Today's guests will be releasing their eagerly
anticipated new album – Black Magic – in 2016 via Metal Blade
Records. They've already released acclaimed EP's and demos over the
past few years. Their blend of Occult Rock/Doom/Stoner/Classic Rock
sounds will leave you in a bewitching spell.
Black Magic has the potential to launch these
guys in a big way. The album is that good. I'm talking about
Brimstone Coven. I was given the chance to talk about the new album,
what influenced it and what people can expect from the album.
Have a read and enjoy....
Hi guys. Thanks for doing this interview.
How are things with you today.
Hello! Things are going great for us. Thanks
for asking and thanks for having us!
Your about to release your new album. –
Black Magic in Jan 2016. What a great album that is. Very different
to your earlier records but still very familiar as well. What can
people expect from the album.
As you said, we tried some new stuff on this
album but didn't stray from that traditional Brimstone Sound too
much. A couple tracks have a more retro feel than others. I'm sure it
will catch new listeners and keep the die hard Brimstoners happy.
Did you do anything different when making
this album compared to your other releases.
The process was the same as every other album.
Corey hears an entire song and lays it out in a demo. We all learn it
and add our own touch. If any is needed. Then we head to the studio.
The process for this album went MUCH smoother because we are so
familiar with the flow going into the studio. So not much changed on
the process. Corey heart was leaning a little heavier to a slightly
more retro sound on a couple of the tracks. We tried them out with
that Brimstone feel. And they fit quite well to our sound.
It seems the album has been a long time
coming as you’ve released a couple of great EP’s originally and
then packaged those two EP’s as one full release back in 2014 on
Metal Blade Records. Did you ever expect those things to happen when
you started to the band and then being signed to Metal Blade.
We were blown away when the label approached
us. It was completely unexpected. We were in the process of shopping
labels but had not sent out press kits by the time they contacted us
about a deal. That's why it was so surprising! We had the album done
WELL before it was due in to the label. We had a few songs together
before we released on Metal Blade. We received an email on Christmas
day asking if we were signed. And if not, did we want to be. We
looked into it and found it was with Metal Blade. I was expecting a
smaller label. Or maybe a distribution deal. My jaw hit the floor. So
many stepping stones that we hopped over there. It was definitely
unseen.
With Black Magic being your proper full
length record, did you feel a lot of pressure to deliver something
better what came before it. How do you cope with that pressure.
I don't think there is any pressure to
outperform or outdoor previous efforts. We just focus on moving
forward and of course we want the album to be great, but that comes
from a place of wanting to improve ourselves as musicians and
songwriters and not from a place of needing to compete with previous
albums.
I’ve read that you written Black Magic
over a course of a year period. Was that a challenging time for you
writing the album for that amount of time.
The flow of that album was the easiest so far.
No hang ups. We had plenty of time to play around with the year.
What inspired you when you recorded the
album as it’s quite a dark album in places.
Corey finds inspiration in many different
places; old/obscure bands, films, books, you name it. Darkness is all
around us. The world is a dark place and full of inspiration.
You’ve been classed as an Occult Rock
Band in the past. Do you buy into that term. Do you like your band
being classed as that. As some bands are starting to tire of that
term.
We don't mind the label. I understand the need
for it because it helps describe to someone who has not heard us what
they can expect. With that being said those are general labels which
means it is subjective. What one person thinks Occult rock means the
other person may have a totally different idea of what that should
be. At the end of the day it is all rock and roll.... no matter what
you try and label it.
You’ve performed a lot of gigs over the
last few years. Which ones have been your favourite to perform and
why.
We have had the pleasure to share the stage
with several amazing bands over the past 2 years. 3 gigs that really
stood out for me personally are the Eye of the Stoned Goat festival
in Long Island New York and that was a blast. So many amazing bands
on that bill. Demon Eye from North Carolina were great guys and they
were killer. The Blackout Cookout in Kent, Ohio was an all day
festival type show that was a bash like none other. It was catered
with amazing food and once again just too many great bands.
Earthquaker Devices were inexpensive of the
sponsors and they are a company that makes some of the best pedals on
the market. Definitely check them out. Also we played a great venue
in Milwaukee, The Metal Grille. Once as part of another great
festival, Days of the Doomed, and another time just as part of a
regular bill. Mike Smith is the promoter up there and he is a GREAT
guy who puts on the best shows. We love playing there. Really the
list goes on seemingly forever but those 3 gigs stood out as great
shows with great bands.
When recording or performing live, Do you
use an advanced setup or a basic setup.
We have a very basic live set up. Sometimes we
use some lighting for ambiance and sometimes we break out our iron,
brimstone candelabras but for the most part we just get up and rock
out. Let the music speak for itself.
How hard is it being in a band in today’s
current climate.
I wouldn't say it is especially hard. We have
all played in bands for 20 plus years. With that being said none of
us have done it at this level until recently so I cannot compare it
to years past but to us it is simple. You write the best music you
can. You try to play it for as many as people as possible. We are
just luck to have such a great team behind us in Metal Blade and they
certainly help us in getting the music out there.
Which bands or artists inspired you to
become a musician. Was it a particular band or album that made you
decide – Yeah, that’s what I want to do.
We all have been musicians for a long time, and
music fans for even longer. It is impossible to cite one band, album
or person who made us all want to pick up an instrument and never put
it down. The truth is that if you are a musician, it is in your blood
and there is nothing you can do to stop it.
Will you be touring quite heavily this
record in 2016. Will you be doing any European dates. Or is too early
to tell at the moment.
We would love to travel to Europe this year to
help promote this record. We have our passports and we are ready to
go. Right now we are in the process of finding the right agency to
work with on a long term basis.
Black Magic is being released on some
good looking vinyl. Your debut release was given the STB Records
treatment back a few years ago. Did it surprise you how quickly it
sold out and now they go for ridiculous prices on Discogs – (£230
one person is selling it for). Are you vinyl fans yourselves.
I caught a quick sneak peak at the vinyl. And
it's sick. The record comeback in the past few years has been
massive. Some people listen to vinyl for that old school crack and
pop additive. You throw that on a Brimstone Coven album and it's
magical.
The fact that our album, that was on STB, sold
for that amount blows my mind. It was a limited edition of 50.
Well guys thanks for doing this
interview. All the best with your new album. It’s an awesome record
Words by Steve Howe and Brimstone Coven
Thanks to Andy Turner for arranging this
interview and to Brimstone Coven for taking the time out to talking
to me. Black Magic will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from Metal
Blade Records on January 29th 2016.
