... Autumn DOOM QUIZ pt1 with ALUNAH, BLACK CAPRICORN, DRAGONAUTA, PEACEMAKER, QUEEN ELEPHANTINE, etc...

Autumn Doom Quiz – pt.I (by Aleks Evdokimov)

There are too many good bands around, and it’s totally impossible to find enough time for normal review or interview with all of them, and sometimes it’s too boring just to share band’s news as it is. So you already know this method: we take 5 questions and ask some bands to answer.

Two questions about actual deeds:

1. What is the band’s state at the moment? What kind of sinister affairs do band plans to perform for autumn and following months?

2. How did listeners and critics meet band’s last album?

Two next questions are just for fun… Or so I did think:

3. "Paranoid" of Black Sabbath is an iconic song, what in this Earth can turn you paranoid?

4. Who was your childhood hero? What kind of dude did you want to become?

And the last question deals with another Black Sabbath killer-song:

5. Last TV-news reminds me about it – this question is about "War Pigs". What is your opinion about conflict around Syria? Do you see any reasons to justify military intervention of one country in affairs of another country?

Our quiz is opened by pagan and charming Alunah, occult Black Capricorn and cryptic Dragonauta, exalted Ennui and dirty Nahrayan, straightforward and tough Peacemaker, ritualistic Queen Elephantine, cold’n’bold Station Dysthymia and most subtle and crushing Subterranean Disposition. Doom is upon us. As always.

Alunah (UK, doom stoner)

Sophie Day (vocals, guitars)

1. We're busy writing for the 3rd album and doing as many gigs as possible in-between. We have a new bassist Dan, who has already played a few gigs with us and is getting stuck into writing new material with us. The rest of the year sees us recording the new material, and play lost of gigs including ones with the likes of Jex Thoth, GOLD (ex - The Devil's Blood) and Samsara Blues Experiment. We'll also be playing Hard Rock Hell Festival with Black Star Riders (ex - Thin Lizzy), Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Crucified Barbara, Gentleman's Pistols, Black Spiders and loads more.

2. "White Hoarhound" did better than anyone of us thought it would do. We didn't set out to impress anyone with it, nor did we try to force a particular style with it. We wrote the songs that we wanted to hear and play, and it paid off. 99% of the reviews were amazingly positive, we toured it around Europe for 2 weeks and the response from people blew us away. Initially it was released on CD via PsycheDOOMelic Records, and then it attracted the attention of Napalm Records who re-released it on limited edition 12" vinyl. We're very proud of the album, and even more so of the new material we are now writing.

3. Silly things make me paranoid... knowing there's a fat spider in the room, the dog looking up at the ceiling as if there's an apparition that only she can see, walking alone at night, and looking out from the stage at whispering and laughing faces hahaha

4. I didn't really have a childhood hero, I just loved my pop bands. I'm not ashamed to say it either, because I've always loved music regardless of genre! I played musical instruments as a child, I was always in orchestras and I wanted to do it full time... either that or a designer/artist and now I do both so i'm pretty lucky! 

5. I'm not a very political person and am probably not the best informed about these matters. However, I hate the idea of war and of innocent people being killed for reasons that a lot of those involved probably don't even understand. I am glad that the UK is not going to intervene, but I hope that whatever happens helps to prevent the loss of anymore life. On a similar note, I visited Israel a few years ago, and some of the beautiful and awe-inspiring areas I visited have now been destroyed due to conflict. It just makes me so sad that the world is losing these areas of historical and cultural importance, as well as people losing their livelihoods and (in some cases) lives. 

https://www.facebook.com/alunah.doom

http://www.alunah.co.uk/

http://alunah.bandcamp.com/

Black Capricorn (Italy, psychedelic doom)

Fabrizio (guitars, vocals), Rachela (drums) and Virginia (bass)

1. We are working on our 3rd album that will come out we don't know when but for sure in 2014. This autumn we go to see what happen in the island of Malta during the Malta Doom Metal Festival and we play together several good bands coming from around Europe. We also are guest opener for Doom Olver Karalis here in Sardinia.

2. In general we had positive feedback both from listeners and critics. This is pure energy to grow and make something better for the new album.

