EMQ’s with NECROSOPHIK ABYSS
EMQ’s with NECROSOPHIK ABYSS
Hi Everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Colorado USA based Black Metal Band, Necrosophik Abyss. Huge thanks to rhythm Guitarist, Gianni and Vocalist, Josh (Heirophant), for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Gianni, I play rhythm guitar in the band.
My name is Josh (Heirophant) and I’m the vocalist / lyricist
How did you come up with your band name?
Gianni: We wanted a name that spoke to the misery of mourning, and how death is a constant presence. After many discussions we found the name Necrosophik Abyss, in true occult, we will not disclose its meaning, and hope those invested will find it on their own.
Heirophant: I joined after the band was created.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
Gianni: Denver Colorado. The metal scene out here is really great! Lots of bands have made it to a national or even international status, so there’s lots of buzz in the air and lots of great supporters.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Gianni: We released a split with our label mates Cyffrous Indignus, called “HVHY”, on Halloween this year. Our song ‘Left Handed Reaper’ is on there, and it crushes. Find it on all streaming platforms.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Gianni: I myself am a huge rock n roll fan, and pull influences from lots of genres, but to be specific to Black Metal, Galder from OMC, Dissection, Naglfar and Emperor are my biggest influences.
Heirophant: As far as metal influences I would have to say Emperor, DarkThrone, Dragged into Sunlight, Per Yngve Ohlin(Dead) and Behemoth in my younger days. They helped spark my interest and shape my identity as a metal musician. In a larger scope Tom Waits, HeavyHeavyLowLow, John Zorn, Hanatarash, Nation of Ulysses, the fluxus movement, and Micheal Paton, off the top of my head.
What first got you into music?
Gianni: My older brother had some Anthrax and Soundgarden tapes, and my parents had Zeppelin, The Beatles and Lynard Skynard. Once I got a hold of those, I really became obsessed with rock ‘n’ roll, and really never looked back.
Heirophant: When I was little kid my parents and I were in Mexico and I was mesmerized by a finger style, flamenco-esque guitarist busking on the corner.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician, who would it be?
Gianni: The Hellacopters, Galder, Olga, Gary Holt, Gus G, Marty Friedman, I could go on for days.
Heirophant: Drudkh, Wormlvst, Mispyrming, Dragged into Sunlight, Gnaw Their Tongues to name a few.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Gianni: I wanna say Waken, just because it was the first open space festival I remember seeing as a kid. But, to be honest, I love so many of them. Bloodstock, Hellfest, even 10,000 tons of metal. They all look amazing. It would be a dream to play any of the great euro fests of the day.
Heirophant: So many… Top would have to be Maryland Death Fest, Roadburn, and Inferno fest.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Heirophant: With necro? nothing. Ever as a musician? A woman cut my initials in her arm.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Heirophant: Read more, spend more time in nature, be the change you want to see in the world.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Gianni: Phill Lynott
Heirophant: I wouldn’t give the curse of life to anyone. That being said, it would be pretty funny to bring back Jon Nödtveidt, after his ritualistic suicide.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Gianni: For me it’s a complete release and meditative process to perform music. The music we play is so powerful. At times I’m completely engulfed by it, I’m absorbed into a trance, and everything disappears. I tell my bandmates all the time, this is literally self-care. Black Metal Meditation. I don’t hate anything about music, aside from maybe technical issues, amps being weird, pedals cutting out in a performance etc.
Heirophant: The silence before your first ever set, when no one knows who you are. That silence is them giving you the air in the room. Sacrificing the very aether surrounding them so you may do with it as you please. A classical musician I knew once described an audience’s silence to me in that way. That always stuck with me.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Gianni: I would change the everything is free aspect of the music industry. We pay less money to have all the access in the world than we do for pretty much any other luxury. When I was in college for music, there was a concept that was being spoken of. It was called Music as Water. Like we had a monthly bill for how much music we consumed. Now it’s a simple Spotify account or YouTube videos. People don’t buy records as much, and it’s unfortunate to hear of really great bands that put out amazing records, still having to do another job for additional income and survival.
Heirophant: We need more new types of music/experimenting, and artists deserve a living wage.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Gianni: I could never pick, but recently I’ve been listening to Dark Tranquility’s new album “Moment”, Carcass “Torn Arteries”, and the New Spectral Wound, “A Diabolic Thirst” has really grabbed me.
Heirophant: That’s a tough one… I listen to a lot of different genres and musicians. I guess it depends on my mood, but odds are it would be a black metal album.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs, or Downloads?
Gianni: For physical properties, Vinyl. It’s the best package, really big piece of art, the biggest support to the band outside of concert tickets or meet and greets. I won’t claim to be a purist though, 98% of my music listening is digital. It’s too convenient.
Heirophant: Again, it depends, they each help with different sounds. Though I tend to find myself listening to a lot of vinyl and FLAC files.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Gianni: Our first show! We get to share the stage with some other great Denver bands, Glacial Tomb and Noctambulist, at one of my all-time favourite Denver small venues, the Hi Dive.
Heirophant: Our first show as Necro was on November 12th. Outside of Necro it would have to be the first ever house party I played. I was 15 or so, everyone was fucked up, the party was overcrowded, and I was hooked on performing after that.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Gianni: I would have chased illustration or some other creative outlet.
Heirophant: I’m very lucky that my main job is my other passion. I would just focus more on that if I didn’t have music.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Heirophant: Depends if it’s for conversation, or if it would progress into an orgy.
What’s next for the band?
Heirophant: More shows, touring, and we have a full length we’re working hard on.
Gianni: We’ll be hard at work on a full length! We’re excited to write more songs.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Gianni: Instagram, facebook, youtube, bandcamp. We have presence where we can and will continue.
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Gianni: I wanna say a cake, solely due to the name-
Heirophant: I’ve had this fight with many of my British friends, they’re cakes.
“But the key turning point was when McVitie’s QC highlighted how cakes harden when they go stale, biscuits go soggy. A Jaffa goes hard. The case was proven. During the court battle between Mcvitie’s and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise, Mcvitie’s baked a giant Jaffa Cake to prove that Jaffa cakes were really cakes and not biscuits.”
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