Showing posts with label Subrosa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Subrosa. Show all posts

Tuesday, 25 April 2017

TRACK PREMIERE: Salt Lake City's The Ditch & The Delta unleash their unique blend of mathematical progressive sludge on new track "F**k On Asphalt"




Often trying to find the right words to describe something in the most appropriate way, can often be the most difficult thing, particularly when those things make you feel happy or excited, indeed the same could be said for things that make you feel like crap, sometimes the words “that was awesome” or “I feel like crap” just doesn’t quite cut it, because it doesn’t explain the true meaning of the experience.  Our views about things are subjective of course, personal to that individual, but when it comes to music, particularly hearing a killer band destroy your senses with a powerful riff, the same problems apply, words sometime just don’t cut and for  Salt Lake City’s The Ditch and The Delta, my words just won’t do this band justice, save to say that the first thing that comes to mind is that they are perhaps my greatest new discovery of the year so far and their mixture of mathematically progressive Neurosis infused sludge, is a breathtakingly fresh heavy infusion of all the best elements of many of your favourite bands, moulded into something genuinely exceptional and unique.  Hope that did you justice guys!!

The Ditch and The Delta will undoubtedly be a new name on the lips of many, but with the imminent release of debut album “Hives In Decline” that is set to change. Armed with their own unique brand of sludgy/noise/doom and love of the “Big Riff”, The Ditch And The Delta implement different tunings, and modal centres, which in turn has enabled them to avoid many of the usual doom trappings of excessive feedback, static harmony, and pentatonic riffs and in doing so they have created one of the finest debuts I have heard for many years. 

Set for release via Battleground Records on May 12th “Hives In Decline” was engineered by Andy Patterson of Subrosa and is certain to propel this band to the next level, alongside fellow Utahan’s such Cult Leader and the aforementioned Subrosa. So with the release date but a few weeks away, we’re stoked to be able to debut the second track from the album entitled “Fuck on Asphalt” below which which features several guitar solos by Gentry Densley from Eagle Twin and Iceburn.  You can pre-order/buy the album here



In addition to the stream, we have a double helping of The Ditch And The Detla, as we welcome guitarist/vocalist Elliot Secrist to take us through their top 5 influences. It’s time to turn the volume all the way up to 11,  because “It’s one louder, isn’t it?” So ill hand over to Elliot to talk you through his picks

Elliot: Rather than list some obvious influences, we decided to list stuff that we listen to that is not metal. Every review we have received, lists a bunch of bands that we do listen to, and there are way too many, over a lifetime of listening to hardcore and metal, to list. Many of the influences are obvious, so here are some not so obvious ones. My (Elliot) bands that sparked tectonic shifts in my musical thinking are not going to be the same ones for Kory, and Charles.

1. The one band that Charles (Drums) did say he wanted listed is the anarcho hardcore band Catharsis. Their drummer is Alexei Rodriguez. He has been in so many bands but most notable Prong, 3 inches of Blood, Trial, Walls of Jericho. Musically they are thrashy, and have a healthy dose of dbeat. Their themes are all about living authentically at any cost, the passion for life, and resistance to ways of life that are only to serve masters.

Here are two of their best “Obsession”


And their swan song “Arsonist’s Prayer”



The others are staples that we have either listened to forever and continue to inspire, or are stuff we listen to on tour. When playing metal every night with a bunch of metal bands, we tend to avoid listening to metal in the van.

2. One of our first tour listens that we put on every time we go out is Townes Van Zandt. He is the songwriter’s songwriter. In our opinion the best of sad bastard country. Its hard to pick any one album. On the top would probably be his album “Our Mother the Mountain”. He has happy and uplifting songs but he also captures misery and hopelessness unlike any metal band trying to be dark.


“Nothin”



3. Kory’s definite non metal/tour pick is Gucci Mane. Sometimes you just need some shitty trap rap.

“Trap House 3”




4. Is the Utah band Iceburn. Their whole discography is awesome. Starts out super heavy and then gets progressively more exploratory to free jazz orchestra’s to just noise. It is Southern Lord Recording artist Eagle Twin’s Gentry Densley’s brain child. Iceburn has a new extremely heavy album much like their early work coming out sometime in the near future, on Southern Lord. I’ve probably listened to this band 1000’s of times.

1992 “Fall”


1996 “Sphinx (Part II)” This one is a long one and you need to listen to the whole album to get it all. Start at minute 15:00 to get to the coolest ending and riffs ever.


