THE GATES OF SLUMBER – Iron Hammer of Doom

Doom heavy metal would be the best term to describe what Indianapolis-based trio The Gates of Slumber is about. Mixing the classic vibe and groove of timeless mammoths such as Saint Vitus, Pentagram or Trouble, they have added a fresh touch and actually reinvented the sub-genre once again. Since their 2004 debut “…The Awakening” they have released another four records with the “Suffer No Guilt”, “Conqueror” and “Hymns of Blood and Thunder” albums all being huge steps forward. May 2011 saw the premiere of their fifth and strongest full-length so far, ”The Wretch”, which is out on Rise Above. Karl Simon, the band’s leader, vocalist and guitar player, told We Wither about the opportunity of recording in Europe, his inspirations and the difference between doom and occult metal.

Your music doesn’t sound like you only started the band in 2000. Are The Gates of Slumber a response to modern trends in metal?
No, not at all. The Gates of Slumber is music that we want to make. Music we want to hear and that’s all. I don’t follow much that happens in the modern metal scene. So I can’t react to it.

You’re on the label run by the guy from Cathedral and the roster includes Electric Wizard and Church of Misery. Can things get any better for you?
Well, that’s a loaded question, isn’t it? Things could always be better... but with regards to our label, we are very happy to be on Rise Above. They have taken a lot of interest in us and treated us with a great deal of consideration. Both Lee and Will are awesome guys.

What was the direct inspiration which lead you to form the band?
Saint Vitus. Back in high school, I sang in punk bands, cover bands, whatever... you know? Just to make music. But my first love has always been Black Sabbath. I could never find a suitable group of people to do a band along those lines, so me and Chuck Brown from Apostle of Solitude formed The Keep... things kind of ground to a halt after a couple of years because we couldn’t keep a guitarist. I was playing bass at the time. We also had different ideas as to what we wanted to do. I went off, bought a guitar and started working on The Gates of Slumber.

People usually say there’s no way you can beat the classics. In this situation, it would be bands such as Saint Vitus, Pentagram and Trouble. You took the challenge and you have succeeded. Is it difficult to find something fresh in the sub-genre so exploited and worn-out?
I don’t know if we’ve bested Saint Vitus, Trouble or Pentagram, but thank you! I also don’t know if doom metal is exploited and worn-out. To me it’s actually less worn than any other style of metal. Certainly black, death, and true metal are all way more exploited than doom! Coming up with something fresh is just a matter of time and work. You have to write a lot of bad songs to come up with a good one, at least that’s my theory. Write ten songs throw nine away and that one is as good as it’s going to get.

“The Wretch” is unquestionably your best effort to date. Was the writing process the same as with the four previous records or was something different this time?
There was actually a lot less stress on this one. Jason and I decided that we were going to go back to the more doom laden style that was represented on “The Awakening” and to an extent “Suffer No Guilt”. It was a very simple thing to do. The kinds of riffs that are all over “The Wretch” are like second nature to me. It was much harder to do things like you’ve heard on “Conqueror” or “Hymns of Blood and Thunder”. And thank you by the way. I really like “The Wretch” as well. I think it’s our best record too.

You’ve been on Rise Above since “Hymns of Blood and Thunder”, so it’s no real surprise that you recorded “The Wretch” in London in Orgone Studios, but still it’s a significant fact. Why did you decide to travel so far for the session?
Well, Rise Above was into the idea of us doing the record in England, and it wasn’t too hard to convince us to do that. Let’s see, do a record in Chicago, or Indianapolis... or go to London, one of the most exciting cities in the world and record. And get to see Saint Vitus live at the Underworld, check out the Cathedral 25th anniversary gig (we missed the “Forest of Equilibrium” set though... damn).

The third song from the new album “To the Rack with Them” offers a similar groove and drive to the Vitus piece “Living Backwards”. Doesn’t every proper old-school doom record demand a banger like that?
I think so. We’ve always tried to vary our tempos. Like Vitus or Trouble, or Sabbath did. A one dimensional record is a one dimensional record... no good.

