BLACK METAL SPIRIT: AMIDST THE WITHERING

domingo, 4 de octubre de 2015

AMIDST THE WITHERING - INTERVIEW

1. The band was born in 1999, at that time the training was quite different from today, why did you decide to create the band and why choose the name Amidst the Withering?

Serge Farinas: Is it not the logical thing to form a black, doom, gothic metal band right in the ass crack of redneck-landia? Basically we decided we weren’t socially ostracized enough.

Seriously though, we sort of fell into working with one another through mutual friends. Looking back we didn’t know what the hell we were doing and it sounded like it. We didn’t have a stable formation until about 2000 or so. The stable members were John Hembree (drums), Cliff Widener (keys), Jason Cartee (bass), and myself (guitar).

John came up with the name. We were all a bunch of misanthropic little shites so we wanted a name that reflected our negative views of society. For me the name evokes the feelings I get when watching human society decay and destroy itself from within, that feeling of being surrounded and enmeshed by it but also rather alienated and detached.

2. This first training you editáis your first album in 2005, "Ars Moriendi", how was the process of writing and recording of "Ars Moriendi" and how to describe the sound?

Serge Farinas: “Ars Moriendi” came at a hard time in our lives. As a result it never really captured what we wanted in our music. Because we were all struggling financially, and had plenty of internal drama in the band and in our lives, the band imploded some time in 2004. Basically I was an asshole. I “dissolved” the band and then finished up the recording in 2005. I’d describe the process as tortured and I’m not sure how to describe the result. I think it was more gothic metal in sound. I’m still making amends for being a turd! Hah.

3. From here the band undergoes a transformation and began his career as a duo, what happened within the band to undergo this transformation? Sometime you think to terminate Amidst the Withering?

Serge Farinas: After the implosion of the band (see above), John and I went on to do other things musically. But ATW always stayed in the back of our minds. In 2011 we decided to resurrect the project. At the same also we also collected new ideas for a follow-up album.

So far ATW has proven difficult to kill. We like to call it our undead abomination. I seriously hope that John and I will continue this project for as long as live. When we’re ancient we can call ourselves Geriatric Metal!

4. In this 2015 you come to edit your second play "The Dying of the Light", which includes the topics of your previous work rewritten for the occasion, why this review of your older material?

Serge Farinas: We revamped the old songs as we felt that due to poor production and life circumstances we didn’t get it right.

5. But you've also composed new songs, how they have integrated these new compositions with the sound of the old compositions?

Serge Farinas: After re-translating the old material I think it sounds almost like entirely new music. This made it pretty easy to integrate the new songs. The old and new songs were both tempered by the current state of our musical experience and preferences.

6.I guess the process of writing and recording of "The Dying of the Light" differ significantly from those of "Ars Moriendi" how it has evolved manner of writing and recording with respect to the past?

Serge Farinas: The process was definitely different. For one thing writing music, for us at least, is infinitely easier with fewer people. Luckily John and I are close enough in our vision that we don’t want to murder each other (at least not all the time)! We work pretty closely with one another vetting each part and refining it to (im)perfection. We aim for weekly meetings to write and/or record. We are stubborn though and anyone else would probably find us crotchety and impossible, but somehow we get through the dysfunction!

7. Your music is very diverse, black, melodic death, doom, etc., mixed with success, what are your main musical influences and how they are reflected in your music?

Serge Farinas: We have lots of influences. And I think one of the things that defines us is we don’t feel particular allegiance to any type of metal, though we like our emphasis in black and doom. Our goal is to meld things so that the different elements are seamless and not so stereotypical of their genre origins. Some of the main bands that influenced us in the beginning are Type O Negative, My Dying Bride, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Old Man’s Child, Opeth, and Tristania. We are also constantly listening to new music and taking influences from all over, from newer metal to classical music.

8. I think your music, do not know if you are aware the whole, also conveys emotions, such as sadness, suffering, do you think it is important to convey these emotions with music?

Serge Farinas: Well, I think we’ve always had a fondness for sad bastard music. If there’s one thing that’s universal in our human experience it’s suffering, and somehow music that conveys those feelings seems more real to me. It’s a fine line though as it can easily become as trite and superficial as most pop music. The lyrics for the next album are still very much in the works but we will be branching out from the typical sorrow stuff to include such themes as atheism, reason, and the danger of pride.

9. Now that you are two, it really is the way we have to compose music for the band?

Serge Farinas: Every way of approaching writing music has its positives and negatives. For us at least, we enjoy the focus and ease of working as a duo.

10. I guess one of the biggest drawbacks of being only two is failing to give concerts, is it something you miss? Are there possibilities to recruit other musicians to give concerts?

Serge Farinas: We do miss it, but to be perfectly honest we love the writing and the production process more than anything. I’m not sure if many music fans understand how hard it is in general for musicians to get by these days, but playing concerts is an extremely expensive proposition in terms of money and time. Most bands are not making any money at it, breaking even or even going negative. We figure our time and resources are more wisely spent on writing music to the best of our ability.

11. The album was self-released, is there any label interested in the album's release?'ll Still self-editing your material?

Serge Farinas: We really like the independence we have. The music industry is a pretty messed up scene and it seems to only be getting worse as it’s very difficult for musicians to make any money at all. There are all sorts of problems introduced by the commodification of art and the unequal control record companies have over musicians’ material. We like having full control, but if we were approached with a good deal, we’d consider it based on what the terms are.

12. What do you reflect the album and who designed it?

Serge Farinas: The album art was designed by Bjorn Gooßes of Killustrations. If you look at it closely, you see there is a story in the art itself. The man who shows up across the pages slowly loses his “light” over the course of the booklet and begins withering and decaying until he is just a shade by the end. We think he did an amazing job and we hope to work with him in the future!

13. How charters your beginnings in music, first buying albums, first concerts? Why you decide to be a musician? Today preserves the same enthusiasm as when you started?

Serge Farinas: I became a musician in the 90’s after listening to Nirvana. My mind was blown the first time I heard Metallica though. The sound of palm muted guitars sounded unearthly to me. It was metal for me after that! I’m probably more committed to music than ever. I love to experiment, tinker, and explore. Music allows me to do all those things and infuse my emotions into it. I make music because I must!

14. What future plans do you have for the band in terms of reprints or new material?

Serge Farinas: Right now we are working hard on our next album. The demo versions of all the songs will likely be completed by the end of this year or early next. The release date will probably depend on when we can get drum tracks completed, hopefully by Travis Orbin again. We hope to release it by the end of 2016 or early 2017.

So far the new material is turning out to be a bit heavier and darker, and pushes more at both the extremes of our doom and black influences. We have also moved into some different lyrical themes (as mentioned above).

15.Thank you very much for taking the time to Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for the followers of Amidst the Withering this is the place. I hope the questions are to your liking.

Serge Farinas: It still blows my mind that anyone would like our music. We make music because it’s just in our nature, but it’s incredibly encouraging and heartening to share and have some people respond positively. It’s almost enough to make this lump of coal in my chest start beating again, haha. Almost. At least my life wasn’t totally in vain.

We are incredibly thankful for anyone who takes the time to listen, whether you love or hate us.

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