Author: arthur

What Are They Up to: Interviews with Vanity Kills, Ashes Fallen, and Black Rose Burning

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Vanity Kills

[Photo Credit: Cameron Rhys McNamara]

Vanity Kills is the intense, cyberpunk-industrial band of Joe “Crow” Aaron. S&S has already covered them on several occasions: an interview from 2019, a review of album Chapter 2: Enemy, and a shoutout in the Halloween Compilation Release.

The band has been a friend of S&S for years. But where are they now? I reached out to Joe Crow himself to figure out what he’s been working on since the release of his last album. In the works are: 1- a third chapter album, 2- a B-sides album, and 3- a collection of covers.

The covers are being release intermittently on YouTube with the intent to compile them on Bandcamp upon completion. The B-sides, which are, according to Crow, “a collection of songs that didn’t make it on to the last album, alternate versions of previously released songs and remixes,” most likely going to be released in March. Chapter three’s release is as of now still uncertain.

Onto the topic of the B-sides and third chapter, do you see yourself exploring some uncharted creative territory?

Definitely. The b sides record is definitely a product of experimentation. There’s some more mellow moments there, some really dark stuff and some stuff that’s just outright weird.

The third chapter also tonally different to the second and first. It feels kind of like a 90s industrial album with modern production techniques. Sort of going back and taking influence from the places that first got me into the genre when I was in my teens.

It’s likely the B sides record will be a Bandcamp exclusive as a companion piece to Chapter 2. So everyone who has that will receive it automatically and be included with future purchases.

Regarding production, have you indulged yourself in any new equipment?

Nothing too extravagant. Picked up a Roland r8 for a bargain and a tb303 clone. I’ve also invested in a good amount of software instruments. As much as I’d love to get into more hardware it’s just not feasible at the moment and the ability to create new patches without routing audio and midi each time helps me stay in the zone with my limited attention span.

So, on your previous album and in a previous interview, you cited bands like Stabbing Westward, Ministry, and even Prince as having influenced you. Since the third chapter is going to be comparative to a “90s industrial album,” is there any new set of artists behind its inspiration?

Well all of those are there, probably more than the last record. As well as things like My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Circle of Dust, Nine inch Nails early material, through to the more electronic rave artists like the Prodigy, Underworld etc.

Gosh I love that early NIN stuff

Pretty hate machine and the broken EP will always stick in my mind as my personal image of NIN. I love damn near everything else but those are 2 I can go to any day in any mood.

Any closing remarks for your fans?

The support we’ve had for this album has been immense. I didn’t expect it after so many years if inactivity but old and new have come out in support and I’m eternally grateful. We’re going to finish off the album cycle with videos for every song from chapter 2 and swiftly onto the next chapter. So there’s plenty still to come. With some surprises along the way and one day more shows. Thank you so much and stay safe.

Ashes Fallen

Ashes Fallen is a California-based gothic rock band composed of James Perry (lead vocals, guitar), Jason Shaw (guitar), and Michelle Perry (vocals, percussion, keyboard, art).

S&S has previously reviewed their album Ashes Fallen as well as Thy Will be Done.

Their most recent release, We Belong Nowhere, was put out this august.
So, what have they been up to since then? I reached out to member James Perry to investigate.

Recently, they were part of the ARG (Anti-Racist Goths) streaming festival. It took place on January 1st, but you can watch their segment of it here.

“It was a real honor to be a part of it,” member Perry tells me. “Davey Bones and company are great.” The band performed their songs “We Belong Nowhere,” “Blood Moon,” and “Unrequited.”

How has it been adapting to virtual/streaming instead of live concerts?

I guess the main thing I’d want to add around that is just that the fact that we’ve been able to put on virtual performances has opened some doors for us and enabled us to participate in some really great events including being on the bill with some acts we really love and that influenced us, so while it’s unfortunate we can’t get out there in person, the situation has also presented some great opportunity for us. I don’t see livestreaming as a “replacement” for in person live shows, just another vehicle we can use to create and get our music out there. Michelle has always wanted to be able to design stage shows for us but it’s just not practical when you’re going on second out of four bands on a Tuesday night and you have 10 minutes to set up, but when we’re performing at home, we can have all the time we want to make something special visually! Last September, Michelle and I moved to a turn of the 20th century converted church and have made that our home base for the band, and it’s been a great space for online performances!

Do you have plans to take part in any more online streaming festivals?

