka as your last album maybe of been your most successful to date. As it won a ton of great reviews and got you noticed with a few more people. Did it surprise you the response to your last album.

-Thomas: Well we knew that we had made a good album with “The Search Goes On” but we didn’t expect the great words from around the world and of course we are very grateful for the warm welcome that it received.

3 – What have been the highlights over the last 18 months or so.

-Thomas: There are many but we have had a really good time touring and growing together, also recording and releasing “Long Road Made Of Gold” and meeting new audience !

4 – Looking back on the last album – Would you change anything about it. Or are you happy with the way it is.

-Thomas: We are happy with it just the way it is.

5 – Now we have to talk about your new album. Wow – what an album that is. Even better than your last record. What can people expect from the new album.

-Thomas: Well I guess that “Long Road Made Of Gold” continues where “The Search Goes On” ended, fuelled with a bit more heavy tunes but still with the same vibe and energy.

6 – I'm surprised you've came out with a new album so soon after your last record. Only 15 months since The Search Goes On was released. Did you plan on taking a break after touring commitments for promoting the last album were completed.

-Thomas: No we never planned anything really we just kept writing music, touring and recording in between tours and all of a sudden a new album was born. Breaks are boring

7 – How soon did you plan on recording – Long Road Made Of Gold – during last year. And was it an easy album to write and record for.

-Thomas: We just decided to record when we had enough music to record and it was really easy to write and record “Long Road Made Of Gold” because we were so inspired from all the positive energy we got from touring and from all the wonderful reviews of “The Search goes On”.

8 – Did you do anything differently when recording this album compared to the last album.

-Thomas: Yes, on the previous album, Per Wiberg was the executive producer and on this new album he was a full time member as bass player and 2nd vocalist and that changed the way we worked together, forming the songs to final versions, maybe a little bit more team effort.

9 – What I dig most about the album is while the Kamchatka sound is still familiar on the album. You've still managed to make it sound so different and exciting as well. Was that your plan to try something different. It features some of your heaviest material to date.

-Thomas: Yes, we decided early on that we wanted the new album to sound different to “The Search Goes On”, not that we don’t like the way that album sounds - it’s more that we always want to push the band in new directions both with the music and the way it sounds like on an album and that is the reason why we wanted Russ Russell to do the mix and master, to evolve and extend the sound of the band.

10 – What influenced you when recording this album. It seems Kamchatka are a lot more angrier which I loved. Or am I looking way too much into the music.

-Thomas: When Per joined, we moved closer rock music than before cause he is all about rock and that is what I like with Kamchatka, that we can tune in to the different elements of different genres yet still sound like ourselves. Angrier? I don’t know. Maybe frustrated sometimes, it’s a tough business ;)

11 – You've performed a lot more gigs over the last 12 months or so. Have you noticed your live shows becoming more popular as I have a few friends who seen you guys last year in concert and they never heard of you guys. But you won them over in the end.

-Thomas: Yes, we have toured more lately and that has always been our main goal, to be on the road. I guess that the more you are out there, the more people notice you and in the end new ears attend the concerts, also I think we are a better live act these days than before.

12 – So why did you call the new album – Long Road Made Of Gold. Does it have a specific meaning to you individually or as a band.

-Thomas: “Long Road Made Of Gold” is the “Long Road” as a travelling musician and the music is the “Gold”.

13 – Will you be doing a major tour for the album. If so which parts of the world will you be visiting.

-Thomas: We will start with festivals such as Freak Valley Festival (Germany), Atomic Rooster Summer Jam (Sweden), Zwarte Cross, Lichtenvoorde (Netherlands), City Rock, Leeuwarden (Netherlands), Culemborg Blues, Culemborg, (Netherlands). Then we will tour in different ways through September, October, November, December - plans are being made as we speak.

14 – Well Thomas, thanks for doing this. Before you go. Do you have anything to say to your fans.

-Thomas: Yes, I would like to salute all of you rockers out there and thank you for tuning in to Kamchatka, without you guys there would be no Kamchatka !!!!!!!!

Well Thomas, all the best with the new album. It's a killer record. Thanks. Steve.

-Thomas: Thank you Steve ! My pleasure

I want to thank Thomas for taking out the time to to talk to us at Sludgelord HQ. Thanks to Brian at Fresno Media for arranging this interview

Long Road Made Of Gold is available to buy on CD/Vinyl now through Despotz Records.

For More Information

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Ritual Beginnings - An interview with NIBIRU

NIBIRU have been perfecting their self proclaimed – Ritual Psychedelic Sludge – for a few years now. We've featured them on the blog countless times now. I've reviewed every album they've released so far. Plus I've interviewed them twice before.

Today, NIBIRU are a different band to when they started. They have become something more progressive, experimental and one of the most out-there bands from the Italian Sludge/Doom Metal Scene. They're about to release their incredible new album – Padmalotus – via Argonauta Records (Some other good pals of ours doing a great job).

Padmalotus is a different beast to NIBIRU's past two albums. This one is more experimental, heavier, psychedelic and scarier at times. The sheer volume of noise and experimentation that the band have created on the album makes this an album of the year contender.

