1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit more about the band?
1.(D.R.)We are a group of experimental heavy music or at least that is what we understand about what we have been working on until now. We are originally from Argentina more precisely from the city of Moreno on the outskirts of Buenos Aires and since 2014 we have been writing music under the name of I, The Weapon. At the end of 2018 we have digitally released our debut album titled The Ivy, which is the realization of many years of hard work within the Buenos Aires underground scene.
2.So far you have released one album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
2.(S.A.) We work a lot on the concept of an album beyond a particular musical style. Each one of us likes many different things musically speaking, so intuitively we came to this sound that we captured in The Ivy. The album is basically conceived as an introspective blog. We had in mind that it was something episodic, like a story as a narrative and the idea of segmenting it as if they were chapters of a book arose, hence the existence of the prologues that are like a kind of introduction to the song that precedes it. Originally we wanted to work on the lyrics in Spanish that we had previously written, but due to tonal reasons we couldn't find what we were looking for so we experimented with using them in environmental pieces that I had been working on for a long time. We liked how they looked so we opted to interpret the songs in English and the Intermediates in Spanish to somehow not completely disengage from our native language and make it more interesting to listen and to the character of the album as a whole. And when it comes to the style we practice, we focus on sludge and post metal because we feel that it is a sound that perfectly suits those of us who seek to transmit with our music and our vision of reality.
3.The band has been around since 2014 but so far there has only been one release, can you tell us a little bit more about it?
3.(D.R.) Our main obstacle since we started this project was completing our lineup. We had drums, guitar and vocals, but there was no one to take care of the bass, so while we wrote and worked on the first songs we began the titanic task of finding the musician in charge of the low frequencies. During all that time there have been several bassists who for one reason or another did not quite convince themselves or understand the idea we had been working on. The different bass players auditions were added, such as the injury I suffered in February 2017 that left me in bed for almost a year and without realizing it we were almost at the end of the year without having been able to play a single time live or recorded anything, like this It was like after I was able to recover we started the pre-production of the album so that in March 2018 we could enter the studio.
4.A lot of your lyrics are inspired by the writings of Macedonio Fernandez, Alejandra Pizarnik and Charles Baudelaire, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in their works?
4.(S.A.)Since I was a little girl I have been a very inveterate reader and I suppose it is natural that a lot of that will end in one way or another influencing the music I play. Both Pizarnik and Baudelaire have been my favorites forever with those cursed poems that were so heartbreaking and so beautiful at the same time. Since it occurred to us to form the band, we talk about the idea of doing something lyrically oriented within the style of these authors, as well as the life and work of Macedonio Fernández, who, upon losing his wife, plunged into the more absolute and profound sadness thus creating the pillar works of Argentine literature. All that melancholy, that dark uneasiness, that desperate existential and metaphysical search simply fascinated us. Unconsciously they have always been within us as part of our DNA, as a beacon to show us the way forward. That total dedication is what motivated us and inspired to a large extent to do what we do. Art from our perspective is that, total surrender and continuous search for oneself.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'I, The Weapon'?
5.(D.R.) As many of you will know, the name is taken from a song by the Swedish band Cult of Luna, more precisely from the Vertical album. We had liked the song very much of course, but the name touched us very strongly, to the point that it resonated in our heads for some time. So much so that it seemed to us that it perfectly described our conception of what our music should be: a channel, a means where we can fight what happened to each one of us to everything that seemed unfair, to everything negative that affected us and to be able to turn it into music, into art and resignify it. It is our vision about the goal that music and art in general should have. It also perfectly posed the duality of the human condition, which is clearly the source of most of the evils in the world. That nature of creating or destroying that is inherent in the human race. We clearly do not think about it from a strict warlike sense, but rather from a purely artistic position.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?
