Aleks Evdokimov Interviews Chris from SATORI JUNK

Some things happen faster, some things happen slower. Due technical issues, this interview started in May is done only now, but does it change anything? Satori Junk was born in Milan six years ago, their first full-length is full of driving and appealing mix of doom and stoner, so I have watched the band since its release.

To my surprise their second record ‘The Golden Dwarf’ was done on Russian label Endless Winter which has quite another specialization. However Satori Junk surpasses themselves with this new work: more driving tunes, some jazz elements and kind of retro vibe. That’s a great reason to remind our readers about the band, Satori Junk’s guitarist Chris will help us with that task.

Hi Chris! My congratulations - new Satori Junk album The Golden Dwarf is released, and I'm surprised with the band's progress. But first of all, how did you get on Russian label Endless Winter?

Hi Aleksey! The credit for this partnership goes to our friend Marco (SuuM, Bretus). We were looking for a label and SuuM recently signed with Endless Winter. We asked Marco for a suggestion and in a short time we were ready to sign with the Russian label and start work together.

Three years that lie between Satori Junk two albums isn't a big date, but what have happened in the band's life during this period?

In three years we never stopped to play live. That gave us the opportunity to grow, making experience and learn to achieve the best results from every kind of venue. Last year was a bit stressful: we were getting anxious to release new stuff, most of the songs were ready, but it was hard to stay focused on The Golden Dwarf recordings. When last summer we went to the studio, it was like a relief for everyone.

The very first track All Gods Die demonstrates how careful and effectively you incorporate elements of jazz music in your sound. What did drive you to enrich the band's musical arsenal?

We are always opened to many musical influences. Introducing our work with that tune could sound like a weird joke, but since the beginning we felt that such kind of idea could fit to our music. I think we were just looking to express ourselves best, find our distinctive trait, our trademark.

There's also a strong Hammond line in this song, and it works well with driving riffs, thus you keep proper balance of vintage and modern sounds. What was your vision of new stuff when you enter the studio?

Pushing more keyboard was a decision we took early in the writing process. In studio there’s no time to improvise, you could find better solution for your sound, but your schedule is tight. Being aware of that could be a really save you some time, so we decided to practice a lot, thinking very clearly on what our final sound should be.

I wouldn't tell that it's a radical change, but Satori Junk seems to be more Electric Wizard oriented band with new album even though you keep your own individuality as well. Can you tell that this new hypnotic riffs were partly influenced by that dirty stoned doom? 

It's undeniable that I always wanted that kind of sound from my guitar. It’s a matter of choices: there are lots of bands using Big Muff like a state of art fuzz, I choose the underrated Boss FZ-2. This is making my sound different, dirtier, and obviously more recognizable. Anyway, it's just one ingredient of our recipe.

Electric Wizard too get lots of inspiration from the 60s/70s music, we all drink from the same cup, but everyone is keeping his own identity.

Satori Junk – All Gods Die 

How do you see necessary elements of Satori Junk? Which core elements did you transfer from the debut self-titled album to Golden Dwarf?

Preserving the wall of sound was our main goal. I think we reached a nice balance between heaviness and psychedelia, where the main heavy riffing was exalted by the contrast with the softer parts. Also the effort made by Max, caring over his sounds of his drums during all the mixing sessions served our cause: on the first album we were without drummer from the end of the recording session.

What's about lyrics this time? Can you tell more about them and Luca rises in his texts?

Luca always enjoys telling simple, horror stories. His characters are often doomed to a terrible ending with no possibility of return. In this new album, I think that every story is channeling to the title track, where the anguished protagonist seeks for a quick solution and founds himself trapped in a bargain that will bring him back to the starting point after a short moment of relief.

You've covered Doors' immortal hit Light My Fire for the album. Are you fascinated with the spirit of that passed epoch or is it just because of the song's own charm?

No, nothing like that. Luca is a big fan of Ray Manzarek keyboard style, it’s a fact. One night we got the idea: “we could play a cover from The Doors!”. Almost instantly, we found that Light My Fire is a song that could be easily bended to our sound. So, without telling this to the other members, we started to rearrange the song. It was relatively easy to do that.

You played just few gigs in support of the release including one in Romania, how was it? And do you plan to play few more shows to promote Golden Dwarf?

