Namebearer Interview

 

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

I started Namebearer as a way to have an outlet with more immediacy than my other bands and projects. It just felt like the right time for me to start working on a solo project.

2.So far you have released a demo, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

I really wanted to create a unique and immersive atmosphere that pervaded throughout the demo. I wanted it to be at least rooted in black metal, but I wanted things to flow naturally too. If an idea or riff served the atmosphere or composition well, it made it into the songs.

3.You refer to your music as being 'raw silver metal', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?

To my ear, Namebearer sits somewhere between a few genres. I think there will always be people who make diminishing statements about music and say it sounds like “x” band or it fits into “y” genre. I’m sure that will happen plenty with Namebearer. Genres are useful as marketing terms and quick indicators, but it’s pointless to constantly try to reduce everything down to a single statement. I refer to Namebearer as silver metal because I think it fits, and because I think referring to it with more established genre names is pointless and not as fun.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

I’ve gotten to the point where I feel like any time I try to explain my lyrics I end up doing a bad job of it. I think there’s a strong sense of surrealism and intensity to the lyrics on this demo though. There’s always something that keeps the words flowing out of my head when it comes to writing lyrics. Not sure what it is though!

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

I’m the last person in my family with my last name, so if I don’t have any children(who also use my last name) the name will effectively cease to exist. I honestly don’t care if that happens, but I think it’s kind of an interesting thing to consider, and I felt it was a fitting name for a solo project.

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

The artwork was done by Mairead McGuinness. I’m extremely glad to have found her art and been able to work with her. The logo was done by Shannon Jordan, a close friend of mine. The two combined in this incredibly cohesive way, and I think the cover art represents the music well. Huge thank you to the both of them!

7.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

I’m the only full member right now. The Fool played session drums and made a number of other great contributions, but as of now, he’s just working with me in a session capacity. I’d like to keep things as they are for now. I have a pretty concise vision for this project.

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

We’ll have to wait and see since things are just beginning and there’s only a single song released as of this time. I wouldn’t be surprised if this demo was not well received and went largely unnoticed, and I wouldn’t really be surprised if the opposite happened either.

9.What is going on with some of the other musical projects these days that the band members are a part of?

I’m writing and performing in other bands, as is The Fool. We’d rather keep the names of those bands private in this case because we’ve decided to keep some level of anonymity for Namebearer. Though I’m sure if anyone did any digging they could easily figure out who we are and what other bands we are in.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

I’ll be releasing 3 more demos in this series. I want them all to share the bond of having a strong immersive atmosphere, but I think stylistically they could end up differing a lot.

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?

Lately I’ve been very inspired by Circle of Ouroborus, Keres, Frozen Graves, Cosmic Church, and Diabolical Masquerade. There’s a lot to learn about songwriting when it comes to this style of music. A lot of things “work”  for almost inexplicable reasons. I like to try to analyze why I like the music that I do. I think it can be helpful when writing my own music.

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

Thanks for the interest in the project. I appreciate you reaching out with the questions. Cheers, be well!

https://namebearer.bandcamp.com/album/demo-i