1. Hey my friend, how is the mood in New Jersey these days? At what age did you start listening to extreme metal?
New Jersey is an odd place with many different types of people, so there's always something interesting happening.
It depends what you consider extreme music. I got into Slayer and Overkill when I was 16 and I felt a strong relation to their anger and lyrical content. I didn't get into other thrash bands and black metal until I was 18 and I dove deep into the lore and classic bands.
2. You have long worked with some previous bands in your area. What has changed in your mindset since the beginning of your musical path? Explain me, please the evolution process that made you become what are you now.
Finding like-minded and dedicated musicians around my area has always been a plague, even back in high school I would play in 2-3 member bands without drummers. After high school, I honed in on exactly the type of music I wanted to create, so I started a band with that in mind. We had a guitar player, a keyboard player, and myself on bass and vocals. Eventually it got to a point where I wanted to progress and I didn't want to wait to find a drummer. So, I bought a drum set so I could practice and record with. Then little by little there were line-up changes and members dropped out as we were recording. So I ended up learning to play keyboard, drums, and refining my guitar skills to finish recording. For the next album for that project I decided to use only session musicians. I took a long hiatus from music following that release, but I had plans and ideas for the next album. I got back into music when I met Exinferum who was looking for a bass player. I played a few shows with them over a couple years, but I wasn't involved in the writing process. During that time I started dating this woman who had an amazing voice, but couldn't find a band to sing in, so I started writing stuff for her to exemplify her vocals. That's how Dark Reverence was born. We were doing something very different than most bands and most musicians around us are flakes, so we didn't bother much to find members. I would just write and record everything and help with lyrics and vocals. Towards the end of our relationship I began focusing and actually working on my solo material which became "The Forest at Dusk."
3. Being a solo project, can you brief us about the writing and recording procedures of your music?
It's grueling, for sure! I usually start with a main guitar riff or a progression that I like and expand upon it. When I come up with a bunch of ideas, I see what works together and record the individual guitar parts. I will then arrange the parts in a way that flows, but leaves room for surprises and other instrumental parts. Once I get an idea of the framework, I will then usually add keyboards for ambiance and added melodies. Drums come after that and lastly the bass because I want to hear what the song still needs and I'll write my bass lines off of what needs accenting and such. Lastly, I'll listen to the song to get a feel for what it should be about. What images are going through my mind as I'm listening. My lyrics are inspired by those images. Once lyrics are complete, I will see if there is any 'dead' space in the music that I feel something else could be happening and I will write a bass solo around that part.
Then I re-record anything necessary (usually guitar) and start the post-production process that is just as hellish.
4. Musically, which bands would you cite as influences regarding the fundamental development of Lord Of Horn’s sound/dynamics?
Emperor, Burzum, Carpathian Forest, and Darkthrone for sure. Throw some marginal Mayhem, Dissection, and Immortal in there, as well.
5. The new album is very raw and aggressive. How are you able to maintain that momentum and intensity?
Thanks!!! My method is simple, if it sucks, don't use it. I'm not afraid to delete a whole song I spent a week on if I don't like it. I may keep some riffs or ideas, but I'm not going to create music that I don't even like. There's also this lingering feeling that since I am only a solo act my music has to be the best it can be. My riffs have to be golden and songs have to hit hard so I am taken seriously. I don't have an elaborate stage show or other members to play around with on stage, so to keep an audience engaged, I have to keep up the intensity.
6. What is the theme of “The Forest At Dusk” you would say? What is your favorite song off the album and why?
The general theme is a loose story arc of someone naively or nonchalantly walking through the woods on a warm summer day without a care. However, when night comes that person is lost and now has to find their way out, but instead they journey deeper. Each song is a new encounter with a specific type of villain. As the album progresses, the traveler starts to embrace their own darkness and by the end they join with the evil legions.
I don't know if I have a favorite song, if I do it changes constantly. I really like "Screams of the Oskorei" for its ambience, the riffs, and the spoken interlude. "Purveyour of the Black Book" is another one I really like. The opening and closing bass lines are fun to play along with the chanting and it's very theatrical for a straightforward black metal song. "Graveless Wraiths" has won me over each time I listen to it. Though it lacks keyboards, it doesn't take away from the intended ambience. There are so many fun riffs and jump scares.
7. How do you record your music? A pro tools set up? Are you self taught or do you have a friend that helps out with the mixes etc?
I don't use pro tools. I use a pirated version of Sony Acid 7. It's basic and easy to use. My engineer taught me how to use it a long time ago and I stuck with it and became very proficient. I knew what I wanted the album to sound like, and I didn't like the way my previous releases were mixed and mastered, so I mixed it all. My engineer mastered it to push it over the line and make everything more theatrical or cinematic, but I worked closely with him to make sure everything would sound just the way I wanted.
8. What is your creative routine? Is there some piece of gear you wouldn’t be able to work without?
I don't really have a routine. Sometimes I just get into a creative phase and a bunch of ideas pour out of me, so I try to write it all down so I can remember for later.
I try to be a minimalist as much as possible, but there is a lot of gear I need to perform live just to equal the energy of a full band. I ordered a BakTrak pedal from England that plays my back tracks because I don't want to have a computer on stage - I think it looks unprofessional and it takes away from the performance. I think that's the most important piece of gear - without it there's no show.
9. Now you have a label, I´ve read your band has been added to the ranks of Sliptrick records label, it was something difficult to achieve? Tell us some details.
Before signing, even before releasing the album I had given up on labels. I was only going to focus on minor PR and gorilla marketing and sell the album from the bandcamp site. Sliptrick reached out to me. I initially never wanted to do physical releases, but they had a good deal that would promote the album far beyond my reach and could help facilitate show and tour opportunities. So, I took a gamble and I'm still waiting to see if the payout was worth it...
10. Care to share any strange hobbies or habits that you may have?
Strange habits or hobbies?... strange question, but sure, when I am thinking I make a variety of actions, like biting certain parts of my fingers or twisting my ears inside my ear canals.
A strange hobby is writing D&D stories for my son and using legos for world-building.
11. As a musician, what would you like to accomplish that you have not been able to achieve yet?
Playing festivals and touring all over the world. Obviously, I would love to perform at Wacken.
12. What have you been listening to lately? Any new and upcoming bands that might have caught your attention?
I listen to a lot of different bands, when I'm promoting other people will share their projects with me. When I play live I'll listen to the other bands, so I'm always getting something new and underground. Many bands have caught my attention, but I can't remember their names off the top of my head, and I apologize to those bands because they are good and I think others will like them.
13. That's all the questions I have for you man. I'll let you have the final words by saying whatever you'd like to our readers out there.
Thanks for taking your time to interview me!! Everyone can check out "The Forest at Dusk" at lordofhorns.bandcamp.com and follow me on facebook and instagram /lordofhorns; tiktok @lord_of_horns; and I have lyric videos up at rumble.com/user/lordofhorns
I hope you all enjoy the album!!! Stay sikk!!
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