Interviews-serie "WIVES ov DOOM" pt4 with RITUALS OF THE OAK, FIRE FAITHFUL and RITUALS

Here's a new episode (the 4th) from "The WIVES ov DOOM", 

HUGE thanx to Sabine, Melissa and Monique for their participation, again very interesting... No surprise concerning Sabine about that but we've got here women who love Doom and that's really cool :)

As always, find below the links to previous episodes in case you missed any of them... but just keep in mind that there's no obligation to start by episode 1 to understand the purpose and interest of this serie !!! 
Episode 1 with Susan "Soggy Bog" and Ronnie "Sigirya" 

Episode 2 with Sarah "Atolah", Soph "Alunah" and Sam"Ice Dragon"
Episode 3 with Corinne "Ripple Music" and Christine "Days of the Doomed"

Questions asked :

1) I wanted to know which are your feelings towards the passion of Mister for Doom and Heavy musics in general... Could they be slow and gloomy or fast and brutal, how do you enjoy these weird sounds ? Do you sometimes take vengeance and play crappy Pop stuff just to piss him off ?

2) Are you proud of what he's doing with his band/blog/Radioshow ?!! Do you think this is more rewarding to play in a respected but underground Doom band than playing shit in a wellknown band ? Do you think playing Doom is necessay to his equilibrium and maybe that only this kind of music can bring him what he needs or is looking for ?

3) Does he still have enough time for both houseworks and cuddles, or sometimes there's difficult choice to make between both ?!

4) When he's listening music with headphones, computering on the net, practising with his band, playing gigs far away... do you feel alone quickly or is it an opportunity for you to meet friends/parents, make some things you enjoy but can't do together, etc... ?

Sabine ( vocalist in RITUALS OF THE OAK, engaged with Shane Linfoot, also guitarist in the band)

1) If anything, I’m the one who’s more passionate about heavy music; Shane loves every music genre under the sun particularly funk, blues and 70’s rock. He is also a doom fiend, but nowadays has a somewhat diminished tolerance for extreme metal, while I love that shit! But as far as doom goes, we share a lot of common grounds there so I’m very much appreciative of his passion for the slowness!

No bad crappy pop is played at our house! Only the finest of the crappy pop ala Rick Astley! That usually goes on when beers are flowing and bongs are in presence, just to have a laugh!

2) Knowing how much of a wide variety of music Shane loves, I’d say Music in general is necessary for his equilibrium! I very much love the music he’s written so far. So I’m very much proud of him but mostly I’m thankful that I get to sing on these songs I very much enjoy!

3) Shane is both a master of chores and cuddles! He has a bizarre ability to clean up super fast. It’s not like he’s going to let cleaning take away from cuddling time anyways… definitely not cleaning! Maybe music though.

4) We’re used to giving each other alone time: Shane usually spends his whole time recording in the spare room, while I either catch up with my ladies or watch shitty tv or read. And afterwards we meet up in the lounge room to down a few beers and listen to some records or we curl up in bed watching documentaries! That’s probably my favourite passtime!

Melissa (engaged with Brandon Malone of FIRE FAITHFUL)

1) Our relationship was founded on our mutual love for the same music 13 years ago. It excites us both to discover some new band, and play it over and over all night long... Sleep's Jersualem pretty much changed our lives. We saw the St.Vitus reunion in NOLA back in 2009, and were like giddy children. It has always been about the music with us. His level of passion towards his own music is an inspiration, and I love the music that Fire Faithful is creating. So much so, that I have lent back up vocals to a couple songs, something I thought I would NEVER do in a million years.

2) I am beyond proud of him, I think he is a brilliant lyricist, and a gifted singer. The underground is where it's at for this kind of music, I hate ampitheatres and overblown shows. Give me a seedy dark club with cheap beer anyday, just as long as the sound is good! Brandon could probably find happiness singing/playing a lot of types of music, however "Doom" seems to fit his personality...I do know that without FF, we would be driving around the U.S in a van eating out of dumpsters, dropping acid and recruiting "family members", but thankfully we have the "family band" to keep him satisfied. For now....

