Interview with Alia O'Brien (Blood Ceremony)

October, the wind, the falling leaves... And there are also some heavy riffs, evil organ and flute coming to my ears... Yes, it's time! Stars are aligned, the ancient ones shall rise again "and with strange aeons even death may die". Alia O'Brien, bewitching queen of doom and prog rock accepted to answer our questions about a successful European tour, an exciting single, haunted Toronto and collecting records... Blood Ceremony will also share the stage with doom legends Pentagram and 70's hard rockers Bang for Halloween's night in Burlington, VT and NYC on the 1st of November! Get ready!

Occult Rock Magazine: First of all, thank you Alia for taking the time to answer my questions for Occult Rock Magazine, it's a real pleasure! So first let's talk about your last European tour, what are your impressions/feelings about it?

Alia O'Brien: Every time we've gone out on the road, we've been introduced to amazing bands and inspiring fans, but I would say that this was probably our best tour to date. The live shows were a lot of fun, and the crowds were really receptive, and we had the opportunity to perform in a few places that were completely new to all of us--most notably Moscow. The festivals on this tour were incredible--Temples and Freak Valley were both imbued with such distinct atmospheres, and FortaRock was a magnificent metal spectacle that also boasted a delicious spread provided by Iron Maiden's go-to catering company.

Occult Rock Magazine: The Eldritch Dark Tour was also an opportunity for people to discover and buy your brand new single "Let It Come Down" back with "Loving You", could you tell us some more about it? How did you discover Iron Claw?

I know that Sean has been in possession of a CD reissue of Iron Claw's S/T for a few years now, but I can safely say that our obsession with the song Lovin' You grew out of repeated, beer-addled listening sessions at our friend Katie's bar. When it came time to think about a B-side for our single, it was pretty much a no-brainer.

We worked with Ian Blurton on the single, who also produced and recorded The Eldritch Dark, and were, once again, really happy with his work. We were also joined once more by violinist Laura Bates, who laid down a crunchy fiddle solo of epic proportions on the Iron Claw cover.

Occult Rock Magazine: Is that new release a sort of prequel to a new album? What could we expect from it?

In a songwriting sense, the forthcoming album will probably pick up where The Eldritch Dark and Let it Come Down left off, if that makes sense, although we're considering dirtying things up a bit. We're currently in the depths of songwriting, so we'll see what transpires!

Occult Rock Magazine: What's the story behind Blood Ceremony, how did you guys met?

Sean and I have been friends for a long time now--over ten years--and have spent a lot of time bonding over tunes; in the beginning, he introduced me to Witchcraft, I got him into Tull. Blood Ceremony was Sean's brainchild, and he initially brought me on board to lay down some Italo-prog inspired flute, but I ended up quickly taking on vocal and organ duties, as well. The band has since become a more collaborative endeavor, one that is still largely guided by Sean's vision. We've been through several lineup changes, but our bassist Lucas Gadke joined the band right before we recorded Living With the Ancients, and blew us away his masterful musicianship. Our drummer, Mike Carrillo, joined us for our North American tour with Ghost in 2012, and killed it. Mike and Lucas are an unstoppable rhythm section, and I feel like the band, in its current form, has congealed into an entity unto itself.

Occult Rock Magazine: Blood Ceremony is definitely exploring the paths of 70's rock and occult themes, a dark imagery very reminiscent - in my opinion - of bands like Jacula, Antonius Rex and some other 70's Italian prog acts like Osanna and more obviously UK's legends Jethro Tull. Was that musical direction an evidence when you all met? Could you tell us a bit more about your personal, musical, cultural influences?

Oh yes--these influences were certainly in the mix. I mean, we listen to all sorts of different sounds, and are constantly finding new/old pockets of music to get excited (or obsessed) about. I could write a book about the various recordings, films, and literary works that inspire us, but, for me, it's more enjoyable to listen to a song and imagine what the artist might have been immersed it the time that they wrote it. I was listening to T2's "No More White Horses" the other day, and became convinced that it was an tripartite homage to Ennio Morricone, CSNY, and Sabbath. It might have been the band's intention to invoke these artists, but perhaps I'm projecting my own tastes onto their song--either way, it's a bit more fun to revel in the uncertainty of it all.

