interview
Spain has always offered interesting bands and especially today's scene has very much to show in a Black Metal and Black / Death Metal sphere. Just in these territories are also moving two maniacs, M. S. (guitar, vocals) and A. T. (vocals, bass, synths). Their production is a perfect reflection of the hideous and blasphemous form of Metal, adding their own inventiveness, visions and they prove to brought it all to a macabre dance, from which circle it is difficult to get off. Their debut was "Dawn of Kezef" EP and the new "Delve Into The Mysteries of Transcendence" album is a direct intervention into the black. Real otherworld firsthand, images projected from beyond of life, unfathomable horror of madness. Of course, I have been interested what the band themselves think about their music and how they perceive darkness, it all already in an interview with A. T. (Vox, bass, synths).
Greetings to Spain! Could you briefly introduce Suspiral band? How did you two meet and why you formed the band?
Suspiral is a two piece Black Metal band formed in 2014 in Galiza. We met 3 or 4 years earlier while studying a degree in sound engineering but we started talks about the band when I moved back to our hometown after spending a few years living in England.
I noticed that both of you are involved in other great bands, namely Arkaik Excruciation and Sheidim, while both bands play Black / Death Metal as well. Where do you see the main differences between these bands and Suspiral?
I don’t see much similarities to be honest, other than both of us being involved in each of them respectively. Arkaik Excruciation is deeply rooted in the late 80s and early 90s Death / Thrash, while Sheidim well, I guess you can say we play a more traditional sort of Black Metal. Check both out and judge for yourself.
Your first "Dawn of Kezef" EP was released only last year and you have released it probably only in digital form, while the material includes two songs. How turned out the band introduction in this way?
It was released firstly on cassette as some kind of promotional edition (as the vinyl was delayed for months) and later on 7” vinyl, both through Equinox Discos. These songs were recorded after just a couple of rehearsals and while we’re proud of this recording I believe our first full length ‘Delve into the Mysteries of Transcendence’ is more developed and a more accurate approach to what Suspiral is and will be.
You have currently released "Delve Into The Mysteries of Transcendence" full-length what is really interesting work. How has the writing process been going since the EP includes two songs with classic time and the new CD has 3 long songs? Was it intention to record longer songs, or it was a natural progress with ultimate a surprise for you?
It was indeed the intention. I relate to my previous answer, this is a more mature work, we spent more time working on the structures and developing ideas both musically and conceptually.
Do you prove to imagine to play the songs from "Delve Into The Mysteries of Transcendence" live? Since you are not playing some technically complicated music, but nevertheless the length of songs is quite long not only on concentration but also to remember. Do you ever play live performances already?
Suspiral is not a live band nor will ever be. We just never had the intention to do so.
The album was released by already quite well known I Voidhanger Records. How did you get to this label? Have you been sending promos to several record labels? Will you release another materials with them or it was just a one-time deal?
It will also be released on vinyl via Equinox Discos. I believe Luciano got the album through Patrick from Howls of Ebb and he just offered to release the CD himself. We’re honored to be part of his roster and we intend to keep working with him indeed. We didn’t send any promos at all as we already had the deal with Equinox Discos for the vinyl release.
Your music is like a demonic storm of chaotic dimension, animal brutality meets with insane atmosphere, but also with slow putrefactive sequences and overall occult aura. How changed your approach and composition compared to the first EP?
We just spent more time working and developing our songs. We took a lot of influences from other genres too, even if they’re not that clear in the music itself, from krautrock and psychedelic bands from the early 70s, specially in some of the structures and the trance-inducting vibe of some of the passages. Even from some goth rock and post punk. We also worked on the album as a whole, instead of working on the tracks separately.
Absolutely important component of bands of your kind is certainly the resulting sound which should keep away from the purity and "quality". How did you get such a dirty and morbid sound which only contributes to the overall atmosphere of the recording? Do you use also the old guitar strings or any special procedures in the studio to achieve certain feelings in the resulting sound?
We recorded everything in our home studio, The Hidden Lodge. How we got the sound we’ll keep it for ourselves.
How was your debut received by critics? It is clear to me the album is still quite fresh, but some reviews have maybe appeared already. Were you also criticized for something? What is your attitude to the critics?
