This year we continue the good tradition of the big New Year doom-quiz, there are only 5 questions for a bunch of good and famous (or not so famous yet) doom bands. What kind of questions do we have today? Mmm… Let us see!
1. As always we’re starting with general question: What is the latest news from the band and what is it current state and plans for 2013?
2. Second one is about main hit of the band: Which song does represent the band best? Which one makes you really proud of it?
3. Striking balance as always: Which doom / metal / rock releases were most significant for you in 2012?
4. This question is something new for most of our heroes: What is the best present you got at this New Year / Christmas? I was glad that I’m not alone who get socks from grandmother each year. Long live grandma! Thank you!
5. Well, this question came pretty easy because straight before the New Year came I was enduring worst hangover for 2012. So what was your worst hangover mates? After which drink / substances did you get it and what did you do to reach such amazing results and how you survive it?I wonder why so many people who never met me before tell me about their nightmares so let me be honest with you comrades. We were starting with vodka that day (‘cause this is Russia), when all vodka was drunk so I get a bottle of Captain Morgan rum from my store. Captain always calls me to adventures so we were closing to a state which you know from Acid Bath’s song “Cheap Vodka”: “Let start the riot, let start the war! Everybody that you know is a whore!” and so on… When the action began and monkey upon my back did show me shortest way to oblivion I got last trump which I had – a bottle of tequila which no one of us really needed at that moment. After that it was darkness and flashbacks with starting hassle and “call to arms”. I found myself later in my flat laying across the bed with my boots on. Don’t remember details and I guess that I wouldn’t like it anyway – yet thanks to my friends who did “pack” me and deliver me home. So there’s a morale mate: think twice (yes, really – 2 times at least) before you start such a party! Don’t let that bloody monkey to drive you to your Doom and Dishonor! For the more you drink for someone’s health, the sooner you drink for the wake… or something like that.
But look who came here! Tonight there are Black Pyramid, Eye of Solitude, Gallons of Mud, Iron Void, Nethermost, Northwinds, Stangala, Stonebride, and Without God.
Black Pyramid (United States, stoner / doom metal)
Darryl Shepard (guitars, vocals)1. We have a brand new album recorded which is being mastered right now. It should be released in the spring on Hydrophonic Records. Hopefully some touring as well in the spring.
2. I think "Swing the Scimitar", a new song, represents the band the best at this point in time. It's really heavy, it's got a more psychedelic section, the lyrics are cool, and it's long. It sums up the term "psychedelic war metal" perfectly, to me. It's also the song I'm most proud of, and people really seem to dig it live. We've been getting great responses from it.
3. There was tons of great music in 2012, but I'd have to go with Baroness "Yellow and Green", Pilgrim "Misery Wizard" and Elder "Spires Burn/Release" as three big ones for me. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
4. Gift cards for the supermarket. I was able to do a ton of food shopping!
5. I've had so many brutal hangovers, mainly from mixing alcohol (beer/wine/Jagermeister/whiskey = BAD IDEA), and they've all blended together. The worst ones are the ones where I have to go to work the next day, I just feel like dying. If possible, I just stay in bed all day and drink as much water as possible, then I usually feel okay by 5 o'clock or so. I'm gettin' old though, so I haven't had one of those in a while now!
Black Pyramid “Illumination”Official WebsiteFacebookBlack Pyramid | Big CartelMyspace Eye of Solitude (United Kingdom, death doom)
Daniel Neagoe (vocals)1. Well, we have recorded a brand new EP entitled "The Deceit" which consists in one brand new track, a Shape Of Despair cover (Night's Dew) and Painstained (track featured on our sold out debut album "The Ghost") Also we are preparing for a few festivals and (hopefully) a surprise gig in Sankt Petersburg,and we cannot be happier !
2. If i had to pick a personal choice it would be Awoken By Crows. The song has been co-written with our ex guitarist, Tristan Jefferies, a highly valued member of our family. The track represents all about Eye Of Solitude. Despair, grief, negativity and sorrow.