5. Silo (Denmark) is one of the most unique mysterious bands I have ever heard. There really is not a lot of info out there on them. From the first minute heard I knew this was going to be something I listen to on repeat. Mindblowing but minimal at the same time. Their sound has some stuff in common to Portishead and Massive Attack in its mood, but that is where similarities end. The first album I heard of them is called “Alloy”. Its electronic music but done with real sampled instruments. So soothing that once they finally change the pattern you forget where it even happened. Poly rhythm masters. Ten years after “Alloy” they released one of the heaviest non metal records I have heard. If you want ideas for poly rhythms/beat chopping or new ways to sound heavy without traditional guitar tones listen to “Work”. This band is simply on their own playing field.

From “Alloy” 


From “Work”



Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Sunday, 8 January 2017

THE 16 MOST POPULAR ALBUMS OF 2016: The Sour 16 End of Year List 2016


The Sour 16 End of Year List 2016
Whatever is going on in the world, in our personal lives, at work and at home, music is a constant source of escapism and as one year ends and another begins, the prospect that 2017 will bring another batch of fantastic releases is a mouth watering prospect. 

So, with that in mind, today we present the culmination of our efforts from 2016 and present “The Most Popular Albums of 2016” for your viewing pleasure.  I hope you had as much fun checking out the new music as we did presenting it to you. I’d like to bestow an immeasurable amount of gratitude to the contributors, who made this year so awesome. 

The results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into the list below. All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and we have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication are highlighted in red). 


16). Gozu - "Revival” (1753) 

At their core, Gozu is a bad ass American rock band. They’ve got heavy riffs in tow and bang out tunes loud enough to piss off the neighbors. But Gozu is more than this. Gozu is a songwriting machine, one that is able to churn out eight loud, hard hitting compositions without sacrificing the meaning behind the songs or the band.  Gozu’s “Revival” is gruff and dirty when it needs to be just as it’s swift and soulful when the time is right.


15). Slomatics - "Future Echo Returns" (1818)

When a band's guitarist has their own signature fuzz pedal, it's a safe bet that they can cut through solid rock with their riffs; when both guitarists have an alternate version of the same pedal then prepare your eardrums for some serious, rock crushing heaviosity. The towering heaviness of the riffs and the images of the infinite, shimmering darkness of space is executed and captured perfectly. An amazing album worthy of any and all praise it will undoubtedly receives.


14) Rob Zombie - "The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser" (1935)

Rob Zombie hits a home run with each gnarly cut, keeping the fire hot throughout. Pastor Snow was right. Rock n’ roll has a great beat. And that evil feeling you feel when you sing it? It’s a good feeling to feel!


13) Conan – “Revengeance” (1964)

The song 'Every Man Is An Enemy' has one of the most metal sounding titles I've ever heard and the violent intentions inherent in the brooding, bruising riffs put the bands money where its snarling mouth is. 'Earthenguard', the final track of the 6 on offer, is a song so heavy it has its own gravitational pull. Its 12 minutes of neanderthalic doom which also swims and swirls thanks to the phased guitars. It's an odyssey, a massive trek through mountainous chops and pounding beats that are designed to systematically cave your head in.  Have Conan outdone themselves? Quite possibly.


12). Neurosis - “Fire Within Fires” (2056)

As this decade has yet to close, it's difficult to define what Neurosis are...but herein lies their beauty; you define who and what they are to you. After 30 years, these guys know what needs to go into a Neurosis record and will continue to do so until the music is finished with them.


11). Periphery- "Periphery III: Select Difficulty" (2137)

Experimental metal bands like Periphery will (hopefully) never settle for sticking to one particular groove.  Constantly innovating, this adds to “Juggernaut”, jumping off from that platform and diving into dark, unexplored depths.  Music should surprise and inspire, and “Periphery III: Select Difficulty” does both with eye-opening results.  Just watch out for unexpected face-melting, okay?

 

10). Asteroid - "III" (2159)

It is a hugely diverse record and shows the advanced musicianship between the band, blending all kinds of stoner rock and fuzz. This is a band who are firmly on the rise to the top and know exactly how to get there. One of the best releases of 2016 without a doubt.


 09). Dunsmuir - "Dunsmuir" (2341)

Dunsmuir, manages the uncanny trick of amounting to the sum of its parts. The record's players have some serious pedigree and none if it is wasted. Vinny Appice is as powerful as ever, with a beastly snare sound, while Bone and Davis are a formidable strings team. Fallon puts in a hardworking and uniformly stellar shift as per usual.  Simply put, if you like Clutch and Dio-era Sabbath, you will be right at home here. If you are a fan of Fu Manchu, there are sounds for you here as well. This album rocks, it’s that simple.


