Verwustung Interview

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

Verwüstung was formed in mid 2010 for the purpose of writing and recording dark experimental music that later took a shift towards black metal. Not much has changed since then.

2. How would you  describe your musical sound?

Surrealist black metal.

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

Abstract, dream-like thoughts. A swirling haze of uncomfortable scenarios. It's very free-form and highly dependent on the imagination of the listener.

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

It's a German word that I believe translates to 'desolation' if I'm not mistaken. The reasoning behind the name is simply because this project was initially an offshoot of my shoegaze band Airs in which I was using Verwüstung as a stage name for awhile. Simply a lazy choice.

5. Currently there is only 1 member involved with this project, how would you compare working solo to working with a full bands?

Exceptionally more boring. Members have come and gone in the past for the purpose of live shows, but nothing ever panned out. There may be one more attempt at live performances soon, however.

6. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or received any label interest for this project?

I'm always willing to entertain label offers, but so far the only interest I've gotten were from labels I'm not interested in working with or things that didn't work out. I've given up on the idea of a label supporting this project.

7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal, drone and doom?

Exceedingly negative in recent times. It's a large part of why there will only be one more album; lack of public interest. Essentially every release since 'Beyond the Watercolor Sunset, We Feel New Life' has been panned simply because I have no interest in putting out the same album twice.

8. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?

My projects? Nothing worth mentioning.

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

The final album, 'Captured in Her Eyes', will be more experimental than previous releases. I'm interested in exploring territory I held myself back from before. I suspect it'll alienate the more closed minded fans who latched on to the 'Watercolor' hype, but I guess that's the point of it to begin with.

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

The most direct influences would have to be bands like Weakling or Bosse-de-Nage. I don't listen to much black metal anymore nowadays though. I've been very into this band from the 60s called Index and Japanese experimental arists such as Kengo Iuchi, Shizuka and Keiji Haino.

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

Reading and collecting anything applicable are two ways I enjoy passing time.

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

Not especially. Thank you for the opportunity.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Verw%C3%BCstung/3540325501

Verwustung/Tunnel Ghosts/2013 CD Review

  This  is  the  final  review  of  a  recording  from  Verwustung  with  the  music  style  being  black  metal  mixed  with  doom,  drone,  experimental  and  post  rock  with  the  album  being  self  released  in  2013  and  called  "Tunnel  Ghosts".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  synths  and  sound  effects  bring  in  elements  of  atmospheric  music,  experimental,  ambient a nd  noise  to  the  album,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  with  some  doom  metal  and  drone  influences  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times  as  well  as  a  good  amount  of  melody  along  with  a  great  amount  of  heavy  distortion  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  being  elements  of  progressive  and  post  rock  to  the  album.

  Vocals  which  are  only  used  in  some  parts  are  mixed  down  low  in t he  mix  and  are  very  grim  sounding  black  metal s creams,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  poetic  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  raw  and  primitive  sound  with  most  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Verwustung  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal  mixed  you  doom  and  drone,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Camellias  In  Bloom"  and  "No  Haven".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Verw%C3%BCstung/3540325501

Verwustung/Soft Hands, Pale Moon/2012 EP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Verwustung  with  the  musical  style  being  black  metal  mixed  with  ambient,  drone,  doom,  post  rock  and  shoegaze  with the  ep  being  self  released  in  2012  and  called  "Soft  Hands,  Pale  Moon".

  Drums   range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while t he  synths  and  sound  effects  bring  elements  of  ambient,  experimental  and  shoegaze  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from s low,  mid  paced  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  with  some  doom  metal  influences  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  post  rock/shoegaze  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  which  are  mixed  down  low  in  the  mix  and  hard  to  hear  are  very  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  poetic  themes,  as  for  the  production  it has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  with  the  only  song  on  this  recording  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Verwustung  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  shoegaze,  post  black  metal  and  doom,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Verw%C3%BCstung/3540325501

        

Verwustung/I First Saw You On That Snowy Night And Couldn't Shake An Overwhelming Feeling Of Sadness/2012 CD Review

  This  is  another  review  of  an  recording  from  Verwustung  with  the  musical  style  being  a  mixture  of  ambient,  black  metal,  drone,  doom,  noise  and  post  rock  with  the  album  being  self  released  in  2012  and  called  "I  First  Saw  You  On  That  Snowy  Night  And  Couldn't  Shake  An  Overwhelming  Feeling  Of  Sadness".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  drumming  to  fast  playing  with  some  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording  at  times,  while  the  synths  and  sound  effects  bring  elements  of  ambient,  drone,  noise  and  post  rock  to  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  raw  and  primitive  sounding  black  metal  with  drone,  doom  and  post  rock  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  with  some  melodies,  soft  and  clean  playing  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  post  rock  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  which  are  mixed  down  low  in  the  mix  are  very  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams,  while the  lyrics  cover  dark  depressive  and  poetic  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Verwustung  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  doom,  drone,  noise,  ambient  and  post  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "These  Evenings  We  Spent  Alone  Staring  At  The  Window"  "Spiral  Paradox"  and  "When  Our  Hands  Met".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Verw%C3%BCstung/3540325501

    

Verwustung/Beyond The Watercolor Sunset, We Feel New Life/2011 EP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Verwustung  with  the  musical  style  beign  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient,  black  metal,  drone  and  doom  metal  with  the  ep  being  self  released  in  2011  and  called  "Beyond  The  Watercolor  Sunset,  We  Feel  New  Life".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  synths  and  sound  effects  bring  the  dark  ambient  and  drone  elements  to  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

   Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark,  raw  and primitive  sounding  with  some  doom  metal  influences  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times,  while t he lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  post  black  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  use  full  chords  to  bring  a  neo  folk  feeling  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  which  are  mixed  down  low  in  the  mix  are  very  grim  sounding  depressive  black  metal  screams  with  some  spoken  word  samples  being  used  at  times,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  with  the  only  song  on  this  recording  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Verwestung  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  ambient,  drone  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Verw%C3%BCstung/3540325501

Verwustung/When The Light Broke The Stars, Humanity Rejected Us/Serpent Spine Productions/2010 CD Review

  Verwustung  are  a  1  man  band  from  San  Francisco,  California  that  plays  a  very  experimental,  instrumental  and  improv  form  of  black  metal  mixed  in  with  elements  of  doom,  drone,  noise  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2010  album  "When  The  Light  Broke  The  Stars,  Humanity  Rejected  Us"  which  was  released  by  Serpent  Spine  Productions.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars, as  for  the  sound  effects  when  they  are  utilized  bring  elements  of  harsh  noise  to  the  album.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  primitive  black  metal  with  ambient,  drone  and  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  also  utilize  some  melody  in  the  riffing  at  times,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  primitive  and  melodic  sounding  black  metal  guitar  solos and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  are  only  used  on  the  last  song  and  use  full  chords  to  bring  in  avant  garde  elements  to  the  album.

  Vocals  and  song  writing  are  all  absent  form  the  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while  the  song  themes  cover  darkness  and  depression,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  with  both  of  the  songs  being  instrumental.

  In  my  opinion  Verwustung  are  a  very  great  instrumental  sounding  hybrid  of  black  metal,  doom,  experimental  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "We  Passed  Through  The  Vale  Of  Tears".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Verw%C3%BCstung/3540325501