Sons
of Huns first blasted their way into the Stoner Rock World in 2013
when they released their excellent debut album – Banishment Ritual
– with it's heavy style of Psychedelic Stoner/Garage Rock vibes and
Sci-fi Movie references. I loved the hell out of it when it came out
and I still listen to it to this very day.
Well
Sons Of Huns are back with their even better 2nd album – While
Sleeping Stay Awake – which sees the band leave their Sci-fi
influences behind and focus more on the darker side of Psych
Rock/Stoner Rock. As guitarist Pete Hughes – uses some of his
painful personal experiences to write an album that no doubt will
have you rocking from beginning to end but also asks questions about
Faith, Life, Humanity and everything in between.
Sons
Of Huns have managed to persuade two Stoner/Sludge Metal Icons to
appear on the album. WINO appears on the blistering – An Evil
Unseen whilst Dale Crover of The Melvins provides drums on
Philosopher's Stone.
Sons
Of Huns are here to impress you with their mammoth riffs. Before then
I've been given the chance to do this interview with the guys.
1
– Hi guys. How's it going. Thanks for doing this interview. Much
appreciated as we're huge fans of you guys.
Thank
you very much. We're fans of your blog as well.
2
– Can you tell our readers of how the band came about and where it
is today.
Peter
and Shoki (our previous bassist) met in college and started a band
that played around Portland a bit. Shoki was also in another band
with Ryan and both projects kind of fizzled out, we all decided to
jam and wrote songs at an incredible rate. Wrote an EP, 7" and
an album before Shoki high-tailed it off to Japan to teach English.
Aaron (current bassist) was in a band that Ryan had toured with from
time to time and Aaron offered to play bass for us and pretty much
saved our asses. After touring North America on Banishment Ritual and
writing new songs with a new member, here we are today with a new
release about to drop July 21st on Riding Easy.
3
– Before we start talking about your new album. We have to talk
about your debut album – Banishment Ritual – as it's a fave of
mine. Did the response to that album surprise you in anyway as it won
a ton of great reviews.
We're
very grateful for the acclaim that album received. We felt like
there's a lot of strong songs that are fun on that album so we were
happy that folks dug it so much.
4
– Would you change anything about it. Or are you happy with the way
it is.
Pretty
happy about how it ended up. You always are your worst critic as a
member of a band, so we nit pick certain things but for how long we
had in the studio and the overall cost, we're pretty satisfied.
5
– What I loved about it was the numerous Sci-Fi references you
included. Including the awesome Star-Wars inspired album cover. Was
it hard album to write and record for whilst adding different parts
of Sci-fi culture into the mix for people to spot?
No,
we had the concept out from the get go, and not all the songs on the
album tie in with the Sci-Fi theme, but we managed to pull it off
nonetheless.
6
– OK time to talk about your new album – While Sleeping Stay
Awake. WOW. What an album to release as your 2nd album. It's a very
dark album compared to your first. Was that your intention to make
something darker and more personal for your second album.
We
wanted to make a heavier, shorter album than what Banishment was. The
concept is more broad as well: death. This album's energy is way
different as well. More bombastic riffs and whatnot. I guess the
darkness of the album just came out with the aggression we put into
it.
7
– Pete – You've used a lengthy painful time in your life mainly
the 16 years you received Lyme Disease and the amount of pain and
illness you've gone through since then to help you write the album.
Was that a hard decision to go through. Did recording this album
provide a sense of healing or closure to the painful times you've
gone through.
My
life has increasingly become consumed by pain, isolation, and doubt.
There was no 'hard decision' to make, it's just the card I was dealt.
I'm trying to use it as a means to self-discovery. That's been my
experience so it's all I know to write about. No physical healing,
since I'm still sick as hell, but closure in a sense as a few of the
songs were haunting me so it's a relief to get em out!
8
– From listening to the album I can see why you called the album –
While Sleeping Stay Awake. But for people who haven't listened to the
album. Can you tell our readers what to expect from the album and why
you decided on that title.
