Bringer Of Light's journey from deathcore curiosity to a collaborative force unfolds in this interview. Explore their genre-defying sound, conceptual approach, and future projects.
1. Can
you tell us about the origins of Bringer Of Light and how the band came
together?
Yeah, I’ve been in a bunch of bands and projects but never deathcore. And I
really like deathcore. So I
asked a couple friends to join me and record a cover of an electronic artist’s
(MrKitty) song “From Liquid”. The production could’ve been better, but it was a
good start. I wrote a few songs and went to
the same dudes for collaboration, and we had an ep out within a few months. I
don’t know that I would call it a band – more of a collab project where I’m the
nucleus and I’m surrounded by a really strong group of revolving contributors.
I like to go in my cave, write some cool riffs, maybe a few finished songs,
then get peeps better than me on say drums or synth, lead guitar or production
ideas. I really like working with friends and showcasing their talent as well
as making new friends around the world through online forums and getting them
involved.
2. Your music is self-labeled as "deathcore-ish" but also
described as "American Industrial Deathcore." How would you define
the unique sound of Bringer Of Light?
That’s a tough one. I’ve always had a hard time compressing everything creative
in me into a single
genre – and that’s one thing I do enjoy about this being “my” project at the
end of the day. I can throw all the colors I want on the wall and see what I
want to keep. There’s everywhere from Industrial metal,to down tuned nu-metal,
to straight up blackened-death riffs in there… and some just stupid odd breakdown
parts. I guess if you had to sum it up, gun to my head, I would say American
Industrial Deathcore is about as close as you can get.
One thought here – The vocals and production style are really what brings out
the “deathcore” in this
stuff. I’m releasing an instrumental EP today and hope to lure in vocalist and
other collaborators to build on these songs and create something new. May or
may not be “deathcore” I guess. Two of the guys interested are from FL death
metal or doom metal backgrounds and I’ve recently partnered with a Polish dude
that’s crushing it on the guttural stuff. So, who knows – the next release
might be more
black or doom metal based on who’s working on the vocals.
3. "Anthology II" is the follow-up to last year's release,
"Anthology I." What inspired the continuation,
and how does this new EP differ from its predecessor?
Well, I had 7 or 8 songs that kind of fit together. The writing, production and
timeframe were all pretty similar; just a point in my life where I was writing
and there was a clear start and stop point for that particular set of music.
Truth be told, I had complete songs ready for vocals for at least a year before
I wrote a single lyric for ANTHOLOGY I. I really wanted to stay behind the
scenes and do everything else, but I struggled with getting collaborators that
were involved in other projects – so I eventually said, “fuck it, I’m going to
do it myself and release it on my 40 th b day”. I sat down and wrote/recorded
the vocals for that over about a 2-week period, maybe less. I’m really happy
with the way the 4-song piece came together.
As for the second half- “ANTHOLOGY II Instrumental”; well, similarly, I found
that finding contributors
that are busy elsewhere is tough, but I also really wanted to get the music out
and I didn’t want to be
the sole vocalist on this one. I have some demo parts written, but nothing
ready to release from a vocal angle. My son was watching Lego Batman and
there’s a part in there with a clip from the movie Jerry Maguire” … and I
thought “Show me the money!”.
The idea came to me to just release it as an instrumental and use that, quite
literally, as a lure to find
new contributors and collaborators. So, once I have a handful of friends
sending me stuff remotely that I’m happy with, I’ll release the
non-instrumental version. I’m pretty excited about it. Seems to be
working. It was released 9 hours ago and I have 3 folks discussing their parts,
so I think it’s going to come together quicker than I thought.
4. The previous release, "Anthology I," paid homage to fictional characters and serial killers. What
thematic direction does "Anthology II" take, especially considering it's instrumental?
Good question! So, the earlier EP “Dexter…and the Code of Harry” was nothing but Dexter the serial
killer from the Showtime series. The next EP had a track that worked as a continuation, focusing more
on Harrison, Dexter’s son, from the sequel series “Dexter New Blood”. The rest of the EP had different
themed content (Sparanos, Halo, Cocomelon). I don’t know, I’m a nerd for seeing and enjoying
connectivity and deeper meaning, I suppose.
This release, while being an instrumental, does indeed have themes. They are “Mortal Kombat”, “The
Matrix” and Neo, a documentary I really enjoyed on events leading up to 9/11, and the comedy
“Archer”. Kind of all over the place. Obviously, the concepts will make more sense once the tracks are
released with vocals.
5. Can you walk us through the creative process behind "Anthology II"? How do you approach creating instrumental music compared to tracks with lyrics?
Yeah – I mean, it was intended originally to be the base for friends to collaborate on, but I’m impatient!
It’s clearly not a shreddy or particularly complex set of songs – it’s just good shit that I dig and groove to. I’m looking forward to seeing how this experiment works.
6. How has the band's hometown, being based in Texas, influenced your sound or artistic direction?
That’s a good one. I’m not sure, to level with you. I started recording riffs for this while Covid/Lockdown was still a thing, so I was a bit isolated. I had also just lost a sister, was a pretty new dad, and started a new career – so a lot of unfamiliar life territory may have made its way in. I’ve never thought of it this way, but it’s all based on media that I was consuming during that time period, or media that’s had some sort of impact on my life.
I don’t think TX had much influence on these particular songs – but as I make more connections and
work with more TX-based musicians, it may end up flavoring it a bit more.
7. What are the main musical and non-musical influences that shape Bringer Of Light's unique sound and style?
I’ve been into metal for most of my life and my tastes just grow and progress… I really liked some of the early deathcore bands; stuff like Job for a Cowboy, Impending Doom, Carnifex are a few that come to mind. I like a lot of the newer stuff too, but I think I gravitate towards that 2010’s era mostly. I’ve had a crush on Fear Factory since around 2001, and Cattle Decapitation’s last two records have really made them stand out in my mind.
One of my buddies really likes to create noises and soundscapes – he sent me a few samples that I
integrated here and there. My favorite is him throwing a pipe wrench on concrete. I love shit like that.
Combine all of that, and you get something like BRINGER OF LIGHT.
8. As a self-labeled "deathcore-ish project," what challenges and advantages do you find in blending different sub-genres within the broader metal spectrum?
Well, a lot of time people don’t “get it”. It takes time to sink in. It’s also a little polarizing – for instance, some kid at a Lorna Shore show might hear it and can’t find enough similar to keep them hooked, but then a Fear Factory fan hears it and is like “Oh hell yeah, this is great”, but the harsher style of vocals doesn’t resonate as well in some cases. It’s kind of hit and miss. But I’ll tell ya, I’m ok with that. At this point, I realize I will never be the rock star. I’m a dude writing and recording music I dig with people I like. I’ve been tinkering and saving and building my whole life to have the talent, technology, equipment, and ear to do this, now I can do it and release it on worldwide platforms, ya know. That’s good enough for me. I make a few bucks a month on music, given the current (shitty) state of how all that works. So, I guess if I think of that as a plus, I’m in good shape as far as challenges are concerned.
9. With the absence of lyrics in "Anthology II," how do you hope listeners interpret or connect with the music on a personal level?
I hadn’t thought of it that way. I mean, YES, I do hope that. I think for me, I get tied up in “whoa, that
sounds killer” or “That riff blows me away” – so I think that’s more what I was thinking. Cool riffs and
grooves for now… something to rock out to and get lost in.
Once there are lyrics for the next release, the type of connection to the tracks will be a little more
personal and hopefully fans of what the concepts are based on will dig it.
10. Considering the EP's title, "Anthology II," does this signify a conceptual series or narrative within your discography?
Yes, indeed. Like I said, I love concept albums. Always have. I like to see and find connections in things.
Side note, don’t get me started on conspiracy theories!
Anyhow, I’ve been toying with the idea of this being the final concept album for a while and maybe
write lyrics from a more traditional approach once the ANTHOLOGY series is complete. I’m not sure. Are we a project that ONLY does media-themed concepts? Do we open up and write a song about our
feelings next go-round? Who knows. We’ll see how I feel about it and what kind of lyrical ideas are being tossed around when the time comes. I’m not married to any particular direction.
11. How has the band evolved since the release of "Anthology I," and what lessons did you learn from that experience that influenced the creation of "Anthology II"?
Well, I’ve had a lot more interaction with the TX Metal community and I’ve been finding like-minded
folks to partner with and bounce ideas off of.
As for the difference between the two ep’s, there are some slight production modifications. One being the use of the Toneforge Disruptor plugin, which is Dino Cazares, from Fear Factory’s plugin. I’ve been trying to emulate a few guitar tones to death over the years, and his is one of them. It was released while I was working on the final mix for the instrumental tracks, and I dropped it in and blended with a Fortin amp.
I also updated the snare and kick tones a bit. Same instruments, just adjustments in mic positioning to change up the tone ever-so-slightly. Took some of the click out of the kick for a less robotic feel and I have 2 snares blended, I let the one with more ping shine through a bit more than on the last release.
12. In the era of digital music platforms, how do you see the changing landscape affecting the way your music is received and consumed by your audience?
Well, it’s easy to get it out there, right. But it’s easy for everyone. I’m SUPER Thankful to be a part of
Indian River Music Company – that provides a group of friends a really good backbone for our releases and drives to a much larger, multi-national fan base.
I think we all want to see a revolution that allows the ease of today’s approach with a financial model
that doesn’t rape the artist.
13. Are there any specific technological or production aspects that played a significant role in shaping the sound of "Anthology II"?
You know, kind of the two things I mentioned earlier – I’m really happy with the Toneforge Disruptor
plugin – I don’t have to try SO HARD to emulate that classic Dino tone. The other is the technology
allowing everything to be done remotely. I’m in Texas, but these days it’s very easy to find someone in, say, Poland that I will likely never meet; and he can just send me tracks. Things are possible today that just weren’t 10 or 15 years ago (with this level of quality).
14. Can you share any memorable or challenging moments from the recording or production process of "Anthology II"?
Yeah, writing the vocal parts. I got to a point with this one where I was like “I’ll just do it myself” also;
but I struggled to write lyrics or vocal parts that I really enjoyed. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there are several – but not full song’s worth.
Additionally, and probably related – We had our second child, sold a home, purchased a home, and
relocated during the final phase – perhaps that has a little to do with me not being able to finish writing the vocals. I’m tired!
15. What can fans and new listeners expect from Bringer Of Light in the near future? Any upcoming
projects, collaborations, or plans for live performances?
Well, I’ve recently started a conversation with a few friends in more well-known bands in FL, as well as the gentlemen in Poland that I mentioned. I hope to find one or two more like-minded individuals tocome together and knock out some killer collaborative vocals.
I have an ongoing children’s music project called Bradley Greybeard and the Awesomesauce Band; I
need to get back to work on that. Sounds like 90’s radio rock but it’s all nursery rhymes.
I’m also working with my buddy Scott Langley on a side project right now – similar music, and we’re
planning to potentially build a full live band. He has a project similar to BOL, in which he’s the main
actor. We find that we have enough in common musically to write some good jams and compliment
each other’s production capabilities while still being really open-minded about the songs and writing
process.
I’ll still continue to write and release as BRINGER OF LIGHT, though. Up next – Either the non-
instrumental version of this release or maybe another cover. We’ll see where the wind blows next.
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