Since
today's guests where the first review I've published on the new blog.
I thought I should interview as well. As these guys have delivered
quite frankly a brilliant debut album with OLD WORLD RITUAL.
I've
had this album for a couple of months now and I was supposed to
review it for The Sludgelord. But the guys were kind enough for me to
review it here which I'm very grateful for, as the album is a
powerful slab of Sludge/Stoner Metal spliced with Doom and Gloom
cosmic interludes. The vocals are killer and are pissed of as hell.
I'm
talking about CONJURER – the Indianapolis based Sludge/Stoner Metal
collective who are starting to turn some heads within the
Sludge/Stoner Metal scene. Give it time as these guys have the
potential to become one of your fave new bands. If you're into
Mastodon/Baroness (before they went into radio rock friendly
territory) then check these guys out now.
Before
then you can read this interview.
DM
= Dustin Mendel JR = John Rau DE = Dillon Enright
1
– Hi guys. Thanks for doing this. And allowing me to publish the
review for your new album on the new blog. How are things with you
all today.
DM:
We’re pretty good, thanks for having us.
2
– From a recent article I read about bands and the questions they
hate being asked the most. I'm afraid I'm going to ask it for people
who haven't heard of your band. How did the band come about.
JR:
After our last bands had kind of run their course, Gabe and I decided
to put something together that was a little slower and tuned down,
even more than our previous projects. After we solidified the lineup,
we started writing a hand full of songs that became the first EP.
3
– Your debut album – Old World Ritual. Wow, what a record that
is. What is the album about and what can people expect from the
album.
DM:
The psychonaut Terrence McKenna said, “The real secret of magic is
that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that
the world is made of you can make of it whatever you wish.”, so all
I am doing is making worlds with words.
4
– I loved how you guys mix Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs with an almost
Space Rock driven Doom/Gloom outlook. Do you agree with that
statement or do you call your music good old fashioned Rock and Roll.
JR:
We really tried to not tie ourselves to just one thing, even though
we can definitely fit into the genres you listed. We love all of
those, but it’s also hard to claim any one of them, since we try
not to stay in just one.
5
– I read my good friend – Melissa from Doomed and Stoned's review
of your new album. She nailed the feel and tone of the album. Did
that review surprised you. As I think you will be receiving similar
reviews over the next few months or so.
DM:
Who wouldn’t be happy to be mentioned in the same breath as
Crowbar? We are stoked she reviewed the album and are just happy that
people who dig the same stuff we do seem to like it.
6
– I love the album cover for Old World Ritual. It doesn't give too
much away on what's on the album. Was that intentional. To
create/design a cover that leaves an element of surprise.
DM:
When the band starting talking about album art, I had those 80’s
Time Life paranormal books and old UFO books in mind. John and I
sketched it out during practice and had the other dudes toss out
ideas that got incorporated into the design.
7
– Who designed the cover. And what does the cover mean to you as a
band and for the album in general.
JR:
I designed it from the sketches that we worked on together. Overall
we wanted it to be minimal but still linked to the lyrical ideas of
the album.
8
– What's the song-writing dynamic within the band. Is it a group
collective or down to one individual.
DE:
Usually one of us comes to practice with a riff or a song idea, then
we add to it and arrange it together over the course of a couple
weeks.
9
– What have been people's reaction to your music. Good or bad
reactions.
DM:
Really great for the most part. The only bad response, has been a
dude that thought we played too slow…
10
– How do you deal with negative reactions to your music. Do you
take suggestions or criticisms on board or do you focus on your own
thing.
DE:
We mainly focus on our own thing because we have our own internal
editing process. Even after completing songs we sometimes scrap them
if they’re not up to snuff.
11
– Do you guys perform gigs on a regular basis. Do you have to
travel further from your home town to perform on a regular basis.
DM:
We play a little more than once month. We try to play outside of Indy
as much as we can.
12
– Dustin, this is a question for you. One of my fave parts of the
album is your vocals. They're very hardcore based though with a
slight Doom Metal vibe. Was it hard recording vocals for you album as
you're pissed off and loud as hell through out the album. And which
Hard Rock/Heavy Metal vocalists influenced you as a musician.
DM:
It actually went easier than I thought it would. I came into the band
with kind of a Matt Pike style in mind. It quickly turned into to
something else completely, mostly in order to be heard over the
amount of amps we play through, haha.
13
– I suppose I could throw that part of the question to the rest of
the band. Which bands and artists inspired you to become musicians.
Any particular albums that stand out.
JR:
There are a shit ton of bands I could list here. The band that really
turned me on to darker metal at a young age was Alice in Chains
(Dirt). But the band that later made it feel possible to play in a
band was Burn It Down (Eat Sleep Mate Defend) from Indianapolis.
DM:
White Zombie is definitely the biggest influence on me from my
childhood. Also, I always go back to Black Sabbath (Masters of
Reality) and Burning Witch (Riff, Canyon, Dreams)
DE:
Mostly early 90’s grunge and I grew up listening to Led Zepplin.
14
– Well guys thanks for doing this interview. All the best with your
new album as it's a killer record.
JR:
Thanks a lot Steve. Best of luck with the new blog!
Words
by Steve Howe and Conjurer
I
want to thank Conjurer for doing this interview. Check out their
debut album – Old World Ritual – as it's an absolute blast from
start to finish.
Links