3) It was tricky at the beginning, however Fire Faithful is just as much of a top priority as our home life is. Sacrifices have to be made, and he doesn't always have time to mow the lawn or take out the trash, sometimes he just comes home from work to change and eat, and has to go right back out. I certainly am not going to cry if he has to practice, or record. I chose to be with a musician, and sometimes, it's all about seizing certain opportunities. I never want Brandon to think he has to make a choice between home and music. Home for Brandon is refuge from the world that he tends to despise, and I like to think I provide that enivornment for him. That being said, Brandon is definitely the typical fix-it husband though, and is forever attending to the needs of our old house. I'm the domestic one and tend to "mother" everyone. For years now I have hosted Sunday Ritual Dinners, which have become a family band tradition. Since Fire Faithful does everything themselves, these Sundays are an effective way to plan and brainstorm over projects. We have a great partnership, and our kids (Savannah 10 and Dylan 6) are totally supportive of the bands endeavors, they only wish they could attend more shows! When we are not in band mode we are in kid mode, and do everything in our power to be there for them as well. They are so understanding when we have to go or out of town, or I have not missed a Fire Faithful show/tour yet, we are very fortunate to have an extensive support system that allows me to travel with the band.

4) I am not so insecure that I cannot enjoy a little alone time, in fact I look forward to it. It is important for Brandon to have that too, especially during the writing process. We understand each others need to be creative, and try to accomodate on another. My passion is to photographing bands, so even at shows I have my own thing going on, separate from everything else. I have had the opportunity to shoot so many of my favorite bands here in Richmond and on the road, and Brandon and the guys in Fire Faithful are very supportive of my photography and I am very thankful for that.

(have a look on her killer photography site : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Valkyrie-Photography/128904240457985)

Monique (engaged with Gregory Colson of RITUALS)

1) My name is Monique, I am 27 and I am currently engaged to G.Colson of RITUALS

we have 2 little pugs and a wonderful son on the way!!!

I like that Greg is into heavy music. We actually met and fell in love with each other over our common bond of music. It's one of the most important things to us. We have been to so many shows together and spent so much time together listening to music. As for me I am into a various mixture of slow and gloomy as well as fast, and brutal. Some of my favorite bands are: Pentagram, 40 Watt Sun/Warning, Sleep, Om, Gates of Slumber, Candlemass, Lord Vicar and anything Wino is in. Also I will admit that at times I will play horrible 80's goth/darkwave music to piss him off like: Xeno & Oaklander, Christian Death, Dead Can Dance and so on, I also love a lot of brit-pop like, The Smiths, Morrissey, Pulp, and Blur, Curve.

2) I am very proud of all of his accomplishments within RITUALS. The most rewarding thing is that he's doing what he loves and it seems doom/heavy music in general is what makes him happy. He has always been this way and has always been more of a person that respects "underground" music and works within those circles, rather than playing "shit" commercial music. We both feel very strongly that it's more important to support a more underground D.I.Y. lifestyle and culture.

3) Well, there are definitely times when I get jealous. Between recording, shows, out of town trips and practice. I do feel a little pushed to the side. But I know this is what he loves and he must do it to function. He takes amazing care of our little family. He's always doing things for me to remind me of how much he care's on a regular basis. So for the most part it balances out in the end. Music is a big part of our life and will always be.

4) I do get lonely when he's away but I fill all that time with Pug cuddles. They keep me distracted and happy!! I understand why he's doing it and he does send me lots of awesome pictures. In fact I used to go with him to lots of shows quite a bit in and out of town but with our Pugs and little one on way I spend a lot more time now with my family and close friends.

an Interview with Brandon Malone of FIRE FAITHFUL

This quatuor hailing from Virginia recently released their self-financed debut album entitled "Please Accept this Invocation"... one of the very best surprises of this year so far !!! Not easy to classify in a precise branch, FIRE FAITHFUL plays a very solid blend of Southern/Stoner Metal with a special Doomy touch. Something very heavy, dowtuned and handsome that should easily catch the attention of fans from  Hail! Hornet, King Giant, but also Earthride or War Injun for those amazing doomy moods and the excellent vocals of Brandon Malone. 
In order to know more about this new rising force, I've asked a dozen of questions to Brandon, a real charismatic frontman, humble, talented, breathing true and warm  Southern Stoner Rock... 