Playing at Revolution Fest was a total blast! Playing in eastern Europe is different: the crowd is really engaged, regardless of the genre. That’s a great thing, especially for a band like us. When you see so many people following your songs headbanging, something happens. You could feel all the energy flowing and you can return it back boosted. By the way, our touring is not over: we are planning a tour this autumn with The Ossuary, ten days all around Europe.

Well, here's a philosophical question or something like that. What are virtues of doom metal? What's good does the genre offer to its fans and artists who play this way?

I think that one of the greatest virtues of Doom is own sincerity. It’s a genre that allows you lots of experimentation, but you must play it in a right way, with attitude, enjoying every single note. These are the blues roots, the roots from which rock was born. There’s something rough and primordial into this, and think every Doom supporter is able to notice it.

World football cup is almost in hand, do you feel anything consider this? Can you tell that you're football fan?

I’m a FC Inter supporter, and Max too. Probably Luke and Lory hate this sport, cause in so many years we never talked about soccer. A World Cup without the Italian team sounds unthinkable, but it could be a nice occasion to follow all the matches without any heartache or headache. 

Words by Aleks Evdokimov and SATORI JUNK

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/SatoriJunk/
https://satorijunk.bandcamp.com/ 

An Interview With Dennis Petersen From SLOWJOINT

 

Danish Sludge/Stoner/Weedian Metallers Sjowjoint are one of my favourite bands within the scene. The band have been going since 2012 and I've must have reviewed all of their releases since then. I've interviewed the band quite a few times over the years and I always enjoy doing interviews with them. As they always give you honest answers and some cool funny stories as well.

If you haven't heard of Slowjoint before then this interview is the best place to start. Slowjoint's music is a highly infectious blend of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal riffs. All held together by pure Weedian Magic.If you're a fan of BONGZILLA or WEEDEATER then you need to check these guys out now.

I'm interviewing Dennis (Bass/Vocals) from Slowjoint.

Hi Dennis. How’s it going. Always good to catch up with you.

Hey, I’m good man. Just came home from loading off gear at our rehearsal. We played Fuzztival last night in Esbjerg, which is a city nearby where I live in south-western Jutland. It was this small amphitheatre located in a small park surrounded by trees and green grass. Fucking beautiful spot. Some of our friends played there too, and the staff was awesome so we had a pretty good party. So yeah, I’m good under the circumstances…

For people not in the know about Slowjoint. Can you tell them a brief history of how the band came together and where it is today. 

We actually kept this shit going for six years now Steve! Isn’t that crazy. I met with some dudes back in early 2012 and started jamming some slow tunes just for the fuck of it. I had been singing in some fast metal bands but I was way more into the American sludge scene with the laid back attitude, slow riffs and blues inspired song writing.

So I changed some beers and stuff for Patrick's old Pbass, and started fumbling around with it. I only knew how to play a little blues on guitar so I just went with that on bass with a big muff and it fit right in.

Other than a little change on the drums we’re still the same band as we were back then. Maybe a little better.. or worse depending on who you ask. We get to play live way more than we ever expected, so that’s good. I don't think we really expected anything when we started out. We just liked the bands of the genre and wanted to play it ourselves

Can you tell our readers what kind of music you play.

I guess it’s sludge metal of some kind. We like to call it Bongsludge or Retarded Blues. It’s loud and has a lot of feedback. And the riffs resembles how your head feels when you’ve had too much whiskey and are clinging to the toilet to make that damn room stand still.

Right. That’s the recap over. So what have Slowjoint been upto since you released the split album with GAIA last year.

We went on a small Danish tour with Gaia. Played some German shows too. The Copenhagen gig almost got cancelled since Weedeater announced they were gonna play another venue in Copenhagen that night, and the promoter thought it was kinda the same audience (no shit). So we moved our own show to the afternoon as a pre-party and we all went and saw Weedeater afterwards. That was fun!

Other than that we just keep playing here and there around Denmark and try to write our next album. We don’t all three of us live nearby each other so we don’t get to jam that often. And lately it has felt like every time there are holes in the calendar some dude contact us and ask if we can play some shows somewhere. So it’s kinda difficult to find the time to meet and actually write new stuff. But we’re just glad that bookers and bands want to do stuff with us, so it’s still a good thing. We love doing tours even though in Denmark it’s usually only on the weekends.