Occult Rock Magazine: Have you ever experienced any kind of supernatural event? Do you know any haunted places in Toronto?

I used to work at a theatre down by Toronto's Lakeshore that was supposedly haunted by the ghost of a child, but I never crossed paths with her. I have had a few startling moments that some might label precognition, and others might attribute to coincidence or selection bias. Consciousness is a mysterious thing!

Occult Rock Magazine: Do you prefer Live performances or Studio recording?

I love them both equally! For me, live performance is all about achieving that perfect un-self-conscious state of flow, about the careful cultivation of a relationship with a crowd over a period of time, and about creating a compelling character/persona. The studio more as venue for collaborative negotiation, rumination, and precision. In my mind, however, the studio-performance dichotomy is a bit precarious, as good recordings, in some musical worlds, should convey some sort of "liveness," just as live performances benefit considerably from the playing and listening that take place in the studio.

Occult Rock Magazine: Are you into old records from the 60's/70's? What's your opinion on the quite recent vinyl revival? What are your views on the also quite refreshing 60's/70's rock revival scene, any other bands from nowadays that you also like?

The whole band has a weakness for vinyl--or, rather, we derive STRENGTH from our record collections! There's a definite abundance in heavy psych, prog, freakbeat, etc. from the 60s and 70s in there, but a lot of other stuff, too. I've been on a soul binge for the past few years, and you should see the "B" section of Lucas' collection: he's got Ludwig Van sitting right next to Belzebong.

There are a ton of great bands that are currently active--we've been privileged enough to play with some of our favourites: Spiders, Electric Wizard, Witchcraft, Ghost, Uncle Acid--and basically all of our labelmates, for that matter. It's very cool to be a part of such a vibrant rock scene that stretches across time zones and oceans.

Occult Rock Magazine: Desert Island question time! Could you give us one album, one movie, one book that you would take with you there?

These sorts of questions never get easier! I can only speak for myself (and this is subject to change at any given moment):

Album: Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come - Galactic Zoo Dossier
Film: Hardy's The Wicker Man
Book: Borges' Ficciones (well, actually a collection of short stories, but...)

Occult Rock Magazine: Last lines... Would you like to share anything else, any thoughts with us?

We've said it before, and we'll keep on saying it: do what your love tells you to do!

Louis Hauguel for Occult Rock Magazine (2014) : http://www.occultrock.com/2014/10/interview-blood-ceremonys-alia-obrien.html

Interview with Michelle Nocon (Death Penalty, Bathsheba)

OccultRock.com: First of all, thank you Michelle for accepting this interview, we're delighted to have you here! So lot of exciting things are going on with the release of Death Penalty's debut album on Rise Above Records and your other band Bathsheba had a four songs demo streamed and an official video!

Let's talk about Death Penalty first, what's the story behind the name, how did you come up working with Gaz Jennings (ex-Cathedral)?

Michelle Nocon: Thank you for having me. Basically loads of material we recorded was already written way before there was any plan of really starting a band. When Cathedral ended Gaz found the time to rework all those riffs into songs and make new riffs. Previous year Lee contacted me asking if I would be interested in singing on Gaz record. Gaz didn’t have facebook so he contacted me through Lee. I passed on my mail address but didn’t really expect to hear anything from it. You can understand I was surprised when I got an email from him asking me if I wanted to sing on his album. In this mail he included 14 tracks. And he soon send another one in which he included another 8 more. I was chuffed! But I told him that I wanted to listen to the tracks first before sending him an answer. If someone like Gaz wants you to jump in, of course you want to do it. But I wanted to do it because I loved the music. So I listened to the first track, which is now the opening song from the album and I remember I was thinking  that it sounds cool but I wanted to do sludge black. I was already in Bathsheba and you only have so much energy that you can’t be in 5 bands so I didn’t want to make a wrong decision. If I do something I want to give my all. So meaning if I would agree to do this, there wouldn’t be much time for the sludge black project I wanted. But when I listened to the first track, there was this melodic piece in the middle. Jezus, the feeling I got when I heard it was just so intense… I mailed him immediately to tell him I’m in. Luckily after listening I also liked the other songs or I would’ve had a problem haha.