3. There are quite a few I'd like to mention so here it goes: Ahab, Who Dies in Siberian Slush, Imber Luminis just to mention a few.
4. Hahaha, I got a "Peter Griffin" t shirt which says: HEAVY DRINKER!
5. I'm proud Eastern European :D so I drink vodka. I don't really like anything else. And my worst hangover was after 2 and a half bottles of Rasputin. It was awesome hahaha!! So what did I do to get rid of it? finished the second half of the bottle the next morning. Fight fire with fire hahaha!!
Eye of Solitude “Awoken by Crows”FacebookMyspaceReverbNation Gallons of Mud (Germany, stoner sludge)
Steve (bass, vocals)1. Latest news is that we have finally found a new drummer and already played our first gigs with him and we’re really happy that he’s in the band. His name is Pippo and he is a master of the skins (he is also a kick-ass tattoo artist)! We are also planning some new gigs in early 2013, of which the support gig for ELDER is the most exciting one for us! As we’re now ready to play live again, the next step is to write some new songs and record them, hopefully in the first half of 2013. Maybe it will actually be enough music to finally knock a full-length together! Two of the new songs can already be listened to on youtube from a gig we played in Nürnberg. So if you want to give it a listen and leave a comment, you’re invited to do so!
Also, my other band WALL is about to release a full-length album next year in spring on the great german label This Charming Man records, which is also home to KADAVAR and UNION OF SLEEP among others.
2. Tough one! I think “21 Grammes” is the most representative song, as it combines all elements we want to deliver musically, there’s slow-grinding sludge riffs as well as more rocking, melodic parts, with a mix of clean singing and some screaming.
I am really proud of all the songs (where’s my ego?), but maybe I’ll chose “Bullhead” here, because it is just kick-ass fun to play live!
3. I’m really bad at keeping track of release dates, so don’t blame me if I mistake some with 2011? EAGLE TWIN’s The Feather Tipped The Serpents Scale, OBELYSKKH’s White Lightnin’ , BLACK SHAPE OF NEXUS’ Negative Black, TORCHE’s Harmonicraft and ELDER’s Spires Burn / Release 12”. Guess these are my highlights as well as some older shit I discovered or even re-discovered!
4. I really never got that special thing about Christmas. Wanna visit your parents? Wanna wish your friends all the best? Wanna give a gift to someone special? Just do so when you want to!!! Don't wait for a christian holiday to feel obliged to do so! As I agreed with my family and friends on that one, there we’re no presents for me this year!
5. There were quite a few, so I can’t remember the worst, hahaha. “Best” results are usually achieved when I drink too much different stuff! Normally I’m a beer drinker, so when I start to mix it up with shots and Schnaps it gets really worse! Best day after I can remember was last week, when I was drinking for three days straight! Heavy smoking enhances the effects! Recovering is surviving, I usually do this by sleeping a lot and drinking gallons of water and mixing some special vitamine cocktails consisting of tomato juice, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. Tastes good and really helps!
Gallons of Mud “21 Grammes” FacebookBandcampIron Void (United Kingdom, doom metal)
Steve Wilson (guitars, vocals)1. We are recording our debut full length album in April. We have been writing and rehearsing for that lately, with our new drummer, Damien. We will be playing less live shows until the album is finished but there has been talk of a European tour for this year. We will have more news soon.
2. Suicide Sorcerer is our most famous song. We usually end shows with it. It's kind of our equivalent to Hopkins The Witchfinder General or Paranoid and everyone knows it, so live I would have to go with that. Plus I wrote it! I think lyrically, Demon Drink is closer to the truth!
3. I can only speak for myself, as we all like different bands. That said, stand out ones for me
were:
MORTALICUM – The Endtime Prophecy
WITCH MOUNTAIN - Cauldron of The Wild
SAINT VITUS – Lillie f-65
ARKHAM WITCH – Legions of The Deep
CHRISTIAN MISTRESS – Possession
ALUNAH – White Hoarhound –
Living Dead At Manchester Morgue, John Carpenter (Halloween 2, Prince of Darkness, Escape From NY) and Zombie Flesh Eaters soundtrack LP's from Death Waltz Recording Co. Check them out!
