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1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Well, we are currently in studio beginning to record our first full length album. Also we are trying to book out shows for the rest of the year and writing new music.
2.In 2020 you had released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
Well, when I (Tristan Kostman) joined the band back in 2019, the music for the EP had already been recorded in studio and was the result of Nick, Mark, Dave and James (Frank) having written the music for the songs. It was and is what I feel is a nice mixture of everyones particular styles and influences. There are elements of progressive, thrash and death metal with the common vein of Black metal running throughout. And I wrote most of the lyrics and tried to accentuate the music with my vocals instead of trying to over power it.
3.The band has been around since 2010 but waited until 2020 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years and the delays in putting out a release?
With Nick, Mark and Frank all being in other bands, Self Imposed Exile started off as a side project to get more into the black metal side of music. They were the ones who wrote most of the songs instumentaly we currently have. When Dave joined in 2014 he finished out the bass section of the band and more songs were written. I (Tristan) tried out for the band in 2016 and was accepted but due to work scheduling it didnt work out and couldn't fill the role. The band tried playing some shows with a couple of different vocalist over the next couple of years with no real luck. In early 2019 I was looking to either start or join a band again and both Mark and Frank hit me up asking if I'd like to try out again.
I said yes, had the tryout which went quite well from what I was told and then was told that they had a few other people up for audition and that they would let me know within a few weeks if I made it or not. Two weeks later I recieved a text saying that they cancelled the other auditions and that I was accepted into the band again. I joined in early july with only two of the songs on the EP having lyrics written, we played our first show in late September and I began recording vocals for the tracks in mid October.
It wasnt for lack of trying on anyones part. It just took some time for the right members to come together to actually get the EP finished.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects that the band has explored so far with the music?
Well, we have explored several different topics. Finding the secret to eternal life, yet being trapped at the bottom of, PTSD, ancient civilizations enslavement and battle with the Anunnaki and spirit possession.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Self Imposed Exile'?
So Years ago, Frank and Dave both worked together and one day while sitting at his work station dave walked himself off from the rest of the workers and Frank came up to Dave and asked him how he liked his Self Imposed Exile. The name seemed to stick from there. It's basically just closing yourself off from the rest of your surrounding whether it is for isolation from the world or just to keep yourself grounded in crowded surroundings. Some times it's the only way to keep a grasp on yourself instead of being swept up into the drama of everyday life.
6.On the cover artwork you also put the ep title in runes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this alphabet?
Dave and I both share a love for the pagan practices and rituals that go along with them. Runes are an interesting device that can have alphabetic meaning, word meaning, or other more abstract uses as well for divination and ritual use, making them quite useful and efficient for a basis of language. It also fit quite well with the aesthetic of our album cover and it was one of the only designs everyone could agree on.
7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
So far, in my opinion, I believe that some of our best shows have been at Sugar Skull, 9th street pub and Twisted Spoke Saloon here in Illinois as well as The Village Theater in Davenport Iowa. Our stage performance has and is constantly changing and is becoming slightly more theatrical with the addition of our Keyboardist Cassandra Ann in early 2021. With a six member band stages can get quite crowded so we have to work with the space we have. We started incorporating masks and "corpse paint" since October 2021 and are hoping to constantly evolve into a more enjoyable viewing experience as well as listening experience.
8.According the the metal archives page the band is signed to 'Ragebreed', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
We were signed to Ragebree from January 202 1to January of 2022 but we decided as a group, to part ways instead of renewing our contract. The label was a small label out of England and was definitely a learning experience for us. Unfortunately, it just wasnt a good fit for us.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black, death and progressive metal?
It has been a strange mix from fans. We have gotten a better reception from the death metal scene over the other two. A lot of black metal fans have seen us as too progressive and a lot of progressive fant have said we are too raw and black metal for their liking. We have had a decent reception in some other countries though gaining radio play in the UK, Russia, Australia, Italy, Portugal, the Philippines, Indonesia etc...
10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Well as I said, we are beginning recording on our full length and are hoping to have it finished and available in the fall. We as a whole are always trying to challenge ourselves in the composition of our songs and are hoping to be able to integrate other forms of extreme, symphonic and other non metal influences into our song writing.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?
We, as a group, have a very wide and varied musical taste, but it's safe to say that you could find us as a group or on our own listening to anything from Mayhem, Mastodon, Hawkwind, Primus, Between the Buried and Me, Black Sabbath, Frank Zappa, Voltaire, Switchblad Symphonies etc...
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
First and foremost, we would like to thank you for the opportunity to have this interview. We would like to thank all of our fans and all of the bands we have played with in the past as well as all future fans and bands that we will have or play with in the future. We are always striving to bring new and hopefully unique music to people and hope that the rest of 2022 and beyond goes well for not only Self Imposed Exile but for metal and the whole music industry. It is hard for new up and coming bands to get a wide audience without putting a lot of time and money into it but we will always need musicians and singers to help alleviate the stresses of the day or to brighten up a mood. The world revolves on music and it is something that needs to continue!
https://twitter.com/imposedself
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