3. Great song! There are several stuff that turn us paranoid to name a few: dwarf, the message "big brother is watching you" is the strongest paranoid stuff ahah

4. Rachela heroes: Bud Spencer and Terence Hill.

Fabrizio: Ataru Moroboshi.

Virginia:...... zZz

5. About Syria and other location that are in the same situation is very hard to say. Each parts involved have the truth in their hands and try to preveal each others.

We say that there is no limit to human stupidity, and all the Leaders are cowards becuae they hidden the real puropse to attck behind the peace flag or the right to defend theirselves from aggressors!

https://www.facebook.com/BlackCapricorn666

http://blackcapricorn666.blogspot.ru/

Dragonauta (Argentina, psychedelic doom stoner)

Alejandro Ghoulmez (guitars)

*Photo by Mariano Rodriguez Alvarez

1. We have just released a new album Omega Pentagram, recorded in 8 inch tape like the old days, and we are doing bigger and better gigs in Buenos Aires. Also we are planing to record some new songs next december with Billy Anderson.

2. Pretty good and outstanding. I have read some comparisons to High on Fire, but the thing is we do not listen to them very much. We are into voivod, enslaved or mercyful fate.

3. What in this Earth can turn me paranoid? Airports.

4. Brian May, Ace Frehley Julian Cope and Alice Cooper... forward-thinking motherfuckers. I did not wanted to become a music rock and roll o or metal writer, I just wanted to play more and record more and more. I wanted to become what I am trying to become: a happy forward-thinking motherfucker.

5. I don´t think there is ANY reason to "military do" anything in this planet and universe.

             

https://www.facebook.com/pages/dragonauta/61921276387

http://dragonauta.bandcamp.com/

Ennui (Georgia, funeral doom)

David Unsaved (guitars, vocals, keyboards) and Sergei Shengelia (bass, drums, guitars, keyboards)

1. The situation in the band is stable. We've just finished working on our second album. We've brought every single detail to perfection through the last six months and now the album is ready to be released, the only thing left is the cover design and the album will be presented to our audience pretty soon. Actually, these are our sinister plans for the autumn. As for the subsequent months - we are discussing certain plans of recording split albums, however it is still too early to talk about those plans for the moment.

2. Our latest, or more precisely, the debut album "Mze Ukunisa" that was issued on October 30, 2012, was received surprisingly well by critics and the metal audience. We didn't really expect such positive comments and reviews. We've still been receiving mails and messages with positive remarks and warm wishes towards our band. We are confident that the second album will be received just as well, as the first one.

3. Absolutely nothing, as I'm already a paranoid for the long time. I'm far more concerned with the things that can bring me out of my paranoid state of mind.

4. Frankly, I had a lot of childhood heroes, and all of them were rock musicians who drove me crazy. Accordingly, I always dreamt of being into rock music, wanted to play guitar and sing in a band... I don't know how close I reached to my dream, but I keep trying.

5. David: Speaking honestly, I'm far from politics. I think that my opinion won't change anything in this world, so I'd rather abstain from answering to this complex political question.

Sergei: "The current geopolitical situation in the world is so tense, that one more armed conflict can serve as a trigger to massive unreast in the Middle East and possibly turn into a global interconfessional conflict. It is still yet unclear what role will Russia play in that obscure conflict. So, I think the United States should give one more chance to a peace and start a military intervention in Syria only in a case if Assad launches an offensive using a mass destruction weapon against the civil population once again."

https://www.facebook.com/bandEnnui

http://ennui-funeral.bandcamp.com/

http://vk.com/club42295047

Nahrayan (Spain, sludge death doom)

Miguel Fernández  (drums)

1. Well, Nahrayan is not a typical band. We were active with a regular line up since 2,000 to 2,006, and we returned as a two members band in 2,012. And now we are “undead”. We are more dedicated to our another projects, especially we are working hard on Hela, a doom band with female vocals. We released our first album in June this year and we are working in a mini tour in Spain and in new songs to release a split in 2,014. Also we have another projects active.  I´m (Miguel) gonna record the first album of a doom metal band in which  I´m working and together Julian and me we´re gonna start soon with Quebranto, a new band that will be the dark side of Nahrayan, without light, only the darkness that Nahrayan has. After that, maybe in the future we will gonna start to work again in new Nahrayan songs.

