Welcome back, VESPERIAN SORROW! After a twelve-year hiatus, the band returns with "Awaken the Greylight." In this interview, explore the album's evolution, themes, and the band's future plans.
1. Welcome
back, VESPERIAN SORROW! After a twelve-year hiatus, what inspired the decision
to return to the music scene with "Awaken the Greylight"?
Firstly, I want
to say that as one of the more recent members of the crew, I cannot present a
detailed timeline of the band’s activities; however, I have known the members
of the band for over 20 years at this point,
so I am aware of the albums and circumstances that occurred over the
years. After the release of “Stormwinds” in 2012, there were shows, small
tours, and fests that went on til about 2014. After that, there was a short
break, and the commencement of some songwriting. In fact, this is where I first
appeared in the picture for a brief moment, but that story will have to wait
for another time. In 2019, the band decided to re-release “Regenesis Creation”.
Shortly after that, I became involved with the band. So, on paper, it may look
like a long hiatus, but Vesperian was always up to something or another. We
never left the “music scene”. That said, there can be much to be argued about
the current state of this “music scene”. That too, will have to wait for
another time. Also, I will say that
between 2020 and 2022, there was something going on that was making it rather
difficult for us and some other bands out there to do much. I forget exactly
what it was but it definitely contributed to this long timeline of perceived
absence.
2."Awaken
the Greylight" is described as a blend of atmospheric black metal and
symphonic elements. How would you say the band's sound has evolved since your
last album, and what can fans expect in terms of musical exploration and
innovation?
Is it? I think
that’s how I would describe some previous albums. Granted, it still retains those elements but the
execution of said elements differs while maintaining the overall essence of VS.
That can be the challenge for some bands
- to evolve something and still make it the same. So with Kris and Will
being at this for this long, it will always have their signature style embedded
in the music. I think there were tracks in “Stormwinds” in which the band
decided to steer in those directions and push things further. The song, “Relics of Impurity” would be one
example. Then again, this was also the
approach with each album. You take the things you learned from the last, and then you expand on some things and
perfect the others. You definitely can hear this with each of the band’s
albums. Long time fans may (and should) notice a difference from this album and the
previous albums in both delivery and tone. True fans of the band would be able
to listen to a track and say “ Of course, this is definitely Vesperian”.
3. The
thematic focus of VESPERIAN SORROW's lyrics explores realms of the cosmos,
sorrow, sadness, and darkness. How has this thematic approach influenced the
creative process for "Awaken the Greylight," and what stories or
emotions are you aiming to convey with this album?
Oh that is
another question that I can spend all day answering. Believe me, I do intend to
expand on this at a future time. But yes, that is a good observation with
regards to the overall theme. As the main lyricist, my focus was to incorporate
that into a conceptual and cohesive
narrative. I wanted to take those themes and not just present a “what” but also
a “why” “how” and “when”. So yes. It’s
all there - the dark, the cosmic, the sadness. But when you really provide a
bit more context, those themes become reinforced. So, I wanted to provide layers of depth - the
same type that I tend to obsess on in the middle of the night. With that, I’d
say that the outer layer of “ Awaken The Greylight” is simple enough. It is up
to the listener to decipher if there is something that lies beneath it all.
4. The
tracklisting for "Awaken the Greylight" is intriguing. Can you take
us through the significance or narrative behind a specific track that holds
particular importance to the band?
Every song is
significant and ties to the final track which is also the name of the album. So
they all serve their purpose. If this
was a book, or film you could view it this way. The first track “ As The
Pillars were raised” is an introduction
that presents the tone of the album. The second track, “ Antediluvian -
Proceeding the Unshaping” gives the listener a
brief history of the world. The third track “ An Epistle to the Prime
Vivified” is where the ongoing narrative begins. But going back to track #2, I chose this track because this song reminds
me of a lot of other Vesperian songs combined into one. It reminds me of Vesperian in the 90s, early
2000s and 2010s. It just had all of
those signature elements fuzed into a fast-paced composition. So, it
inspired me to write something that reflects that. The keen ear may
notice a few nods to previous songs in there. Then again, I can also tell you
about how each song represented a specific time period of us creating the
entire album - what we were dealing
with, what was going on, or who was involved. So There’s a separate, more
personal story to each of them for the band. There’s one track that went
through numerous re-writes. Now, here’s
something. There is another track that I
feel ought to resonate with some of the older fans. They may want to look at the song order.
That’s all I’ll say for now.
5. Given
the intricate melodies and powerful symphonies in your music, how do you
balance the raw energy of black metal with the more orchestrated and
atmospheric elements?
That is more of a
Kris and Will question. Kris, of course, also handles the keys. While I can’t
speak for too much of the song development, I have observed the song writing
process. It, at times, is thought-out and re-worked over and over again until
it reaches a point of “perfection”. Other times, I have seen a sporadic nature
to the duo where ideas begin to flow at a high frequency. Afterall, it should become natural for artists to create something after so many years of
experience. The question is, what will be kept? There are many songs and ideas
that didn’t make the cut over the years. Even if they are about 70-90% done, it
lies(ultimately) with what works in the end and what works best with the tone
of the album. I’m sure Kris has
terabytes of songs in hard drives he has not even told us about. I feel that
Kris and Will maintain their balance because that is simply what they want to
hear in a song. Plus, that is just how
they write. It is their style. If we focus too much on what we think people want
to hear, then it deters from the art of it.