This is what I had to say about the album - “Padmalotus is a very dark album as Nibiru venture further into the Ritual Sludge part of their music. It can be very primal at times with the band trying to survive from their own musical landscapes.

I class Padmalotus as Nibiru's most defining work to date. It won't be for everyone as it's a complex and wonderfully strange experience that runs for 66 mins or so. Nibiru have proven once again they are one of the most daring and creative forces in Italian Sludge Metal next to Ufomammut. Padmalotus is a thrilling and bold album that will rank as one of my albums of the year. No Question.”

I've been asked to interview NIBIRU again though this interview will focus on the new album and their plans for the future. You can read the other interviews here and here.

Photo courtesy of Robert Longo

Hi guys. Thanks for doing this. How are things with you today. Been a while since we last spoke. Hope things are well.

Ardath: It is a pleasure to do a new interview with you. It seems that it is a regular date now. That means Nibiru is alive and throbbing, and it strikes. From the release of Netrayoni to the making of Padmalotus (from the second half of 2014 to the first months of 2015) we had an intense and stimulating year.

I can't believe we are here to talk about your new album – Padmalotus. Your 3^rd album overall. Did you think you would ever release your 3^rd album in 3 years.

Siatris: “Honestly I’d say no. In the last years we have only focused on playing. We left our music flowing and we recorded what came out from the amplifiers.

Ardath: After Netrayoni and its promotion, at the middle of last year, we got together in our temple. New riff and new ideas have begun to take shape without any calculations. They immediately struck us, we realized that something of extremely interesting was coming to light. It was exciting to see Padmalotus taking shape within just a few months.

You guys are very quick workers as you only released your last album. Sorry double album back in Jan 2014. Do you always think about the next album when you've released the new album. As I thought you guys would take a break from it all.

Ardath: Our music comes out instinctively without calculations. There is only that moment in which the energies drag us, making time impalpable. A band takes a break when you notice that the inspiration is totally missed, when you feel you have no more energy, but this is not the case of Nibiru. I’d say that you will be able to listen a new record from Nibiru in 4 years. We are very inspired. There are still 3 unreleased songs off Padmalotus sessions.

Your new album is called Padmalotus. Why did you call the album this. Any specific meaning to this name.

Siatris: Padma means lotus in the Tibetan language. The concept of Padmalotus is linked to the chakras and the Kundalini Shakti, but the lotus is also the perfect representation of the illumination, because it is a flower that is born in the mud, grows in water and opens its blossom to the sky. So the enlightened keeps the feet firmly planted on the ground, but his mind is free from the constraints. I think that is highly zen, very relaxing. I think it creates a nice contrast inside our music.

What can people expect from the new album.

Ardath: Padmalotus features the psychedelic violence of Caosgon, the Netrayoni's uncontrolled insanity, and a new energy that takes shape in a destabilizing record.

What does the album mean to you as a band and individually.

Ardath: For Nibiru it is an important and fundamental point of transition. It concludes a three-years concept and it represents a new exciting beginning. Personally Padmalotus and the signing to Argonauta Records are satisfactions very difficult to explain. Lots of sweat, so much work, so many difficulties materialized in evident recognitions. We have a new energy to detonate in Nibiru.

Siatris: Personally it is a big step forward. This album was a challenge and I think it was exceeded, now other challenges come, and I am ready to accept them. As a band this is our third work, so it's a confirmation that we are not a meteor that passes through and disappears... We are Nibiru, when we pass through we leave the sign.

Was it an easy or hard album to write and record for.

Ardath: personally I did not find differences in the composition of the pieces of the new album, maybe in some parts, which have a more song form. We were more "controlled" but overall the songwriting style of Nibiru has not undergone upheavals, there are moments of improvisation. Mixing and recording, always made strictly live, were handled with more care but again without changing our sound.

Siatris: for me it was more difficult, especially the phase of the premix, because I want that all the sounds stood out before entering the studio to complete the work.

Did you do anything differently recording this album compared to your other two albums.

Siatris: the approach is always the same, we have worked all together: bass, drums and guitars are recorded at the same time. We overdubbed synth and others instruments like didgeridoo, but the difference is that we wanted a more powerful sound so I played a second guitar on all parts. I've played guitar because I have a different style compared to Ardath, I am still very attached to black metal, so you can hear two guitars that work in unison, but in a very different.

It seems your profile has gradually been growing over the last few years. The Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal community thinks very highly of you guys. Have you seen that yourselves or do you just let the music do the talking.

Ardath: our music brought something special in a genre that was becoming extremely repetitive in the music scene today, even more in Italy. It is not easy to stand out. If this has happened to Nibiru it means that something has been done. We start from Padmalotus and the forthcoming live shows.

Looking back on your last two albums. Would you change anything about them or you happy with the way things are.

Ardath: We would not change anything, we are absolutely satisfied with what has been done and the responses had proved it. Every past situation brought me more experience and knowledge, but the past must be overcome in order not repeat itself, never.

I've noticed you've changed your sound again on the new record compared to the other two albums. The album is more structured and songs have a direct approach compared to your other albums. Was that an easy or hard experience to go through. Is this how NIBIRU will sound like in the future.

