PROCESS OF GUILT (Eng.)
– Hello. First of all thanks for answering to our questions. What are you currently up to?
Right now we are playing some gigs here in Portugal to promote and present our latest full-length “Faemin”. Last week we played in Viseu and Porto and will play in Lisboa within two weeks. Meanwhile we´re also in the process of booking an european tour for later this year.
– I guess, even your long career into the music scene, some people won’t know you yet so, could you please introduce the band to all of the them? Let’s say some background story of PROCESS OF GUILT.
We are a Portuguese band from Évora that started in 2002 as a “two-man” project, with Hugo and Nuno, the guitar players, while they recorded our first demo,” Portraits of Regret”. In order to transport and play the music live they spoke with Gonçalo to be the drummer in charge. As Hugo already knew me, he showed me the music and invited me to do a rehearsal and I gave it a try. Things worked very well since the beginning and since they needed a full-time bass player, and I liked the music so much, I started to play with them. The band´s formation is still the same since 2002.
Until now we released 3 full-lengths, ”Renounce”, “Erosion” and “Faemin”.In between we have a 10″ split with the British act Caïna and “The Circle”, a set of remixes of the last track featured on «Erosion». Live, and so far, we played already in some of the main Portuguese metal festivals, like SWR in Barroselas, Amplifest, Vagos Open Air and Bracara Extreme Fest, and also as guests with some international acts like Katatonia, Minsk, Mourning Beloveth and A Storm of Light. Outside Portugal we played already in the Dutch Doom Days (The Netherlands) and in the Madrid Is The Dark Fest (Spain).
– Still being faithful to yourself and to Doom Metal you have managed to create a such unique sound so; how could you describe your music for those that have not heard you yet?
Labelling music is a easier way to «classify» a band to the market and public in general, but we think that nowadays this kind of “guide line” it´s also more complex and sometimes a reductive way of putting things. Doom Metal is still the base of our sound but our objective and the final result goes far beyond that. More important than belonging to a certain style, is to do music with which we identify and take pleasure with it. I see our music as an intense and emotive experience, with a raw and tense atmosphere, with a strong rhythmic cadence and an imagery of desolation, always seeking the “purity of the riff”. But for the ones who never heard our music the best explanation is to go listen to it and then take their personal conclusions.
– You have just released your new album, «Faemin»; how is its feedback being so far?
We had a solid number of pre-orders sold for the album, and the feedback have been great so far, both from the fans and the press. Nevertheless, since “Faemin” is indeed a co-edition between Bleak Recordings and Division Records, officially and until now the album was only released in Portugal, by Bleak Recordings. The album will be available worldwide through Division Records in the beggining of June, so we´ll wait and see what happens, as Division will be handling the global release. Things so far have gone well, but we know that for this phase this is only the beginning, we´re still an underground band, in a small country, in the middle of a giant crisis that affects us as people and musicians, therefore there is still much work to be done. Let’s see what the future holds for us, our ambition is to grow much more but always with our feet firmly on the ground.
– All your previous albums have gotten overwhelming responses, both from the fans and press. Does this make you work under more pressure or is it just extra motivation?
Just an extra motivation, I guess. Any kind of pressure begins and ends with us. We’re just musicians trying to create and to evolve, while taking our sonority and skills one step further. Of course we feel glad and in some ways rewarded when our work is acknowledged and appreciated – that extra motivation you speak about. But we´re our main critics and also the main persons to be pleased with the music we do. Our composition “method” rely basically on a process of maturation of ideas, a kind of “refinement” based first on our own self-criticism until achieving a final result that we all agree with.
– I think your new effort is more complex than «Erosion», it’s not easy to «digest» at all. Was this something you were striving for?
No doubt we can say that our latest effort is more complex than “Erosion” was, but the intention wasn’t to do a more complicated work to be “digested”. The complexity you mentioned comes from our own natural growth as a band and individuals, as musicians and performers, but also from our experiences and influences witch have changed along the years. Nevertheless, I understand your question, as “Faemin” is a more direct and concise album where the songs are rawer and less melodic than the approach offered in “Erosion”. I guess we could say that, this time, one of our main purposes was to build up rhythmically compelling songs. This time, we explored different dynamics and rhythms resulting, perhaps, in a harsher approach. But I guess we managed to still preserve our own sound, with some elements that you can still relate to our own identity.
– And due to this, could you say «Faemin» is a challenge both for you as artists and for your listener? I personally think so, which is something really positive for both parts I believe.
Writing a new album is always a challenge that we build for ourselves, mainly with the last couple albums where, basically, we start from scratch. But, I guess, that in a natural way we knew we were able to go further and we tried to do just that, leaving behind any kind of “virtual safe zone” while focusing only in doing what we feel, wanted and could do in a certain period of time. Also we were never interested in doing the same songs (or album) over and over. On the other hand, this time we felt that we had finally the capacity and maturity of making the album (and the songs) we were craving for so long. For the listener, we know that “Faemin” is a more “in your face” effort, and perhaps this direction could be not so immediately digested, since there are some details that perhaps you will only fully understand after listening the album a few times. I understand that it could also work as a little bit of a «choke» for some people who only know Process of Guilt from a few songs from previous albums, but for the ones who are into our sound and know our evolution since the beginning I think they will experience “Faemin” more or less like we do, as a consistent step forward, with the development of some ideas we already had in the past, but this time solidly built. There will be always people who will prefer the previous works, but the best feedback comes from the ones who said that heard the “Faemin” over and over without stopping, what for us is a great compliment. Nowadays, with the amount of bands and with the access to their music in a distance of a click it’s definitely a very good sign.
