Burial Oath emerges stronger than ever with The Cycles of Suffering, their third album, showcasing a raw, ritualistic evolution. We discuss their new lineup, creative vision, and partnership with Redefining Darkness Records.
1. Congratulations
on signing with Redefining Darkness Records and releasing The Cycles of
Suffering! Can you share how this partnership came about and what it means for
the band moving forward?
Thomas has
been a friend and supporter of ours for a while. We I initially spoke about
working together a few years ago. I approached him once more due to my desire
to work with those I know and trust. personal connections always seem to be the
most lucrative and the least shady.
2. It’s
been over five years since your last album. What inspired the creation of The
Cycles of Suffering, and how does it differ musically and thematically from
your previous work?
A lot of
the themes are the same. Occult/magick/blood worship, but perhaps diving into
the ritualistic side of it. Mor Grish has been the curator there. As far as
musically, we just do what we want, but of course, we’ve grown as
musicians.
3. The
addition of MOR GRISH and R has clearly brought a fresh dynamic to the band.
How did they join the lineup, and how have they influenced the sound and
creative process?
They were
hand selected. D went off to play with Osi and the Jupiter, and his own folk
project Vintergrav, and I went off to play with Cloak, and a tour with Uada. We
used that period of time to really search and reflect on what direction Burial
Oath was meant to go in. In a lot of ways, It was my own desire to take it back
to how it began. No flash - No gimmicks with the stars and cosmos and all that
shit; just black metal the way we want to do it, and metal the way it’s
intended. R and Mor Grish both embody that very sentiment, which made them the
perfect fit for their roles.
Pagan Fires
is unique in the fact that it doesn’t set the tone, rather closes the album/set
and winds everything down in a powerful, spiritual way. Musically there are
songs on the album I believe set the tone; our opener Void Hunter, and Howling
Promethean Winds come to mind.
5. Your
album artwork, created by Nether Temple in collaboration with Vhan Spell Ov
Hatred and Greenfeather Media, is striking. Can you tell us more about the
concept behind it and how it ties into the album’s themes?
The art can
be interpreted in many ways, though for us it’s more of the relevance it holds
to the album title. Vhan did a lot of the additional art and Greenfeather Media
is my in house team that does most of our graphics/web/videos.
6. The
album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Noah Buchanan at Mercenary Studios.
What was the production process like, and how did you work together to achieve
the sound you envisioned?
Noah is a mastermind. When we record, we prefer to set ourselves up in the room like we do it live. So everything on the record is us, albeit with a few flourishes and an additional guitar track to fill out the record. When we work with Mercinary we know we’re getting what we need.
7. Burial
Oath is known for blending relentless energy with evocative atmospheres. How do
you balance aggression and melody in your music, particularly on this new
release?
I’m not
sure we really think about it all that much. Our target is primarily focused on
writing the best songs we can musically and lyrically. So however that comes to
be is what it’ll be. We are very militant, however. If we think something we’re
writing doesn’t fit the mold or doesn’t make us feel a certain way, we table it
or scrap it completely. There’s likely another few albums worth of material
that was on the B list that never made the cut.
8. You’re
currently on the Territorial Damnation Tour and have a U.S. tour planned for
2025. What can fans expect from your live performances, and how do you
translate the intensity of your music to the stage?
We wrapped
Territorial Damnation about a month ago, and we are looking into 2025 already.
Plenty of things moving in the right direction, though not at liberty to
discuss. Booking a tour in this climate requires delicacy and patience. As far
as the fans or show-goers, we never do a half/rate performance if we can
control it. Our show can be very theatrical and inviting to those looking for
an atmosphere. If people are attending, we owe it to them to give it our all,
so expect nothing less.
9. Your
lyrics often delve into dark and introspective themes. Can you elaborate on the
cyclical nature of suffering explored in this album and what it represents for
you personally or artistically?
The Cycles of Suffering titling has more to do with what the band personally went through. While a lot of the songs may explore that through various occult themes or rituals, there’s always a force or energy behind what we’re releasing to the world. That energy helped curate this album, which plays into the more depressive, melancholic hooks and lyrical themes. Though, a lot of the lyrics dive into blood worship - it would be far too long-winded to elaborate. I would say interpret them any way you desire to feel the magick. Either way, I would anticipate or next album to come from a place of strength and vitality within vs suffering.
10. With
three albums now under your belt and a growing following, what are Burial
Oath’s long-term goals, and how do you see your sound evolving in the years to
come?
We’ve finally found our way on this one. Through that suffering comes an illumination of boundless, untethered energy with the new roster. Our primary goal now is to take it to the road and share with the world, and to protect what we’ve created at all costs. Bigger, better, stronger, right?
Post a Comment