6. The
band's name, VESPERIAN SORROW, poetically alludes to "sadness or sorrow in
the evening hours." How does this concept tie into the overall atmosphere
and emotion you aim to create in your music?
It does and it
doesn’t. We are not strictly tied to the name of the band (and it’s meaning)
representing the totality of the music. That would limit us. It’s like saying
Iron Maiden would be writing songs about medieval torture devices. There most
definitely has to be variety in tone. We have songs that delve into a variety
of subjects. Yet, I do see how a band name can represent the essence of the
band. I feel Vesperian Sorrow does that rather well most of the time. Would you
not agree that there is a bit of
“Evening Sadness” to all of these songs?
Afterall, evening is the beginning of the night. Night often represents
the end of life or the end of time. The first evening star( the vesper ) is a
bleak reminder of the coming darkness, thus signaling the end. In that respect
there is an element of foreboding depression that reminds us of our doomed
mortality. I will also say that “Evening
Sadness” would make for a good smooth jazz band.
7. Tell
us about the collaboration with Black Lion Records / Sound Pollution for the
release of "Awaken the Greylight." How did this partnership come
about, and what support have they provided in bringing the album to your fans?
This is another
Kris and Will question since I only joined the band right after this occurred.
But I will say that I have often communicated with the label and they have been
very receptive to our thoughts and ideas. They have also provided us with insight
and partners in the industry. It has been a positive experience so far, and I
wish other labels could do this as well.
8. As a
band hailing from Austin, Texas, how has your local music scene influenced your
music and journey, especially considering the unique blend of genres in your
sound?
I can write a
book about the Austin scene so I’ll keep it as brief as possible. Austin, is
the “Live Music Capital of the World” which is hard to say without adding a
sarcastic inflection. Ask any local artist in Austin if they feel it is the
live music capital, and they’ll more than likely spit their drink out. I feel that the overall Austin scene has not
been quite friendly to artists in the underground music community over the
decades. There are many contributing
factors to this. However, we managed to find our own audiences within the small
pockets of what is commonly referred to as “ The Austin Metal Community” that
turn up and support us when we do play shows.
Places like Houston, Dallas have been strong supporters. Vesperian
Sorrow had a massive following in border towns like Laredo. I can attest to
that since I was there to see the shows that were packed beyond capacity.
9. With
a lineup consisting of members Christopher Nunez, Will Rohirrim, Orlando Logan
Olivero, and Gabe Reyes, how do each of your individual contributions shape the
overall sound of VESPERIAN SORROW?
Well Kris and
Will are the foundation of the band. They have been working so long with each
other they know exactly how to initiate or conceptualize an idea. Kris
definitely brings the framework together a lot of times and is like a scientist
when it comes to organizing the composition. Will brings the structure,
melody, and the power to the music. He
has an ear for what sounds right or wrong in a song. Often, we find ourselves
asking “ What does Will think?”. Then
there’s Gabe. Well, Gabe has been a Vesperian fan since the early 2000s, so
he’s definitely familiar with the sound. He’s a talented, multi-instrumentalist
that brings a different energy to his bass playing. He’s got a wide array of
metal influences so he presents a sophisticated delivery that toys with a
primal execution. After peeling the layers, one would also notice the diamond-tipped precision in his picking. The
man is a beast. Me? Well I am the
frontman, singer, lyric writer. There’s not a lot to say about people like
myself, aside from having way less
equipment to carry around. And when I do have extra things, I just throw it on
top of Gabe’s equipment so that he carries it for me without knowing. But in
all seriousness, I appreciate the work and contribution of my predecessor,
Donni, and wanted to present something
that wasn’t too unfamiliar to listeners. Therefore, I tried not to deter
completely from the “feel” of old VS. Then again, I can imagine there will be a
few people online that would be happy to contradict this notion. But, with the direction that the band was
taking, they ( the band ) made it clear that they wanted to utilize my talent
for this album. Also, I do enjoy creating these new worlds and storylines. I
also want to make it known that this album had some significant contributions
from JDZ and John - both of which were part of this album’s journey.
10. "Awaken
the Greylight" is set to release on April 26th. What are the band's plans
for the future following the album release, and can fans expect live
performances or tours in support of the new material?
Awaken the Greylight is literally the start to a new chapter for the band. So we do have plans to follow this up sooner than before. Will it be out next year? No. But it will NOT be another “ 12 years”. When it comes to promoting the album, we will more than likely have an album release show in Austin. We have also considered doing a small regional tour around Texas. It’s all pretty standard. It would be great to once again leave the state and perform for people across the US - that’s pretty realistic. I don’t think we necessarily want to do an extensive tour, but It would be nice to go back to places like England, Canada, and Mexico. Is it possible for a 27 year old, obscure, symphonic black metal band to embark on such an expedition in 2024? Well, everything is up for discussion and anything is possible. In fact, we often speak of doing fests in Europe, Asia, and South America. It’s doubtful that will happen this year since it usually takes a bit of time to set those things up. But if there is enough positive response in places like Italy, France, Germany, The Congo, or wherever, we can see what can be arranged. More importantly, this album is finally going to be released, and we are ready to move to the next step. I, for one, am quite eager to perform every one of these songs, while slowly releasing new supplemental lore for the album. This has been years in the making and we can finally breathe!
https://vesperiansorrowblacklion.bandcamp.com/album/awaken-the-greylight
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