Ancestral Blood combines the majestic essence of 90s black metal with modern celestial vibrance. Discover their journey, inspirations, and upcoming plans as they continue redefining their unique musical identity.
1. Ancestral
Blood was formed in the mid-late 90s by Charles Lucia (Verigo). Can you tell us
about the vision you had for the band back then, and how it evolved into the
project we hear today?
The vision
I had back then was to take Black Metal and create an artistic music style that
would be both majestic and epic. I wanted this musical entity to be completely different
from what I was doing with my Misanthropic Black Metal music during that time.
I also
wanted to introduce a different type of energy. I feel the band evolved
precisely through the times with all the visions originally had intact.
2. Your
album explores lost stories and legends from different cultures and eras. What
inspired you to create music around this theme, and do you have a personal
favorite story or legend featured on the album?
I have
always been fascinated by stories of myths and legends as well as history and past
civilizations. This inspiration heavily inspired what I wanted to talk about
lyrically through songs. I can’t pick a favorite song or story. They are all
magnificent to me.
3. Your
sound blends furious guitars, celestial atmospheres, and harsh vocals. How do
your influences, such as Windir and Summoning, shape the unique musical
identity of Ancestral Blood?
How this
was reworded on the Bio is a mistake made by the 3rd parties who revised our original
Bio. I missed this rewording completely due to working excessively daily in everyday
life. My bio states Ancestral Blood could appeal to fans of Windir and Summoning.
My music is real personal to me. Black Metal as a whole in the 90s has had an
influence on me. But my goal in each song is to invent a style that has not
been created to my knowledge and to the best of my ability already. My goal
also is not to repeat what's been done already. I always try to separate myself
from all others in their works when I write. My writings revolve around my own
invented guitar techniques.
People who
know me call these techniques the Verigo guitar style. Some call it straight Unorthodox
playing. My favorite Windir album is Arntor. But I didn't find this release
until maybe 2002. I had already established Ancestral Blood at this time. I
knew of Soknardalr, but wasn't crazy about it. With Summoning, I only praise
Lugburz. Neither of these bands influenced Ancestral Blood.
4. In
2023, you signed with the Italian label Wormholedeath. How has this partnership
impacted the band, and what was the process like leading up to the signing?
The process
from start to finish went very smoothly. The label has always been quick when
it comes to responding to messages. They have been very helpful in any way they
can. They are very consistent in their announcements to get us noticed. They
have put our music out worldwide. We even have physical copies in Japan. They
are very planned and organized. We still talk and work with each other today.
All this has significantly helped to get the band noticed.
5. You’re
preparing to record "Forgotten Myths and Legends - Chapter 2." Can
you share any insights into the direction or themes you’re exploring for this
follow-up?
Chapter 2
will focus on Britannica and Norse mythology. We will cover some Celtic legends
and many others. Most importantly, we will introduce some new guitar styles and
techniques that I believe are unique still to this day.
6. Ancestral
Blood has performed alongside bands like Vesterian and Thornspawn. What has
been your most memorable live performance so far, and how does your music
translate to the stage?
Maryland
fest so far has been our most memorable performance. The night was magical. A
light show danced behind fog from the smoke machines creating a gloomy atmosphere.
Candles Lit. Sound and visuals were controlled by experienced professionals and
sync properly with the music. For a live 3 piece band with 1 guitar, I always
surround sound guitars live - 1 guitar into 2 amps left and right mixing wet
delay and echo tones with a 2nd raw guitar tone creating a very magical
understood sound.
People
hearing us for the first time said how much they loved the sound while praising
how a 3 piece band could achieve a sound so mystical and magic. In my opinion,
they were right. The sound was amazing. We have clips up on the internet
already. I also have never before seen clips of this performance that I plan to
upload in the near future.
All our
shows have sounded amazing. I believe it's because how I choose to do it with something
already so unique. Female Harsh Vocals. Super melodic riffs through heavy dense
Synths.
7. Your
music is rooted in 90s underground black metal yet has a modern celestial
vibrance. How do you strike a balance between honoring the past and innovating
for today’s audience?
I don’t
think about any of this when creating music. I just keep trying to invent new
styles and refreshing ideas and see where it takes me. I'm grateful people dig
what I do and how I do it and continue to still to this day.
8. Through
platforms like Bandcamp, YouTube, and Spotify, you’ve built a strong connection
with your listeners. How do you engage with your fanbase, and how important is
this digital presence to the band?
I try to
share new announcements on all the platforms when they happen and occasionally
throw online shows inviting people to tune in. This is important to us because
it's a way to communicate with our true supported fans who have already subscribed
to us. They are first to know when something is released or something is happening.
It is a more personal way for us to reach our fans who have truly shown their loyal
support.
9. As
you prepare to record "Chapter 2" and continue growing, what are your
long-term goals for Ancestral Blood, both musically and as a band?
Our long
term goal is to try to be more consistent with touring. We plan to do a 2025 US
tour while our 2nd album is being mixed. We plan to tour again 2026 after the
2nd album is released. We are also working on better ideas to do lyrics and
music videos while sticking to a budget. We also hope to tour in Europe one day
real soon..
Ancestral Blood (@ancestralbloodbandofficial) • Instagram photos and videos
Post a Comment