Sever Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project/

I've been a musician my entire life and making recordings for years.   However, as I've grown older, I decided that after spending so much time sharpening my skills - especially in recent years - that maybe it was time I try to create something fresh, complete it and put it out there.  Iron Bonehead is actually the only label I submitted tracks to (before I'd decided what the band was even called or the demo title), just to see if I'd get any response, and much to my surprise I got a really enthusiastic reply from Patrick telling me I should finish the tracks I was working on and we'd put out a demo tape through Iron Bonehead.  That's how the "Sadistic Sorcery" demo tape came about.  He then green lighted me to make a proper record.  I was really inspired by the sudden interest in my totally unknown project and was able to get really motivated and channel some pretty wild music that's resulted in our debut album, "At Midnight, By Torch Light". 

2.In April you have a new length coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous demo?

Definitely spent a little more time on the album than the demo tracks, but both were made pretty sporadically during sudden bursts of extreme inspiration and focus over the last year.   The demo was just recorded in May, 2022 and released shortly thereafter.   I wrote and recorded the album right in the wake of the demo being released.  It's all happened really fast.   The antenna in my mind that is the conduit for this darkness that's being channeled through me was receiving extremely strong signals around this time, and after some late nights and deep, trance-like sessions, the album was completed.   It differs in that the songs are a bit longer than the demo tracks, just a bit more to them.  Some songs are very bestial, others are more atmospheric.  There's a consistent presence of synths throughout the entire record, which gives somewhat of a unique vibe (in my personal opinion, of course) to the more bestial parts, which isn't terribly common for the style.    

Also wanted to briefly mention that both the demo and the album were mastered by VJS at Dirge Forge Studio in Belgium.  VJS is a known mastering engineer, but he's also better known for his roles in the bands Adaestuo, Heinous, Sargeist, Nightbringer and Demoncy.   He had a big role in helping me dial in the mixes of both the demo and the album (especially with the full length)   He really helped me with my engineering and mixing, and then he made both recordings complete with his razor-sharp and crisp mastering he applied to both recordings.   My hope is to continue to work with him, and as it stands today, that will be the plan.

3.Some of your lyrics cover Occultism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

I am indeed interested in the occult, black magic, dark arts, etc.  These subjects have fascinated me since I was a teenager and I've continued to learn and research them into my adult life.   I would never claim to be some deep, practicing occultist or black magician, though, because that would be far from the truth.   I'm a well informed artist who dabbles with the subject matter from a place of creativity in my lyrics, to tell stories and convey images that tell the story of the sounds being channeled through me.   This is not the central lyrical theme to Sever, however.

4.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the music?

My primary interests / lyrical themes deal more the insanely corrupt and deceitful flesh & blood reality we all inhabit currently.   The hidden history of our world is more fascinating to me than anything in my personal voyage for truth and understanding of my own reality.  My research (and opinions formed from it) finds its way into my lyrics more than anything.  Often metaphorically, but the messages are all stated with a firm intent / agenda behind their meanings.  I have strong political leanings and I live a very "free" life.  I do not use banks and haven't in over a decade, the food I eat is all grown (or killed) by me or someone I know,  I live out in the middle of nowhere in the mountains working on a farm far away from society.  This is my way and this is what my music represents.   I did the city life when I was younger and I found my way into a degenerate lifestyle that took a decade from me.   I've completely changed how I see the world since then (and experienced this terrifying, Orwellian past three years we've all lived through since covid kicked off in 2020) and for the last decade, I've been living this lifestyle.  Farther away and more disconnected each year than the previous, in all ways possible.  Particularly since the pandemic.

I use the term "outlaw black metal" to describe Sever on the back of our debut album and it will appear on most of our merchandise as well.  That's not some slogan or attempt at being edgy....that's the most honest description possible for what this music and who it's made by.   I live outside of society and it's constraints to the fullest of my ability, and I'd say I'm doing it successfully.   This lifestyle and my personal, very tribal, small-community-mindedness is a central theme in all things Sever.  