08). Wretch – “Wretch” (2673)

This is a fine debut and a much needed shot of trad doom, with actual songs, - in an era of obsession with amps and pedals (but without, you know, actual songs and stuff). It is a triumph for this intrepid trio and surely there are great things to come for the band. Make no mistake, Wretch are here and Wretch will bring you real doom or throw you out of the bar if you don't like it.



07). Subrosa- "For This We Fought the Battle of Ages" (3040)

If you love really emotionally charged hard hitting music, give this record a listen. I had very high expectations of this record, and those expectations were met and then exceeded.


06). Meshuggah - "The Violent Sleep of Reason” (3065)

Trying to describe Meshuggah’s sound is a challenge.  The only way I can put it is that they’re a musical cascade: a never-ending barrage of sound and heaviness pounding down upon you. Don’t expect or ballad or moments of levity here, this is a relentless tide which you will not escape from.  Tracks like ‘MonstoCity’ and ‘Our Rage Won’t Die’ are pummelling tracks of new material which can easily be slotted in to their live setlist and not seem out of place.  In fact, the same could be said for any of those songs on display here: like a chain forged by Vulcan, there’s not a weak link present.  It all hits, and hits hard.


05). Gojira - "Magma” (3156)

‘Magma’ is a record that envelopes you with its overtly dark drama, but within its haze, its crushing catharcism makes it one of the most special metal records to be released in some time.  It may not be the relentless assault many fans wanted from the album – and that’s not to say it is barren of those moments – yet, as a vehicle for emotional cleansing, as a eulogy and an obituary for a woman who shaped the personalities that drive this act, it is staggering.


04). Suicidal Tendencies - "World Gone Mad" (3326)

It flows in a virtually flawless manner and I do believe “World Gone Mad” will be remembered as one of their best records, ever.  This one’s a home run with a bullet. 

 

03). Blood Ceremony – “Lord of Misrule” (4006)

If you are new to Blood Ceremony, this album is as fine a place to start as any. If you have heard any of their previous albums and enjoyed them, your enjoyment of this one is guaranteed. This is as good an example as any of a band looking to the past both in terms of musical and folklore tradition to create fantastical and occult inspired music.


02). Megadeth - "Dystopia" (6616)

This line-up has introduced itself with a battering ram of thrash utopia; the riffs, the fury and the sizzling lead playing present here stands toe-to-toe with the bands best 21st century output.  It’s a record which accentuates the bands relevancy in 2016. Masters of their trade just listen to ‘Lying In State’ and tell me they can’t smash shit up with the best of them. They continue to release music and make the effort to give more content for their fans to consume. Not many other bands their age can say that.


1). Alter Bridge - (20,702)

If you have any interest in the more commercial end of the rock and metal spectrum i.e. Metallica, Maiden, Soundgarden and so on then this album could be a fine intro to the band. If you are a fan already you will enjoy this one immensely. Alter Bridge are leading lights in modern rock and may well be the last of a dying breed.



A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.  September’s “Sour 16” features reviews by:  Richard Maw, Theron Moore, Dan Brownson, Jake Wallace, Phil Weller, Chris Markwell, Chris Bull & Victor Van Ommen

Wednesday, 14 September 2016

THE SLUDGELORD PRESENTS: The Sour 16 for August 2016

SubRosa



It is time cast our minds back upon the month of August and digest the 16 albums that would become August’s sacrilegious ‘Sour 16’, the finest and most profane riffs around bundled together into a premium sized sonic soufflé.

You know the drill, each month; you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records that we featured in August, covering all genres of metal.  Is it not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their opinion about their favourite music.  The ‘Sour 16’ are the records that have been trending the most at Sludgelord Headquarters.
 
The results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into the list below. So kick back, with a cold one and let the power of the riff compel thee! All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork. (Total views since their publication are highlighted in red)


16). Bossk - "Audio Noir" (364)

The shimmering soundscapes of “The Reverie” gently ease the album into life. The track glides through waves of serene guitar atmospherics, before being crushed under a slab of molten distortion. Even though the classic quiet/loud dynamics of post-rock are employed here, Bossk manage to avoid the obvious, telegraphed crescendos by taking a more understated approach, conversely when they crank up, Bossk prove that they have honed their riffcraft to perfection. “Heliopause” is a relatively short burst of stoner aggravation while “Atomsmasher” fully delivers on the cataclysmic power of its name. In summation, Audio Noir” is a triumph for Bossk that sees them comfortably deliver on their fans’ anticipation for a full-length.

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-bossk-audio-noir.html

 
15). Body Void - "Ruins" EP (371)

Sounding like a seismic shift, 'Swans' instantly obliterates everything. The riffs slowly and mercilessly attack the central nervous system while the vocals suffocate and strangle. At the tail end of this EP comes the even more epic and gigantic 'Ruins', if you can imagine Andy Dufregne's escape in ' The Shawshank Redemption'; slow, filthy, dark, foreboding, this track is the embodiment of it. Body Void have set the bench mark pretty damn high now, surely they will follow this up with something truly amazing.

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/review-body-void-ruins-ep-review.html
 

14). Warfather - "The Grey Eminence" (397)

“The Grey Eminence” is a better record than Warfather's debut (which was in itself a good album!) and is a credit to those involved. This is a style of death metal I like a lot; a mixture of all elements of the genre without too much of any one thing. This is controlled force and a must listen for death metal heads everywhere.

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-warfather-grey-eminence.html
  

13)= Earthship - "Hallowed" & Khünnt - "Failures"  (405)

“Hallowed”is well represented with monolithic riffs, multi layered vocal arrangements and in standout track “Monolith” it delivers one of the heaviest moments within the course of the album. To me it appears as if the band had held back on us up until this point, because they have unleashed a truly astonishing album, which pummels and pounds you with a thick narcotic groove. This album is sonic alchemy of all their best elements, making this album a great listen and one to be admired.

 
http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-earthship-hallowed.html
 
Khünnt create the kind of bleak racket that would make even Khanate cry themselves to sleep, echoing the ragged noise rock monotony of Shit and Shine it is strangely euphoric and completely crushing in equal measure. “Failures” is a bold step forward from Khünnt. It sees them maintain their reputation for sonic drudgery while finding new ways to subject the listener to aural torment.

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-khunnt-failures.html


11). Howling Giant - “Black Hole Space Wizard”: Part 1” (EP) (469)

Howling Giant come across as a confident band that are bursting at the seams with invigorating hooks that sound as familiar as they are new. They have the discipline to take their time fleshing out riffs without losing sight of the song, their energy and passion is felt throughout, which is the glue that holds this EP together.

 
http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/review-howling-giant-black-hole-space.html


10). Make - "Pilgrimage of Loathing" (526)

An encompassing album that sees Make drag the psychedelia and post-metal of their previous recordings into a sludgy realm full of menacing atmospherics and hard-hitting riffs, Pilgrimage Of Hate is sure to please those who like their doom dark and heavy, but less predictable than the average group.

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-make-pilgrimage-of-loathing.html

 
09). Lord Vicar - "Gates of Flesh" (551)

For anyone wanting quality traditional doom, the purchase of this album is a no brainer. Lord Vicar represents the very best in the genre and this album is a focused and fulfilling listen.

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-lord-vicar-gates-of-flesh.html

08). Hexxus - "Tunguska" (577)

Hexxus brings something different from the word go, desolation lays in their wake, pain and fear tremble before their sheer levels of decibel destruction.

 
http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-hexxus-tunguska.html



7). Yeti On Horseback – “The Great Dying” (583)

Soaring melodies, crushing and enveloping riffs, brutal vocals, “The Great Dying” has got the lot! It's beautifully downtrodden in it's make up and utterly captivating.

 
http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-yeti-on-horseback-great.html


6). Devil Electric - "The God's Below" (EP) (647)

 
Hailing from the Melbourne, Australia, Devil Electric unleash abevy combination of, ‘riffs of old and new in a collision of unholy matrimony’.

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2016/08/review-devil-electric-gods-below-ep.html
 

5). Black Tar Prophet/Iron Gavel - "Black Tar Prophet/Iron Gavel" Split (636)


 
4). Castle - "Welcome to the Graveyard" (829)

This is fantastic heavy metal of the most traditional kind, forged, I can only assume, in the fires of hell

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-castle-welcome-to-graveyard.html
 

3). Shadow Witch - "Sun Killer" (915)

This record is a fine debut and places the band amongst the retro rock/doom/metal scene but shows that they have a unique sound and approach. If you have been enjoying bands such as Demon Eye, R.I.P, Uncle Acid, Satans Satyrs, Electric Citizen and so on, well, Shadow Witch are better then some of them and can mix it with the best of them!

