Interview with doom metal band from United States - GRIEF COLLECTOR.
Answered Matt and Brad, thank you!
Translated Duzl, thank you!
https://www.deadlystormzine.com/2021/04/recenzereview-grief-collector-en.html
Ave GRIEF COLLECTOR! Greetings to the doom metal underworld. When my new album "En Delirium" came to my review, I had no idea who recorded it. I sat down and let the music affect me. It was a backdrop for me at first and then gradually began to attract me. Slowly, I began to sway to the beat, stamping my feet, and finally jumped around the apartment like crazy. Hergot, thank you very much! I went back in time to my youth! An amazing album full of emotions! How did the record come about and how did GRIEF COLLECTOR come together in the first place?
Matt - Brad called me up one day. He had an idea for a band. He explained to me the name of the band, what it meant, where it came from and how he wanted to create a concept album about the 5 stages of grief. Once I heard that idea, I was really interested in doing something with him and fulfilling the project idea the best I could. From there we began to meet up regularly to go over basic guitar riff ideas as the core of each song. Once we completed the arrangements of each song, we then knew we could start the recording process of recording drums, basic guitars and bass. From that point we figured where guitar solos and other “ear candy” could go that would further enhance the listening experience. The whole time we were doing this, we did not have a singer yet.
Brad - So one day as I was scrolling through Facebook, I realized that I was friends with Robert. I decided to message him and ask if he’d be interested in singing for a new project that I’m involved in. I told him I could send him the songs to listen to, and see what he thought about them. So I did, and after not hearing from him for about two weeks, I messaged again asking what he thought. Robert quickly replied “let’s do this”.
And the rest is Doom history.
Sometimes I feel like the world around me is very dark. Just play the news, read a few articles on the internet. In my opinion, the main hallmark of doom metal is sadness. You managed to smuggle a large amount into the songs. Music has always been about transmitting emotions. In what mood and state of mind was the album composed and how was it inspired? Has the current state of the world, the epidemic, affected you in any way?
Brad - Musically we always wanna try to stay true to being Doom at our core. But we also love adding some different elements to our music to keep it fresh and new sounding.
The new album really focuses lyrically on the demons within one’s self. And how the mind can be your own worst enemy, but can also be your greatest savior.
Matt - Regarding the current state of the world. Of course, I am very concerned and saddened by many things, but I try to keep positive and moving forward as that is the one thing I feel we need.
I'm sitting at work right now, I should probably do something, but instead I keep listening to "En Delirium". I've heard a lot of records this year, but I'm cold on my back from your news. An icy, dark sound contributes a lot to this. Where and how did you record? Who mixed the album and how did you participate in the whole process as a band? Did you talk a lot about how you want to sound? I can't help but sound like an older BLACK SABBATH album.
Matt - We recorded everything on the album at my home studio called “Phantom Studio”.
I mixed the album of course with the feedback of Robert and Brad. We knew we wanted crushing real sounding drums, deep dark guitars and punchy bass that supports each song but also carries it to another place when the time is right.
From a production standpoint, we really wanted to up our game and really put out a great sounding record. And we think we really achieved that with “En Delirium.
Brad - And as far as the Black Sabbath question is concerned, we decided to tune to what they used on the first two albums. To pay homage to the masters of Doom.
On the cover is an old cemetery (English?) And a figure on the stairs, which enters a haze. To the other world? The motive can be explained in different ways, what is yours? Who is the author of the cover and how does it relate to the theme of the album?
Brad - The cover really represents the journey into the mind. You can see the man walking out of the cemetery, up the stairs into his own mind. To fight his demons and bring himself peace, so that when it’s his time to die. He will be completely free.
We worked with an artist named Emily Unger to get the cover to reach our artistic vision. And I think we achieved that amazingly.
You are a band composed of experienced musicians themselves. Each of you has a lot of work to do. How does it work for you together? Are you arguing, for example, what a passage should sound like? How do they compose to form a GRIEF COLLECTOR? I am interested in the very process of creating a new song.
Matt - Brad and I work very close together on the music and try to have it ready in its best DEMO form before sharing it with Robert. It just seems to work well that way since we live closer. A lot of times Brad with “mouth guitar” an idea to me over messaging and then I translate his voice that is singing a guitar riff into a real guitar riff. We then archive that into a folder to sort through later and then we find that some magic happens when some of those archived riffs fit together. Once we know we have a great idea, we then meet up in person in a studio and jam out the idea until we feel we have a song. Many times we think we have a song and then get home and listen to the jam we just did and then feel like, man we need to add a part or maybe this part needs to go 6 times instead of 4, or maybe we need to slow down or speed up the tempo. But overall, that is how the basics of a song get put together. It’s always based on a heavy guitar riff, and everything else comes after that. Once we have the arrangement to our liking, I create a real guitar track recording with a click track that Brad records his drums to. Once those two things are put together, I add bass and guitar solos and as the tracks grow on us, more ideas come to us.