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sever'?

Severing from society and the grip on our lives from the scum that run our governments, tax enforcement agencies and police forces. 

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

It's a particularly savage wild boar.   The boar is a reoccurring theme in Sever lyrics and imagery (and will continue to be).   I've always been fascinated by these animals.  They represent nature at it's most bestial and primal.   I can't think of a beast that more perfectly represents Sever.   

7.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

Sever's output will always be summoned through me as the conduit exclusively.   Nothing while I've been receiving this music has told me to bring another party into the process.  If that were to change, well, that'd be different.  But I don't get the sense that's coming any time soon.   It'd be difficult for me as well, as I truly live in the middle of nowhere and don't know other musicians playing this type of music in my area.

8.Very little is known about the solo project other then it is based in the United States, do you prefer to keep a lower profile?

Sever is summoned in the mountains of the southwestern United States.   That's as much as I'd care to reveal.   Where my fleshly body sleeps at night and works by day is irrelevant to Sever's music.   Obscurity has been totally lost in this type of music over the last two decades.   I have no financial or ego-driven goals with this project, so I'm going to embrace the obscurity aesthetic quite a bit.  Beyond small interviews like this, there will not be much other details released because its just really not relevant.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?

Well, considering I've only released a single demo tape so far and the debut album is just about to be released, there's not been much of a response yet as the music is still trying to find it's way to peoples ears.   However, the demo was streamed on popular Youtube channel, NoGleamingLight, and has been played about 1,300 times last I checked.  There were several comments and they were all very positive.  Over 100 people left likes.  I guess this is a good sign in the age of streaming?   The label seems happy with whatever has happened (or just likes the music enough to invest in it and let it do it's thing for a while and, hopefully, catch on at some point).   So, to answer your question as directly as I can: the response has been small but positive.  

10.Where do you see yourself heading into as musician during the future?

I see myself continuing to do what I've been doing for the last many years and just continuing to write songs when the music comes to me.   I'll make recordings as the inspiration arrives, and when I've got enough for a record or an EP or some sort...a collection of songs that make sense together...I'll continue to release them.  Hopefully Patrick will continue to be supportive of the band and we can stay with Iron Bonehead.  He's been really supportive since the beginning, and considering I didn't have any social media presence or anything, starting completely unknown, I took it as a big compliment that he took this project on and believes in it enough to try to build it from the ground up.  Loyalty is one of the most important moral virtues for me as a person privately, so, I intend to remain loyal to Iron Bonehead and put my music out with them for as long as they'll have a spot on their roster for Sever.   

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I don't listen to any new bands, really.  I'm an old man...stuck in my ways, I like what I like and I'm not really open to hearing / discovering new bands these days because it honestly just doesn't interest me.  Maybe it's just an "old man" thing, but that's how I am.   The bands that inspire my music and always have are the same as they were 20 years ago when I started playing seriously:   Beherit, Bathory, Blasphemy. Burzum.  The 4 B's, I call them.   Those four bands are the primary inspiration for my reasons to start playing guitar when I was younger.   It'd be fair to say that Sever is also highly influenced by bands like Demoncy, Black Witchery, Von, early Darkthrone, Samael, early Emperor, Bestial Warlust, Grand Belial's Key, Nifelheim, Sarcofago, Dissection, Venom, Necrovore,  etc.    

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have ant final words or thoughts?

Thanks for being the first person to reach out and interview me about Sever.  Really appreciate your interest.   My final words to the possible readers of this?   See through the manipulation, stop allowing yourself to be enslaved by the criminal bankers and globalists trying to destroy your way of life and force false realities on you.   Stop using banks, learn to farm your own food, buy guns and ammo, train physically and get healthy.  Be someone who never has to kneel to anyone for any reason!  Take control back and trust no one!   Hail!

http://soundcloud.com/iron-bonehead-productions/sever-abyssonaut