Sunday, April 14, 2013

In The Silence Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
We're just practicing, writing new material, and looking forward to the re-relase of A Fair Dream Gone Mad on Sensory Records, and trying to enjoy the moment as much as possible. We've been looking at a few tour opportunities, and of course there's ProgPower USA in September, where we're performing at the Thursday Night kickoff. And, we've added a full time keyboard player, Brandon Gunadangolo, formerly of With Passion (earache records).

 2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album?
Well, it's our first album, but we've all been playing in bands for a long time, and some of these songs have developed over quite a few years, so the sound kind of reflects that musical journey and an accumulation of influences, everything from Opeth to Fear Factory, to Dead Can Dance and the Cure. Musically it's got a lot of atmosphere and melody, and yet it's still heavy and dark, and everything we all like in music. We've been called progressive metal, though we really just set out to write good music, and if that's what we end up with, we're happy.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release? A lot of it is a result of my own personal spiritual path and observations of life and the world we live in. Seventeen Shades for example is almost a song about realizing that the world that was built up in your mind from childhood is an illusion, and that much of what we're fed through schools, mainstream media, government, and religion is really not the truth.  In the song I'm talking about letting go, and searching within for the truth and the ability to perceive the world without the filter that's been placed over it by these institutions, who all seem to have a vested interest in what you're thinking. In Beneath these Falling Leaves, and asking, are we going to wake up and take responsibility in time to not destroy ourselves? All the Pieces is kind of my anti-war, fuck the New World Order kind of song.  I wrote during the Bush administration at the peak of the Iraq war...go figure. Most people however assume it's about a relationship that ended, which I guess it could be.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
 Great question. Basically,  I was sitting in my room trying to think of band names and reading about how meditating in total silence was the best way to completely clear the mind and perceive spirit.  So I thought In the Silence would be a cool band name.  And I guess it worked!

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance? Our CD release show last year was awesome. It was a small venue, but we packed the place. A couple years ago we played this festival out in Northern California called PlumStock that was a lot of fun. As for our performance, we're not big enough to where we have any kind of major stage production yet, but we certainly try to bring some energy to the stage. Mainly our stage show right now is Dennis. That guy moves around like a wild boar on crack on stage. I'm kind of glued to a pedal-board and microphone, so it's harder for me to do anything but sing and play, but I rock out when I can. In the future we'd like to have some video going on in the background, maybe some other fancy rock-star shit as finances allow.

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

Yes, but nothing I can officially announce right now. 

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

It's been great. I'm amazed really, considering we put this album out ourselves with no promotion and no one had ever heard of us outside our area. I don't really think we're that progressive myself, or that metal, but the community has certainly taken a liking to our music. Metalstorm.net gave us some great feedback and put us on some of their top lists for 2012. That's flattering to say the least. So, they've been very kind to us. I am still waiting for that one really shitty review, but so far it hasn't happened. 

8. How would you describe the metal scene in Sacramento, California?

I guess it's pretty diverse. There are a lot of bands, everything from Death Metal to Sludgy Doom Stoner Metal. But Sacramento is more of an indie-rock hipster type scene. Metal bands don't get much love...except from hardcore metal fans. And of course the Deftones come from Sacramento. R.I.P Chi. 

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases? Well, time will tell. Right now the stuff we're writing is in some cases heavier, some cases more melodic, but always with that same kind of atmosphere and emotion to it. I do plan on bringing in some different instruments in the future, but I won't reveal my secrets just yet! Mwahaha.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays? I learned guitar by reading Metallica tab books and playing by ear. From there I got into Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and then more diverse metal stuff, My Dying Bride, Samael, Cradle of Filth, Opeth, Katatonia, non metal stuff like Depeche Mode, the Cure, Dead Can Dance. I listen to a lot of non-metal actually. I'm really into White Lies, and a band called The Chameleons from the 80's. But of course I love my metal. I listen to Katatonia a lot these days. I just got into Alcest, and Sky Harbor.

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests? Being outdoors. I'm a big river guy. My girlfriend ad I spend every free day we have in the summer at one of the rivers around here. I like to travel, read, paint. I have a couple of cats that I adore. I'm addicted to Game of Thrones, and I think I've seen every Ancient Aliens episode, and have read a lot of the books it's based on,  but other than that, i don't watch TV because it's just a fucking mind control device. I don't even have cable at my house now.  Bringing down the man is something of a hobby. I'm always posting shit about Monsanto and GMO crops and other exposing the New World Order type stuff.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview? Ya. Thanks for the interview, and to anyone reading this, you are an invaluable human being, endowed with the power to created your own reality. Don't let anyone take that from you, and don't believe the mainstream media when it comes to anything. See ya!
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