1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the recording and release of the new album?
First of all, thanks for this opportunity. Not much since the release,for it was released a week ago. I recorded a couple of new songs (demos) after the last “Evil Reflection” recording session. And i´m
Thinking about maybe releasing a conceptual EP, or at least make some songs for the next record that would fit together lyrically. I´m still not sure …
2.Recently you have released a new album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical direction of the newer music and also how does it differ from the album you had released a year ago?
The musical direction is not that different from the first album.
There are more high pitched screams, less samples and much more lyrics. I guess it still has those elements of funeral doom just cause it´s so slow. You can definitely hear more sludge than on the first record, which is kinda what I aim for. Lyrically it´s not something I intended, it just came out that way. And it´s also a lot longer than the first album, almost double the time.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music?
This new album has a lot of songs about death. Which, unfortunately was a big part of my life for the last few months. It´s not as much the death of an individual but more like the death of humanity and the “evil” sides or reflections of the universe. The song “Frozen” is a good example, which is about the end of our solar system and therefore life as we know it. This topic kinda found its way into the lyrics without me even realizing it or being too conscious about it. Anyway, I needed to get this of my chest and now it´s done. For the future,
i´m definitely going to write more songs that are straight up about old horror movies, like the song “Helen”. I want to do a lot more about witchcraft.
4.I have seen you label the music as 'horror doom sludge', can you tell us a little bit more about this tag?
Haha, that´s more or less a joke. Well, it´s doom sludge and it´s about horror movie themes, so why not call it horror doom sludge. None of the songs is about a funeral, but it´s called funeral doom…
5.There are a good amount of horror movie samples throughout the music, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these types of films?
I just love horror movies or let´s say dark movies. Love everything on witchcraft, ghosts or Satanism, but i´m not really into slashers or zombie movies (they´re boring to me). I´m a very big fan of David Lynch´s films. I would love to do a whole album based on the movie Inland Empire (which is probably one of my all time favorites), but I don´t know about the samples. I always concentrate on classic horror movies because I don´t want to deal with copyright issues. I can´t really use a sample of Jack Nicholson saying “here´s Johnny”… if you know what I mean. I thought about losing the samples altogether but it just sounds too good. I have been a fan of movie samples in songs since I´ve first seen Metallica´s One video as a kid. It was just so
much better with the samples.
6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Beneath the Storm'?
It´s about being vulnerable, being in the center of a storm but still being able to enjoy it due to the mind´s ability to numb itself. It´s kinda like being in a cruel situation but not caring about it, because you realize that not giving a fuck is the only way to remain sanity. That´s at least one interpretation…Also, a fun fact about the name: it is from a song by one of the greatest bands alive.
7.Currently there is only 1 member in the band, do you feel this adds to the creativity of your musical sound?
Probably not, but it makes certain things a lot easier. For instance, if I have an idea I go along with it and that´s it. This may seem totally normal but it´s not if you are in a band with 4 or 5 other guys. You see the biggest problem within a band (of 5 or 6 people) is not the lack of creativity, it´s coming to an agreement. What i´m
trying to say is, it´s hard to have an idea that everyone in the band would truly like and support. Where there are 5 people, there are 5 ideas and usually those ideas are not even close to each other. When I started this project, I had a concrete idea of what i´m doing. If other people would get involved, this project might never happen or it would have taken 20 times longer to write and specially record the songs. I know it sounds crazy, but doing it on my own is a lot easier, faster and much more fun.
8.The new album came out on Argonauta Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
It´s an Italian label dealing with doom, sludge, post metal… it´s fairly new. I believe “Temples Of Doom” was one of the first releases. They started out with releasing their own material with the band Varego. Within the last year they released some pretty cool cd´s and their band number is rising constantly, bringing new fresh artist.It´s really a cool label, we have a great relationship and i´m reallyhappy to be on it.
9.Recently Breathe Plastic Records released your first album on cassette, are there any plans also to release the second recording on cassette?
At this point, I don´t know. We talked about it, but they are just too busy at the moment. I hope they´ll release it cause for some reason people are buying tapes again. I´m amazed by that, still. What I really hope for is a label that could release it on vinyl. I lovevinyl!
10.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of doom and sludge metal?
Oh, it´s been far greater than I expected.
11.Are you involved with any other musical projects these days?
Not at the moment. I was playing in a death metal band until not too long ago, but I had to quit because I don´t have time for it.
12.Where do you see your self heading into musically during the future?
It´s probably going to get a bit sludgier but still very slow and brutal. Maybe i´ll do some clean vocals here and there, other than that it´s not going to change a lot. As I said, from the lyrical aspect it is going to be even more about horror movies. I´ll probably start to release conceptual albums or EP´s. I´ve been playing with
this idea for a long time. Maybe even do an EP which is entirely based on one movie like Moloch´s Possession.
13.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
For the last year or so I´ve been listening to a lot of doom sludge such as: Noothgrush, Meth Drinker, Moloch (UK), Eyehategod, Thou, Haggatha, Leechmilk, Primitive Man… and a lot of jazz to keep a
healthy balance haha
14.What are some of your non musical interests?
My only interest in life is music.
15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I´d like to thank you for this interview and the album review. It was fun, no personal questions which I like. And for anyone who is reading this: keep supporting doom and sludge! If we won´t, nobody will. It´s
not like there´s a machinery behind this, or tv and radio support.It´s just us, the fans.
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