Were you happy with the overall response your split album with GAIA received from fans and critics alike. 

Yeah it’s been pretty good. Overall we’re getting more and more response on the band as a whole so we’re happy with it.

Looking back would you change anything about that release.

No, not at all. Our drummer Tor just came into the band a few months before so we didn’t have a lot of time to write our side of the split, and still we nailed some pretty good songs I think. Jacob (Dead Rat Studios) also really managed to catch a sound close to how we sound live. So we’re happy with it.

I always admire how you release your records on Vinyl and other physical formats. Even if you don’t get the recognition you fully deserve. Will you keep releasing records on different physical formats. Or will you be focusing on certain mediums such as DD, CD or Vinyl. 

Yeah, I do wish we hadn't made 420 copies of our first album. They don’t go THAT fast when people don’t know you yet, ha ha. But people still buy’em so I guess we’re gonna get rid of them at some point. We could be a little more up to date on the digital release platforms though, but yeah, I really enjoy physical formats so we’re definitely gonna keep doing that.

Any funny tour or gigs stories you like to share with us.

Back in May last year we were playing an indoor festival near Copenhagen. We arrived at the venue in the afternoon and it was unbearably hot so the staff gave us free bar and that’s where it all went wrong. I quickly started slamming honey bourbon and ice (my favourite) and kept that going for the rest of the evening. Show went well and before we went to hit the bus i filled a big ass glass to the top with bourbon. But the bus driver didn’t want me to bring it in so stupid me chugged the whole thing down in one go and jumped the bus.

This is the last thing I remember. When I woke up next morning the guys told me that suddenly I had gotten off the bus in the middle of nowhere because I had to take a piss. It was about 10 km from our friends house and I didn’t manage to finish before the bus took off. So instead of just waiting a few minutes for the next bus I started walking out on the dark roads. They had kept calling my phone, with me on the other end mumbling random stuff or taking pocket calls.

I’m not familiar AT ALL with that area so how I managed to find home I really don’t know but it was so late that the guys had fallen asleep trying to stay awake while worried about my drunk ass. When we got outside the next morning I had even stolen a shitty old bike with the rusty chain dangling from it, not at all able to ride… Whiskey have done this to me quite a few times. It’s a matter of measures but my math is not that good when I’m drunk, so it goes kinda wrong sometimes.

It’s been a long time since Slowjoint released an album of their own. Are you busy recording a new album or EP. Can you give us any details on that. 

We have a new album coming out and it’s just about halfway done. Think we’re gonna record it some time this fall or winter. 

What can people expect from this record and when will it be released. 

It’s pretty much the same deal. Swinging riffs and loud amps. We sound better than ever live and I hope that’s gonna be present on the recordings. We’ve tried to approach it a little differently this time. Usually we meet a few times and jam some of my riffs and then we hit the studio, without really knowing how it’s gonna end up. This time we jammed some riffs and did a simple recording with a zoom recorder. Then we can get back to it and add ideas that we always get but can’t do because it’s already recorded.

So it’s still Slowjoint with simple riffs and all that shit but with a little extra thought to it. I think one of the most important things about Slowjoint is the spontaneity and simplicity and by doing it this way I think we still stick pretty much to that. I’m pretty sure there’s still gonna be some last minute stuff on there too, ha ha.

When you’re creating new music. What comes first. The music or the lyrics.

I do a lot of jamming myself. Just play around and coming up with riffs. When I play a good riff enough times the words slowly starts to form them self. But’s it’s pretty basic and down to earth lyrics. There are things being said between the lines but it’s meant to be pretty straight forward. I have this idea with a concept album about Jutland and all the funny/stupid stuff that goes on around here and characterise a true Jutlandian…

What is the songwriting dynamic within the band. Is it a group collective or down to one individual.

I bring a riff or two for a song and then we just start jamming it. Maybe making a second riff with a variation of the first riff or stuff like that. A lot of Slowjoint’s sound and feel comes from jamming so I wouldn’t be able to write a real good Slowjoint song without the other guys.