Siatris: we always try to improve our sound and I believe that things have changed from Caosgon. The first album had a sort of punk spirit, the recording is very dirty, almost nothing was overdubbed, Netrayoni was the pinnacle of the improvised phase, the sound is born spontaneously, in Padmalotus we sought a more direct sound, we were not satisfied of the first results, and in the mixing, we worked meticulously.

Ardath: I was the most skeptical when I’ve listened to the songs as they had a different structure compared to the previous CD’s. But I have to admit I was wrong. Of course the most difficult step was to insert new sounds while maintaining the approach and the sound of Nibiru and vary some – as for some riffs or structures - the way I play guitars. It has been a valuable, stimulating and educational experience. Padmalotus is a new starting point, we do not care looking back. From here on, I'm curious to listen to the next Nibiru.

You've hooked up with Argonauta Records for the release of this album. How did you hook up with Gero. Who seems to be releasing some brilliant albums of late. Huge fans of his work here.

Ardath: Gero knew our previous records and we followed the work of Argonauta with great interest, and there was a mutual respect. We contacted Argonauta as soon as we had in our hands a first track of Padmalotus. We sent it to Gero to get his opinion, then we met to know each other personally. We had a mutual desire to work together. Finally we have a label that works hard in Italy. It’s good to consistently promote certain genres of music.

Did you have any other label interest other than Argonauta Records.

Ardath: Our first two albums were mainly self produced as our own choice. We respect Argonauta as said above, so we wanted to approach them and start an important collaboration. Other labels can approach Nibiru but right now the only thing very important for us is Argonauta. Gero is doing an impeccable job for us and with us.

Have you guys performed more gigs over the last couple of years or so. Are there any plans to do a more extensive European tour. Or is it too expensive to do.

Ardath: We have not played so much live shows but the few we played have showns a band that knows how to strike the crowd, and to stay in the damned souls of those who attend our gigs. Certainly we would like to do an European tour. Nothing is impossible.

We have to talk about the brilliant album cover for Padmalotus. Who designed that cover. As it perfectly matches the mood of the album. Did you have much input to the overall design of the album cover.

Siatris: The cover was designed by a good friend, a very good illustrator. We talked about the topics of the album and he has reached the target, giving us an incredible design, the androgynous Shiva / Shakti that opens the third eye, the spider weaving the universe, and the figures on the sides that cut the head waiving their own ego. All this represents the best of our ideas.

So what do the next 12 months have in store for NIBIRU. Anything you like to share with our readers.

Ardath: Now we want to enjoy Padmalotus. We are curious to get feedback from the listeners but we are also conscious of having done a job that people will talk about. We are planning live shows, and in particular we are waiting for the final confirmation in the next edition of a major rock festival. You can also read an interview with Nibiru on the next issue of Metal Hammer UK.

Well guys thanks for doing this. Always great to feature you guys. All the best with the new album.

Ardath: thanks, Nibiru will not disappoint you.

Words by Steve Howe and NIBIRU

Thanks to Barbara at NeeCee Agency for arranging this interview. Padmalotus will be available to buy on CD/DD from May 14th 2015 from Argonauta Records.

For More Information

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The Rise of The Moth: A New Interview with The Moth

The Moth have been huge personal faves of mine ever since I reviewed their superb debut album – They Fall – back in 2013. I found it to be an exhilarating listen from these finely tuned Sludge/Doom/Stoner Riffsters.

Since then, The Moth have supported some high profile artists such as Conan, Phil Anselmo And The Illegals, Black Tusk and Jucifer. The Moth will be supporting Doom/Sludge Metal heavyweights CONAN on a few dates of their forthcoming UK Tour. Though, The Moth have never been a ban to rest on their laurels, there's also the small business of their brilliant new album – And Then Rise – to be released on 4th April 2015

Here's a quick description from my review:

“This album was one of my top albums to look out for in 2015. Does it live up to expectations? You betcha. The Moth has delivered an album that outclasses the debut album in every respect. It seems The Moth have upped their game for this release as the album ventures into more progressive territory with elements of Thrash Metal appearing now and then.

The Moth have created an album that is going to end up on a few Best of 2015 album lists. It's already grabbed a place on mine. And Then Rise is simply unmissable on every level.”

I think it's time we caught up once again with The Moth as it's been almost two years since I last interviewed them. So you can read that interview before finding out what has gone down since then.

Q1 – Hi The Moth. How are things with you all today. Thanks for doing this.

Cécile: Hey Steve! We are fine, thank you. It's only two weeks to go until our new album comes out and we are eager to see how people will like it, really. And we are happy, that you enjoy it – it means a lot to us!

Q2 – A lot has changed the last time we have spoken. Tours with some high profile bands have followed and you've recorded your 2nd album – And Then Rise. Has it been an exciting time for you all since you released your debut album.

Freden: You bet! We were overwhelmed by all the kind feedback and have worked a lot since to not disappoint anyone. It was awesome, that we we were able to play concerts with some of our absolutely favourite musicians, like Conan and Phil Anselmo! Since we started, we have gotten feedback from all over the world, met great people and made new friends. This growing sludge- and doom scene feels like a big family or commune, haha!