First, thanx for accepting this interview Brandon... Could you please do a bit of history about FIRE FAITHFUL : when did you form and why did you choose this name ? Did the fact of forming F.F. represent something different from your previous experiences ? 
Fire Faithful formed in 2009 and I guess you could say morphed out of Southern Vein. We landed on the name Fire Faithful because it was actually a song we wrote, lyrically based off the 70's horror flick, "The brotherhood of Satan", which is about a family that gets stranded in a town where a cult of geriatric satanists use children to do satan's bidding. They are the Fire Faithful. 

I've read that your bassist left just before the recording of the album which implied that Shane (guit) handle all the bass parts on "please accept this invocation", did you find Jon Bone easily after ?

It was our guitarist Dave Marrs who departed from the band on good terms I like to think. We are still great friends and we love him. So yes that did leave Shane,who was the bassist before, to handle all the strings on the recording....and he ripped some ass man.  Jon and I work at the same building, that's how we met about 3 years ago. We flirted with the idea of jamming last summer when we were going through some lineup changes but it just wasn't the right time. However now is the right time and he's THE GUY man let me tell you. Great dude, great bass player.

Was it something easy or rather difficult to place the 8 songs in order ? you know I dig the album in its entirety but  I ask this because personally I would have not placed "a devil's in London" as opener, I think the burning "alone with a stranger" would have been better instead, what's your opinion ? 

I must have sent you the songs in the wrong order. The order should be: Please accept this Invocation, Dollar bottomed out, A Devil in London, Disgust is a Must, Enter the Monster, Flamingo, WonTon Lavey, and Alone with a Stranger. The idea was to put Invocation first to set the mood. The album is all about the mood.

You qualify your style as Ultra Sonic Doom Metal which can retranscribe a part of your sound but it also includes quite many Southern and Stoner tones... are labels important to you or is mainly just r'n'r ?! Are you proud when you read references to Earthride, War Injun, Hail! Hornet or Alabama Thunderpussy ? 

Rock and roll no doubt. obviously we consider ourselves a doom/stoner band, but we just try to write good songs. And those songs will always be on the heavier side. It gives me the warm and fuzzies to be mentioned in the same sentence with those bands man. Like popping a percocet with a shot o whiskey.

One of  the main  distinctive force of F.F. concerns your vocals, there's lots of variation in your way of singing, from the traditional whiskey-soaked southern style to something more agressive in parts and croony in others;  the song "please accept this invocation" could be the most distinctive in terms of crooning, it sounds like you're locked up in a dark, confined and sticky place... does it need a special work or  state of mind ?

Yeah I was really trying something new on that song. I had a Danzig III feeling when Shane brought those riffs to the table. Again very moody ya know. Vince Burke's wisdom was a big help too man. It is a state of mind. When I write, I come up with a general theme for a song then I will find a place in my head, and I will think about what I would smell in that place or situation, or what I would see, or hear. All senses aroused. That's how I write most of the time and I'm always trying to find new ways to deliver it.

Speaking again about the title track, I think its first part shows a bit different tones to my ears, sounding more like "desert rock" stuff reminding some cool Brant Bjork, this is more intimistic and strangely a bit more  luminous and warm at the same time, how do you see this song and why did you choose it as the title for the album ?

I came up with it as the album title before we wrote the song. I like plays on words haha. When we wrote the song it was a couple days before we were going to Vince's and were at practice and thinking that we really needed one more track for the album and thought it should be like an intro thing. So Shane I think had just kinda came up with a couple of those parts and I started bullshitting over it and then Joss kicked in and it was written and tight in like an hour. And it's been getting some of the best feed back, it's crazy and very cool.

Vince Burke from Hail! Hornet and Beaten Back to Pure is credited for the production work of the album, did you personally know him previously ? how did this happen ?
Everybody knows Vince, haha, his resume speaks for itself. But no we didn't know him before, just new of him and had seen him around the scene. I got Vince's number from Willy(Lord, Ol scratch), cause Lord had just recorded "Chief" (which is badass), called him up and he was very accomodating. It was a great experience.

You have done a video for the song "Wonton Lavey", was it filmed at your rehearsal place ? was it  made by friends of yours or did you work with some people from outside your environment ? 