 
http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-shadow-witch-sun-killer.html


2). Slomatics – “Future Echo Returns” (1608)

When a band's guitarist has their own signature fuzz pedal, it's a safe bet that they can cut through solid rock with their riffs; when both guitarists have an alternate version of the same pedal then prepare your eardrums for some serious, rock crushing heaviosity. The towering heaviness of the riffs and the images of the infinite, shimmering darkness of space is executed and captured perfectly. An amazing album worthy of any and all praise it will undoubtedly receives.

 
http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/split-review-exclusive-stream-black-tar.html


1). SubRosa - "For This We Fought the Battle of Ages" (2694)

If you love really emotionally charged hard hitting music, give this record a listen. I had very high expectations of this record, and those expectations were met and then exceeded.

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/album-review-subrosa-for-this-we-fought.html
 


A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.  August’s “Sour 16” features reviews by:  Richard Maw, Dan Brownson, George Parr, Charlie Butler, Chris Bull, Hunter Young, Eric Crowe, Victor Van Ommen  & Gerardo Pacheco

Sunday, 11 September 2016

INTERVIEW: The October Doom Magazine featured article with SubRosa

Interview by: Gustav Zombetero

 
 
Recently The Sludgelord was contacted by Morgan Gonclaves, editor for the October Doom Magazine (ODM), a respected Brazilian magazine, (in fact the only magazine) specializing in sludge/stoner/doom metal in Latin America.
The catalyst for this communication was first and foremost due our mutual love of heavy music, but more importantly, Morgan thought there was an opportunity to form a partnership, the purpose of which was to promote each others work, but more importantly to promote music. We may speak and communicate in different languages; however the language of music is universal, therefore over recent months The Sludgelord has begun to contribute to their magazine, with album reviews from Monoliths and The Human Condition appearing in their pages.
In return I have promoted ODM via social media, however the recurring question I have had given the magazine is published in Portuguese was, how can we read ODM in English? It is undeniable that ODM are blessed with talented writers, and the need to be able to translate it became all the more apparent last month, when ODM were fortunate to have a cover feature on SubRosa.
Fortunately Morgan and his team set about getting the article translated and today, it gives me great pleasure to reciprocate the love our Brazilian friends have shown to us and publish our first ODM article, in the form of their August cover feature with Salt Lake City’s leading pureyors of doom, SubRosa. We hope you enjoy it.
 
 

October Doom Magazine: Greetings! Can you tell our readers when you formed the band and what the current line up is at present?

Sarah Pendleton: Greetings! SubRosa was formed in 2005 by Rebecca (Guitars, vocals) and I.Over the last 11 years the band has evolved into the very best lineup we could imagine. Rebecca, Kim (violin, vocals), Andy (drums), Levi (bass) and myself, we are a family.

ODM: On your first release, the demo “The Worm Has Turned”, the songs were rawer, I even noted some post-punk influence, but in “Strega” your first full length released in 2008, the direction of the band became evident. It also looks like after “Strega”the sound was influenced perhaps by stoner Rock, and the violin got more emphasis after Kim Pack joined. Am I right?

Sarah: I would agree with that, definitely. When Kim joined the band, we had the task of layering two violins and making their interplay weave in with the rest of the instruments. The violin parts became more emphasized, and the music opened up and took on an unexpected magic.

Rebecca: I feel like our sound did start solidifying more with “Strega” … that’s where you can really hear the direction we were heading in. Sometimes you can’t spot the evolution or direction of a band until you have two points (two albums) that can then make a line, with an arrow at the end. JThe first album was rawer and primal, more blues/folk-oriented, too. “Strega” started showing glimmers of the doom metal influences that would really start coming out in “No Help …” and that album was the more obvious pointer to the two albums that would follow; “More Constant…” and now our new album.

ODM: Including an element like a violin is somewhat unusual in this type of music. Is this due to a taste for different kinds of music where the violin is present, or is it something that came naturally or was it a way to be different from others?

Sarah: Haha, the answer to this is very simple. Rebecca and I wanted to form a heavy band; she was learning the guitar, and I was learning the violin, so we just jumped in to see what would happen. Finding Kim and adding another violin was a stroke of wonderful luck. We didn’t plan for this, it evolved that way, which is very fortunate.

