Hello and welcome back to our ongoing sexification of current Staff by way of deep-diving casual-reading interview razzle, Sputnik’s very own Meet the Spartans. Allow your jaw to drop as impossible questions are posed and the Staffers you never acknowledged surpass your wildest expectations.
Today’s willing participant is our dusky-winged angel of dark feels and industrial bops, DrGonzo1937. Please give him a hero’s welcome; in we go!
Hi Sir Gonz! Who are you?
A 34-year-old Brit that still loves The Backstreet Boys.
Name three things that spark joy in you.
Cats, music, and reading books.
New music vs. old music: discuss. Which occupies more of your time, and why?
I’d say it’s a healthy 50% 50% split. I feel like new music doesn’t get the credit it deserves; there’s plenty of derivative stuff out there (metal is the worst for that these days), but there’s still a lot of really innovative music out there that needs support, so I’m constantly on the lookout for that new music and talent, and I try my best to support it in any way I can.
Conversely, there’s still a lot of old music out there that I haven’t listened to yet, things which could shape my tastes for the better, so I keep my eye out for it and look to recommendations from users on Sputnikmusic.
What review are you most and least proud of from within the last year?
I’m terribly self-deprecating about my own work, so it’s hard…
Hello and welcome to our brand new hyperexciting interview series examining the nectarine banter and uncontrollable good looks of the Sputnik Staff roster.
For too long, you have watched from a distance as these Apolline sex paladins slave away on review quotas for okay-ish albums that none of you remember within a week. No more! It’s time to show Sputnik Staff at their true potential! Let your mind blow as impossible questions are posed and Staffers you were too intimidated to remember the existence of surpass your wildest expectations.
Our first entrant is a lazy place to start because he’s the One that all of you, tyrannous majority, have already acknowledged! Give it up for Staff writer and March Madness Champion, Dewinged!
Hi Dewi. Introduce yourself!
Hi, I’m Dewi.
Why are you always so nice about music?
Well, I’m nice about everything else too, haha! (laughs alone, in the middle of the office) Aaaahhh…. I don’t know, really, it’s in my character I guess. I’ve been exposed to music since a very early age, my father was a complete maniac, he had thousands of LPs at home. Then later I started playing drums at 13, and being in bands since then, recording music yourself, it all gives you a slightly different perspective about what you’re hearing. I enjoy a lot of different genres, and I feel blessed about it.
You seem to spend roughly equal time keeping up with new music and combing through older material – an altogether too…
On 6th March 2020, Honey Harper released his barnstorming celestial-country debut album, Starmaker, which was nothing short of being breathtaking. However, shortly after the release of this glorious triumph, just days before Will and Alana were set to promote the record, the infamous pandemic took a hold of the world and destroyed – a long with many other artists’ new records – Starmaker’s insurmountable potential. Just over eighteen months later, I managed to catch up with Will and Alana over breakfast to discuss their thoughts on Starmaker, the damage Covid-19 had on Honey’s incredible debut record, and what they have in store for Honey Harper in the future.
Will: So, we checked out Sputnikmusic and there’s lots of love, which is really great! I’m humbled.
Oh man, yeah. There’s a lot of people that aren’t really into country music on there – I think the guy that wrote the review [Sowing] for Starmaker, he wasn’t really into country – but Starmaker feels like a really good Gateway album to get you into that sort of thing. It’s super accessible because it does so many other things as well. So, yeah, there’s a lot of people who love it; you’ve got a lot of people that gush over it.
Will: I was kind of blown away. I felt very loved, it was pretty great, yeah.
While there was certainly no shortage of exceptional metalcore releases in 2018, one in particular possessed a level of ingenuity in its craft that deserved far greater praise. Despite their underground status, Noise Trail Immersion managed to emerge from the depths to secure a portion of the spotlight, revealing to a broader audience their expertise over technicality and atmosphere. Their brand of post metalcore contained a frighteningly aggressive quality owing to influence from black metal titans of the modern day. Such a combination bred a sophomore record that immersed listeners in a realm of psychological terror, portraying the decomposition of one’s mind as it travels through stages of nihilism, a loss of faith, and an eventual acceptance of cognitive demise. It was a blockbuster album towering above a stacked field of aspiring artists; few were able to contend with the level of songwriting the young group displayed so early in their career.