How much fun is it to play enormous anthems such as “God Wills It”, “Descent into Madness” or “Dark Valley Suite” live? These songs are more than 10-minutes-long. Do people dig them or rather prefer shorter tracks?
We very rarely play these long songs live really. “Descent Into Madness” is the only one of the three we’ve ever done. I doubt we’ll ever do any of them again, really... maybe “Descent into Madness”. Really for the most part a 10-12 minutes song is going to eat up a big chunk of a 45-minutes-long set, which is what we mostly get to play on tour. With the rest of our songs being mainly between 5 and 8 minutes that is a big chunk of time. Who knows though, if we decide to throw one in we decide to throw one in. One never knows.

Are you into checking out younger bands or do you only worship the old stuff?
Me personally, I mostly listen to the old stuff. Though there are younger bands that I get turned on to, like Orchid. I love those guys. Good stuff. Jason is way more in touch with the newer bands than I am.

What do you think about the new bands which sound like they’re lost in time – Ghost, The Devil’s Blood, Blood Ceremony or Jex Thoth? Aren’t they doing the same thing as The Gates of Slumber, but that you’ve been doing for more than ten years now?
Nah man, I don’t think we have too much in common with any of those bands, really. That’s all a bunch of occult stuff. We don’t do that. I mean people might mistake “The Castle of The Devil” for some satanic shit, but it’s a Solomon Kane story! Musically they are all on a different and more retro bend than we are, for them it’s more a thing to be vintage sounding I think. We don’t get hung up on that vintage gear stuff. We just play doom metal, you know?

Your cover arts are stylish. Could you tell me more about the artists you have been working with?
The covers for “Conqueror” and “Hymns of Blood and Thunder” were both done by Vebjorn Strommen. We licensed “Conqueror” from him and he did “...Blood and Thunder” for us as a commission. Very cool guy and easy to work with. Arik Roper did the cover for “The Wretch”. It was a licensed piece. I’ve never spoken with Arik, but his art is fucking amazing.

Is it hard to get the right live sound when you’re a trio? Would the band gain anything if you hired a second guitarist?
No, I don’t think so. Jason is a very heavy bassist so there is no loss of anything live. And besides I think two guitars muddy the sound very easily. It also restricts what the bassist can do unless both guitars are in unison. There are few doom bands that sound better with two guitars, I think. Black Sabbath had only one...

You played the Roadburn 2011 festival. Is it the right place for a band like The Gates of Slumber? Did you play the new songs?
Roadburn was great! I think the gig went amazingly well. The crowd was very into it and the set was mostly new songs! I think it’s one of the top 5 gigs we’ve done for sure.

INDIAN – Guilty Of Being Sludge

Chicago-based sludge metal mongers Indian took the sub-genre to its limits of raw heaviness and sheer brutality with their fourth studio record “Guiltless”, which was released through Relapse in April of 2011. Devastating and hammering riffage, extreme vocal abuse and suffocating tempos are what Indian is about. The weak don’t come out of there alive. Will Lindsay, on duty as a guitarist and vocalist, and earlier involved in the Wolves in the Throne Room and Nachtmystium, told We Wither about his bands and other extremely important issues.

I have to tell you „Guiltless” is a ruthless, merciless, radical album. You don’t play blast beats or participate in the metal-racing contest but still it’s very extreme. Is it your heaviest album so far?
I feel that it is, but various people will no doubt have various opinions. A lot of people into Indian still swear by “The Unquiet Sky” as the heaviest.

How do you get such a heavy sound? Is it only a matter of production?
Production certainly plays a role in the heavy sound. The equipment that we use is very crucial to the heavy sound, as well. The guitars were Les Pauls, a Monson Doomsayer and a Lakland bass. The amps were Sunn Model Ts, a Marshall JCM 800 2203 and an Acoustic 370. The cabinets and drums were all Emperors. Sanford's expertise and knowledge as an engineer was very important, as well.

Does the album have a concept in terms of the lyrics? Could you point out the most important things you sing about on “Guiltless”?
There is a concept through the album but Dylan wrote almost all of the lyrics and I wouldn't feel comfortable commenting on what he wrote. The lyrics that I wrote tie into the concept of being guiltless and are about a personal experience in my not-too-distant past. I'm afraid it is something I can't really get into, though, as I wouldn't want to name or embarrass the people involved in the aforementioned experience.