Rebecca: I actually was very unsure about having the violin in the band when SubRosa first formed, haha. I wanted to be the heaviest, loudest and most brutal band in Salt Lake City – I wanted to make people clutch their children to their chest and run screaming from clubs – and I didn’t know how a violin would fit in with that vision. But of course, we all know now that the violins are the two jewels in the crown of SubRosa. They bring an emotional resonance and depth to the music that wouldn’t be there otherwise. But it was completely an accident.

ODM: In my opinion,” More Constant Than the Gods” was the peak of band’s creativity. A dense, dark and melancholic atmosphere, musical structures in perfect harmony... I feel light when listening to this disc; it has a philosophical, human message. Comment about the creation process of this disc.

Sarah: Thank you for your kind words. We are very proud of “More Constant Than the Gods”. It was a long writing process, and a lot of work. There was emotional difficulty in our personal lives leading up to the writing of that album, including the passing of Rebecca’s mother. We are lucky enough to have been able to turn those difficulties into the cathartic release of music and expression. It is our therapy. :)

Rebecca: Thank you. Like Sarah said, we worked very, very hard on “More Constant than the Gods”, and it was very difficult pulling together. I sung about more personal things on this album than I ever had before. Like Sarah said, “The Usher” was influenced in part by my mother’s death. “The Usher” points out that sometimes death comes as a sweet release to those that are suffering cruelly. I think that is probably the human message you are picking up on.

 
ODM: Is your new album a natural continuation of what was “More Constant Than The Gods” or will you add different elements and changes of musical vision in the creation proccess?
 
Sarah: We can barely contain the excitement we feel about sharing this new album with whomever will listen. The process of writing this album was different from “More Constant…” The new album, “For This We Fought the Battle of Ages”, is based on the 1921 dystopian novel, “We”, by Yevgeny Zamyatin. This is the first time we have written an entire album based on a book. We all feel passionate about the concepts and problems that are raised in the book, and that gave us a lot of intellectual and emotional fuel to write the songs.
 
Rebecca: “The Usher”was my favorite track off “More Constant than the Gods”, and we wanted to go even more in that direction with “For This We Fought the Battleof Ages” – exploring songs that had multiple movements that express different scenes or moments, almost like a soundtrack, or the movements of an opera or a symphony. We also tried to push ourselves to try different angles and approaches to writing riffs, and tried to be more daring with what we were willing to try musically and take more chances.
 
ODM: What is your opinion about this “fight” involving record labels, copyright and freedom of speech? (I mean, about discs being shared in the internet, YouTube channels uploading songs and albums, this kind of thing).
 
Sarah: In this age, we cannot deny or abolish the existence of piracy, or the Internet. It is painful sometimes to think about working tremendously hard on your music and struggling to survive financially. But we didn’t begin making music for money, and compensation comes in many different forms. However, it is important for every artist to know their worth and to know that they deserve to be paid for their work, like anyone in any profession.
 
Rebecca: It is definitely a double-edged sword. One wonderful side to the Internet and piracy, though, is that it spreads your music far and wide. People will hear your album that might not have listened to you otherwise, and then they might come to one of your shows. Twenty years ago, bands would have killed for the tools that we have at our fingertips.
 
ODM: Among all the festivals you have participated in – many in all those years – in which did you have the best experience, both organization and crowd’s feedback?
 
Sarah: We have been lucky because the festivals we have played usually had great organization and crowd response. My two personal favorites have been Hellfest in France and
Roadburn in the Netherlands. Most recently, we played the Sled Island Festival in Calgary, and the volunteers and organization were top-notch. We are going to play Psycho Las Vegas in August, and we are very excited.
 
Rebecca: Sarah is right; we have had very few negative festival experiences. Almost all of them have been very well run. There was something special about Hellfest and Roadburn. I also really enjoyed our first show after a long break at Nathan Carson’s Fall into Darkness in 2012, and Psycho California in 2015.
 
ODM: Do think there is a possibility of some day we here in Brazil appreciate your art in our stages?
 
Sarah: We would love to come and play in Brazil!
 
Rebecca: My sister-in-law is from Brazil!!! My nephew and two nieces speak Portuguese as a result. I would love to go there someday and I would love if SubRosacould play there. J
 
ODM: October Doom Magazine is grateful for your attention. We will be waiting eagerly for your new material! Do you have any final comments?
 
Sarah: Thank you to every SubRosa fan in Brazil, and to October Doom Magazine! We would love to make it to Brazilto play some shows.
 
Rebecca: Thank you so much for the interview! Obrigado. :)
 
The End
 

“For This We Fought the Battle of Ages” is available here and you can read our review here


Band info: facebook|| bandcamp