Patrick is adding more and more bluesy guitar details than he has usually done and Tor has a really simple and laid back drum style but still some times weirdly creative. I really love jamming with those two guys and we always agree a hundred percent that it’s time for a smoking break, so it’s a perfect match, ha ha. 

We have to talk about your bass setup when playing live or recording in the studio. What is your current setup. Do you have an advanced setup or basic setup.

Ooh yeeah, I love talking about Fat Betty. She’s a Sunn concert bass with an old Peavy 2x15 cab. I shove a Pbass and a Big Muff Bass up her ass and it sounds fucking awesome! I have another 2x15 cab and an old Yamaha b100 head to pair her up with, when It really has to be unnecessarily rumbly and loud.

I’m really happy about my setup as you can tell, ha ha. It’s pretty simple but heavy as fuck and works like a tank. You can even buy a t-shirt with Fat Betty on it. Maybe I went a little over the line there…

Do you build your own gear. Such as amps, guitars and speakers. (You can tell I’m not much of a musician or gear person am I).

Soldering is a pain in the ass so no not really. I’ve build a few trash guitars out of gas cans but nothing serious though. I once bought a banjo for money I collected only through bottle bills. Takes time but it’s doable. My old busted squire bass I got from Patrick for some beers and some other stuff. I like it when my instruments have a story or some personality. I’m not really into expensive gear..

How did you become involved in music and why did you decide to play Bass. Was it a particular band or album that got you into music. 

I’ve always loved music and played around with instruments (not played them) since I was a little kid. We had a piano and my father played tuba and trumpets in a brass band. I got my first guitar when I was around 11 or 12. My parents listened to a lot of rock and country, which didn’t really catch on to me before years later.

I had a period with hip-hop in my early teens before I got sick of the gangster mentality and started getting more into rock n roll and later blues and old time stuff. Mountain songs about drinking too much or being high and poor. Love that shit! I started playing bands around the age of 17/18 when I hung around a local venue with rock and heavy on the bill. They had rehearsals there too and people would just hang out there and would start jamming and form bands.

Thanks for doing this interview. Before you go do you have any words of wisdom to say to your fans.

Thanks Steve! To the fans: Thank you and fuck you! … and fuck the government too… and public transportation… fuck everything… LEGALIZE WEED AND DYNAMITE…

Words by Steve Howe and Dennis Petersen

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

BEIRA - Vol II (Album Review)

Release date: July 13th 2018. Label: Transylvanian Tapes/Doom Stew Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Vol II – Tracklisting

1.Circle 06:28

2.Black Monk 06:21

3.Sensei 07:39

4.Ancient Ones 07:04

5.Crone 06:16

6.Shine And Burn 08:11

Members

Kris Reynolds - Bass

A.J. Belluto - Drums/Vocals

Ruby Haynes - Guitar/Vocals

Review

BEIRA new album Vol II is a heavy stylized mix of Doom, Sludge and Stoner sounds. The whole album has a very raw and honest feel with the album feeling like it was recorded live or in a very short space of time. That's not a bad thing as BEIRA throw you straight into the action with the excellent opening song - The Circle.

The song has a very caustic approach for the first few minutes with the raw sounding clean vocals. Things take a very nasty turn when harsh/death vocals appear. This is where the album becomes heavier and more doom orientated. This was an unexpected turn of events as I was expecting BEIRA to keep up with the Punk/DIY sound they created on the earlier moments of the song. BEIRA even manage to include distorted moments of Heavy Psych Rock/Metal on this song.

The opening track is a good indication on what to expect for the other songs on the album. As they mostly follow the same route but BEIRA still manage to include different elements of music on certain parts of the album. Maybe the production could have done with more work and more volume added to the mix. As I did struggle hearing certain songs.

However this only happened a few times whilst listening to Vol II. The other songs on the album such as Black Monk, Sensei, Ancients Ones and Shine And Burn - offer a real menacing threat with their bombastic styles of Doom and Sludge Metal offset by brutal Hardcore/Death based growls. The instrumental work is what impresses the most as BEIRA manage to highly original riffs on their own unflinching and uncompromising terms.

Vol II won't be for everyone and is perhaps more suited for the more adventurous Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal fan. The album really comes alive when the Apocalyptic sounding Post-Doom moments appear. If you’re fan of doom metal heavyweights such as CONAN then you will find much to enjoy here. Overall, Vol II is a very good album indeed and BEIRA prove they have a few tricks up their sleeves to scare even the most jaded of Doom/Sludge Metal fan into heavy submission.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

CAPRA - Unholy Gallows (EP Eeview)

Release date: June 09th 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Unholy Gallows – Tracklisting

1.Red Guillotine 03:15

2.Hot Lips 03:18

Members

Tyler

Jeremy

Ben

Lee

Review

CAPRA aren’t usually the type of band that we feature on the blog. As they play an aggressive blend of of Hardcore Punk, Rock and Roll with Screamo tendencies. However CAPRA do have a former member of The Midnight Ghost Train within their ranks. So I’ve decided to give their latest EP – Unholy Gallows – a chance.

And I was pleasantly surprised by it harsh rock and roll vibes and fast-paced melodic riffs. This reminds me of Kvelertak in many places. Especially how CAPRA blend harsh vocals and atmospheres with a modern progressive sound. The EP can be very adventurous at times especially on the second track – Hot Lips.

CAPRA do add heavy sludgy guitars on certain parts of the EP. I need to hear more from this band. Hopefully CAPRA will release something more substantial in the future such as a longer EP or mini-album. As the two EP’s they’ve released so far whilst superbly entertaining, I need to see if the band can generate the same violent excitement on a longer release.

Until then Unholy Gallows is a superb sounding EP with enough thrills and spills to keep you wholly entertained.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

The Sledge - On The Verge Of Nothing (Album Review)

Release date: June 15th 2018. Label: Kozmik Artifactz. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

On The Verge Of Nothing – Tracklisting

1.Tantra 06:21

2.Death Drome Doline 05:52

3.Curtains 06:06

4.Running Down The Mountain 02:53

5.179 Liars 03:39

6.Like Shit 01:08

7.Yet Untitled 06:53

8.Flammehav 09:27

Members

Palle — Guitars, keys, percussion, vocals

Kim — Drums, vocals

Claus — Bass

Review

The Sledge have just released their debut album - On The Verge Of Nothing. You may remember these guys under their original name - Hjortene, from a few years back. They released a few great records and this album continues the great work they achieved with this band but with a more cosmic Doom Metal feel.

Opening track -Tantra - is a slow-paced heavy thunderous song with the band adding Psych, Doom, Classic Rock and Stoner Metal riffs. The production isn't as heavy as I would personally like however the mood is still loud from the start. The vocals do take a different turn towards the edge of the song with a more Punk/Classic Rock feel.

Second track - Death Drome Doline - is a more Desert Rock affair with a heavy Garage Rock sound. There are more doomier elements contained with the lyrics and with the vocals as well. Though it's the Kyuss sounding Desert Rock vibes that holds your attention. The Sledge are quite adverse in merging the different musical sounds they have included on the album.

On The Verge of Nothing does see The Sledge experiment with their sound on different parts of the album. Most of this is very successful. However there are a few parts of the album that didn't quite work for me. I admire the band's vision for doing something different with their music. However the album is more enjoyable when The Sledge play a more standard Desert/Stoner Metal sound.

Songs such as Curtains, Running Down The Mountain 179 Liars, Yet Untitled and Flammehav are the best parts of the album with The Sledge proving they know how to write and perform a lean sounding Desert/Stoner Metal riff. The Sledge have delivered a well-rounded and hugely entertaining album with On The Verge Of Nothing. It isn't the most easiest album to listen to. So you will need to give this album multiple listens to fully appreciate.

On The Verge Of Nothing is a little rough around the edges but when The Sledge are on form there is no stopping them creating a highly polished and unstoppable sound especially on the final two songs - Yet Untitled and Flammehav.

The Sledge is currently signed to Kozmik Artifactz and you can see why the band is signed to that great label. As The Sledge's sound is tailor made for that label. If you're a fan of Kozmik Artifactz then The Sledge are a band you need to know about now.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Kozmik Artifactz and The Sledge for the promo. On The Verge Of Nothing is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl now via Kozmik Artifactz.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Future Usses Announce New Album And New Song Premiere

FUTURE USSES deliver an astounding instrumental record of Devastatingly heavy, oppresively slow, yet shimmery and lush sludge-paced rock run through a filter of nightmarish psychedelia.