Q3 – Has it surprised you the amount of praise your debut album has received over the last 18 months or so? Plus being released on Vinyl as well.

Cécile: The response to “THEY FALL” has been stunning. I mean, nobody knew us, we were only a few months old and Freden and I had only started to grab the mics a few months ago. Your review of our debut was actually the first – and we still can't thank you enough for it! We are sure that your article made a lot of people curios and helped spread the word. Never would we have dared to dream that any of what happened next would happen. When it did, it was like being in the middle of a dream and we were often excited like kids. Having your first album released on vinyl is something very special and we really thank Christian Weinrich from This charming man records that he gave us a try and trusted in us, that tiny band from Hamburg.

Q4 – Did you ever expect the journey The Moth has taken you on as individuals over the last 3 years or so ever since you formed the band.

Cécile: Again: no. Freden and I have played in bands since we were teenagers. And we played together in another band for 10 years, without any noteworthy success. So, you can imagine that we really value everything that happenes to us. Maybe this is also due to the fact that when we started THE MOTH we knew one thing: We wanted to be in it a 100 %. The band has been our number one priority ever since. Finally we gave the music the place in our lives that we unconsciously knew it always should have, but probably never had the courage or self-assurance to give it..

Q5 – What have been your personal highlights of this musical journey so far.

Cécile: The tour with CONAN and BELZEBONG – definitely. I mean: How much better can it get?? Conan is my favourite band with HIGH on FIRE. And we toured some capitals of Europe with them. I never would have imagined that, when I saw CONAN for the first time at the Droneburg Festival in Hamburg in 2012 and was immediately under the spell. It is a dream come true! Freden: The concert with Phil Anselmo last summer was also thrilling. While we did our sound check he sprinted out of the backstage and started head banging in front of the stage. We didn't expect to meet him personally that evening and then he was the coolest guy hanging around with us. Such experiences are priceless.

Q6 – You're about to release your new album – And Then Rise in April 2015. As you know I think it's a great album. I was quite surprised how quickly it happened especially when you recorded it near the end of 2014. I wasn't expecting a Chinese Democracy style wait but maybe something longer. Is that how quickly you always work.

Freden: Yes, we love writing new material and are always excited when we write a new riff, that we think rules. This is the reason we are in a band. While other people go frequently to the dojo to meditate or work on their karate belt, we love playing that heavy shit in our rehearsal room in an old bunker. Also, we were so overwhelmed by the response to THEY FALL that we wanted to deliver new material soon. And prove that we are really serious about this band and that our debut was not a lucky shot. We didn't want to let anyone down who was so kind to support our unknown band.

Q7 – Was it a hard or easy album to write and record for. Are you happy with the final result.

Cécile: Both. Sometimes it went really fast, for example finding a vocal melody or coming up with the riffs themselves. But this time we had a harder time deciding on how often we would play each part and how we would arrange the songs. On many songs we went back and forth for several times until we knew: It's goot that way, let's just keep it like that. Freden: The mixing and mastering process was also arduous a few times. Now we are really happy with the result. But without a doubt, it was a bunch of work!

Q8 – What influenced you when writing and recording the album.

Cécile: Bands I listen to don't really influence the riffs that suddenly pop out of me. This is a thing that happens within seconds most of the time. It errupts from deep inside probably, without me having any kind of “intellectual” influence on it. It seems to come from a buried, darker place.

Freden: Listening to other music always is an influence, but as Cécile said: it isn’t a direct thing or that we want to sound like any band. As time goes on, you hear a lot of different bands and I think unconsciously you build your own idea of a heavy sound. But no idea what happens in my brain and my guts when a new riff gets born... maybe it is better not to know!

Q9 – Did you do anything differently when recording the new album compared to your debut album.

Cécile: Yes. We thought a lot about where we would record, mix and master the new songs. We definitely wanted a better sounding album, and wanted professionals to work with us. Because we had really worked hard on the songs for over a year. So we thought that this is what they, we and the listeners deserved. We knew that we could and should sound better than on our debut.

Q10 – In your own words – What can people expect from the new album.

Freden: I think we stay true to our style – “AND THEN RISE” has brutal speed- and thrash-metall-riffings and also a bunch of doom like on “They Fall”. Cécile and I tried to work a bit more on the vocals and altogether it is a way better sounding album. The few people who heard it already said that the songs are more mature. Maybe that means we took our time to complete the songs. We hope the sound of the album has a good balance between brutality and creativity. I think you really put the right attributes in your review like “a menacing mood”, “claustrophobic feel” or “a dangerous combination of heavy riffs and dark lyrics”. We love to read things like these, because that's exactly how we want to sound like!

Q11 - How important is a physical product to your band being either CD or Vinyl. As some bands are relying on Digital Downloads for their first release(s).

Cécile: As you know best, Steve, people in sludge music just love vinyl, haha! So it is important for us to be able to offer that to the audience. Naturally, having a record between your hands is something completely different to a CD or a download. It does the music way more justice as the artwork is, as the name says, also a piece of art. Not to mention the haptic of it all. It is something for almost all your senses.

