The Infernal Sea Interview

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

We are The Infernal Sea and are based in East Anglia, UK. We have been around for 2 years, released an album called 'Call of the Augur' as well as an EP 'The Crypt Sessions' and have received positive media acclaim for both releases. We pride ourselves on our intensity on stage, our care towards our merchandise, our music and our very supportive fan base.  

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

Atmospheric Black Metal with an added Death Metal groove. The music is intense, aggressive and downright nasty. We aim to make the listener feel uncomfortable. 

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

We explore century old subjects conjured up from the darkest regions of the human mind. The lyrical subject delves upon many subjects but each song has a core theme relating to the spiritual world and the practice of dark arts. 

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

The ocean makes up a large percentage of Earth's mass and is a aggressive and life consuming force. As a race we have yet to fully explore our oceans and still to this day we are unsure of what lurks in its depths. We cannot survive in its waters, from its coldness to its predators we are under constant threat.  We wanted a name that sounded Vitriol and complemented our bleak music and we believe we found it in The Infernal Sea

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

We have been lucky enough in our short career as a band to have been able to share the stage with acts such as Napalm Death, 1349, Vreid, Anaal Nathrakh and many more. It is hard to pick out one show but supporting 1349 in London was a highlight. Our stage performance is an intense, atmospheric and brutal sounding workout, our energy is unleashed within the live setting and is not too be missed. 

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

We are heading out on the road with our good friends in Razoreater in July 2013 for weekend worth of Northern dates in the UK. Then in November 2013 we will be returning to Belgium and Holland for a tour with Fungus Inc and Disinterred. We have just returned from Europe after a successful tour and cannot wait to get back over to the mainland to destroy more stages. 

7. 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 the music?

Currently everything we do within the band is either self released or self promoted, we have put in a lot of hard work to get to where we are now and we don't intend on slowing down. At the moment we have no solid plans for labels but we are on the lookout for a label who will believe in what we do and give us the freedom to be creative. 

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and death metal?

The feedback has been overwhelming to say the least. Our worldwide fan base has been increasing by the day and we often receive mail from fans in the States, Mexico, Singapore, Belgium, Poland, France, Holland, Germany, Sweden and more. Our aim is for us to tour in these countries and give the fans what they want. 

9. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

Our drummer James Burke is a session drummer for Scottish Death Metal band Man Must Die but apart from that this is a full time project for all involved. 

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

It is hard to say what direction we are evolving in at the moment but we are currently working on new material which is sounding even more aggressive, dark and atmospheric. The demos have a mid 90's Black Metal vibe going on reminiscent of many of the 1st wave BM bands. 

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

As a band our musical influences are so vast it is hard to pin point a set style. We like to mix up ideas as much as possible and create what flows naturally. Nowadays we all collectively listen to a lot of dark extreme music. 

12. How would you describe your views on Occultism?

As a group we believe that Occultism is a man made concept, like Religion, however there is no one view of reality, as our brains filter the way we view this world. By entering trance like states, or performing rituals, we can change the way we feed off the influences of the world around us and the way we feed back into it. There is definitely a lot we don't know about the universe and it is obvious that people can change the way it reacts around them, whether that is a perceived change or a physical change.

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

Outside of the band we are interested in exploring the local history, in East Anglia we are lucky to be surrounded by the fens, our history is ripe with war, colonization, destruction and invasion. The Vikings, Anglo Saxons and Romans have all invaded the fens, settled and left many stories to be told for many years to come. 

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

We would just like to thank our fans for their continued support over the years, without you guys we would not be in the position we are in now. We looking forward to seeing you on the road soon. If you have never heard of The Infernal Sea before then visit theinfernalsea.bandcamp.com and give us a listen.