It's hard to believe that The Existential Haunting“ is really a debut album.

But while FUTURE USSES have really only played a handful of shows in their short career, main songwriter Sacha Dunable has been a member of INTRONAUT for almost 15 years, andb dabbled with various doom metal projects over the years, like BEREFT (LA).

FUTURE USSES takes small elements of what those bands do and magnifies them, combining the slow-motion crushing power of doom with the atmosphere and dense
harmonic tendencies of INTRONAUT.

Drums and guitar were recorded at Clearlake Audio with Josh Newell (INTRONAUT,CYNIC), Derek Donley (INTRONAUT, BEREFT) and bass with Jon Nunez (TORCHE), alli n Los Angeles. Mixing was done by CONVERGE'S Kurt Ballou at God City Studio.

FUTURE USSES lavish guitar sound is built around live guitar loops which presents a wholeset of limitations but also virtually endless opportunities“, Sacha Dunable comments.

"The beautiful thing about making an instrumental record is that you're not obligated to impose any specific literal message onto the listener, but rather to concentrate on setting a vibe that can be interpreted or personified naturally through the power of their own imagination."

-------------------------------------------

Here is a Premiere of their excellent new song What Is Anything.

The Existential Haunting will be available to buy from Pelagic Records later this year. 

Future Usses will be playing a number of West Coast shows this spring with bands like Dead Meadow, Whores, Sumac and Helms Alee, and a European tour is in the making for the fall of 2018.

Live Shows 2018:

4/20/2018 Highline – Seattle, WA w/ Whores, Helms Alee
4/21/2018 Stumpfest – Portland, OR w/ Dead Meadow, Sumac
4/22/2018 Astoria – Vancover, BC w/ Dopethrone

Links:

Facebook

Going Stir Crazy With Brian Corbett from GENE WILDEST

Gene Wildest is a band that I had never heard of until they contacted me to review their upcoming new album – Spectral Terrestrial. I was intrigued by the band’s overall sound. As Gene Wildest play a different kind of Spaced Out Stoner Rock. As these guys include elements of Fuzz, Grunge, Psych, Indie, Alt Rock and even elements of Shoegazing.

These guys are totally new to me and I wanted to find out more about them and Brian (Guitar/Vox) from the band has have kindly agreed to this cool interview.

Read on and find out more information about GENE WILDEST….

Hi Brian. Thanks for doing this interview. How are things with you today. Congratulations on your new album.

Hey Steve, thanks! Things are great! Just watching the World Cup final at the moment actually.

Can you give a brief history of how the band formed and where it is today.

So Rob and I (Brian) were introduced back around 2005 by our friend John. We ended up starting a band called Human Sounds with John and our other friends George and Pat. Physical distance kind of got in the way of Human Sounds, but Rob and I lived close and continued to make music and jam every now and then. I was making some home recordings that Rob liked around the same time I met our first drummer Ben Zemel in grad school around 2011.

We all decided to jam, things clicked, and that was our set up for about two years. In 2013 our friend Eric Richmann expressed interest in playing in a band. He was a great songwriter and guitarist and had a killer voice (you can hear it on “Deadleaves” off our first album Everything). We got really excited and just as a shot in the dark told him we would love for him to play bass and share vocals. Luckily he said yes and was in the band until November 2016. He tragically and suddenly passed away from a heart condition he had since he was a kid. It was just devastating for us, his family, and everyone in his life. But we decided with his wife Corey that if there was one thing that Eric would come back and haunt us for it would be letting the band fall apart.

We begged my brother Sean, who never played bass but was always a great musician, to fill in for Eric. He learned all of our songs, which have some pretty complicated basslines, remarkably quickly and he’s been our bassist ever since. In June 2017, Ben went to Portland for work after grad school. Despite being a barefoot drummer, he had some big shoes left unfilled.

A friend of mine introduced us to our current drummer, Dave, who learned like twenty songs by the fall and saved us from the murky depths of a drummerless hell. And that’s been our line-up ever since – Sean, Rob, Dave, and Brian.

How would you describe the music that Gene Wildest creates. As there are many different elements and levels to your overall sound.