The video was made by the family. we are a family band. helter skelter. Shane took a self crash course on video shooting. Shane is the type of guy who will take on a challenge that he's never done before and nail it every time. He's one of the smartest and most motivated people I have ever met and I'm proud to call him a friend and a bandmate. My wife also setup the perfect altar table I might add and our friends came through for us in a major way. We shot it at our friend Travis grandparents' barn. He showed them the video  and they said we were satanists and that he was going to hell for helping us. haha, mission accomplished.

You guys know and have played with quite many great bands, have released a very consistant album for a debut but for the moment the name of F.F. is still pretty unknown in the worldwide scene... are you working on this ?  do you maybe think you should need some help from  a promotional agency or something ? 

We are working hard on spreading our stuff to the masses if they'll have us. We are pretty DIY at this point. Some of that from choice but some from necessity. Help would be tits though.

I know you're going to play at the next SHOD fest  , do you have good memories of last year edition ? Any other gigs planed ? If you had to choose one foreign country to play in first, which one would it be ?

SHOD was a blast. Went for the whole fest, partied the WHOLE fest. Played a tight set that Sunday. So many impressive bands. We are thrilled to be doing it again this year. That was the first time I heard Weed is Weed. that was a highlight. We are playing the Heinzmann benefit at the 611 cafe in Fredrick Maryland on June 30th. We are also working on some dates around SHOD up the east coast. Might be hooking up with Borracho and Kingsnake on that. I'm dying to play in Europe first, no question.

Lyrically wise you deal with Occult and Drugs stuff... it makes me think that on your FB page you mention Electric Wizard and Weedeater in the bands that count for you, which I think is not really obvious musically but maybe they've had an influence on the lyrics ?

Yeah lyrically I draw alot from the occult and horror/cult films. And sometimes just whatever life has thrown at me. 

You've recently posted a new song "Organized Occult Love" for an upcoming ep , can you tell more about this new stuff ? will it be released by yourselves or a label ? Do you feel the band is in a very productive era and maybe(at least musically) the most difficult is behind you ? 
We have demoed out three songs that will be released in succession over three weeks. "Organized Occult Love" we put out last week. "Harvest Rune" I believe was going up today, so look for that. And lastly " King Macabre" next week. Just to put a taste test out there ya know. We plan on recording an ep or possibly another full length late June with Garrett Morris from Windhand at the controls. These three songs should end up on it and we are really looking forward to working with Garrett. I do feel like this is the most productive this band has ever been. We've had alot of struggle with this band as most bands do and it feels good to be over the humps.

Ok Brandon thanx for your time, maybe I forgot something important so here's your chance to add what you want and then end this intie... 

Well first I want to thank you for taking the time to chat with me Steph! Your support is greatly appreciated. I want to thank High on Fire for putting out their new album. it has served me well. I want to thank my band and friends. I'd like to say R.I.P Levon Helm. And much love to my wife, kids, and family. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fire-Faithful/301051430223

http://www.reverbnation.com/firefaithful#!

FIRE FAITHFUL

A few lines to present this awesome band from Virginia, formerly known as Southern Vein, which released a cool split album ("refuge for the recluse") with LORD last year.I don't know why they changed their name but the previous name perfectly fited their sound, well now this new one sounds cool too ! FIRE FAITHFUL plays some excellent Stoner Metal enriched by quite many southern touches; something extremely heavy and catchy, explosive with very incisive guitars which could remind the dynamic of Alabama Thunderpussy or Solace, while Down, High on Fire, Sabbath or even Goatsnake are certainly other great influences. Vocals by Brandon Malone are clearly metal, but very cohesive with the music, hot, angry, groovy at the same time, a guy that has huge abilities... The band is actually refining its repertory (about 12 songs) before entering the studio for a full lenght album in August, this same month they will take part at the Stoner Hands of Doom XI with TGoS, Earthride, Blood Farmers, Pale Divine, etc... This is not doom like these bands mentioned but F.F. won't break in terms of quality on such an excellent bill and the album will certainly confirm this easily...

http://www.myspace.com/firefaithful
http://www.reverbnation.com/firefaithful