Creating such an experience, let alone constructing a worthy sequel, is a tall order for any collective to fulfill. After a prolonged period dedicated to arranging this long awaited album, the band joined forces with I, Voidhanger Records in order to house their latest creation. Considering how highly I value the nascent body of work cultivated by Noise Trail Immersion, comprehending the process that motivated their efforts immediately caught my interest. With the upcoming third disc approaching on the horizon, primed for takeoff to impose further dissonant riffs upon the masses, I had a conversation with primary composer…
With a lot of the seminal black-metal-folk-y albums like Agalloch and Ulver, their artwork is intrinsic to – like you said before Nathanael, when you were walking through the city listening to The Mantle, how the sky sort of connected with you while you were listening to the music – the overall feel of the music, and the album cover represents a lot of that perfectly as well. Listening to Inheritance, I think the cover perfectly encapsulates what you’re going to be hearing. Was there a conscious effort to find the best artwork that represents the songs or was it just by chance?
Nathanael: Yeah, it was sort of both. Obviously, with Musk Ox we don’t have any lyrics, so the artwork is very important in the way that it’s going to give people the visual representation that adds to the music. It was intentional, but also by chance, because we never really discussed it. I had an idea, and I took this photographer to a place literally 5 minutes from my house where there’s this railroad – like, it’s not a Photoshop thing, it’s literally just over here and we took these photos of it and it worked with the concept. At the time, I looked at one of the photos and thought “yeah, this is definitely it!” and then Raph was like, “actually I like this one” and Evan agreed with…
Musk Ox are the real deal. Yet, only one month ago I had no prior knowledge of their existence. It was only through Sputnikmusic’s Album of the Month feature that I came to hear of this Canadian trio – their latest album Inheritance had won best album for July which encouraged me to check it out. In short, Inheritance is a truly spellbinding peregrination; a creation that feels perfectly attuned to nature. It’s an idiosyncratic ambient experience that has some of the most rewarding songwriting heard thus far in 2021. Palpable, lucid songwriting that carves impeccable detail into Inheritance’s tracks. Vivid soundscapes, gigantic crescendos, and a perfect harmony with beauty and melancholy. As such, it left a lasting impression on me. I approached the band’s guitarist, Nathanael, for an interview. The result is a two-part epic detailing a lot of what makes Musk Ox’s members the inimitable pioneers they are today – as we talk about the importance of production, what it’s like being in a band in Canada, Tool, their artwork and influences, and what the future holds for Musk Ox. It goes without saying that you should check out their latest triumph, but if nothing else, this is a good place to start and get to know the band.
For those who don’t know, could you give us a bit of background on the band and how it all came…
I want to talk about Isgherurd Morth foremost and specifically. Mostly, the naming of the band, because I’m not a Siberian national, nor am I French. How does a group of musicians dream up a name like this, especially after forming groups like “Stench Price” which would make slightly more sense to those more English only readers?
The more bizarre and weirder the name is, the more true black metal it will be! I’m kidding, of course! My idea was to indicate our origins in the possibly strangest way. Considering the large amount of new and existing black metal bands with names difficult to pronounce, I got an idea to play with the native language and found a solution in the Tatar language. Our native Russian language is replete with many words from Tatar dialects. So, ISGHERURD MORTH pronounces as |<Iz-ge-rur Mort>|.
We, the Siberians are descendants of ancient tribes also in our veins is the blood of Tatar Hordes. So we have the real Tatar name “Iske-ur”, which is the olden name of our hometown – “Krasnoyarsk” and re-arranged in a distinctive way with authentic linguistic hissing consonants. “Morth” is “dead”. Thus, the literal name of the project is “Krasnoyarsk is Dead”. The title of the album – “Hellrduk” means “Hell” with the same twist in Tatar-like pronunciation. Therefore the same vibe connects to the song titles.
Stench Pride is definitely a different animal to Isgherurd Morth. What drove the change from the more grinding ferocity, into the…
First up, what’s the weather like in New Zealand at the moment? You guys had a bit of an earthquake/tsunami incident a couple weeks back, how did you and your fellow Christchurch-ian’s hold up?
The weather is fine, thank you. Christchurch is the most southern large city in New Zealand and subsequently we managed to avoid the tsunami warning that the northern island was given. That said, we are no stranger to earth quakes and tsunami warnings.
