Obsidian Tongue Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

We are a band whose primary inspiration lies in the Black Metal sound, and everything we do in this project is an extension of a personal vision of the Black Metal Ritual conceived in the band's genesis. We aim to manifest as much of our inner selves as possible in every song we write; every song is another step forward, another progression into emotional and spiritual realms reached through the courage of confronting the darkness inherent in the human design.



2. How would you describe the musical sound of the demo?

The demo is a thorough cultivation of our love for the low fidelity cassette tape Metal sound. The songs were composed with the intent of being dubbed onto cassette; therefore this demo sounds perfect to us in the cassette form. With that being said, our subesquent recordings will most likely progress into a full and clear Metal sound, bringing to life a Stereo rendition of the Obsidian Tongue sound.



3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the demo explores?

Life after Death is the topic within Dissociation and The Noble. Dissociation is a psychedelic introduction song to the tape, illustrating the beginning of an afterlife shared with all other expired human souls, and depicting this reflective period following death as an experience very similar to a dissociative or trance-like state experienced here on Earth. Observing the other souls' desperation to find pride in their mortal life, when all they have to show for themselves is life-long grief. On the other hand The Noble is a fantasy song about someone who chooses to drown themselves in a lake, in hopes to move on to a better realm. The choice to die is inspired by the ancient civilization of the Mayans, who reportedly disappeared without a trace, as if they left this world for a better plane. However this individual learns that an early death was not their personal destiny, and in consequence for betraying their purpose, their soul is banished to wander the same lake on Earth in which they ended their life.

The Kinship As A Wound songs are musically, some of the angriest songs ever written in Obsidian Tongue. To match this music, which is a psychedelic observation of pure anger, the lyrics concern the manipulative tactics that men can play on each other, and the parasitic quality that some humans can display. Mankind is but one species, one extended family, and this fact is often exploited by some; using this intimate familial relationship as the ultimate vulnerability, through which one person can feed off others.



4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

Obsidian is a black glass formed from the lava of volcanic eruptions. It is a substance that is organically black. In the belief that music is a language through which people connect on a very deep and fundamental level, we decided that blackened music can be called the Obsidian Tongue, born through interior eruptions. Obsidian is also believed to absorb the negative energies in the space in which it is placed. Being in this band feels like a purifying practice to us; it summons all our inner darkness. We hope it does the same for our listeners. Face your fears.



5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

Every live performance feels sacred; indeed the band was not fully conceived until we played live. So I'd say our first show is one of the best shows, I felt completely uniquely outside of myself during the entire set, and for hours following the performance. Basically every show we've done since then has felt special and trance-inducing. It's impossible to pick and choose.

We would describe our stage performance as the strongest conveyor of the band's vision. With the music flying around the room coupled with the subtle-energies channelled through our bodies, the musical and emotional alchemy of Obsidian Tongue is fully palpable to those willing to connect. We play loud and hard, meditating on both the raw and beautiful qualities of Metal music.



6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

Yes. We will travel and perform whenever and wherever possible and will book our first tours within this year.



7. What is going on with the other bands these days?

The other bands in the metal scene? Some of them have pure intentions of rejuvenating the music movement with genuine new energy...but a lot of them aim to appease the bratty mainstream audience. It is a duality of positive and negative energies, just like anything else. We just love real Metal in many forms, but obstain from computerized trendy strains of Metal.



8. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, do you plan on adding more members in the future or are you going to remain a duo?

We are most likely going to remain a duo. We may hire session musicians to play other instruments live, but there is no saying whether or not that will be necessary. We are going to create as much sound as we can live with just the 2 of us. The exchange of creativity and passion between us is in good condition, and I feel that bringing another man into the fold just to follow our orders would be a hindrance to the passion we put out through our records and concerts.



9. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label, and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for your band?

We are currently looking for a label in order to bring the substantial exposure and distribution that our music needs. We have a lot of material written and we refuse to let it be compromised by a crappy recording/packaging job and lack of worldwide exposure.



10. On a worldwide level how has your music been recieved by black metal fans worldwide?

We are not very world-renown at this point, though we have received feedback from individuals in places like France and Scandinavia. With those places as well as here in the United States and New England specifically, our reception has been overwhelmingly positive and we feel blessed every day for the enthusiasm that we receive.



11. What direction do you see the music heading into during the future?

On future recordings things will become more 3-Dimensional and melodic. Every song speaks for itself and they all retain a story-telling quality. Less anger and more mystic and fantastical qualities. Still very dark however.



12. What are some band or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Like I said before the band is rooted in a personal vision of the Black Metal musical style, influenced specifically by pioneers such as Burzum, Immortal, Darkthrone, Ildjarn, Emperor, Bathory, Abigor and many more. Another influence is Opeth for their unwavering dedication to a specific and sophisticated personal vision of extreme metal music. There's also Agalloch, Neurosis, Katatonia and Drudkh for the same reason.



13. What role does Occultism play in your music, and how would you describe your views on these topics?

Occultism has not been integrated into our music. Neither of us practice or study much Occultism. It is not a necessary tool for us to channel ourselves into our compositions. It is fascinating, and is inspiring generally, but I don't see the point of studying a movement that I have nothing to do with, in order to inspire my creation of music. Music for us is a practice of the internal worlds, learned about through constant introspection and the retainment of pure imagination.



14. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Nature, reading, movies, spirituality, etc.



15. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Keep in touch with us through the internet, plenty more progessions in the Obsidian Tongue world to come soon.

http://obsidiantongue1.bandcamp.com

http://www.myspace.com/obsidiantongue666

http://obsidiantongue.bigcartel.com