It’s no secret that Gaz is a Witchfinder General fan and well… there you go for the band name!

OccultRock.com: What are the current plans for Death Penalty, can we expect the band going on tour soon?

Michelle Nocon: I really hope so, we all do. It’s now a matter of trying to put the pieces together. It’s not easy living in different countries, having a teacher in the band and almost everyone is in other bands. We have some cool gigs coming up and they will soon be announced. But I think we will be able to announce a tour as well next year.

OccultRock.com: What kind of themes are you exploring with Death Penalty, how's the writing process working for you?

Michelle Nocon: The lyrics are very personal. They are about life, love, hate, fear, sex, death, revenge… Some lyrics are about energies and others are about experiences in life, surrendering to something bigger than yourself, darkness and light, wanting to sacrifice yourself to someone, inner struggles…

Writing with Death Penalty is a pretty easy process. Gaz writes the music. He sends me the songs. I write melodies on all the wrong parts haha, he adjusts the songs and then I rerecord them with decent lyrics. When I have the feel of the song and the feel of the vocal line I just go with it. Before I start writing the lyrics I just try to feel what this song brings to me; a dream, a memory, something I read that struck me, a vision… When I’m not in the mood I can sit for hours without anything decent. So I leave the room and only return when I feel the time is right, even if it’s weeks later. This method of working is just right for us I guess.

OccultRock.com: Bathsheba is exploring some different paths, more in a pure doom tradition with a ritualistic feeling, could you tell us some more about it and also about the band's name?

Michelle Nocon: I’d be happy to tell you more. Bathsheba started with guitarist Dwight Goosens (Desinterred) and drummer Jelle Stevens (Sardonis). I joined on vocals and later Raf meukens (Death Penalty) on bass. After some gigs we got an offer from someone who wanted to do second guitar. We were actually fine the four of us but we were curious what an extra guitar could mean. So Filip Dupont (Hemelbestormer and ex-Gorath) joined in recently.

Well I guess a week before we did our first gig I realized that for me I needed an atmosphere on stage. I started experimenting with paint/candles/objects/ herbs (I’m a herbologist)…  that fit my energy. It were all things I use at home but I never did anything outside of the house with it. The band agreed on the energy and now we are what we are. I often play blindfolded. I think and hope we do more than making music, we bring an atmosphere. The vocal lines and lyrics are just a very good representation of that particular side of me. It was so natural that this happened although it was never the plan in the first place. I am very happy with it though because it’s a part of me I need to keep satisfied. Occultism is a very big word. Loads of bands want to be occult because they think Satan’s a cool bloke and hell is full with hot chicks and barbequed chicken wings. But occultism can be extremely light as well. Loads of occult symbols are actually just pagan symbols. One of the symbols we use is now used as a satanic symbol while in fact its a nordic symbol for protection. Occultism is something you need to be considerate about. Whenever you say words you project an energy. It’s the same with symbols. So if more people hear your words and see your symbols the energy becomes stronger. The manifestation is bigger when you perform in front of a crowd.

Bathsheba is an interesting biblical character. But depending on what you read and believe you give meaning to her character. She can be a holy woman, she is also described as the woman who made king David a sinner. In the hebrew Bible she is referred to as Daughter of the Oath. She became the wife of King David.  She was the mother of Solomon. Many speak of her as being Satan’s child because she seduced King David and so became Queen Mother. She is also referred to as a witch. So apart from the interesting name we loved the many faces she wears. She is never mentioned often but a very interesting character.

OccultRock.com: Was it a strong desire for you to be able to express yourself in two different bands?