And of course, finally re-releasing Spell of Ruin on CD!
4. If only I got cool presents these days. I got the usual socks and soap! I did get some spending money from my grandmother, which made me feel like a kid again. Haven't bought anything yet though.
5. The last morning of our trip to Malta Doom Metal Festival in November has to be my personal worst. We decided to follow our post-festival show with Mortalicum by having a few drinks at the Muddy Waters Bar near our hotel. I had a drunken Finnish guy pouring Jack Daniels and coke into my mouth from a jug plus my own normal beer consumption. Quite a bad head the next day! A full English breakfast and plenty of water helped me recover. I almost fell asleep stood up while waiting to check into Valletta airport. Luckily I managed to stay awake!
Iron Void “Suicide Sorcerer”FacebookBandcampMyspace Nethermost (United States, melodic death doom)
Waldo Rocha (guitars)1. The current plans for 2013 are first of all releasing our debut EP "Alpha" through Hypnotic Dirge Records and after that we will be concentrating on recording new tracks. There're a total of 11 new tracks part of what will be our first LP.
2. The song that really represents Nethermost at the moment would be "Phasing Currents". It has the perfect balance of atmosphere and melody that the band is known for. We are really proud of this piece.
3. I really enjoyed Daylight Dies' "A Frail Becoming". It is still growing on me as the vocal style/effect they used changed a bit but it is still a great album. The other one I remember is "Dead End Kings" by Katatonia. It has its share of good songs.
4. I am alive and sharing my world with the people I love, that's the best gift you can receive in life.
5. Vivid moments of wishing to be dead are flashing in my head with this question. Never underestimate the powers of Tequila, ever. You think you are tough guy until you are there helpless lying on a bed full of puke asking for help thinking the world has conspired against you. The cold sweats, the massive shakes, the painful nausea and the delirious words coming out of your mouth are nothing but the symptom of your own stupidity. You know you deserve to die but death never comes so you must endure the pain and take it like a man feeling miserable while flashbacks are storming your brain like there's no tomorrow. How did I survive, you ask? I didn't. This feeling still haunts my dreams sometimes.
Nethermost “Phasing Currents”FacebookBandcampNorthwinds (France, doom metal / progressive rock)
Syvain (drum & vocals)1. We are working on a new demo " live ritual" featuring both personal compositions and cover songs. The main info is that our new lp/cd "Eternal winter" is totally ready, but I don't think Black Widow will release it soon. To finish we hope to have more live action than in the previous years!
2. "Great god pan" from the album "Great god pan".
3. "Winter" from the album Winter.
4. A lot of records!!! BRAINTICKET's anthology box, PURTENANCE reedition box vinyl, PRESENCE sleeper awakes/live cd...
5. Won't eat oyster anymore, it will surely kill me for sure!!!!!!
Northwinds “Great God Pan”Facebook Stangala (France, doom / stoner metal / celtic folk)
Steven le Moan (guitars, vocals)1. We just released a new video for one of our songs, featuring some old school zombies and stuff. The track is off our first album. As for our future plans, we are currently finalizing the production of a split album with the mighty StoneBirds from Rostrenen. More info very soon.
2. "Doom Rock Glazik"!!
3. The new Colour Haze album.
4. Time spent with my family and friends.
5. Alcohol always gives me the worst hangovers but I cannot remember one in particular in the past year. My way of surviving such a situation is usually the same though: water, candies and weed!
Stangala “Doom Rock Glazik”FacebookBandcampMyspaceStonebride (Croatia, psychedelic doom / stoner)
Thee Steps (drums)1. We just came back from a mini European tour called X-MAS RIDE, including TRUCKFIGHTERS [swe] and BEEN OBSCENE [at]! We visited Germany and Switzerland. It was a blast of great energy and experience. Packed clubs, nice venues, met bunch of old friends and gained new fans. Especially because we haven't been on the road that much last two years. Life and personal obligations doesn't allow us to tour as much as we would like to.