Does your band name mean that you identify with the native Americans in the way you feel like rejects and misfits, or is that explanation a little bit too obvious and naive?
The band started before I was a member and I never have asked why they chose that name. I would imagine that it is something other than the idea that you mentioned, though.

Is there a distinct line between doom and sludge in modern metal? What would you rather call Indian?
I don't really have an opinion. However, a lot of other people seem to. I personally don't have a preference in which term people use to describe us. Whatever is going to help them make sense of what we're doing or whatever is going to give them a comfortable reference point is on them.

You have been recording with Sanford Parker, who has produced lots of awesome albums is the last couple of years. What is the best thing about working with him?
Sanford is a good friend of ours. There are a lot of great things about working with him. He's actively involved in the “scene” or “genre” or whatever beyond his role as an engineer. He has a lot of good ideas and he is not afraid to voice them. He also has a high level of tolerance for people and their idiosyncrasies, which is a key and often overlooked element of being an engineer.

How close is Indian with the hardcore/punk Chicago scene?
I've only been living out here since July and have not really gotten involved in the local punk/hardcore scene. I haven't really been involved in the local punk/hardcore scene since I lived in Eugene, OR, honestly.

 

I really like your artwork. I generally love bands that stick to certain aesthetics and develop it from album to album. Could you tell me about the graphic artists you have worked with?
The only artist we have worked with for our album-related stuff has been Scott Fricke. He is a tattooist here in Chicago and a good friend of the band. Scott has been very good at making visual representations of our music and ideas. He actually spent some time at the studio with us to get his ideas for what to do with the artwork for “Guiltless”.

You seem to love tattoos and all of the Indian covers look like perfect ideas for a tattoo. Did you get any of them inked yet?
I have the pentagram that we use for our logo on my shoulder. Everyone in the band with the exception of Sean has the pentagram. I don't know that I would get album-specific tattoos, but I do love Scott's style and look forward to having him tattoo me in the future.

Are any of your tattoos related to the music or bands in general?
I have four Black Flag tattoos. I also have the word “Outlaw” tattooed on my wrist, which has a lot of meanings. One of which is a nod to Waylon Jennings. I also have a portrait of Hank Williams, Sr. tattooed on me.

What made you go vegan? Did you ever care about bands such as Day of Suffering or Earth Crisis, which try to talk about social problems?
I became a vegan in 1997 for ethical reasons. It was just something that I didn't want to take part in anymore. I grew up hunting and fishing and had never felt entirely comfortable with it, which also contributed, albeit in a more latent fashion. I still have the same ethical feelings but it isn't something I really go flaunting about and I certainly have no intention of using the band as a platform for that or any other ideology.
I never cared for the bands you mentioned. Bands that were talking about social problems and such that I was into were more along the lines of Born Against, Man is the Bastard, Noothgrush and the like. All of which are still bands I still love.

Why did Middian only manage to complete one album “Age Eternal” in 2007? Was Mike Scheidt too busy with Yob to keep Middian going?
I was actually talking to my friend that booked that band last week about things. The band seemed kind of cursed from the start. There were always some underlying personal tensions that really flared up when our lawsuit happened and it is ultimately what killed the band. I think the band not being universally accepted in Yob's place is what also led Mike to reform Yob. Our last tour, half of our set was Yob songs. That really kind of put the writing on the wall. That and the fact that the law suit really kind of pulled us apart. It was too bad. I really miss playing with both Mike and Scott.

You were involved with the 2009 Wolves in the Throne Room album “Black Cascade”. Was it just an episode for you? Why did you leave the band so quickly?
I was also on the “Malevolent Grain” EP and the “Live at Roadburn 2008”. I played with them for a few years and did not join the band with the intention of it being solely an episode. My leaving the band is rather complicated to explain without having to tell some details that are really not to be shared publicly. The best I can do is state that the Weavers and I have different ways of looking at a lot of things. We did try to make it work and it didn't. Unfortunately, I don't think any of us feel very good about how everything ended up, but we did the best that we could. We're still friends and keep in touch and see each other when we're in town, which I am very happy about.