We will be playing at Virtual Temple 3 at the end of January (January 30th, at 7 PM Pacific / 10 PM Eastern), hosted by Temple in Salt Lake City. We’ve been lucky enough to be invited to perform at all three of their “Virtual Temple” events and they’ve been great, a lot of fun. We go way back with DJ Mistress Nancy, she’s a good friend. Hopefully someday we’ll get out to Salt Lake City to perform in person, and get to meet all the new people we’ve met online through live-streaming performances and virtual club nights and everything! That’s all we have scheduled for now though. We’ve been working hard on writing our next album, and we’ve decided to take a break from performance to allow ourselves time to get it finished.

I’d like to hear more about that next album. What new creative directions are you exploring with it?

We were a brand new band when we recorded and released our new album, and most of the songs were songs I’d already written and had performed as a solo artist, and we’d only played a few shows together. We all think our sound has evolved some, although I don’t think people who liked our first album will be disappointed or anything! We’ve made a conscious decision to simplify and strip down our sound somewhat. The arrangements aren’t nearly as busy. We’re still very much a gothic ROCK band with two guitar players, but we won’t be relying on thick, metal-type guitars so much of the time. Michelle and Jason are both contributing more to the songwriting this time out, and Michelle’s going to be doing more singing on this album.

As far as subject matter goes, the last couple of years have given us an awful lot to talk about! We’ve got songs in the works about the political situation in this country, letting go of the past and moving on, the pandemic, as well as the passing of my mother just a few months ago. She was the sweetest person you could ever hope to meet and my first inspiration to become a musician. We’ve also got a song in the works about Maila Nurmi, better known as Vampira. Michelle really wanted us to record an ode to her, and it should be a fun track! It’s not so much about the Vampira character, but the woman who created her, and how she created this amazing legendary vision that was so influential, and yet she had her creation essentially stolen from her, and then lived in utter poverty and isolation for decades before finding some modicum of recognition in her final years.

Wow, that sounds like a lot to look forward to. Any estimate on when it’ll be released?                               

It’s a little hard to say. We haven’t been able to get together as often as we’d like because of the pandemic and because “real life” gets in the way so often! We’re just about done writing it though, and just need to spend some time getting it all together. I’m hopeful we can have it out the first half of the year.

The singles we put out last year, “Thy Will Be Done” and “We Belong Nowhere” will be on the album too, and hopefully they give some indication as to where our sound is heading.

Thanks! Last question- any closing remarks for your fans?

Thank you all for your support and please stay healthy! We can’t wait to be able to perform in person again and dance and celebrate the darkness together again.

Black Rose Burning

S&S has written about Black Rose Burning before in a review of Open the Gate, listing it as one of the “Top Postpunk/Synthwave/Darkpop albums of 2020” at the end of December. High compliments! Open the Gate was released mid-November.

So, what have they been up to since then? I reached out to instrumentalist and producer George Grant for more information. Plan to expect, if all goes well, the release of a second record in spring.

Are you diving into any new stylistic territory or techniques on this new record?

I think it will retain my signature “sound” which I think is mostly my voice (I don’t hear too many – if any- like it in the genre, and I’ll probably be relying on a more synth-based production this time. A bit more experimental? Probably. Still infused with heavy hooks? Definitely also. I don’t think I’m ready to write my version of something like Pink Floyd’s Echo’s yet. But I will at some point.

You released a cover of Red Skies- The Fixx in the past. Any plans for more covers, potentially on this new record?

I have a few floating around on my drive – the one that looks most promising right now (if it ever actually happens) is what I think is a cool version of Buzzcocks “Ever Fallen in Love”. Anything else I’ve been toying with hasn’t gone far enough to even count yet.

Oh I absolutely love that song!

I also may be doing a collaboration with Scary Black closer to spring as well. We’ve talked on it – but haven’t made solid plans as of yet

That would be cool, I love Scary Black

Yeah I dig him a lot too. As a writer/musician and just as a person too

Now for a hardware question- have you treated yourself to any new gear in preparation for your upcoming music creation?

A LOT of software. I’m always looking for new sounds. The more ammo – the more sounds. As far as gear – I have so much already I couldn’t even think of what more I could need. I even dug out the theremin to see if I could use it on the new record! The recordings could easily turn into a free-for-all.

Yes! A theremin! I’ve got a kinda-theremin of my own, and it’s definitely great for weird noises. Can’t wait to hear you potentially use it. Any last thing you can tell your fans about the new album without spoiling too much?