Q12 – Which bands and artists influenced you all as musicians. Any particular album that stands out that made you decide to become a musician.

Cécile: The record that was a musical awakening to me was “fixed” by the “Sissies”. That was Fredens band when he was 19! Their songs were so intense to me, that I could only listen to three tracks in a row. From that moment on I knew, that those kind of riffs were my musical home. High on Fire have been my favourites for years now, and Conan have added to this. Those are the bands I listen to most intensely as they strike a chord in me.

Freden: There are a lot of heavy bands I admire for their unique sound. For example Cathedral, Trouble, Bolt Thrower and of course I grew up with bands like Thin Lizzy, Ac/Dc, Motörhead, Black Sabbath. At the moment Torche are one of my favourites.

Q13 – What is your musical setup when playing live or recording new material. Do you have an advanced setup or basic setup.

Freden: We probably have the most basic setup of the whole sludge-scene: I play a Gibson Les Paul, an old Marshall box and an old VHT Pitbull 45 amplifier. That is all. No pedal whatsoever. Cécile plays a Fender precision bass, a classic 8x10 ampeg box, a Koch amp and a bass big muff. When we recorded, Christian Smukal from the backline rental Rückkopplung in Hamburg, who also does the renowned Droneburg Festival, gave us a Mesa box. So that the guitar would have a somewhat warmer tone.

Q14 – You're now signed to This Charming Man Records which is a fantastic record label. They released your debut album on Vinyl and are about to release your new album on Vinyl. Was it an easy decision to stay with TCM Records. Did you have any other offers to release your new album.

Freden: “They” is actually just one single man: Charming man Chris, haha! He just lets us do – musically and everywhere else. He may suggest something, but if we don't agree, that's just as fine for him. Chris is a really cool guy, funny and fast. And he goes the whole hog. You call or write him and he will answer you in a minute and implement what he says while you are talking to him on the phone. Most of the times you can hear him tapping on his notebook simultaneously. Cécile: He does what he says. In no time. That kind of guys are a rarity, aren't they? We probably wouldn't be where we are today if he hadn't signed us. So, as long as noone offers us a billion or so, we will stay with him.

Q15 – The album cover is a strange one to describe. Can you tell us what the album cover means to you as a band and why did you choose that as your album cover. As it's a great album cover.

Freden: Johannes Stahl (www.joemadethis.com) made the artwork. Chris from our label recommended him to us. We liked his work immediately. We didn't give him any guidelines. Just told him, that we had noticed, that the recurrent words and themes of the album were love, death and fire. And that we didn't really want a moth on the cover. Now there is a moth on it, but we still think it is ace, haha! He did everything by hand, with water colours only! We like it, because it is as dense and dark as some songs on the record. Our new bandlogo was drawn by Gabbo Dubko who rehearses in the same bunker. We love it!

Q16 – You will be going on a UK Tour in June with CONAN. Can you tell people more info about this as you're only doing a few shows.

Cécile: We had read that CONAN would tour the UK. We asked Jon if he was ok with us joining for a few nights, and were more than happy when he said yes. But the tour was already booked. Josh from Old Empire was totally cool and helped us with the contacts. So we wrote the promoters one by one. Now we are eagerly looking forward to come to the UK for the first time and see Jon, Chris and Rich onstage again!

Q17 – You've supported Conan before in Europe. What was that experience like as Conan are some of the nicest guys you can meet.

Cécile: You are so right! But not only are they the nicest guys, they are also the toughest badarses you could imagine. On stage and off. Their old van could only drive around 90 km/h. So on most days they had to get up way earlier than us to arrive to soundcheck on time. And our nights were short already! Despite the sleep deprivation, Jon did almost all the driving. The last night, Conan got up around five, after like three hours of sleep, and Jon drove from Munich to Liverpool – straight! On stage they just kick ass. David Perry, who played the bass, because Chris was recording at Skyhammer, is the most incredible performer I've ever seen, Paul an absolute killer-beast on the drums and Jons riffs and sounds... indescribable actually. It was the highlight of every night to watch them play and to celebrate them – a drink in the hand and a ton of sound in your ears.

Q18 – Before you go do you have anything to say to your fans.

We really, truly appreciate all of your support and hope that our new songs live up to your expectations.

Thanks, The Moth for doing another interview with us here at Sludgelord HQ. The best of luck with your album as it truly is a killer release. I will hope to you see in Edinburgh when you visit these shores.

Words by Steve Howe and The Moth

For More Information:

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You can pre-order the album from This Charming Man Records now.

Sludgelord Interviews - Judd Madden

We at Sludgelord HQ consider today's guest a true friend of the blog. He has designed the awesome album cover for our very first Bandcamp Download Compilation. He even turned the tables on me and interviewed myself for the blog.

Now it's my turn to interview this great artist for the second time as I interviewed him back in November 2012. But what most people know today's guest for is his music for which he has built up a dedicated fan-base within the Sludge/Doom/Stoner/Post-Metal world.

We have reviewed and featured almost all of his albums which have been acclaimed within the Sludge/Doom/Stoner/Post-Metal scene for it's rich diversity of sounds, textures, atmospherics and riffs. His latest album – Everything In Waves – is perhaps his most personal and heaviest work yet.

