Reverie 2008 interview
Greetings unknown, please introduce your band to the readers. Where do you reside? What has been your motivation to start Reverie? When was it formed and how came all into existence?
The music of Reverie was designed purposely not to be placed into a specific category... rather to be a myriad of dark intense music. I did not want to limit the spectrum of musical styles that I play and limit myself to one style of personal expression. It was a goal of mine to mix pieces of various styles of music while keeping the music always dark.
Reverie was started in 2003 I grew tired of the black and death metal scene and the same old recipes of music inspired by the same sources, and felt it was time to break away from the scene and craft my own sound. I did not want to sound like any other band or have a typical sound even in the recording for any specific style. I could not find the rite people who where dedicated and shared the same musical, metaphysical vision I have, so I decided I would create my music alone. I have no connections to any scene what so ever and have drifted in and out of different states in USA. Currently I reside deep within the rocky mountains of Montana.
Is there a special meaning behind your band name; an idea, a concept? How is this reflected throughout your art?
Reverie is a state of being lost in a dream/day dream/memory/thought. To drift away from consciousness into the realm of dreams has always been a state of creation for me and this dream world is where I travel to write music. The Name fit into the artwork, and also fit as a title of the music naturally to me. To lose oneself in a mysterious dream like state and to let go of consciousness is what I have seeked out in music, and the word reverie seemed to fit this mold.
Left aside of the name, what other influences would you consider as important when it comes to create your art? In terms of music, literatur and other forms of art would you refer to as inspiring?
Isolation, the vast cosmos, isolated land-scapes, abandonment, misanthropy, metaphysics, dreams, enlightenment of the minds eye, astral traveling, the death of mankind as we know it. Naturalism, hidden truths, near death experiences, cosmic gateways to other dimensions, detachment and abandonment of humanity. Reaching to higher planes of spiritual awareness. Musically reverie has roots in and is influenced by a wide range of. black metal, doom metal, dark metal, death metal, neo folk, avant grade rock and metal, post rock, funeral doom, drone doom, dark ambient, heavy metal, thrash metal, progressive rock and metal, shred guitar, Celtic acoustic, blues, classical acoustic, dark jazz etc.
I dont find a lot of art (painting, drawing), books, or film to be inspiring to me personally. Mostly it would be landscapes and places I have been to, feelings and emotions I have had, distant ghost like memories, Things you can quite touch feel or perceive that have a strong over arching presence, the intangible. The only art that I would consider influential would be music, and David Lynch films.
Beyond this man made aspects, what about nature and spirituality. You use terms like «isolation, the vast cosmos, isolated landscapes, abandonment, misanthropy, metaphysics» on your MySpace site. How could someone find these in your music?
This is everything the lyrics and artwork are about, however I dont print the lyrics... so as in life these aspects remain hidden. Few will find them, or understand them.
Could you lay out to the readers the process of how you create your art and perhaps also how your influences come into play? Should someone try to push for progress or wait for an inspiration and the right mood?
I go into a dream like state to create the songs on guitar, yet writing all the guitar parts and to make everything fit and sound rite is a lot of practicing and work. Once everything is written on guitar I practice and work hard on timing and precision. The lyrics are a completely separate process and are written as rituals. The artwork happens to be photo's I take in those dream like inspiring landscapes and places I find that I feel fits the music and captures the feel and mood of the songs. And I melt everything together and fit all the pieces of the puzzle into place to form the final work. I always wait for inspiration and the right mood, it is also important to have a message or something that is portrayed by the music. To just push for progress and make music for the sake of making music renders dull pointless art that stands for nothing.
When you sent me your CD, I found an analogue photography added. As I do these particular kind photos myself, I am curious to know if this 'old fashioned' way of making them means something special to you. Or should we all switch to digital and abandon the old techniques?
I do respect the old ways and do see how film is more so an art form compared to digital. However I have switched recently to digital haha. I simply cant afford film anymore, so I see the benefits and pitfalls of both.
To stretch the topic a little bit further, what about tape and vinyl vs. CD, DVD etc.? Is there something you prefer? Please explain us your reasons.
This is an interesting question. I prefer vinyl, I enjoy the larger than life artwork and the more so hands on process of flipping the record. I dont watch T.V. and havent owned a T.V. for years so for entertainment I sit in front of my old fashioned wooden record player and dive into the art work and listen to albums in their entirety. However I only own vinyls of albums that are special to me, I have everything else on cd... and I listen to cds the same way with all my attention the whole way threw. I just happen to prefer the rich analog sound and crackle of vinyl. I think cassettes are shit and have an inferior bad over all sound. I use to own many cassettes and the tape would always degrade and would sound terrible after some years. As for DVD I own few movies and or shows, and I dont own any DVD audio CDS. I hardly watch anything and am a more so audio focused person so I dont have many thoughts for or against DVD's.
Let us talk a bit about your music. Why did you choose black metal as a genre? What do you associate with it and how does it suit your purpose of writing music?
Black metal is more so the root of the music, the themes and concepts of the music would fit into dark metal a bit more perhaps. But black metal was always the musical form closest to me that I could relate to the most and that I know and listen to the most so it came natural. However I wanted to break away from the close mindedness of a lot of black metal and the same old influences/lyrics, and sound of most black metal bands. The style of black metal fits well for me as a vessel to express the lyrical rituals I write, and when I write riffs on guitar the black metal aesthetic comes the most natural for me. Black metal is a bit more so dedicated and hidden than most metal forms, and most of the time deals with a more so deep lyrical theme and concept. Another aspect unique to black metal is almost only in this genre do musicians actually live what they write; it is a way of life, a state of mind, and a dedication. This fits the relationship I have to my music and lyrics
Unlike a lot of black metal bands, you do not use a typical type of pseudonym and also no symbols are used in your logo and your album. What makes you avoid these aspects of the genre? Is there a chance to see them implemented later?