Tell us how New Zealanders, particularly the music scene is holding up. The world has seen its share of adversity lately (there’s some virus floating around apparently – it’s been just over a year now) Are live shows coming back? Any talk of touring – maybe an East Coast of Australia “across the ditch” list of dates?
The music scene, and specifically the metal scene, in New Zealand is healthy and thriving. The Pandemic brought a stand still to live music last year, but due to New Zealand’s approach to lockdowns and border security, we currently have no community cases of Covid, and so live shows and festivals can continue without restriction. We feel very fortunate for this and are not taking it for granted, so we are in the process of piecing together our national tour. If the borders open to Australia and beyond, that will be our our focus for touring next year.
We’re a little over a week away from the release of your third album. How has the…
Paving a path out of the underground is a difficult achievement to attain. With new domains cropping up across the internet, discovering new music has become an easier task than ever before while simultaneously making the life of an artist all the more challenging; the expansion of the game has caused ‘making it’ to be a distant goal. Adding in the unfortunate circumstances of the past calendar year, the performance sector has certainly had to struggle to get their voices heard. Out of this scene emerged the triumphant debut of German collective Yon. In the midst of a typically slow January, the intrepid quintet quietly introduced their first full length — an effort five years in the making — to whatever audience was lurking around the darker corners of bandcamp. Considering how silent the first month of the year tends to be, as well as the obscure status of the group themselves, a release this powerful and professional was incredibly unexpected at such an early time. It packed emotion, grit, and musicianship into a potent 37-minute package, encapsulating the spirit of a youthful crew.
Desiring to learn more about exactly what Yon is and their mindset behind Order of Violence, I reached out to see if they’d be willing to answer a handful of questions. During a celebratory Zoom call for their latest CD, the German gents collectively responded to a series of inquiries to help paint a better picture. The following is the conversation I…
The return of Black Sheep Wall in 2020 definitely comes with auspicious timing. I mean, who else is as appropriately equipped to lay down a fresh batch of songs that will undoubtedly straddle the unrelenting mayhem and melancholy of one of the most unsympathetic years in a generation? Indeed, without an ounce of hyperbole coming from my stern sentiment, Black Sheep Wall are true veterans of the sludgy, doom-dirge sound – palpable legends at this point who wield nihilism and anguish with an atypical bravado. Similarly, their works – even the less favourable ones – exhume a raw honesty seldom felt with a good portion of other bands. New music aside, the long-awaited announcement of their flawless, nihilistic masterpiece I Am God Songs getting its very first vinyl release back in June was a joyous revelation for fans – a fitting re-release, eighteen years on, that is certainly qualified to be 2020’s soundtrack – but more to the point, it became the starting posts for a band with a bright future ahead of itself. Here we deep-dive into the band’s long, esoteric history, analyse I Am God Songs, discuss the imminent new album, and talk a little about what the future holds – so hold onto your butts.
Let’s start by giving out a little backstory on the band. You guys have been at this a very long time now and all things considered, Black Sheep Wall is somewhat of an enigma. Can you give us…
Haru Nemuri is a Japanese singer and rapper based in Tokyo. Her style is self-described as hip-hop with the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, and her2018 debut Haru to Shura became a viral cult classic, leading to a successful Europe and UK tour in 2019.
She was scheduled to tour America for the first time in March, but all performances (including a SXSW appearance) were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These have been rescheduled for a September tour. Her new minialbum LOVETHEISM released digitally March 20th and was followed up with a 12” vinyl on June 12th.
In between all these developments and rearrangements, Haru found the time to chat with Sputnikmusic about her release and her experience as a Japanese artist on the world stage.
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JohnnyoftheWell/Sputnikmusic: Hello!
Haru Nemuri: Hello!
How’s it going in Tokyo?
While almost all the music industries in Tokyo have not turned back to normal due to the Coronavirus situation, some people get on trains every morning as usual. I think what they think about this situation depends on their standpoints.
Your tour was cancelled, but you managed to reschedule – thank goodness! Can you tell us what it was like for you when things got chaotic and all your plans started changing?