I described the album as: “If you're already a fan of Judd's music you can expect riffs that will last a lifetime. A stirring collection of Doom, Sludge, Post-Metal and Stoner Metal riffs that establishes Judd as one of the finest instrumentalists within the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal scene. It may sound similar to some of his long-time fans but give it another listen and you will start to find new ambient based sounds that Judd has never played before especially on Redshift & Knowing, Colour & Theory, Emission Lines and Memory Only Atoms.

If you're a fan of Pelican, Russian Circles. Earth, Karma To Burn and Neurosis then Judd is going to rock your world. He is a true original and a highly talented artist in his own right.”

Ladies and Gentleman – Judd Madden.

Q1 – Hi Judd. Thanks for doing this. How are things with you today. Good to catch up with you once more.

Hi Steve, no worries mate. We’ve become partners in doom it seems!

Q2 – Can you tell our readers a brief history of how you came involved with music.

I’ve listened to and loved playing music all my life. Grew up on the drums and the piano, added guitar and bass at high school. My parents had great taste in music, and my appetite for new genres and artists just kept growing. I’ve been in many bands along the way, and I’m now exploring music as a solo artist.

Q3 – How would you describe your music now since the last time that I interviewed you.

Well hopefully it’s getting better; stronger, clearer, and more interesting. It still has a similar vibe - it’s still just me… but I’d like to think I’m exploring new territory, pushing myself. My music - for me - is quite solitary, like writing or painting.

Q4 – We have to talk about your new album – Everything In Waves. WOW – What a record that is. Possibly your best record yet. Was it a hard or easy album to record.

Thanks Steve. Was it hard? Hmm, interesting question. It came together quite naturally, I’ve gone through this process a few times now, so everything does kind of flow once I get started. Starting is fucking hard; not being lazy, not playing computer games… coming up with enough material, enough ideas. That part is really hard. Finding motivation to sit down and track, the self-doubt about if you’re just repeating yourself or imitating others… that’s a constant battle in my head.

People say I’ve released a lot in a short amount of time, but for me there are huge periods of laziness and procrastination, punctuated by a couple of months of intense activity whilst recording and mixing. The percentage of my free time where I’m physically working on music is small. There’s a lot of thinking and planning in the downtime I guess.

Q5 – What influenced you when making the record as I feel it was your most personal record to date.

Music and life. Both are just so amazing. I’m 30 now, so maybe just growing up and appreciating what I have. Buying a second-hand 12 string acoustic, this thing just writes songs by itself. Just wanting to create something worthwhile, something to be remembered for… fuck, I don’t know. Why do we do anything? Because we can.

Q6 – Has the response from fans and critics surprised you this time round. As it's being acclaimed all over the place.

It’s always overwhelming and amazing. It means a lot to me that people are enjoying it. Getting a good review or an email from a fan is fucking awesome. I mean, I’m not in it for money and I don’t play live, so feedback is really important.

Q7 – Why did you call the album – Everything In Waves. Any particular reasons behind it.

We hear in waves, we see in waves. Emotions come and go in waves. It’s about reality and our perception of the universe. The complexity of reality, and of us… our technology and all our opportunities.

Q8 – When we talked last time you said you were putting a live band together. How is that going. And have you played live within the last 18 months or so.

I was planning on playing live. But it hasn’t happened yet. I’m just waiting for the right people, and then I’d love to do a couple of live shows. As I said earlier, I view my music more like writing a book or painting… and I like that people can experience it in their own time, in their own way. Taking it live will be a mammoth task, but it could be really rewarding. I’m not sure if I could pull a decent crowd here in Melbourne… so I guess the answer is “one day”!

Q9 – What is the full range of instruments that you play. And are you self taught.

Quite good: Drums.

Good: Guitar, Bass.

Average: Piano, Organ, Didgeridoo.

Bad: Cello, Harmonica, Clarinet.

I learnt drums, bass and piano. The rest are self-taught.

Q10 – Have you received any media attention in Australia for your music since we last spoken. Or is more on a global scale.

It’s more global definitely. There’s a decent doom scene here in Australia, but it’s more centred around live gigs and the pub scene. I’m going to be in Terrorizer (UK mag) soon, so that will be massive!

Q11 – What influences you when writing your music. Do you have to be in a particular mindset.

When getting down ideas (recording a quick riff or something) you’ve kinda gotta be in the mood, or have the riff in your head walking home or whatever. Listening to other music helps. I find being away for a weekend also helps, I’ll get home with a few ideas. I tend not to worry too much about the sound, just be rough and get the idea down. Or just jam on it for a while until something emerges. Have fun. Recording is a different mindset, more precise and concentrated. I’m listening a lot more.

Q12 – Congratulations with your latest album being No 1 on almost every BandCamp Chart, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, Sludge Metal, Sludge. Well you name it your album is either No 1 or in the top 3. Has that surprised how people have taken to this record compared to other albums.

Cheers! Each album gets a bit bigger, which is great. Certainly in the first few weeks they do alright in the charts, when people are downloading and donating. Usually they’ll drop off after a couple of weeks :)

Q13 – Has BandCamp and the Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal Community still been a big part in getting your music across to the masses.