I think the over arching rock star like ego and image in a lot of black metal is pathetic and ridiculous, so I chose not to use a typical " lord so and so" type pseudonym or picture of me dressed up in leather with spikes and blood. I prefer to not be associated with my music and prefer to remain a mystery for I want the listener to make the music into their own unique experience. The pseudonym is a bit of a play on words I was originally thinking of not printing anything or using any name what so ever. Yet the name unknown is a name, and is still completely unknown not giving any hint at who I am... a paradox that I felt fit in irony. As far as symbols you may see some in my future works.
You use acoustic parts in your music and as your topics are also related to nature, what would your opinion be on the issue of field-recordings in black metal; like Vinterriket uses them for example? Would this be something you might consider to add to your compositions on forthcoming releases?
I welcome field recordings or traditional instruments in black metal music. I enjoy the works of Vinterriket and feel that field recordings are a unique way of capturing nature and adding to atmosphere instead of using synthetic keyboards. However I am not sure if Reverie will ever have field recordings. I dont do these sorts of things or own any recording devices, so it would depend on the fact of a future possible band member doing this.
How would you describe your album? What kind of sound and atmosphere could someone expect on it.
The isolation album was designed to be a mix of dark, black, thrash, doom, death metal with a myriad of other influences. It was also a goal to not sound like any other band and to be diverse with style and offer something original while keeping the music dark and rooted in black metal. The atmosphere presented would be that of the aesthetics found in the album, however not just any eye could pick up what it is that is being portrayed by the aesthetics found in the album. The isolation album is a journey away from humanity and society leading deep into the wilderness to find the cosmic gateways to other dimensions of enlightenment. The sound is a bit more so modern and polished in order to have every riff be heard clearly and let the music stand for itself and not be changed by the production or sound engineering.
You already announce a release for the next year and is it possible for you to give us some hints on what will make it different from your debut?
What I will say is that Reverie will have a new sound, and this next album will be 100 times better than the 1st album.
How have been the responses (fans, labels, magazines) on your self-titled debut been?
It has been hard since this 1st album was self released and did not have the support from a record label with promotion etc. I did not send the album to any zines, magazines, or websites/webzines, so really you are the only person who has reviewed it! However I have had a lot of great responses from people who have heard some of the songs on myspace, or people that have gotten the cd. As for labels I must have sent the cd out to about 80 record labels and only 4 labels replied back. What was interesting is that the label Reverie ended up signing to found me via the reverie myspace site out of the blue and I hadnt sent them a CD or contacted them prior... I didnt even know of the label. So the label (atmf records) ended up liking the music and we decided to work together and signed a contract.
Are there any chances to see more members joining your band or do you want Reverie to stay one-man-band? Are there any beneficiaries that can be gained from this minimalist line-up?
I think about this issue a lot... I would like to find a full line up some day. There are many benefits and pit falls to a full line up and one man band. I have a very specific musical metaphysical vision that I want represented with a specific aesthetic. I have never found or known any musicians who are dedicated and talented who also share these visions with me. If I found the rite people it would be amazing to collaborate and then be able to create music together in a live setting. However with my standards being a bit hard to fulfill, If I brought other people into the band who did not understand and live the philosophy of the music I would have to be a complete dictator and that is painful to deal with both for other musicians and for myself. The benefits of working alone gives me complete control of the sound and music so I can create my art the way it was met to be without outside influences watering down the final product. However I cant play live and have to work much harder to do everything alone and it is very expensive to pay for a studio and session drummer. The bottom line is that I wont settle for anything or lower my standards for another musician and it is just very hard to find like minded individuals who share my musical vision and who would fit the part.
What about the ever-growing number of side-projects? Do you plan to start one, too, or do you want to concentrate all your energies on Reverie?
I enjoy a lot of side projects and understand that some bands or projects cant represent every aspect and style of expression of a diverse and or well rounded musician. I would like to do some side projects and join other bands in the future. But nothing is in the works at this moment other than the next Reverie album. In September of 2009 I am moving to Maryland USA and will start to look for and contact other musicians so there is the possibility of another member joining Reverie then, a side project, or me joining another band.
Which albums (metal/non-metal) do you see as essential?
for metal albums I would say; the 3 agalloch full length albums, the 1st 3 ulver albums, in the woods - omnio, the 1st 2 borknagar albums, limbonic art - moon in the Scorpio, leviathan - tentacles of horror, beherit - drawing down the moon, weakling - dead as dreams, Kvist - For Kunsten Maa Vi Evig Vike, old mans child - the pagan prosperity, satyricon - dark midevil times, katatonia - brave murder day, and most albums by iron maiden, king diamond and mercyful fate... I could go on forever there are a lot of essential albums!
For non metal... porcupine tree - lightbulb sun, Bass communion - 2, 1st 3 nine inch nails albums, sisters of mercy - 1st and last and always, coil - music to play in the dark volume 1 and 2, ulver - predemption city and silencing the singing/silence teaches you how to sing, and most albums by devil doll and fields of the neiphelim. Theres a lot more but I will stop here.
How can people contact you? Where can they get your releases?
The only contact is via the Reverie Myspace site www.myspace.com/thetruereverie
The Isolation album is available in many different underground labels and distros web shops in many different countries. However the easiest way to get a copy would be threw atmf records www.atmf.net, from the band via the myspace site, or from the end records www.theendrecords.com
Final words, please.
microcosm veered into the macrocosm - everything, nothing, infinite light, infinite darkness, - macrocosm veered into the microcosm.