I don’t really know, guess you should talk with the label to get further info on that subject. Critics are not much of our concern to be honest, although it’s always appreciated if someone finds some kind of spiritual connection with our music.
Seems that Spanish dark occult scene led by Teitanblood is some time growing, so I would like to ask for your opinion on this band. Do you know them personally and what impact they have on your music? Which other Spanish bands would you recommend? Could you write which Spanish Metal album is absolute best to you and why?
We both hold their art in high esteem but I don’t see much impact of their music in ours to be honest. And we like to keep our personal lives and relationships to ourselves, if you don’t mind. If you ask for influences I guess bands such as Thou Shalt Suffer, early Emperor and Satyricon, Katharsis, Sadistik Exekution, Mortem, Samael, Ash Ra Tempel or Necrovore can be named, among many others. Not sure about the best Spanish Metal album to be honest, Aggressor´s demo has been an all time favourite here but I would probably say another one tomorrow. Hades’ ‘Entre el Fuego y la Cruz’ EP gotta be named too. We can certainly recommend you bands such as Andhord, Balmog, Emanation, Ered or Sartegos. M.S. also plays in Bodybag alongside ex members of Machetazo and Inu (both highly recommended too) and I also play in Black Earth which is an experimental Black Metal band with industrial and P.E. influences.
Where do you find inspiration for your lyrics? Could you outline what topics you deal with and how much you take them seriously? Do you give them the same value as to music? Do you think you managed to combine lyrical and musical elements into a unified whole?
That’s an interesting topic as the vocal lines used for the album are a mix of lyrical improvisation in dissociated states, phonetic versification (Paul Chain worship!) and some selected passages from the Azoëtia. This was done as a mean to recreate the dissolution of the language as we know it when under the influence of certain psychedelic drugs. The concept of ‘Delve into the Mysteries of Transcendence’ is deeply rooted in our experiences with psychoactive drugs as a mean of transcendence, and more specifically with those experiences under the influence of DMT, the nectar of Gods; hence the title of the album. The album is divided in three phases: intoxication, sacrifice (of the ego) and the revelation of Death.
Ok, that would be all from me, thank you for answering questions and of course wish Suspiral a lot of dark inspiration from the abominable spheres ...
Thanks for the interview and support.
https://www.facebook.com/dawnofsuspiral
A.T. (vox, bass, synths) 27.7.2016 Mortuary
Greetings to Spain! Could you briefly introduce Suspiral band? How did you two meet and why you formed the band?
Suspiral is a two piece Black Metal band formed in 2014 in Galiza. We met 3 or 4 years earlier while studying a degree in sound engineering but we started talks about the band when I moved back to our hometown after spending a few years living in England.
I noticed that both of you are involved in other great bands, namely Arkaik Excruciation and Sheidim, while both bands play Black / Death Metal as well. Where do you see the main differences between these bands and Suspiral?
I don’t see much similarities to be honest, other than both of us being involved in each of them respectively. Arkaik Excruciation is deeply rooted in the late 80s and early 90s Death / Thrash, while Sheidim well, I guess you can say we play a more traditional sort of Black Metal. Check both out and judge for yourself.
Your first "Dawn of Kezef" EP was released only last year and you have released it probably only in digital form, while the material includes two songs. How turned out the band introduction in this way?
It was released firstly on cassette as some kind of promotional edition (as the vinyl was delayed for months) and later on 7” vinyl, both through Equinox Discos. These songs were recorded after just a couple of rehearsals and while we’re proud of this recording I believe our first full length ‘Delve into the Mysteries of Transcendence’ is more developed and a more accurate approach to what Suspiral is and will be.
You have currently released "Delve Into The Mysteries of Transcendence" full-length what is really interesting work. How has the writing process been going since the EP includes two songs with classic time and the new CD has 3 long songs? Was it intention to record longer songs, or it was a natural progress with ultimate a surprise for you?
It was indeed the intention. I relate to my previous answer, this is a more mature work, we spent more time working on the structures and developing ideas both musically and conceptually.
Do you prove to imagine to play the songs from "Delve Into The Mysteries of Transcendence" live? Since you are not playing some technically complicated music, but nevertheless the length of songs is quite long not only on concentration but also to remember. Do you ever play live performances already?
Suspiral is not a live band nor will ever be. We just never had the intention to do so.
The album was released by already quite well known I Voidhanger Records. How did you get to this label? Have you been sending promos to several record labels? Will you release another materials with them or it was just a one-time deal?
It will also be released on vinyl via Equinox Discos. I believe Luciano got the album through Patrick from Howls of Ebb and he just offered to release the CD himself. We’re honored to be part of his roster and we intend to keep working with him indeed. We didn’t send any promos at all as we already had the deal with Equinox Discos for the vinyl release.
Your music is like a demonic storm of chaotic dimension, animal brutality meets with insane atmosphere, but also with slow putrefactive sequences and overall occult aura. How changed your approach and composition compared to the first EP?
We just spent more time working and developing our songs. We took a lot of influences from other genres too, even if they’re not that clear in the music itself, from krautrock and psychedelic bands from the early 70s, specially in some of the structures and the trance-inducting vibe of some of the passages. Even from some goth rock and post punk. We also worked on the album as a whole, instead of working on the tracks separately.
Absolutely important component of bands of your kind is certainly the resulting sound which should keep away from the purity and "quality". How did you get such a dirty and morbid sound which only contributes to the overall atmosphere of the recording? Do you use also the old guitar strings or any special procedures in the studio to achieve certain feelings in the resulting sound?
We recorded everything in our home studio, The Hidden Lodge. How we got the sound we’ll keep it for ourselves.
How was your debut received by critics? It is clear to me the album is still quite fresh, but some reviews have maybe appeared already. Were you also criticized for something? What is your attitude to the critics?
I don’t really know, guess you should talk with the label to get further info on that subject. Critics are not much of our concern to be honest, although it’s always appreciated if someone finds some kind of spiritual connection with our music.
Seems that Spanish dark occult scene led by Teitanblood is some time growing, so I would like to ask for your opinion on this band. Do you know them personally and what impact they have on your music? Which other Spanish bands would you recommend? Could you write which Spanish Metal album is absolute best to you and why?
We both hold their art in high esteem but I don’t see much impact of their music in ours to be honest. And we like to keep our personal lives and relationships to ourselves, if you don’t mind. If you ask for influences I guess bands such as Thou Shalt Suffer, early Emperor and Satyricon, Katharsis, Sadistik Exekution, Mortem, Samael, Ash Ra Tempel or Necrovore can be named, among many others. Not sure about the best Spanish Metal album to be honest, Aggressor´s demo has been an all time favourite here but I would probably say another one tomorrow. Hades’ ‘Entre el Fuego y la Cruz’ EP gotta be named too. We can certainly recommend you bands such as Andhord, Balmog, Emanation, Ered or Sartegos. M.S. also plays in Bodybag alongside ex members of Machetazo and Inu (both highly recommended too) and I also play in Black Earth which is an experimental Black Metal band with industrial and P.E. influences.
Where do you find inspiration for your lyrics? Could you outline what topics you deal with and how much you take them seriously? Do you give them the same value as to music? Do you think you managed to combine lyrical and musical elements into a unified whole?
That’s an interesting topic as the vocal lines used for the album are a mix of lyrical improvisation in dissociated states, phonetic versification (Paul Chain worship!) and some selected passages from the Azoëtia. This was done as a mean to recreate the dissolution of the language as we know it when under the influence of certain psychedelic drugs. The concept of ‘Delve into the Mysteries of Transcendence’ is deeply rooted in our experiences with psychoactive drugs as a mean of transcendence, and more specifically with those experiences under the influence of DMT, the nectar of Gods; hence the title of the album. The album is divided in three phases: intoxication, sacrifice (of the ego) and the revelation of Death.
Ok, that would be all from me, thank you for answering questions and of course wish Suspiral a lot of dark inspiration from the abominable spheres ...
Thanks for the interview and support.
https://www.facebook.com/dawnofsuspiral
A.T. (vox, bass, synths) 27.7.2016 Mortuary
The Art of Death