It’s the only part! Everything of mine is purely online, and blogs like this along with Bandcamp and metal forums are crucial to finding an audience. I’d be nowhere without you guys.

Q14 - What is your musical set-up when playing live or recording your music. Any hints and tips would you like to give to the budding musicians out there.

Try and keep it simple. I have a single room with a drumkit, two amps, two electric guitars, two acoustic guitars, a bass, a cello, an organ, a keyboard and a computer. An audio interface (M-Audio Fast Track 8R) has 8 mics connected, which mostly stay on the drumkit. I have two guitar pedals. All of this has been more or less exactly the same for five years.

The best piece of advice for gear I could give is: know your gear. Learn how each knob changes the sound, how tightening your snare changes the sound. Learn the sweet spot for that mic on your guitar amp (hint: it’s probably not 1cm from the speaker). Learn which mic sounds better on the floor tom. Know how much headroom you need when you DI your bass. Etc etc. The WORST thing you can do is to constantly keep changing your gear. Most of my drum mics were $40 each. So what? It gets me 90% there. I often record guitar through a cheap bass amp, with the EQ tweaked a bit. It works for me.

As for mixing and recording: just play around. Do some research. Keep things simple. It’s all experience. There are plenty of amazing resources available :)

Q15 – If you could give any advice to someone wanting to start a band. What would it be.

Just make sure you’re having fun. Everyone sucks to begin with. Be sure to have jam sessions, keep things free initially. If you’re with other people, try and let them be heard… Be a generous musician, not a show-off. Share your inspiration and favourite bands.

Q16 – What are your thoughts of the entire crowd-funding scene. It seems to have it's defenders and people think it's a waste of time. Would yourself ever participate in a crowd-funding project.

Hey, if it works for them, I’m all for it. Devin Townsend just launched a huge project through kickstarter this year, if it means more quality music, then great! I don’t really need funding, as I pretty much have everything I need. Unless it was for vinyl production or something, where people pre-pay before anything is actually produced. Hmm. It’s all certainly interesting, another way to avoid the big mean record labels. Anything that puts the power back in the hands of the artist is fine by me.

Q17 – So what does the next 12 months have in store for Judd Madden.

More procrastination leading to more music :) I’m thinking of re-exploring some of my earlier themes, as a more experienced musician, pushing them even further. I want to reach more extremes within doom / post-metal. I feel I’ve only begun this journey, and I can do so much better.

Q18 – The last thing before you go, Do you have anything else to say to your fans.

Keep enjoying music, keep loving life.

Thanks to Judd for doing this interview. If you haven't checked out Judd's awesome collection of great albums then do yourself a favour and headover to BandCamp now. Be prepared to be blown away.

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Written by Steve Howe

Another Interview with SLOWJOINT!!!!

 

Today's guests on Sludgelord have been on the blog no less than 3 times before. Mainly with 2 reviews and a previous interview that you can read here.

But now they are back for an entirely new interview. A reward for me reviewing their excellent début album that will be released next year. I may have to review the album again as I was giving a promo copy to review. It had no album cover or no album title.

But SLOWJOINT still impressed me with their amazing almost finished album. As I said the following about their upcoming new album:

"Slowjoint have delivered an excellent debut album that should win them a few fans within the Sludge/Stoner Metal scene in 2014. The album is the cure to those post-winter blues and Slowjoint are the Doctors of Sludge advising you to take your medicine. It is an order you cannot ignore…" 

So let see what these crazy weed induced Sludge Rockers have to say to me when I interview them again..

You can read the first interview here.

Q1 – Hi Guys. How's things with you today. Thanks for doing this.

You're very velcome. We're doing alright. It's sunday, the sun is shining and I just got home from a few beers in the woods.

Q2 – So what has been happening with you guys since I last interviewed you 6 months ago.

Well, we played our first festival gig this summer. It was fucking awesome! They treated us with beer and booze and the show went damn well!  And of course we've been working on the album. Mainly by scratching our ass and coming up with weird song titles.

Q3 – Congrats on your new almost finished album. As you know I loved it. I will dig it even more when it's released. Mainly with album title and album cover. HA HA. Can you tell our readers what to expect from it.

Haha, we're not the fastest dicks in the sauna, but we get things done. The album is filled with fuzz and dirty noice. If you're into that you might dig it. Don't expect any new side of the genre. This is simple weed driven sludge as we like it.

Q4 – So what is the album about. Any specific meaning or is it just a strong collection of stunning brutal riffs.

It's the words and thoughts of a not working, working man. I just scream angry stuff that pisses me off, and mix it up with some humor and a little bit of weed. Not much. Just a little.. I don't really think there is any special meaning in what we do. It's just fun doing it.

Q5 – Was it an easy or hard album to record for.