Michelle Nocon: Seems I’m a very complex person haha. Most people are balanced somewhat in the middle where I am afraid my balance is in extremities. Death Penalty is the loud Michelle. More the party girl who kicks your ass. In Bathsheba I’m more of a introvert character. Most people probably know me as loud but I am a very lonely person if I can be honest. I live alone, I very often go out alone, whenever I go out I go walking in the woods for hours on my own… I love to be alone… I am very social and anti social at the same time, I’m very light but equally as dark, very humble but I guess I have an arrogance about me as well.... It’s very freeing to be able to express all that on stage. It’s I guess a bigger version of yourself. So it allows me to throw out a lot of shit. I have so much freedom in both bands that all those characters can speak on stage. I always thought I couldn’t do just one musical style because I am attracted to so many things but having 2 very different bands helps a lot. As does the freedom within each band so I can express myself in many forms.

OccultRock.com: How would you describe your musical, cultural influences to our readers?

Michelle Nocon: I’m very open minded. I listen from classical to black metal. Mainly underground stuff though. I try not to be influenced too much. For me it’s more important to do my own thing than to sound like anyone else. I like to keep it as pure as possible (not that I invented electricity or something big). Some of the singers I love are Tom Waits, Kate Bush, Mark Lanegan… Some bands I love are Woven Hand, Om, Ved Buens Ende, Blut aus Nord…

Also cultural I like to explore. I love stuff like paganism and tribes… so definitely some influences there. One of the trips I did was to go to Carnac in France to visit what they call’ les alignements de Carnac’ or megaliths. I went to visit Newgrange in Ireland, Dowth, Knowth, Uisneach… Those things interest me and affect me very much.

OccultRock.com: Do you have any interests in the occult, paranormal, mysteries of this world and have you ever experienced anything weird, out of the mainstream?

Michelle Nocon: Yes very much. I have always been drawn to those things even as a kid. It was very clear I was good with energies from a very young age. Everyone can do something with energy but most people don’t know that. They pay loads of money to go to this fortune teller or whatever. Even I go when I really need it, because my sight too becomes unclear sometimes. But if you allow you can see many things.

I am also very much interested in history, philosophy, occult matters, unexplainable phenomena, religion, conspiracy theories… Everything is connected really. You can never really look at them and separate them. I have seen some very weird stuff. And it wasn’t always pleasant unfortunately so I try to pay attention. When my mother died when I was 7, I had contact with her through her death. That contact became stronger with the years. But of course there is no light without darkness and I do confess I am drawn to it. I was drawn to it a bit too much at times. I guess I have to please both sides ha! But energy is very important. Whenever I sing something or use symbols it’s very important to know what you are doing. Loads of artist end up in the wrong alley because they have no idea what they are doing. There are some who know what they are doing and they sometimes choose to make a sacrifice.

OccultRock.com: If you have to pick up one place in the world to visit, which one would it be and why?

Michelle Nocon: Iceland. Without any doubt. There is something about Iceland. I mean the scenery is magnificent. I can almost not even comprehend it. It’s so beautiful. It has something very lonely and cosy at the same time. Also, some of my favourite bands come from Iceland. I’m telling you, there is something with Iceland. Listen to Svartidaudi, Sigur Ros, Asgeir, Olafur Arnalds… all Icelandic brilliance.

OccultRock.com: What are your thoughts on vinyls, do you have a turntable and listen to some records?

Michelle Nocon: Unfortunately my turntable has turned its last vinyl some time ago! I’m looking on second hand markets for an old skool one. I love vinyl, sounds more real and warmer. Gives more character to the music. Definitely a big fan!

I used to look for records all the time but it got a bit crazy. I got a great collection until something happened and I lost as good as all my records. I still have Danzig, The Misfits, Metallica (first pressing of Ride the Lightening), Woven Hand, Bohren und der Club of Gore… I just don’t start collecting again because it’s silly really. Now I only buy what I really want. Before I would buy all the special version and bootlegs… But after losing everything…

OccultRock.com: What are the last bands you've listened to and what did you think of them?

Michelle Nocon: One of the last bands I discovered was The Austrasian Goat with the song Pyre without Flames. Jezus. Sounds brilliant. Very heavy and pure. Another one is the band Fear of God; with the female singer. The song ‘Drift’ is mental. She sings like she is fucking crazy and I love it. Many technical singers couldn’t do this because she sings from the heart. You can learn many things, to sing technical. But how can you learn to feel and express your feelings and in such an extreme way… I truly respect that. She means it. Well she ment it, she died unfortunately.