'Dormiens
Vigila' is an alchemical phrase that reminds us to be ever vigilant,
to pierce through the oblivion and let nothing escape us. Our
concentration single-pointed, allowing nothing to deter us from our
resolution. They should seek to reveal the true cause of their
suffering. They should also expect to bang their heads!
9
– You have two Sludge/Stoner Metal icons appearing on the album.
WINO and Dale Crover. How did you manage to convince those guys to
appear on the album. What was it like working with those guys and did
they provide any helpful hints or advice to you guys.
We
knew Wino from being direct support for Saint Vitus on the North
American leg of their 35th anniversary tour. Wino would tell us he'd
love to do a song on our next album, and when we found out we were
recording in LA, where he lives, it just worked out. He came in a
killed the song we wrote for him. We're like old friends that don't
skip a beat, even though we don't see each other often. He knew Toshi
from the Shrinebuilder album so we all had a good time in the studio.
As
for Dale, Toshi pretty much offered his services and thought it'd be
a good idea (which it was) to feature him on a song. We tracked
everything in the Melvin's rehearsal space, which also doubles as
Toshi's studio so it wasn't a stretch for Dale. We're so grateful to
have such awesome musicians want to be a part of this album.
10
– You worked with Toshi Kasai on the album. How was working with
Toshi on this album and what did be bring to the Sons Of Huns sound.
All
you have to do is look at Toshi's body of work, and you know you're
in good hands as a heavy band. Working with Toshi was a dream. He's
very creative, knows the thought process of a song and suggested a
lot of great ideas during our time with him in the studio. He just
knows what crushes and how to bring out the best in everyone. We love
that guy so much.
11
– I love the album cover. Can you tell me who designed the cover
and did you have much input into the overall design of the cover. And
what does it mean to you as a band.
The
album art is by Shi Yin, an artist living in Japan. We feel it fits
with the centralized theme: death.
12
– We have to talk about your home town – Portland, Oregon. Which
is fast becoming one of the best cities in providing us with killer
Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal bands. I'm a huge fan of the Portland scene.
What's the vibe currently like in Portland. And can you tell us any
other great bands to check out from there.
Portland
is a great place to live and be from, but unfortunately it's losing
it's charm. Venues we used to love to play are now being destroyed
for condos and other junk. Guess this is how it goes. The musical
community is excellent and supportive. There's a 1000 shows a night
and that's great because it fosters a good work ethic for bands to
get better, build their fan bases and eventually bring what's great
about this place to different parts of the country/world. All the
bands we like and recommend are already pretty well established and
acknowledged by your readership.
13
– Do you guys still play gigs in Portland or do you have to travel
further afield to perform regularly.
We
still play a steady amount of gigs here. I am sure it's high time we
get out on the road again!
14
– Your new album is being released by RidingEasy Records once
again. Was it an easy decision to stay with Daniel at RidingEasy. Did
you have any other offers from different labels.
We
signed a contract soon after Banishment was released and we started
touring to support it. It's been nice to work with a single person at
the label. He's always been very energetic about our releases so it
was an easy decision to work with him. We've been on the radar with
other labels, but it's been nice to get the attention we've had from
Daniel and RidingEasy.
15
– Are there plans for you to tour overseas in the near future or
so. Or is still to early to do at this point in your career.
We'd
like to get overseas soon, especially Europe. There's always offers,
just nothing that's come to fruition so perhaps we'll get over there
after this release.
16
– Well guys thanks for doing this interview. Before we go, do you
have anything to say to your fans.
Thanks
for the questions, Steve! Thanks to all our fans for their support
and we can't wait to shred in their midst again soon!
All
the best with your new album as it's a fantastic record. Thanks.
Steve.
Wait
until your hear While Sleeping Stay Awake as it's a brilliant Stoner
Rock album with a powerful message attached. Sons Of Huns have
delivered something special here. You can find out when the album is
released on July 21st 2015 through RidingEasy Records.
Thanks
to Sons Of Huns for doing this interview and to Dave at US/THEM PR
Group for arranging this interview.
Words
by Steve Howe and Sons of Huns
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