If they liked the last one – this one will be even more epic. The first record was my training course...

Kali Ra “Canto XIV”

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https://kalira.bandcamp.com/track/canto-xiv

Oklahoma City born David Goed, communicates through many aspects. Though of particular note, echoing vicariously through artifices of audible dialect. Casting spells using waveforms are his magic trick, and these sonic evocations stir a bubbling cauldron of emotions. Immolate with Kali Ra, and enter the realm of fusion inspirations. Stamped together like a blacksmith forging a scimitar for an upcoming pillage. Blending styles together in a orchestral way, he encapsulates the vision emerging in his art from worlds apart.

Imagine Kali Ra is a Pirate Ship, where the Main vessel sails around gathering various other aptly seasoned comrades aboard its deck to continue doing what it does best, helping to renew the never-ending cycle of entropy. Making a career out of traveling with a small community of like-minded liaisons to fulfill their encompassing directional fortes. The audible gems of his molding are of the adaptation of his methods, where he explains in a recent interview I had with him, “I take kind of a zen approach, perhaps it seems kind of corny or whatever, but it works for me. I do it for the process itself and not even for the end result. The end result is tenuous at best.”

Other than swashbuckling songs and serving swigs of spiced rum to his shipmates, Kali Ra would love to continue touring. When asked if plans were in works to do once it was safe again, David Goad replied with, “Yes, when it is safe, and by safe I define that as, people have pulled their heads out of their asses and gotten the vaccine.” If you pleased the Goddesses enough you may be lucky enough to catch Kali Ra live some day near you. However, until then you may check out Kali Ra on kalira.Bandcamp.com, Facebook, Most if not all streaming services including Spotify, and Youtube hosts some great videos of theirs as well.

–Lou Blacksail

Carrion’s Testament Ov The Exiled [Revised Edition] and Interview with Hide Tepes

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https://brutalresonance.bandcamp.com/album/testament-ov-the-exiled-revised-edition

Norwegian gothic-industrial band Carrion has come out with a new album titled Testament Ov The Exiled [Revised Edition]. 13 of its 15 tracks are currently available on Bandcamp for streaming and pre-order, with the full release dropping on January 18.

Carrion was formed in 2013. Its members are Hide Tepes as the vocals and main composer, Joe Crow on bass and guitar, and Sam Dusk with samples and sound texture.

Testament Ov The Exiled is an eerie, firm, album that had my mind switching between watching a cult horror movie, dancing at a goth club, and headbanging in the pit at a bar gig. On first listen, it is a masterful combination of creepy, sometimes glitchy sound samples, a steady beat, and menacingly breathy vocals. Upon closer inspection, you’ll find lyrical depth on the topics of end times and destruction interwoven with references to religion and alchemy.

When listening to these songs, I’d recommend turning off all the lights in your bedroom and putting on a single red lightbulb for complimentary ambiance. Think of it like a wine pairing.  

After going through the album several times, I interviewed Carrion member Hide Tepes regarding its creation and components.

1- Simple question here to get started. Approximately how long did the album take to create, from the moment you thought of it to publication?

It was a fairly fast process actually. I think all in all it was 2 or 3 weeks between the first thoughts of another album and having it completed with artwork and all.

Wow that’s actually way faster than I imagined. That’s impressive.

Yeah, I tend to work pretty fast and it seems I don`t know what a break is.

2. How did the process compare to previous Carrion albums?

Well, this is the first album I`ve done using modular synthesis so the workflow was definitely different, in a good way. It was more organic. But on a more personal side of things, when I wrote Iconoclasm I had recently more or less torn my life apart and was at the threshold of starting over again whereas with this one it`s more about what comes after such an extreme decision, the consequences and the positives and negatives of it all.

3- So, going off that, did this album mark any other technical artist progression for you in terms of style, production type/methods, or direction?

During the time between the two albums I`ve definitely learned more about the production side of things which I think shines through. I`m always looking to learn and progress as stagnation is any artists ultimate enemy, at least it should be. Working with modular synths opens up for a lot of experimentation and happy accidents as it were which definitely has coloured the final outcome.

4- Are there any instruments, techniques, or other artistic directions you’re looking forward to experimenting with going forward?

I`m open to anything really, whatever I stumble upon that I feel could benefit me in some way. I`m trying to get away from software and programming as much as I can and hope to be able to write the next album fully utilizing hardware equipment. Both as an experiment and due to the fact that I feel there are things you can do when physically playing an instrument that can`t really be completely replicated digitally. There`s a few songs on this album that highlights my rock and metal roots such as Untill The Reaper Comes and Dogs Ov Hell [The bonus track on the Revised Edition] and I`m sure that`s something I will be incorporating more going forwards.