OccultRock.com: Last words are for you... Anything you'd like to share with us, any thoughts, any rants, any comments?

Michelle Nocon: Thanks so much for having me and for the interesting questions. It was a pleasure answering. Thanks to all of you for your support. Keep this great magazine going! We are Legion.

Louis Hauguel for Occult Rock Magazine (2014) : http://www.occultrock.com/2014/09/interview-michelle-nocon-death.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Interview with Ben Ward (Orange Goblin) on "Back from the Abyss"

OccultRock.com: Hi Ben! First, thank you for accepting this interview! So one month from now, your new album "Back from the Abyss" will be released and you'll be going on tour with doom legends Saint Vitus, could you tell us a bit more on how all that happened, pretty exciting I guess?!

Ben Ward: Hi Louis, thanks for the interview! Yeah, we are all very excited to be heading out on tour with Saint Vitus. They have been heroes and friends of ours for a long time and touring together is something that we've always wanted to do. It's as if the planets have aligned and just as they are about to do their 35th anniversary tour, we have a brand new album to promote so the timing is perfect. I think it's a great package and has something for every fan of doom/stoner/metal or whatever you want to call it. Obviously for us it's an important tour as it's the first of the new album and we can't wait to get out there and start playing this new material live.

OR: Couple weeks ago, you unleashed a new number "The Devil's Whip" that sounds like a killer Motorhead track. Is Lemmy and his crew, a big influence on you and the rest of the band?

BW: Of course. I think Motorhead are a big influence on EVERY metal band and that is why they have stood the test of time. But this is nothing new for us. We have always worn our influences on our sleeves and we've always had a strong Motorhead connection in the past, stretching back to the first album with songs like Magic Carpet and so on. We're lucky enough to have met Lemmy a few times in the past and he's a really awesome, down to Earth guy that is exactly how you see him on screen or stage. There is no bullshit with Lemmy. There is no bullshit with Motorhead. I just hope Lemmy is happy with what he's doing right now as the last time I saw them, he seems to be slowing down and his health is obviously in decline. Us fans want him to know that he doesn't owe us anything these days, he has given us a lifetime of great music and entertainment!

OR: "Back from the Abyss", what's the story behind the title? What can we expect from the new Orange Goblin album in terms of sounds and themes?

BW: Sound wise, I'd say that it's a continuation of the last album. I think by now people know what they are going to get from an Orange Goblin album so you won't be surprised to hear that it's a mixing pot of classic rock, metal, stoner and doom. If anything I'd say it's a little harder than 'A Eulogy For The Damned' and more straight up rocking. The themes are all pretty familiar too, nothing serious or political. Just me having fun with the lyrics as a form of escaping the mundane existence of real life, bikes, space, demons, you know the deal! The album title is a kind of reference to the past couple of years for us. Since the last album came out we have been able to take the band on as a living and that meant spending a long time on the road and kind of heading into the unknown, the abyss. This album is just letting people know that we are back and ready to do it all over again!

OR: How went the writing/recording process of the album?

BW: It was very last minute, in typical Orange Goblin fashion. We always tend to work better under pressure so we started writing in January and set a date to start recording in April. I was away working as a tour manager for a great deal of that time so the band wrote all the much with me gone and then I added lyrics at the end, just as we started recording. In fact some of the lyrics were written in the studio as we recorded! I have to give a lot of credit to Joe on this album as he really put a lot of hard work into it and I think that comes across on the album, his guitar playing and the riffs are amazing. Chris and Martyn also contributed and I think everyone really raised their game again!

OR: What are your thoughts on the Occult rock scene revival these days? Any other bands that you enjoy to listen to?

BW: Well, occult rock is a term that I'm not very familiar with and initially I'd think of older bands like Coven, Black Widow or Black Sabbath as occult rock but I know that there has been a resurgence in bands influenced by that kind of stuff and i like bands like Blood Ceremony, The Devils Blood, Bloody Hammers (there is a strong 'blood' theme here!). I'm not so sure that they are 'occult' but I also dig bands like Orchid, Blues Pills, Graveyard and a lot of the new 'retro' sounding bands that are keeping it exciting.