Wolves in the Throne Room is seen as a pretty specific band, with its own sound and atmosphere. Did you feel it was something special to be a part of it?
I never really thought of it in terms like that. I enjoyed playing with them and I particularly enjoyed all of the travel we did together. One of the points of contention between us is that I never cared for the visual aesthetics that the band had or the talk about spirituality/magic/etc., which is very important to Nathan and Aaron as well as a lot of people that like the band. It was a good experience and I'm happy that I did it. Ultimately, Aaron and Nathan are happier not having a dissenting opinion and I'm happier playing with people that I have more in common with. I must add that I am also happy to not be involved in the black metal scene. It's not a scene I was ever particularly interested in as a fan or musician, with a few exceptions.

You were also part of Nachtmystium during sessions for the 2010 album “Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II”. That material is really original and different to anything else. Was the recording inspiring too?
I don't know that I would use the word “inspiring”. I had a lot of fun making that record. Usually, I don't enjoy the recording process, although I am certainly happy to have the finished product. I think part of what was so enjoyable about making that record is that I wasn't emotionally involved as I was never really a member of the band or anything. It ended up being a lot more casual than any other recording session I've done, which I think definitely contributed to the final product. Blake is extremely open to other people's suggestions and ideas as well.

MINSK – Fire and Silence

 

Not many bands know better than Minsk how to deliver ritualistic and atmospheric metal full of worthwhile arrangements and clever turns. The Chicago quartet has released three albums – 2009’s “With Echoes in the Movement of Stone” being their last so far – as well as the 2010 Hawkwind Triad split collaboration with Harvestman and US Christmas. It offers real quality in terms of dark doom tremors and uneasy tension. Bass player and vocalist Sanford Parker, who is also a well-known underground producer and a member of such groups as Twilight, Buried at Sea and Nachtmystium, answered a couple of questions about his various initiatives.

I decided to do this interview with Minsk because it’s your most productive band. You’ve done three full-length records in five years. Does that make Minsk your most important band? 

For now yes, Minsk has been the most productive band out of the bunch. This year I have been pretty busy playing out with Nachtmystium. We just got back from a seven-weeks-long tour with Cradle of Filth. We’re also playing some fest in Europe this summer and a European tour this fall. So right now this is taking up my time as far as shows. I’m also putting together a band to start playing out with Circle of Animals so Minsk may have to go on the back burner for me but I’ll still be doing it.

What do you think of a comparison of Minsk to Neurosis?
I like Neurosis.

This might be a little bit of a naïve question, but have you ever been to Belarus or the city of Minsk? Have you ever played in this part of Europe? 

Nope, I’ve played Moscow but that’s as close to Belarus as I’ve gotten. We’ve tried to get agents to set up shows there but they always say it’s too hard and not a good idea. Maybe one day, we’ll have to wait and see. Why, you got some hook ups?

What is happening with Buried At Sea at the moment. It’s been four years since your last EP “Ghost”? 

The wheels are in motion. We just booked a show with Orange Goblin in June. That will be the first show in about 8 years. Maybe there will be more to come, European shows perhaps. No new material has been written though but I’m sure that’s around the corner as well.

The “Migration” album by Buried At Sea is one of the single heaviest things the extreme scene has ever given birth to. Have you ever heard any other band that sounded heavier than you? 

Swans “Kill the Child” – this is true heavy. No metal record can touch this. This album will crush every “doom” song ever written. Listen to this album in the dark = total bumout!!!

Your second album with Twilight, 2010’s “Monument to Time End”, was not only critically acclaimed because of its content but also because of the outstanding musicians involved in the band. Is it a piece of cake or rather a constant war of egos working with such creative guys as ex-Isis guitarist Aaron Turner, Nachtmystium leader Blake Judd or N.Imperial of Krieg? 

Everyone involved on this record are good friends, no egos just bros. This is one of my favourite records I’ve been involved with. This album was a blast to make, everyone brought just the right amount to the table and I feel the end result is new and exciting like nothing I’ve ever heard. I’m hoping third Twilight record will happen and if it does we will have new and improved bros.