6.(S.A) The idea of the cover is based on the whole concept included in the album, the beginning of the descent into hell, of an irremediable descent. It was inspired by a book by H. G. Wells called The Door in the Wall. We raffle many ideas of how the cover should be, we work with many things since we both have some knowledge in photography and illustration, but we were not convinced how much we had available at that time. So doing a little research we found an extremely interesting an old place on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, in a rural area excactly that we thought might be what we were looking for. This place was previously a very busy train station in its heyday at the beginning of the last century and then abandoned to its destination some time later. This little by little was deteriorating to the point that it was totally absorbed by the vegetation and many stories and legends were born from it. So we set out to take a trip there, which is a few hours by car from where we live, since there is no other way to get there. It is undoubtedly a very special place and is charged with an indescribable energy since during the entire course of the trip the day was in the worst weather conditions until we came to think that it would not be possible to take the photographs. Once we arrive at the place, the sky clears up completely and lets us work at ease as if someone were waiting for us. It was an amazing and strange experience.
7.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?
7.(D.R.)Yes, our idea is to be a three-piece band and not just a duo, which by force majeure we always have been. Although from the beginning we have only been two people working on guitar and drums, we always composed with the idea of adding the bass later. The sound that we conceive is intended for a complete band, that is: guitar, bass and drums, so logically we hope to complete our line-up soon. We are convinced that shortly and after all this Covid 19 problem is resolved and we return to normal, we will find someone. Meanwhile we continue working as is our custom.
8.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
8.(S.A.) I must say that our best show was our debut, it was very strange but emotional at the same time. It was at a concert that was originally thought of as a festival and ended up becoming a tribute. One of the members of one of the bands that would play at that festival dies suddenly days before the concert. The organizer asked the rest of the bands if we agreed to go ahead, as the affected band wanted to do it anyway as a tribute to their deceased member. Knowing this, most of us agreed to move on as well. It was one of the most emotional concerts we have ever witnessed. Playing for an audience mourning the loss of a friend is simply unreal. The public was very warm and respectful towards us, since they did not know us more than the organizer of the event. We had no idea how they were going to react to our proposal. So we let everything flow. And it was well received. It was a kind of celebration of friendship and a reminder of how fleeting our journey through life is. A unique but sad experience at the same time.
9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
9.(D.R.) It is something we would like to see happen soon but we understand that everything happens in due time. It is something that will happen sooner or later I have no doubt about it. We work hard to grow little by little with our proposal and make it known. DIY is a great medium for us but it poses many challenges, we cannot just cover it all. There are many labels out there that work very hard and take care of their artists. We hope soon we will have the opportunity to work together with one of them.
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of post, doom and sludge metal?
10.(S.A.) The reaction in general has been very good, we have had many messages from people who have expressed their support or their good impression about the album. It is surprising and gratifying to see how many people connected in some way with what we did, even more so due to the fact that they have only heard it through a digital medium such as bandcamp. I think the majority connected with the essence of the proposal. We leave a lot there and perhaps that is perceived; he knew how to win the appreciation of many people. That for us is a success in itself.
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
11.(D.R.)What we are currently working on has a more intense and aggressive character than what is embodied in The Ivy. It can be said that it will be more extreme but with the same emotional tune as always. It would be rash to talk about a particular style right now because as we work each idea decants and transforms into something different from what it was at first. There are many things that were left out of the debut album that were pending to continue working and experimenting so I can only predict that it will be more extreme than its predecessor, darker and more emotional.
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?
12.(S.A.) The influences are really many, but the main ones at the beginning were undoubtedly Neurosis, Isis, Amenra to name just a few. Each of us has acquired our influences over the years. We listen to all kinds of things like black metal, electronic, synth wave, crust punk, hardcore, ambient, industrial, power electronics, and jazz. But if there is something that we listen to a lot today, it is tango. Julio Sosa and Astor Piazzolla are our favorites. It is probably due to the influence of our parents, as their records used to be played frequently at home.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
13.(D.R) We invite everyone to enter this first work, which is only the beginning of a long journey. We leave a lot of ourselves there and surely something that many people will also find theirs. The music is a magnificent means to unite people with a positive purpose, for self-improvement and self - knowledge.
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