That’s always a tough question, especially because its always changing. We currently have math rock and shoegaze albums in the works, ha-ha. This album fits pretty nicely into the stoner rock category, although it doesn’t have as much fuzz as many other stoner rock albums. I guess I would say stoner rock with only as much fuzz as necessary. But just to be clear – we really love our fuzz.

Where did you get the name for Gene Wildest. Obviously influenced by the legendary comedic actor.

Yea we’re all Gene Wilder fans. Honestly, I thought the band name Gnarls Barkley was hilarious and witty. I’ve always liked celebrity puns, but I didn’t want to just rhyme a first or last name. Gene Wildest just seemed right at the time, back in like 2009 before I knew we would be releasing a stoner rock album. Truckfighters, Dead Meadow, Gene Wildest. One of these things is not like the others, but what’s in a name, right?

You have just released your new Spectral Terrestrial. What is the album about.

Well, almost every song deals with both love and death. I like the two concepts together, it keeps the songs from being annoyingly happy or overtly depressing. I see the love for a deceased spouse/friend/family member last forever in the living and I like to think that love is not lost by those who die. It’s a concept that worked really well in the stoner rock genre because you can get away with singing about the supernatural.

Who is releasing the album and what formats will the album be released on.

As of now, we’re self-releasing it under our record label Nappy Dawg Records. It will be on all of the digital music media – Spotify, Google Play, Bandcamp, etc. and also on CD. If we get enough interest we would love to release it on vinyl but that’s just a pipe-dream as of now.

Was recording the album an easy or hard experience.

Easy and fun! We recorded and mixed it ourselves. I’m really into mixing.

Do you have any upcoming gigs to celebrate the release of the album.

Yes, we’ll be at Boot & Saddle in Philly on Auguest 30th.
Will you be performing any-more gigs to promote the new album.

We’re trying to get a north-east tour lined up. Hopefully doing some shows in Lancaster, Bethlehem, Atlantic City, NYC, and Boston.

Do you have an active scene to perform gigs on a regular basis. Or do you have to travel further afield to perform gigs.

The Philadelphia music scene is pretty awesome. There are about 10 great venues we can play at. We’re really lucky that it exists and are forever grateful to our family, friends, and fans who are nice enough to keep supporting us so we can keep playing at these great local spots.

When you’re creating new music. What comes first. The music or the lyrics.

Usually music, I think songs turn out more interesting that way. Starting with a sweet, creative riff and letting it develop from there. Sometimes they happen together, that’s always when the best songs come together. Whenever I start with lyrics the songs are usually more listenable, but I tend to just use chords, which usually isn’t as interesting as using sweet riffage.

What is the songwriting dynamic within the band. Is it a group collective or down to one individual.

It’s collaborative. Each song is usually the brainchild of one of us, with the guys filling in their parts later. Sometimes at practice you get that magic moment when a jam turns into a song in like 15 minutes. Those are always great.

What is your current equipment/setup when recording music and playing live.

Ohhhhh buddy. Our favorite question! Everything is recorded in Logic. Sean and I actually just record direct in, using a tweed amp modeler. Sean uses an Ibanez that looks like a P-bass. For pedals, he mostly uses a DOD Boneshaker, a fuzz that I designed, and a BOSS PH-3 phaser. I use a Schecter Omen 6 with these wacky pickups that I haven’t been able to identify. I bought it used. I use a ton of pedals.

The most commonly used ones on Spectral Terrestrial are a reverse Fuzz Factory clone, a modded Spaceman Wow Signal, Big Muff Pi, Ehx Mel9, Chase Bliss Spectre, Roger Mayer Voodo Vibe+, and that fuzz that I designed. Rob mostly uses a PRS S2 Custom 22 Semi-Hollow or Fender American Standard Strat into a mic'ed up Blackstar Artist 15 or his old Peavey Bandit 112.

He loves pedals as much as I do, but the ones that got the most love from him on this record are a Wampler Tumnus into either an EQD Hoof or a Smallsound/Bigsound Buzzz for his dirt tones, and a Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl HiFi and a TC Electronic Viscous Vibe for his mod section. The Empress Echosystem and Reverb units are all over his tracks, too.

Thanks for doing this interview. Before you go do you have any words of wisdom to say to your fans.

“Be excellent to each other”. Thanks for everything, Steve.

Words by Steve Howe and Brian Corbett

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