2. The beginning of the end – the end of the beginning was one of the best metal album here in Spain the last year, of that´s what listeners and critics said. We only receive a couple of bad reviews, but the rest were excellent, really. We are really proud of that album ,we worked really hard on it and we did it from our heart, and the listeners and critics, the most of them, understood and felt that. And the prize was appear in a lot of lists, the typical lists of the end of the year, “the best of...”

After that, this year we upload in the anniversary of the release, a new instrumental version on bandcamp, that everyone could download for free.

3. We hate lies and hypocrisy, you know...that´s a typical answer, but it is true, but what we hate the most is the people without determination. Practice what you preach, if you say something, do it! Especially in bands, if you don´t have this determination I´m talking I will start to be a paranoid.
And now, more seriously talking...in Spain we are living a hard situation. We have one on the worst politic class in the world, all corrupted, all liars, there´s no money, no jobs...the situation is really hard for a lot of people and that situation makes us feel sad, we feel rage and hate. That not will turn us paranoid, maybe will turn us murderers...or victims...

4. I have no heroes. Maybe fiction heroes, from comics or cartoons. Fictional heroes who showed me the importance of friendship, loyalty or honor. Lost values in this time of corruption, lies and wars.

I want to become what I am. A guy that loves music, and never will betray his family, true friends and values.

5. In the last year or so, I was trying not to see tv news. I hate it. When I see news, most of the time I want to cry. What syrian people is living is a fucking hell. War is the biggest shit in this fucking world, and is always the same shit, innocent people dying because of the interests of politicians and religious people. Fuck all of them, Fuck politics, fuck religion and fuck money and oil. And fuck USA government. Why they are always involved in wars?? I mean, I obviously don´t like what I see in Syria, children dying and all that shit, but man...nobody wants a war, and USA are the first country to say, hey, we must send the army there!
Fuck this world, seriously. If we kill every single politic, we erase all religions and we torture business man, the world would a better place.

https://www.facebook.com/nahrayan

http://nahrayan.bandcamp.com/

Peacemaker (UK, doom metal)

Rich Maw (drums)

1. The band has not been that active recently; just rehearsing a little- we have four tracks written and ready to record for an EP. Hopefully this will be done over the Autumn and we can get it out there for next year at some point.

2. We were surprised and pleased with the reaction to our album "Cult .45" We had great and positive reviews from everybody- critics and fans. Our thanks go out to anybody who bought or even stole the record and anyone who reviewed it. Cheers!

3. I cannot speak collectively for the band, but certainly what would make me paranoid is a difficult question to answer. I would have to say probably the constant fear of death- it may be just around the corner!

4. Childhood hero? The Hulk and Spiderman. Becoming a superhero never happened, sadly, but from age 11 musicians were my heroes. I am glad to say that I almost became a musician- but settled for being a drummer (!).

5. I am just not qualified to answer this. Our front man, Al will have a more informed perspective on this as he has family roots in Syria. On a general political level, a government can choose inaction and not get involved or it can be interventionist and step in. Either option can be correct if done for the right reasons. Unfortunately, government and politicians are inherently corrupt and self serving, so any actions taken will be in their best interests and therefore flawed. I hope these answers are satisfactory! Hail! Rich, on behalf of Peacemaker

https://www.facebook.com/peacemakerdoom

http://peacemakerdoom.bandcamp.com/

Queen Elephantine (USA, psychedelic doom)

Indrayudh Shome

1. We have just released our fourth album Scarab a few months back and are still working on getting the word out. We have a few shows going on: just played an acoustic/fusion set at a cultural festival in Rhode Island, playing an experimental festival next week in New York, and then doing a little tour with It’s Not Night: It’s Space. Also playing with Blaak Heat Shujaa in November, which I am excited about, as their new material seems pretty great.

2. So far we have gotten a pretty positive response to Scarab. Many of our dedicated listeners over the years are saying this is our best yet, so that means the most. It is definitely our most deliberate and least improvised album, as far as a band coming together to really write and rehearse every moment.

3. The only thing which really gets me paranoid at times is that I don’t have much money, and while most of the time this doesn’t bother me, but if my parents get sick, or I get sick, it is my responsibility to take care of that, and we don’t have any backup.