It was so disappointing to postpone my first North American tour and I cursed this terrible situation. Like an insect waiting for the spring in the ground, I could do nothing but sleep and make music in my room.…
Outside of the incredible musical content, the fleeting existence of No Note as a band was captivating to me; their work seemingly arrived and departed without any explanation. Here was a collection of tracks with titles taken from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a despairingly brief band biography, little to no information on contributing members, and so on. Questions heavily outweighed any answers. Perhaps leaving the book closed as-is would have kept the album in a sort of open ending where the conclusion was left to the listener However, on a whim, drummer Robert Murray reached out after having read my review for if this is the future then I’m in the dark. One impromptu, casual conversation-turned-interview later, and the story surrounding the mysterious record began to crystallize. Here’s the result of my time with Rob, who graciously gave his time to discuss how No Note came to be, what made it work, what made it come apart, and how to cope when negativity surrounds you.
Mars/Mitch: I know this is rather an open question, but this it’s probably one of the more burning ones I’ve got: what exactly was No Note? The bio was like an obituary and there seems to be so little information on you guys. Was it a band or was it more of a one-off?
Rob: It was a normal band. wasn’t just a project intended to be a one off. Dave, Nate and myself all played…
As the days and weeks merge together in what feels like a seemingly eternal self-isolation – caused by a pandemic that has literally put the entire world on an indefinite time-out – I decided to reach out to HEALTH’s bassist, John Famiglietti, for an interview. For those who aren’t well versed in HEALTH’s inimitable sound, the L.A. trio have been cutting out a big name for themselves in recent years. Starting out as a modest, underground noise-rock band with a DIY work ethic in the mid-noughties, they have slowly embraced a mature progression in a way few bands manage to accomplish. HEALTH’s habits transcend making an album every couple of years and touring it: they’ve been using idiosyncratic methods in just about every corner of their work, thus deconstructing a lot of music’s clichés in the process. Without even talking about the body of their work, which constantly changes up their sound with every album, HEALTH oozes creativity that feels both effortlessly organic and fresh. From making soundtracks for big-name video game licences like Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne, to having a phone number that you can actually call or text, where you can have a chat with John himself. There isn’t a stone that goes unturned with these guys, and in this interview, you should get a better understanding of why they’re one of rock’s most important contemporary bands doing the rounds today.
I was lucky enough to get in touch with Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga, the creative minds behind Have a Nice Life. Approximately 10 years ago, Dan and Tim quietly released what would become one of Sputnikmusic’s most continuously-praised albums, Deathconsciousness. Regardless of whether that distinction is worth much of a shit, the high praise extends towards many corners of the internet (and beyond, as they’ve recently upped their live show appearances). Initially, the album went mostly unnoticed; it’s through attrition (constant exposure at the hands of devout fans) that Have a Nice Life has garnered much-deserved recognition. Their early work was emblematic of many tireless bedroom producers: low-budget, impassioned, and resourceful. They toyed with aspects of shoegaze, black metal, drone, noise, post-rock, and so on, developing a sound that harkened back to the 80s, but was collectively unique, and emotionally situated in present-day sentiments. Moreover, there is a unique approachability when it comes to Dan and Tim that lends to a reciprocal fan community.
Their newest album is entitled “Sea of Worry”, and we talked about it a bit.
Tristan: I don’t know how deep the allegorical component of Sea of Worry’s title is meant to run, but can you elaborate on the name choice a bit? The promo blurb seems to only scratch the surface. Like, without spilling too many beans, is “Sea of Worry” meant to reference uncertainty about the world in a way that feels more pressing than the themes of nihilism in previous work?…
It’s been said time and time again, but Melt-Banana are as unique as bands come. Now well into the third decade of their career, Yako (vocals) and Agata (guitar) are still writing and touring their brand of light-speed noise rock with rare, enduring levels of excitement and proficiency. Now on the verge of a 15-date UK tour (the band’s eleventh on British shores), the pair found time to fill us in at Sputnik on their past experiences in the UK, their hopes for this tour, and a few hints about their elusive upcoming record…
JohnnyoftheWell/Sputnikmusic: Hello! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat! Is this a busy time for Melt-Banana? Do you have much to do to prepare for your upcoming tour?
Agata: Hello. I think we are quite busy! Besides preparing for the UK tour, we are also working on new songs for our next album.
Yako: Hello. We constantly play shows in Japan when we are not on tour — like once or twice a month.
For anyone unfamiliar with you, would you mind explaining the essence of Melt-Banana?
A: If I need to explain our music to my parents’ friends, I say we play rock music, but a little bit faster, along with using noise sounds.
Y: Yes, we usually say we are a rock band basically. It is quite difficult to explain ‘sounds’. Maybe it is simple to say ‘fast loud rock with female vocals and effected, unique guitar, music like…
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