5- This question’s for all the hardware nerds out there. What are your favorite pieces of equipment you used for this album?

I`d probably have to go with the Manis Iteritas module by Noise Engineering. While it may be designed to create really thick and harsh industrial type of sounds it`s definitely not a one trick pony and I used in heavily in various contexts throughout the album.

Hell yeah.

6- Also regarding the album creation process, how did the collaboration with other artists on the remix tracks go? How did you select them?

They`re all friends of mine. Ed Finkler [Dead Agent] I`ve known for a while and I really like what he does, I did some remix work for him for a charity compilation album a little while ago and we just kept in touch. Vanity Kills is Joe Crow`s band who recently joined Carrion as well, I like that there`s still someone out there carrying the torch of dirty, girtty rock n roll and he does that very well. Decent News is a band I originally discovered through being featured on a compilation album by them last year or maybe the year before that. I contacted them and we got on really well right away. I tend to be quite vocal about supporting smaller artists so while I could reach out to friends of mine in bigger bands I rather wanted to use the opportunity to highlight my friends and practice what I preach so to speak.

I love when artists help each other out like that. 7- More on the band itself, I’ve noticed a variety of place names on the Bandcamp. The album’s Bandcamp page describes Carrion as Norwegian. The album page also has the tag “Pennsylvania.” You’re working with Missfit Toys now, which is based (I believe) in Florida. What’s going on with Carrion’s members’ geography? Or, to put it simpler, where’s everyone located?

The label is located in Pennsylvania. I`m Norwegian, born and raised and it`s where I currently reside. Sam is in the U.S and Joe is in the UK.

Thanks! That clears things up a bit. 8- Back to the album- what’s the deal with the album art? Any story there?

The original version of the album has a much lighter tone to represent a clean slate, purity, rebirth and such themes. The Revised Edition has a darker tone to serve as a reminder of that in order for rebirth to take place one has to die which isn`t always a pretty thing. The death and rebirth in this case being me tearing apart my life and starting over and while it may have brought with it a lot of positives there`s also the negative sides of such a decision. There`s a lot of new age ideologies these days talking about these concepts and it seems for the most part they just gloss over the pain and sacrifice that`s required to be reborn.

9- Aside from death and rebirth, the album also features the lyrical themes of religion and alchemy. What’s the inspiration behind these aspects?

The death and rebirth thing ties directly into the alchemical ideas. As for the religious aspects that`s just how it comes to me. I don`t tend to sit down and think about what to write about, you could think of it more like dictating, someone or something tells you or shows you something and you write it down. The lyrics tend to contain more than one meaning and way of interpretation. There`s been times where I`ve finished a lyric and not known what it`s about until much later, it`s got a semi-spiritual aspect to it.

10- Bragging time. What’s some cool, subtle thing you did in this album that you’d want people to know about? Whether it’s wordplay, musical technique, or something else that someone might not catch at first.

There`s a lot of processed field recordings on there provided by Sam, I can`t possibly remember what they all were in their untouched state but I do know there`s everything from literally banging pots and pans to recordings from the various protests in the U.S. I might have put what`s known as infrasound into a few of the songs as an experiment as well but I can`t remember which ones really so if you find yourself feeling like someone’s watching you, you might just be listening to one such song,

I absolutely love that. 11- The other piece of visual art that accompanies this album is this music video for “Putting Tape Over Martyrs Mouths.” It plays with high contrast colors, symmetry, and a sort of glitchy theme. How was this done? Especially in terms of everyone living in different locations.

That whole video was filmed by me and Sam in our apartments. It`s very DIY and lo-fi as with most things we do. We live in a time where everyone has decent technology in their hands, you can get good quality footage without breaking the bank so we take advantage of our times I suppose. The effects was all done by me using various apps and video editing software.

As the last question, 12- Is there any planned Carrion material we can look forward to?

I`ve started writing the next album already actually. As I said I`m trying to do things very hardware based which is definitely interesting. From what I have so far it seems it will be yet another leap away as we tend to with each release. It might technically end up being the most electronic album to date [ignoring the very early demos] but don`t think it`ll be full on EBM style. Expect something very very dark.

Well, I’m certainly excited for it!

As am I. It`ll definitely be kicking things up a notch.