4. Originally probably Batman. Then in my teen years onwards, people like William S. Burroughs, LaMonte Young. But I must be careful in having so many bitter, angsty role-models. I hope I can dedicate myself as fully as they do, but I also hope to understand the universe and be content with life, maybe as many Indian Classical musicians, like Bismillah Khan and Bhimsen Joshi, have really managed to play the deepest, most mournful music and still live in a state of spiritual bliss.

5. Man, of course this is a tough one. On the one hand, sometimes, sure. It makes sense and is heroic. So if the USA really meant what they said, and if their track record could back it up, maybe I would support it. But they’re lying. Even if they’re telling the truth, they have given us too many reasons to never believe them. They have a horrible record for being liars, having a lot of vested interests, hardly helping anything, and if anything, creating a much deeper problem. It’s hard to ignore the fact that most of the US’s last attacks in this vain have been against groups that the US itself has supported and armed. Truly War Pigs.

         

https://www.facebook.com/queenelephantine

http://queenelephantine.bandcamp.com/

Station Dysthymia (Russia, funeral doom)

Andrei (vocals/bass)

1. Only half the band is in Novosibirsk at this moment, so for now it’s all about writing new stuff to take a hack at during rehearsals that will resume in early 2014. Really hope to raise enough money for the next album’s budget, as well some equipment upgrades.

All of this in the most sinister fashion, of course.

2. Pretty damn well! Got some exposure in Metalsucks, MetalLibrary, Terrorizer and Noisey, to mention the major outlets. Most do say our new album is not an easy listen; that it is hard to get into. Just as planned! 

3. Never been of the paranoid sort. No sense to explain as conspiracy what you can explain as good old stupidity, you know? I do have obsessive thoughts – I feel compelled to explore every possible outcome of whatever I’m dealing with, which might seem as paranoia to other people. Fact is, I just have to be thinking about something, whatever - otherwise I default to inevitability of death, existential dread and Weltschmerz. Fortunately, there’s a whole lot of stuff to distract me from that. 

4. Nikola fucking Tesla, man. The dude who singlehandedly invented the XX century. His genius and focus is an outstanding example of thought shaping reality. Many liberal arts majors are trying to do the same by applying post-modernist thought to actual science, and fail miserably.

Also, fuck Edison.

5. It’s naïve to assume a military intervention is anything else than “protection of our interests abroad”. You might be for or against the Syrian government, but you can’t believe in justice being the intention behind other nations’ posturing on the international arena. There’s one loser in this war, and that’s the people of Syria, whatever the outcome. It’s not “war just for fun”, it’s unadulterated war profiteering.

https://www.facebook.com/StationDysthymia

http://stationdysthymia.bandcamp.com/

http://vk.com/pohoronnyrock

Subterranean Disposition (Australia, death doom)

Terry Vainoras (all instruments and vocals)

1. Being a solo project that plays live with guest musicians infrequently, things have been quiet after the release of the debut album late last year and then an Australian tour earlier this year. However there is new music on the near horizon, two new Subterranean Disposition recordings will be released exclusively on our label's -  (Hypnotic Dirge Records) - 2013 label compilation in the coming months...

The first is a demo track taken from the sophomore album "Soundtracks for the Landscapes of failure " which will be recorded and released in 2014. The second track is a Doom Death cover version of a Madonna song!! Make no mistake, this version has a Massive Doom feel throughout, if you did not know of the song it would mistaken for an S.D original!!

2. Our debut self titled album was received very well from critics and fans alike, I feel like most reviewers and also from fans feedback that people understood and enjoyed where I was attempting to expand upon a tried, tested and true sound.

3. A sure fire way straight to paranoia for me personally would be the intake of a large quantity of weed in a short amount of time!! Hence the reason why I do not indulge anymore :)

4. When I was growing up too things really spoke to me: skateboarding and music. My Hero's were the ones who had a style all their own that was instantly recognizable... I guess what I wanted to do with my life was express myself through these mediums and as my idols did, put my own voice and character into what I was doing.

5. I don't normally address political issues, all I can really say is military intervention is always portrayed in the media as a defensive motive, where in most cases it is global bullying by aggressors clothed as victims with a hidden motive of wealth and/or control.

https://www.facebook.com/SubterraneanDisposition

http://hypnoticdirgerecords.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled