1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Hideous: Caleb and I were approached by Henry about a year ago with the idea of starting a black metal project that would showcase his lyrics. Since I tend to not be a fan of writing lyrics and Henry is never at a loss for words, it works out very well for all involved. When we started writing, the songs relied heavily on noise and blastbeats. I think we initially just wanted to create something angry and fast, but I feel that our sound is progressing beyond that with every song we write.
Caleb: Yeah Henry got the idea when he was drunk and we ran with it for the hell of it.
Henry: The band was sort of a pet idea of mine recycled from a set of short stories I wrote involving a living omen of sorts embodied in the carcass of a man. In short, the short stories were filed away along with other stories i've written, but the name was something that I thought deserved to be saved from being filed away. There was some alcohol involved I must admit as Caleb pointed out when the idea was mentioned to them. We all have our perverted muses.
2. How would you describe your musical sound?
Caleb: Harsh, noisy, heavy, fast, slow, and any combination of those depending on the song.
Hideous: I think harsh is a pretty accurate description, that's usually what I tell people.
Henry: The music itself has several skins it wears throughout song to song. To be honest, several "genres" are blended much in the same way a meat grinder processes the remains of several different animals into something unique, but not nessecarily digestible to any large group of individuals I would like to believe that the music does well to borrow from other genres and create something that is its own, but accessable only to a select few who are able to digest it and appreciate it.
3. What is the meaning behind the band name?
Caleb: The word vardoger is a Norwegian term defined as "a premonitory sound or sight of a person before he arrives" and a derelict is something that has been abandoned or deserted. A somewhat accurate way of portraying the concept is to say that a vardoger derelict is an abandoned omen of a future arrival. Personally, I always get an image of a spirit stranded at sea but thats just a feeling.
Henry: As Caleb mentioned, this is the basic idea behind the band name. An omen seeking someone new to see its message, before laying out the consequences of its' arrival. Its quite the powerful image to imagine a derelict omen becoming the harbinger of destruction to anyone that sees it for what it is.
4. I noticed that you still release stuff on cassete, is that something you are going to be doing with future releases as well? The cassete seems to be very underground.
Caleb: We like the way we sound on cassette. Its a completely different experience than on the CD or as MP3s. It brings out the low end and the grit in the songs and anyone who has listened to our material should see why we like that.
Hideous: As for future releases, we're certainly not opposed to the idea.
Henry: As the other two have mentioned, the use of older technology such as cassettes has advantages that newer formats such as CDs lack. Personally, I enjoy vinyl as opposed to CDs and cassettes, but expenses force us to use whats available to us. Overall though, a CD or mini CD release in the future may be in the works. Who knows.
5. Have you had any opportunity to do live shows yet?
Caleb: No. Most of our material is impossible to play live. Some of our songs have several guitar tracks in the mix and only one of us plays guitar. We also end up tuning the guitar a completely different way for each of our songs and we often use weird recording methods.
Hideous: Plus, the way that venues operate in this state, we're not concerned with jumping through the necessary hoops to get on a show that will draw the proper audience. As fun as it is to frighten the regular customers at a bar's open mic night, I feel that it would be a waste of time. However, we are entertaining the idea of performing at a local metal festival this summer. We'll see what happens.
Caleb: No one around here gives two shits about metal.
Henry: It would take quite a lot of preparation to be able to play a live show, but who's to say that it would prove to be impossible? It would definitely take a bit more time to do though.
6. What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
Hideous: I can say with some certainty that the second full-length album will show more of a thrash influence. The songs are coming out with greater intensity and speed.
Caleb: I think a track or two might also have a twinge of death metal to it.
Henry: Personally in the future I would like to work on an EP or stand alone concept album using ambient, drone, doom, death, and black metal influences to tell a story. A darkened guide through a world of aberrations from my dreams. We'll see though whats to come.
7. What are some bands or music styles that have influenced your band?
Caleb: Black Metal and Doom Metal are what we listen to the most so I think it has an impact but we make an effort to limit how much influence we take from individual artists.
Hideous: I don't draw influence from any bands in particular, I just try to create something dynamic and intense with each song. Plenty of bands inspire me, but I try to keep their music seperate from ours.
Henry: I think there are enough cover bands in the various scenes nowadays. I would like to believe we create something entirely our own. Though, it all eventually lies in our own desires.
Caleb: We do whatever we feel like.
8. What are you listening to nowadays?
Caleb: Masters Hammer, Blasphemy, Bestial Warlust, Silencer, Darkthrone, Profanatica, Leviathan etc.
Hideous: A clusterfuck of different genres. As long as it isn't on the radio I might find it interesting.
Henry: Benighted in Sodom, Xasthur (pre- All reflections drained), Schel aus slein, Nachtmystium, and Caina mostly.
9. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?
Henry: The lyrics, being primarily handled by myself are from a world of influences ranging from mostly delirious nights of dreams brought about by alcohol and mental instability. Some of the songs are completely about my detestment and quiet understanding of the human condition, some are of personal demons, and there even lurks one that could be considered a darkened love song for fellow masochists I suppose. To pin down any specific influence on the lyrics would require more time than I have available at the moment for this interview.
10. Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in the music?
Caleb: Not really. None of us believe in any specific religion. We live in a fairly religious part of the US and its enough to drive any sane person away from organized faith.
Henry: As Caleb mentioned, the lack of religious beliefs amongst us despite living in a predominately religious area may go along with some of the songs being critical of such ideas. I would not go so far as to say that the lyrics themselves are anti-religious, but certainly some of the themes of the songs are not paving a road of gold for religious beliefs.
11. What are some interests that you have outside of music?
Caleb: I have an insatiable lust for old-school gore movies and cannibal flicks. Im currently working my way down the video nasties list.
Hideous: I co-host a podcast called "Cuntcast" where I get to rant about ridiculous, funny things and be incredibly offensive.
Henry: Writing mainly outside of the typical fiction genres that plague today's writers. I'm a critical fan of banned movies ranging from video nasties to films that deal with suggestive themes. At the time of this interview, I've just finished Salo: 120 days of Sodom. I spend the majority of my day traveling as well in the local area. There exist hidden points of interest in any place one lives.
12. Any final words or thoughts?
Hideous: Buy the fucking album!
Caleb: Its 6 goddamn dollars you cheap fucks and you get free fucking sticker with it! We need money so we can put out more music!
Henry: As the others have mentioned, definitely pick up a copy and listen to it. Its worth the minuscule expense, and overall you'll help to fund the next set of music we have in store.
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Vardoger_Derelict/3540297033