The studio was booked 4 months before we actually went there. I thought that we had plenty of time, and I already had three or four songs ready for it. All of a sudden, recording was close and I still needed to write the rest of the songs. We got the last three songs down two days before deadline. But I guess that's just how we work. We're not super experienced studio musicians, so it was like letting three monkeys lose in a box with some shitty instruments and hoping to catch the best take before we ruined it. It went pretty well though. We had some trouble here and there, mainly because we get weirdly nervous as soon as the recording button is red. But that being said, we had a good time recording it. And I think that Christian (CBStudios) did a really great job, making the songs sound natural and raw.  

Q6 – What influenced you when writing the album. Any specific band, musician, time or place help channel your creative process.

I don't know what I'm doing man. I'm not sure I'm that creative after all, haha. But i guess I'm influenced by a lot of different music, but with sludge as the main priority. 

Q7 – You have some pretty cool song titles on the album which shows your great sense of humor. Is humor a big aspect for your music. Though the music is bleak and brutal at times. 

Our humor is actually pretty bad dude. You're just wrongly miss led by our stunning looks.. I think it's important to have a bit of humor in everything you do. Life feeds you shit every now and then. It's your job to spice it up, so it don't taste that bad..

Q8 – What is the music scene currently like in Denmark. Are you getting more gigs or have you been too busy recording the new album.

We're slowly gaining some interest in the band. It's not that we can play anywhere we want, but we're doing alright. We're planning some shows around Denmark in January, and we've been given the chance to do a warm up gig for an old legendary danish metal band in April. We love playing live so hopefully there's gonna be more of it!

Q9 – The new album is coming out soon on Vinyl. How did that come about and who is releasing it. 

Yeah we cant wait to get it out there! The plan is to release it ourselves, unless someone else want's to pay for it. 

Q10 - Any different editions of the album such as different colours. Or is it being released as a normal edition.

I actually don't know yet. But I'm pretty sure that there's gonna be a special edition on green casettes. The cover is being hand painted by an old school mate, and we're pretty excited to see how it's gonna end up.

Q11 – Are you all fans of the Vinyl Format. As it's seeing a surge in popularity within the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal Scene.

Vinyl just presents music in a better way! I've been listening to vinyl for 3 years or so, and it's a dream come true to make one ourselves. Also the cover art is much better represented in a bigger format. I think it's because music has become so easy for everyone to listen to on the internet. So when people actually buy a record they want that extra thing to it. And vinyl really sounds better, looks better and even smells better than a cd or an mp3 file.

Q12 – If there is anything you could change within the Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal scene what would it be.

I love everything about it. So no, not really. I just hope that it stays underground, even though it's getting more popular these days.

Q13 – What are your views of the crowd funding scene currently going on with bands and artists asking fans to fund their latest release or project. My own view it's cool for upcoming bands and unsigned bands. But I saw a crowd funding project for William “FUCKING” Shatner to fund some watches he represents.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/passages-a-watch-by-william-shatner-and-egard

For Fucks Sake – Captain “Fucking” Kirk is now getting in on the act. Isn't he a multi millionaire. OOPS – I digress. Are you a fan of that and would Slowjoint ever go down that route.

I don't think you'll see us asking for money that way. If you need money for a record, do some shows, sell some shirts, albums or whatever. Everything has it's time. But what the hell do I know? We've been lucky to be able to do what we do. Somehow we always get by. Maybe it's because we don't expect a lot of it. As I've said before, we're doing it for the fun of it. It's the most natural way to us.

Q14 – Have you received more coverage within the Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal community since we last featured you on the blog. Though I have a feeling that is going to change in the next 12 months for you.

Well, I hope you're right! The more people get to know our music, the bigger the chances are for us to get more shows. And that's what it's all about. You sure did your job to get the word around. Much appreciated. But we're not quite sure if you got the same album that we send you. haha. Let's hope that people don't realize how bad our music really is.

Q15 – So when your not making sweet violent riffs with Slowjoint. What is there to do in Denmark to pass the time. How do you relax. Or what would you recommend me to do if I ever visited your great country.

Well I live in the south of Denmark in the country. There's not much to do here, so I play a lot of music. Right now I'm learning to play the banjo and I already got my own little side project going, that I'm recording on my old casette player. Some kind of depressed drunken blues. It sounds terrible! Hopefully the casette player burns down, so nobody never will have to listen to it. If you ever come to Denmark you should catch us here in south Jutland and we'll have a beer and shoot some slingshots. That's actually pretty fun and totally underrated. I once shot two birds with a slingshot and some marbles. Not in one shot though. Or wait. Let's say I shot two birds with one bullet, haha

Q16 – Do you have any plans to tour overseas within the next couple of years. If so what would be your ideal destination to play a gig at.

We would like to tour outside of Denmark, whenever we figure out how to do so. Festival gigs or small bar jobs. We like it all, as long as we get to play really loud! And our very own Roskilde Festival would be a fucking blast to play at. But that's just dreaming I guess. 

Q17 – Finally, Do you have anything to say to your fans.

Seriously, stop listening to that shit.. and grow a beard!

Well Slowjoint, thanks for doing this interview. Been great catching up with you crazy dudes once again. If you want another album review with the finished article. You know where I am.

Sure thing Steve! We'll get back to you soon.

Thanks to the band for talking to me again. Always great chatting to this great band. These guys will be one of the main bands to look out for in 2014. Slowjoint are going places.

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