OR: You've been on the road for a long time, do you have any striking memories that comes to your mind now and that you'd like to share with our readers?

BW: We get asked this question a lot and the problem is that all the best experiences on the road mainly happen after a few too many drinks so it's hard to recall them! Obviously there have been a lot of career highs like touring with Alice Cooper, Dio, Clutch, Down etc as well as a lot of great festival appearances along the way. We are very lucky to have toured all over the world and had a great time doing it. It's been a real journey but something none of us take for granted and we appreciate how lucky we are.

OR: Looking back at Orange Goblin's discography, what are your favourite efforts so far?

BW: I'm very proud of everything we've done as it's been a marker for what has been going on in my life at that time. Each album is like your own baby so it's hard to pick a favourite but looking back you can always hear parts that you know could've been done better. we are band that has evolved over the course of a 20 year career so the first album sounds a lot different to the latest one but we see that as a good thing. It has afforded us the chance to keep trying new stuff and going on the road with new and varied bands. Every record has a special memory attached so I really couldn't pick a favourite.

OR: Are you more of a stage or studio person?

BW: Stage definitely. I like being on tour and I think as a band Orange Goblin are far better in a live environment. We like to interact with the audience and feed off their enthusiasm and energy. We tend to get a bit bored in the studio so it's nice when that side of things is all done and we can get back to touring.

OR: For someone trying to get to know you, how would you describe your musical, cultural influences?

BW: I'm pretty straight forward I like to think. I'm a big fan of horror films and literature. I grew up watching horror movies from an early age and then discovered the works of writers like Lovecraft, Poe, Blackwood, Howard, Wheatley, M.R. James etc which really opened up my mind. Now I like to collect films and books from every period of the horror genre. As well as collecting those I obviously keep a close eye on what's going on in the music scene. I'm pretty open minded about music and  like everything from classical, to rock, metal, soul, funk, blues right through to black and death metal. I seem to find something in any music that is played with heart and soul, not like corporate pop music or TV created crap that seems to dominate the charts these days. My influences musically are probably pretty obvious. Black Sabbath is the band that changed my life and as a frontman and vocalist I admire people like Ozzy, Lemmy, Dio, John Fogerty, Noddy Holder, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Marriott and many more.

OR: What is your favourite H.P Lovecraft's novel/book and why?

BW: That's a tough one as there are so many but I's probably go with the first one I ever read which was 'At The Mountains of Madness'. I read that not really knowing what to expect and the insane pictures that the details created in my head just blew me away. The beauty of Lovecraft is not the outright terror that a lot of horror writers rely on but the slow building sense of madness, doom and other-worldliness that he can create. You can find yourself lost in unfathomable lands within your own head as the descriptions are so vivid yet open to your own interpretation at the same time.

OR: Records, gatefold covers, colourful vinyls, fantastic artworks... How important vinyls are for you and do you collect them?

BW: I love them but  wouldn't say I'm a massive collector. I have a few gems that take pride of place (like my first print of the Captain Beyond debut album and an original Quartz 'Stand Up & Fight') I don't even know if these rare particularly rare but I love to have them anyway. There is still a lot to be said for listening to music on vinyl, that warm crackle when the needle hits the record and the hours you can spend studying the artwork and the lyrics as you listen. Unfortunately it's an experience that seems to have bypassed a few generations as they now want everything via downloads or CD.

OR: The world is doomed and you have to flee to a desert island, what would you take with you there?

BW: Music and a means to play it on, my close family, some books, toilet roll and a decent supply of food of beer. If I was to start choosing particular music and books we could be here all day!

OR: Any last words you'd like to share with us and your loyal fan base?

BW: Thanks for the continued support and interest in our band. We appreciate it as much as ever and hope to get to a town near you in the next year or so. Cheers!

Louis Hauguel for Occult Rock Magazine (2014) : http://www.occultrock.com/2014/09/orange-goblin-interview-with-ben-ward.html#more