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

D: Northumbria was formed after our last band, Holoscene amicably went on permanent hiatus. I wanted to explore music in a more raw and improvisatory way, and record everything live off the floor to try an capture that golden moment when all the forces come together and the musician just acts as a conduit for higher energies.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

D: There are a lot of different elements from our musical past that help to form the sound of Northumbria. I really think of it as ambient music, but ambient in a much more sonic way than a lot bands doing similar things. It has the volume and mass of Power Electronics, but also the texture and subtleties of more traditional ambient. Plus its almost exclusively guitar and bass driven, and recorded at a very high volume.

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

D: Northumbria is so far instrumental. 

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

D: I recently moved out of Toronto to Northumberland County, and the peace and solitude of the landscape realy inspired me to create something that in a way is my own personal reflection on this stage of my life. Northumbria just seemed like a subtle but appropriate reference.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

D: We've only played three times live. We debuted this last summer in Montreal as part of the Suoni Per Il Popolo festival with thisquietarmy, SVR, Theologian and AUN. The best show so far was hands down last Saturdays at the Acheron in Brooklyn again with Theologian, Requiem, Sewer Goddess and Menace Ruine. The whole vibe of the show was just Awesome. Leech, who organized the show also runs a label called Annihilvs Power Electronics. Live on stage we start with the main theme of each piece and just let it flow off in whatever direction feels natural, and try not to stand in the way of the birthing process.

6. Can you tell us a little bit more about this tour that you are currently on?

D: It wasn't really a tour, we played in Boston as part of an event organized by Egan Budd of Xyphoid Dementia who runs an event series and label called Existence Establishment and the show organized by Leech at the Acheron in Brooklyn.

7. The new album came out on TQL Records, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support that they have given you so far?

D: Eric from TQA records was the first person I contacted to have a listen when were half done the recording process, and he was into putting it out right from the get go. His support and creativity at the beginning until now has been crucial in opening up a lot of ears and minds to our music. 

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

D: So far the response has been really positive, a lot of people from really varied areas seem to be digging what we're up to, which has really helped us a lot in terms of motivation. I think people pick up on the honesty and sheer size of the sound, so regardless of what the usually listen to it resonates with them. We had no preconceived notions about what we wanted the band to sound like, other than the fact that it would very sonic and recorded live with no overdubs.

9. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

D: I have a project with Aidan Baker of Nadja called Adoran, that is just drums and bass. Our second recording is coming out this spring on ConSouling Sounds. It's total apocalyptic trance. Adoran is more of a studio project because Aidan lives in Berlin.

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

D: Not really sure about that because I feel the minute you lay a bunch of ideas onto something like this ahead of time, it colours the purity of the outcome. I think a bit part of making something genuine is knowing when not to stand in the way and be too conscious of what, where or why it is what it is.

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

D: My big influences are with me always. Godflesh, Nadja, early Swans, a lot of the classic Power Electronics stuff like Whitehouse, Merzbow etc. But I've always listened to a lot of electronic music like Venetian Snares, Autechre, Hecate. Currently I'm severely digging Theologian, Battilus, Oneirogen, Witxes, a Canadian Black Metal band called Skagos, Menace Ruine, AUN, thisquietarmy, Botanist, Monarch!, Brennendes Gehirn, Transitional, Locrian...Too many to name!

12. Does Occultism play any role in your music?

D: Absolutely, I feel like this music has it very basis in Occultism. It's definitely just a channel for energies far more powerful than any one or two humans. It's also in a way a type of mediataion bordering on deep trance.

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

D: For me my other passion is film. I've always been really into experimental films like Cronenberg, David Lynch, Peter Greenaway. I'm also very interested in melding visual art with what I do with music. We're been working on a stop motion/timelapse film for our song Black Sea of Trees that is gonna be far beyond sick. Marc Forand has been the driving conceptual and technical force behind this project. Like Eric from TQA, his support has been superhuman considering eveything we do is on a microbudget.

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

D: I'd really just like to thank the people that have been such a huge help in getting this band off the ground. Kelly McClure and Vice Magazine, Craig Hayes, Lee M. Bartow, Eric Quach.

https://northumbria.bandcamp.com/