I have already mentioned BLACK SABBATH, the roots of CANDLEMASS are also visible. You play old, honest doom metal. Slow, raw music, which in my opinion must be circulating in the blood of musicians. Why this style? Is it a way for you to express emotions, your feelings? What do you think metal is about? How would you define it and what does it mean to you?
Brad - I think I can relate personally to the subject matter of Doom. It has a lot of loss, sadness and sorrow. And to me, metal is all about emotion. Whether it’s angry headbanging stuff, or fun 80’s hair metal stuff. It’s all about feeling for me, all genres have their place in my heart.
Matt - I think doom metal is a natural portal to convey many types of depression, anger and sadness that many people share in. This album for sure has a wide variety of song styles and tempos, but still hitting those doom notes that somehow just makes you feel the song as a whole right to your core. I feel metal music is a great release of feelings and energy, it something that just seems to have a power in of itself. What else would make people stage dive, moss, windmill their hair, bang their head up and down?
There is no good song without good lyrics. The lyrics have to fit into the riffs, they add another dimension to the songs. What are the lyrics to "En Delirium" about? Where did you get your inspiration for? And who is their author?
Brad - I write all the lyrics for Grief Collector for both of our releases. The new album really focuses on trying to find your way out of dark places. And the mind is one of those places unfortunately. For me, many of my life experiences contribute to my lyrics. I don’t write about dragons and wizards, yet about things I feel people can relate to on a much more personal level.
GRIEF COLLECTOR dates back to 2017. Do you also play live? Doom metal concerts can be either an amazing experience or boredom. Do you perform often? For me, I need a good concert to this day by what I love most about metal. The relationship between the band and the fan. I'll put it bluntly - I want to see you live! Enjoy the songs to the fullest. Aren't you planning a tour to support the new record?
Matt - We had some shows set up, but the pandemic shut us down for over a year now. We will find shows to play where and when it makes sense.
Brad - We definitely have the desire to tour for the new album. And we have some possibilities in doing that once the world is ready for real shows, not 50 people sitting 6 feet apart from each other. That’s not what a metal show is supposed feel like to me.
When I was thirteen, a friend brought me a tape. On the one hand, VADER on the other was an absolutely unknown slow band that literally charmed me. CANDLEMASS. Unlike other peers, I also had access to other music. An older friend recorded them for me. Who was your role model, whom did you admire? When did you first think of starting to make music actively?
Matt - Musically I’m influenced by anyone that has wrote a great song especially if it’s heavy metal. I’ve always tried to learn and listen to lots of other people’s music as a learning experience and then was able to draw out of that my own style.
Brad - For me Kiss was the reason I wanted to become a musician. The theatrics and visual presentation was mesmerizing. I always admired drummers like Cozy Powell, Eric Carr, Bill Ward and many others of course.
My first band was called “Krystal Reign”. I was 14 when I really found that making music with other people made life more tolerable. And I still feel that way to this day.
GRIEF COLLECTOR are a new band from old experienced leopards. What do you want to achieve? Do you have a goal? Need to play at a big festival, release an album under a famous label? Where do you want to go in the future?
Matt - I’d love for Grief Collector to be a gateway for young metal fans back to classic sounding doom and of course reach the highest levels of success possible. I’d also love it if people found therapeutic value to listening to our music to help them with whatever they are going through. It’s kind a like we are in it together as many of us have experienced what our lyrics are about and so when that happens, I find the authenticity of our music undeniable.
Brad - I think we all just want to show the fans what we can do live. And have people see us as a real functioning band. And obviously to support the new record. Our goal right now is to release the new album and continue making good Doom metal.
Thank you for the interview and your time. I really appreciate your words. It's dry outside, maybe it's going to rain. Fog falls on the city. It is clear what I will listen to! Of course, "En Delirium". The album has become my personal, private affair, thanks for that too! I wish you all the best and look forward to more music from GRIEF COLLECTOR! Be doom!
We thank you for your time and support. We hope others will find the same feeling about the new album. Cheers!
Recenze/review - GRIEF COLLECTOR - En Delirium (2021):
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