Although Twilight is labelled a black metal band, do you sense the direct influences of groups like Burzum, Mayhem or Satyricon in your music? 

I personally don’t listen to a lot of black metal but the other guys do, so yes these bands are an influence. Everyone listens to such a wide variety of music that black metal is just a percentage of the overall mix and I think that’s what makes this band unique.

Are Circle of Animals and The High Confessions one-timers or do you plan on doing more records with these bands? Were you the one who gave life to both bands? 

The High Confessions part two is almost complete and I’ve started collecting drum tracks for the next Circle of Animals. I’ll start writing and recording songs over the next few months. Aiming for a fall release on both. Circle of Animals was my brainchild and soon after Bruce Lamont got involved. The High Confessions was the idea between Jeremy Lemos and myself. Jeremy and I ran Semaphore studios together, he also does sound for Sonic Youth hence Steve Shelley.

How are you able to fairly share your time between each of your bands? Do you get to sleep at all? 

It seams like as one band rest another takes flight. I usually don’t have much overlap between projects. I also don’t stop. I rarely watch TV or sit on my ass. It’s taking all my will to sit long enough to do this interview. I don’t slow down and if I’m not in the studio making music I’m at a bar taking to a band about making music.

Your achievements as a producer get more and more praise. Can recording bands be inspiring or is it just hard work in the studio? 

I haven’t worked a day since I stated making records. This to me is a privilege. I get to hang out with amazing people and make amazing music. I have just figured out a way to do what I love and make a living doing it. I also get ideas for my own stuff with every record I do. Working with other bands does inspire me personally with my own music. The idea I had with Circle of Animals as far as the drum looping was working on other albums. Just fucking with the band I would loop a small section and they would say “dude that sounds like a Ministry song” and I thought yeah you’re right it does.

Could you name a couple of records you produced that were a genuine challenge? What makes a real challenge? Is it simply a demanding band, a limited budget or maybe tracks with lots of layers? 

I love a good challenge. I get off on a guitarist walking into the studio and saying “Okay I want my guitar to sound like giraffe fucking a peacock in outerspace”. I don’t get a lot of demanding bands though, there has to be a level of trust between the musicians and myself. Their job is to rock and mine is to capture that the best I can. I’m not saying there’s not some head-butting going on but for the most part it’s fairly mellow.

Your studio Semaphore Recordings in Chicago closed in January 2011. Did you call it quits as a producer? 

No! I did close the studio because I needed a break from running a studio and it frees up more time for me to tour and take on travel gigs. The closing of the studio had nothing to do with a lack of business, we were booked pretty solid. I just needed to step away for a while. I have no intentions of slowing down any time soon.

Working with which active band would be a dream come true for you as a producer? 

Wovenhand, Dave Edwards is one of the best song writers – period.

What is the best sounding record of all time to you?

I like certain records for different reasons. The Mars Volta “De-Loused in the Comatorium” to me is a perfect sounding record. It’s powerful and clear. I really dig the dynamics of the mix. Killing Joke’s 2003 self-titled album has some of the most powerful drum tones. The guitars are super crisp and the vocal effects are tasty. His Hero Is Gone “Monument to Thieves” is just brutal sounding. It really sounds like this record could explode right off my turntable. These are the three albums I listen to before almost ever session I do.

Your Roky Erickson split with Minsk and Unearthly Trance is a great tribute to a fantastic song-writer. Was it difficult to make a decision on which song to choose?

No, when Unearthly Trance asked us to do it we all instantly said, “Stand for the Fire Demon”. We all felt the song is heavy enough and the cool break down left room for lots of cool sounds.

Are your massive sideburns some sort of a tribute to an old Victorian fashion?

Sideburns or sideboards are patches of facial hair grown on the sides of the face, extending from the hairline to below the ears and worn with an unbearded chin. The term sideburns is a 19th-century corruption of the original burnsides, named after American Civil War general Ambrose Burnside, a man known for his unusual facial hairstyle that connected thick sideburns by way of a moustache, but left the chin clean-shaven.