1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?
SNAW is an Australian project, and is my vehicle for black metal/post-black metal compositions, and ambient/experimental work. Although I lead things musically and do a bit of vocals, SNAW involves collaborating with other musicians, most recently with Robin Stone (drums) and Andrew Trevenen (vocals). So there’s a cohesion to the ‘sound’ of SNAW music but it will hopefully have some dynamic changes from album to album, depending on who else is involved.
2.So far you have released 2 full lengths, musically how do they both differ from each other?
The initial concept (in an ideal world), was to release “The Skin Dancer” and “A Light Scalping” together as a 2LP package. Although they are different, I see black metal and ambient/experimental as fitting together quite nicely. Musically, The Skin Dancer is probably more familiar to people, in terms of recognizable black metal/post black structures. Both albums always prioritize the building of atmospheres but with very different tools. A Light Scalping is very free of conventions from either extreme metal or dark ambient genres. It’s full of dense layers, has neo-classical moments aswell as some guitar structures more similar to doom perhaps.
3.The first album was instrumental while the new album had vocals what is the decision behind the change in both releases?
SNAW has grown out of my other band Bolt Gun, which could be seen as usually involving both black, doom and ambient structures within the one song. SNAW perhaps mines each specific style at a deeper level without trying to combine too much. So the instrumental, black ambient album is a deep dive into that world, whereas The Skin Dancer is a focussed metal work, mining the territory of black metal/post-black metal, without spending too much time on transportive ambient atmospheres for the listener to lose themselves in. So with SNAW you can expect more instrumental albums aswell as more black metal albums!
4.A lot of your lyrics cover dark mythology and show some inspirations from the writings of Cormac McCarthy, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic and the writer's work?
I’m a fan of McCarthy’s work and literature has often been a jumping off point for some concept or atmosphere that I’m trying to build. A.T is responsible for the more extreme vocals and I think he has a similar process. I guess everyone has different impressions of such writers…for me a general starting point are ideas around nihilism versus slivers of hope; post-apocalyptic earth; surrealist nightmare type experiences; the primitive parts of all our minds. Anyone familiar with his work will find novels corresponding to these ideas. There are of course many other writers and works of art that can be associated…also from within European folklore, myths to visual artworks like those created by Marc Potts. Somewhere along the line I found Marc’s artworks, which seem to depict something supernatural and horrific but (my thoughts here, not Marc’s) this is actually embedded in the parts of our own minds that are primitive, ancient and perhaps also terrifying. I think we create and experience something of this in dark artworks, including within music. All this of course makes it sound like carefully thought out processes…which I don’t think it is. I start with playing, creating and finding these spaces musically…then there’s thoughts about them later. Music creation for me is initially all non-verbal…about a feeling of something…if I did things the other way around it wouldn’t work…the result would be too wooden, inflexible…too cognitive and ‘clever’.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'SNAW'?
I wanted a simple band name that wasn’t recognizable and wasn’t used in everyday language. Partly so when you look it up on the internet theres not a billion search results! The black ambient work came first, and there’s something about this sort of music that fits with falling asleep in the early hours. I liked the word SNORE…but wanted it to be more abrasive, so…SNAW. At some point I discovered the word is an ancient word for snow…which to me seemed also fitting to the project so it was then set. Band names are difficult and you can be stuck with them forever! So I hope this one continues to capture the musical aims.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
I only have a brief description from Marc about the work…he also likes to keep a bit of mystery around these things. My understanding is that it is a depiction of a Neolithic shaman type figure, channelling something animalistic through ceremony and art itself. It’s also sort of an image of the magical spaces of visual art and the role they had in society, hence the animal cave images in the background of the figure. The use of real painters, real artists for cover art, is integral to SNAW so all this fits very well with me. Musician’s and visual artists are both trying to create doors of sorts…or spaces in which listeners or viewers can enter and create something meaningful themselves….not just be presented with a “cool” product. I’m trying to do this with SNAW so it’s vital that I collaborate with the other artists in this way too.
7.You mostly work as a solo artist, are you interested in turning the project into a whole band?
Yes and no…haha. If there are some good opportunities then I can put together a band very quickly. I’ve been in live bands for around 20yrs and have a good network of proficient musicians that can step into this sort of project. However, such things take huge amounts of time away from the creative process. I am most content writing and recording music, but I’m not ruling it out either because I know there’s some great moments that can happen in a live setting too. We’ll see.
8.On the new album you also have a few quests, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?
Robin Stone appears on drums for both albums. Ive worked with Robin previously on Bolt Gun’s “The Tower” album. He’s a seasoned professional, does a lot of session drums aswell as appearing live on occasion for bands like The Amenta and Convulsing. Robin has had free range on these tracks with some sparse notes about what I was wanting. He has a great sense of drum composition and there were several parts -rewritten around his drum parts, latching onto various accents that he used. I have worked with Andrew Trevenen for many years on Bolt Gun, so he was a great choice for stress-free collaboration on the vocal parts. Lachlan Dale is the head honcho of Art as Catharsis label, and had sent me an ugly drone loop a few years ago. I think it was for a solo album he was working on that he had lots of guest musicians on. I ended up doing a full-band type track around his loop which didn’t seem to fit with the rest of his instrumental album. I didn’t know at the time that there weren’t any drums on any of the other tracks! So it stood out horribly. I’d shelved the track for awhile before re-working it for The Skin Dancer. Ron Pollard (sound engineer) is the silent guest really…an extremely creative engineer who is always thinking about what he can do differently in the signal chain.
9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
It’s the dilemma of weird music makers everywhere! Years spent on something strange that has an esoteric audience…there are tonnes of worthy bands and a dwindling pool of labels! Luckily there is something in the works with a European label for the release of The Skin Dancer. At this stage I cant reveal all the details but the album will likely be available worldwide on CD in the first quarter of 2025.
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal and experimental genres?
It seems very positive but it’s early days really. I’m at the start of the long process of finding and building up fans and you need to take the long-term view with these things. Both albums are available in full on Youtube and seem to be doing well. The bandcamp sells a few each day and hopefully the CD release will put SNAW a little more on the radar for people. A Light Scalping had a surprising burst of views/listens in the last month which was very nice to see. Some are fans of both genres, and both releases whilst there’s people that liked just one…so its interesting.
11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
I’ve just finished a new computer build and the shitty task of re-installing all my recording gear in my studio…so I’m setup again, looking forward to sketching out the next album actually. I’d aimed to do another experimental work first…yet for some reason my brain isn’t co-operating and Ive got the backbone of two black metal tracks on the go instead! Im always trying to get "better", whatever that means in music im not sure...but its important to feel that each album is some development, some growth.
12.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?
This is too big a question really! Too many in the mind blender and I don’t really know which ones come through! I listen and absorb but never really learn to play others music. I’m a fan of 2nd wave black metal of course…love Marduk, Mayhem, Emperor, DHG; but also, Beyond Dawn are one of my favourites. Atrium Carceri; Lustmord, most projects on Cryo Chamber label! Blut Aus Nord; Monumentum. Esoteric, Sunn O)); Portal. I listen to a lot of soundtracks from Howard Shore, Johann Johannsson, Colin Stetson; The Necks; Swans.
Recently ive been listening to Curse All Kings; Common Eider, King Eider…a crazy record by Cigno; Hauntologist; Mgla always!
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
That’s it I think! Thanks again for your interest in SNAW and for supporting musicians like myself. Very appreciated!
https://snaw.bandcamp.com/
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