1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new ep?
All things conducive to our intentions: rehearsals, studying and writing.
At the end of May and in early June, we will be embarking on a short West Coast tour with our friends, Common Eider, King Eider for about 8 dates. There will be a limited c10 (returning to the format) split with Seattle, WA's BLSPHM, released in conjunction with this tour, featuring two new 5 minute tracks from each band.
We have been busy working on the next full-length, which is about half completed. This will be a complex album, a natural progression in terms of instrumentation and the form for the continued evolution of band and we are very pleased with the direction this is going.
Before that happens though, we have a forthcoming collaborative 2xLP/c60 release with our brother Th. Tot of Trepaneringsritualen, titled 'One Hundred Year Storm' that was recorded live @Stella Natura festival in 2013 went into production last week and will be co-released byPesanta Urfolk and Cloister Recordings.
Expanded CD editions of 'Become' and 'Monument of Decay' EP's being released by Cold Spring and Small Doses. Both editions will feature a new track not on the vinyl versions and exclusive to each CDEP. Our friends at Sentient Ruin will be issuing a c30 edition of 'Become' shortly, this will be the final installment of this EP and identical to the LP version, but w/new artwork.
2.Recently you have released a new ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical direction of the new recording and also how does it differ from your previous releases?
Yes, the 'Monument of Decay' 12" EP (Black Horizons) and 2xc10 (Beläten) was released at the end of 2013. It is the final release featuring one founding member and two auxiliary members. 'Monument of Decay' channels and challenges previous sensibilities that Sutekh Hexen are known for and pushes certain aspects further (converging black metal and power-electronics); it has an undeniably fleeting essence to it, thus creating a very powerful experience.
3.The band has been around for 5 years and so far has released a lot of material, do you put a lot of time and effort into the band?
Yes, we would like to say so.
4.The song lyrics cover a good amount of occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
Sutekh Hexen is the expression of shared interests amongst like-minded individuals; the Genesis of this project was based on esoteric themes, values and occurrences from various cultural perspectives.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sutekh Hexen'?
(refer to the previous answer.)
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We have played many memorable shows in the time of our short existence, it's really hard to say, because we have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to share bills with some of our best friends and several of our most respected peers.
Our stage performance can be visceral, but we probably have an entirely different perspective.
Individual participants have told us some really interesting things outside of the typical "that was cool" compliment, which is always good too, including more personal perspectives/interpretations, including feeling isolated, like they were the only one in the room, and being able to go deep within a realm of introspection they have never previously tapped into, one fellow witnessed a portal opening before him during our set, a really cool and reoccurring thing we hear is the internal development of narratives while we're performing, and one guy even told us once that he experienced absolute spiritual affliction, which is a very powerful thing.
7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Yes. A brief West Coast tour with Common Eider, King Eider at the end of May and beginning of June. There are some Summer plans being discussed and we are looking into some potential dates for the East Coast in 2015, but nothing is 100% confirmed at the moment.
8.The new ep came out on Sentinent Ruin, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
Sentinent Ruin is a DIY label run out of the Bay Area specializing in all things dark and heavy, Mattia is also a personal friend of ours. Thank you, Mattia.
9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
Generally positive and without reservation, because black metal music is definitely one of our influences, not to be mistaken as our primary focus. We are marginal, too abstract for some die-hard metal folk and, you know, that is totally okay with us; concerning another spectrum, it sometimes sounds like we are too extreme for some experimental folks, yet appeal to their critical awareness. There is no compromise in what we do, so to have any kind of feedback at all is always a pleasure.
10.What is going on with the other musical projects these days that some of the band members are involved with?
Andy: I am working currently on releases for my 2 solo projects... ACWAY(Vocal noise/ritual drone project) and THOABATH(blackened death industrial...sort of)... aDEMONSLEEPER/THOABATH split will be out by the time this interview is out. there are a handful of collabs in the works but it's too early to talk about them...
Kevin: currently working on several solo and collaborative material right now. Utech Recordswill be issuing 'The Emerald' 8" lathe very soon, this will be my first proper solo-release. I have a long-form dark-ambient project with Thomas Martin Ekelund (TxPxR) named OGHAM, that will be delivering their second full-length in 2015. An as of yet unnamed collaborative project withChristopher Walton (ENDVRA, Tenhornedbeast), that sound nothing like what either artist have output to date, and a project with emphasis on piano, field-recordings and electronics with long-time friend and Seattle musician, Demian Johnston.
Joshua: working on sound pieces for a couple of ongoing collaborations with local filmmakers for upcoming performances and DVD releases, recordings for solo blackened doom projectPlumes, and a solo multimedia performance based on the sonic vibrations of water forSoundwave ((6)) festival in the SF Bay Area.
Ryan: After about a 4year hiatus I've fully immersed myself in solo endeavors again, AZOG / R. JENCKS / CRUOR INCENDIA respectively. Just returned from a 3wk European tour, headed toEnde Tymes Fest in NYC next week. Also my counterpart of industrialnoise outfit PREYERS is moving back to the area so some releases should being seeing the light of day soon. AlsoDeathoes has a backlog of material waiting to come out. Always busy with DISPIRIT / WHITE PHOSPHOROUS.........
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Hopefully the continuation of crossing musical-boundaries together, having great opportunities presented to us along the way and continuing to be supported by folks near and far who get what we are doing.
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Andy: Playing with Esoteric this last fall has rekindled my interest in funeral doom... but i've been listening to a lot of 70's electronic prog lately... especially the darker stuff like Peter Frohmader and Igor Wakhevich. As well as the usual black metal, industrial noise ect...
Kevin: I have been getting into some Kraut/psych/prog rock through Andy and our friend R.F. Palmer, exploring Tibetan Religious music, this Italian composer named Giancinto Scelsi who really understood the practice of sustained tension and release >> without mercy (really brutal stuff), Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd to stay grounded and always a healthy dose of the weirder black metal, which the French seem to be the masters of.
Joshua: Musique concrète, film music/scores - particularly the work of Edward Artemyev, Goblin, and Angelo Badalementi, west coast and cascadian black metal, and have also recently been revisiting some crusty Quebecois hardcore from the 90's such Union of Uranus, One Eyed God Prophecy, and Drift.
Ryan: Scott Walker and SWANS.......
13.What are some of your non musical interests?
Andy: Esoteric studies... brewing weird beers... Ethnobotany.. I am a minor aquarist...
Kevin: the outdoors, reading, vivariums and graphic design.
Joshua: wilderness, wandering, and whiskey.
Ryan: Some things are better left secret........
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
.jpg)
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment