Earthen Grave Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Ron: We are writing songs with our new drummer Chris Wozniak ( Lair of the Minotaur) and getting ready to record and mix some bonus tracks for a Spring re-release of our debut record with a new label. We are booking shows and getting ready for a big year.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album?

Ron: The new New album will pretty much sound like the Old new album, but with bonus tracks. A mix of Doom, Thrash, Prog, with a touch of classic 80's Metal with a feeling of Sabbath meets Priest meets Metallica with Trouble overtones!

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the new release explores?

Ron: Life, death, pain, love, misery...all that life throws at you whether you like it or not.

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

Ron: Earthen Grave. The World is going to Hell in a hand basket. Its a dying World by our very own hand! The air we breath and need to live is being poisoned, our food and water is being poisoned, we are being slowly killed by greed. We Are Doomed!

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

Jason: Millennium Park in 2010. It's a massive Frank Gehry-designed outdoor stage on the lake in Chicago. A classical festival closed their weekend with a whole day of Rachel's projects. She played sets with her trio, an orchestra and Earthen Grave closed the festival playing to a couple thousand people. A full-on thunderstorm hit about 2/3s through our set...about as metal as it gets.

Ron: Mill Park was amazing. Playing with Mayhem at the House of Blues was wild. When Rachel gets to play with us it is a bit more polished. We Rock, but more controlled. When we play w/o Rachel (which is often) We are more loose and wild. We are a true rock/Metal band having fun..... Days of the Doomed fest in Milwaukee is Always a great time!!!

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

Ron: We plan on playing all over the States and eventually end up playing Europe and Beyond.

7. Currently you are signed to Claude & Elmo Music, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support they have given you so far?

Ron : I made the owner wine and dine me, take me to strip joints, buy me new socks and stuff... No actually, I own C & E Music and Publishing. We decided to put the record out ourselves. Its a lot of work, but we wanted to try it. Now we are about to hand over the reigns on a new release....

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of doom metal?

Jason: Well. America's doom scene embraced us due to Ron's involvement. Rachel's worldwide fan base wants to see her with us and we're more than ready to comply.

Ron: We are getting well known and well liked playing and hanging with all the doom bands playing the Doom Fests and touring.

9. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?

Jason: Rachel's constantly on the road with her touring schedule. Ron's busy playing all over the world with The Skull. Our new drummer has stuff going on with I, Klautus, Lair of the Minotaur and a couple other projects. Our guitarist Tony Spillman is prepping a release for his band Spillage. My other band, The Living Fields (www.thelivingfields.com) released our 2nd album, "Running Out of Daylight" on Candlelight Records in 2011 and are beginning to pull the next album together. My death metal project Wintering (www.winteringdeath.com) released its first demo "End of All Tides" in 2012 and is releasing our second "Carrion Call" tomorrow (Jan 22).

Ron: I got the Skull https://www.facebook.com/troubletheskull Which is Eric Wagner and Myself from Trouble playing the old Trouble songs .We are playing shows and writing new songs

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

Jason: The song "Earthen Grave" was - in my opinion - the first truly Earthen Grave tune. It was a collaborative writing effort and perfectly bridges the gaps between my taste for more European doom, Ron and Tony's more American, blues-based styles and Rachel's classical background. I suspect that's our stepping off point for future material.

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

Jason: I won't speak for the other guys, but for me, for this band, when it's time to write, Sabbath is my first stop for inspiration. Past that, Judas Priest, Rainbow, Pentagram, Iron Man, Earthride, Candlemass,Solitude Aeturnus...

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

Jason: For better or worse, music is probably my only interest worth writing about. It's certainly my only passion.

1. x