2. That's a tough one. We listen to so much different stuff that influence us. I think each of our songs speak for itself and casts a different kind of light on what this band is about and where can it go. Every one of us has personal favourite ones. I think songs like Shadows Like Snakes, Silver Ship, Venomous, Sokushinbutsu, Crimson Tongue, Lowest Supreme, Bending Roads, Mute Heart Rivers, The Amazing Voyagers are the common ground. Wait till you hear what will be our next level, hahahahahaa... Plans for 2013. : - To release a new EP and a live DVD, maybe even a split release with someone.. Prepare new songs for a third album.. Practice like animals.. Be good to each other and all the people around us.. To have at least 2 tours.... Make an official music video [finally, haahahaa]... To be an opening support for Soundgarden, Black Sabbath, Tool, Metallica or The Black Keys [now, that would be something, wouldn't you agree, heheeeeehh..]
3. Hmmmm.. So many great albums came out in 2012., not just doom metal rock wise..
But, let me try, in no specific order:
OM - Advaitic Songs
GOAT - World Music
UNSANE -Wreck
NEUROSIS - Honour Found In Decay
SOUNDGARDEN - KIng Animal
DEFTONES - Koi No Yokan
WOVENHAND - The Laughing Stalk
MARK LANEGAN - Blues Funeral
HIGH ON FIRE - De Vermis Mysteriis
OLD MAN GLOOM - No
VISION OF DISORDER - The Cursed Remain Cursed
4. To go out on tour. Celebrate with the band. Enjoy every moment playing. Visiting Berlin for the New Years party. Finding new inspiration to be even better among each other, other people and as a band.
5. It's really hard to point out just one. Too many times we got drunk and every time we find new ways to survive it, haaahahahaha.
I can't remember only one that was the worst... Usually we eat soup, drink huge ammount of water and repeating ''never again, never again''.
Stonebride “Lowest Supreme”FacebookBandcamp< a href="http://www.Myspace.com"/stonebride
Without God (Russia, stoner doom metal)
Anton Brovkin (guitars, vocals)1. We are work hardly on our forthcoming album. We have eight killer tracks and have plans to start record sessions this spring. The past year was not very productive because of some private reasons, but I hope we will release second full-length album this year. You can listen two songs from it on our BandCamp right now.
2. This song isn’t recorded yet, and it’s called “Circus Of Freaks”. We performed it only one time on our last live show, and it will be included to our second full-length. It is fucking great track, really! I have no idea how we could create such a good song J
3. You know, I don’t have any passion to listen to all new releases, and I prefer aged music, checked by time J I want to note our friends The Moon Mistress, Sound of Ground and Stoned Jesus – all these guys performed very nice albums last year. Hangman’s Chair released killer album “Hope//Dope//Rope”, that is slow, deep and hard. Latest Dopethrone’s full-length is not bad, if you have appropriate condition, you know what I mean J Bongripper released great live album full of high-quality audio-drugs. And my last discovery – Alunah from UK with their “White Hoarhound”. Nothing special, but very good.
4. I had a couple of silent days during this New Year holidays and I was able to sleep well. This is great!
5. Ha-ha! I had hangover a lot of time, and it is hard to say which was the worst. Well… I think it was four years ago, and the story is not very interesting – just a half a liter of whiskey and six or seven beers during the evening. It was a New Year party with my colleagues, and no one could walk the next day including me J I had a headache and nausea two days after that booze.
Without God “Mushroom Man”FacebookBandcampMyspaceInterviews By
Aleks
Thanks for all the get well messages for Ed whose health took a turn for the worse brought on by what has been diagnosed as severe anxiety disorder and the lack of the required medicine due to lack of cash-flow. You can still send messages if you wish but please be aware we can't send a reply. Just be sure your support is very appreciated in this difficult time. Doommantia will continue as injured and under staffed as it is but please be patient if you are waiting on a review or interview. As you can understand, it is not high on our priority list at the moment....Sally.