– On «Erosion» I found certain Post-Rock elements, and I think this time around you have gone even further with that. Was this something planned or just a natural evolution? And you will you keep exploring these territories in future releases?
If by Post-Rock elements you mean some hypnotic constructions and some more introspective environments with crescendos, those elements, as you say, were experienced already in some way in “Erosion”. Sometimes they´re planned, in order the let the music “breathe” a little, other times they appear naturally during the composition process. Either way, we don´t think “let´s put here a Post-Rock moment or a Sludge moment or whatever”, we play what we feel right and what the music needs in that moment. We are not stuck to a certain rigid immutable music style, so we are not afraid to explore other kind of textures and soundscapes. From that perspective “Faemin” is also a natural evolution for us, representing still our own identity and providing us with the necessary experience so in the future we can continue to explore those and other elements every time we feel the need to do so.
– Another element that I could stand out from your music is the really dark and melancholic atmosphere. What inspires you to compose it and what do you want to reflect with this? As it has always looked like an important part of your musical identity.
More than the melancholic element it´s despair what we try to put and reflect in our music, as an expression of the brutality of the day to day. We can say that we’re mainly concerned with environments and atmospheres related with despair, depression and desolation. The day to day life has much to offer in these aspects and for us is an inexhaustible source of inspiration. “Faemin” means starvation in the sense of the maximum state of decay of the human being. For us it represents the ultimate level in which the human being can’t ensure his own subsistence.
– I honestly think you have gone, once more, a step forward with this new offering; anyway you have been evolving constantly. Is this a chosen path? As I guess it’d too boring and easy to do the same over and over again.
Thanks, we agree also that “Faemin” represents a step forward for us. As mentioned before, evolution is indeed a challenge for us every time we write new songs or albums, both as musicians and as individuals. We’re definitely always looking forward, learning with the past in order to adopt our own conclusions regarding our writing process. If we hadn’t this attitude concerning our own music, it could be, possibly, like you said, just too boring and too easy to do always the same.
– I also think is a really diverse record, both musically with dynamic structures with different parts and also vocally. Have you approach differently the songwriting process and the vocal lines? Have you enjoyed more both writing and performing something such versatile?
This time, in the beginning of the process, we had nothing, no riffs, no lyrics, we actually started from scratch, and we consider that to be a challenge but also an opportunity of approaching Process of Guilt from the beginning. All things were seen in detail, all the composition was thought and designed with more dedication than before.
Since we live in separate points of Portugal, with different daily responsibilities and schedules, we have always to make an effort to have regular rehearsals and in this particular case to create new songs to the album. We wanted the final sound of the record to stay closer to what we do live, organic but cohesive at the same time. And this time it was definitely a different approach, more challenging and hardworking, but in the end was a very good experience.
Regarding the vocal lines, this time Hugo, and the band itself, wanted also to try a different approach. Due to the dynamics, nature and diversity of the songs there was the need to put another vocal register, rawer and incisive, closest and in line with the music, the feeling and the aesthetics behind the instrumental part. The vocal lines in this work represent also what nowadays Hugo is as interpreter and composer, what the band is nowadays.
It was a very enjoyable and natural process, because it allowed us to write what we were pursuing since a long time ago: the riffs and the songs we wanted to record, the music with which we identify ourselves. Of course we don´t put aside all the other songs, but right now, during the rehearsals and mainly in the live performances we notice a big difference between the songs of “Faemin” and all the others, the balance and dynamics of the first ones are no doubt much more in line with what Process of Guilt is right now.
– As I said earlier, this «Faemin» marks, once again, certain progression for PROCESS OF GUILT but, what does your new opus mean personally to you? Is an important thing for you to evolve and experiment with each album? Also as individual and not just as musician or songwriter.
Yes, the evolution in our sound is also a sign of us evolving as individuals, since our influences, points of view and ways of dealing with what surround us changed with time. Nothing in life is tight and immutable; we all learn new things and see that a new perspective helps the building up of new experiences. It´s a continuous growth process, reflected first in us like individuals and then as musicians.
– «Faemin» is an album guided by feelings, and maybe your most intense effort to date as well. Is easy to create an album such evocative? Or do you just use your music to channel your own feelings?
It’s definitely our most intense effort until now and we felt it when we were creating and recording it, and now when we play those songs in a live environment. But it´s not really a question of being difficult or not, as creating an album depends of several factors, related or not with our own will, since there are obviously other factors at stake. This time, as I said earlier, it was a more challenging and hardworking process, but since the beginning we had some ideas in mind to do in this album, trying to take the intensity of the previous work to another level, adding and exploring other kind of textures and dynamics.
We use our music to express and deal with our own feelings, anxieties, anger and concerns, what we conceive as our personal vision of what surround us. We have channelled these experiences through our music like a kind of “personal catharsis”.
– Due to this I would like to know what your music is for you (a feelings channeler, an art form, etc.)
As I said before our music is what reflects us at some point, both as a band and individuals. It can be understood as a channel in which we express our deep and personal feelings as an art form. We choose this particular form to express our perceptions and ideas,as this is the expression that we feel more closest to and comfortable with, and that allows us to, somehow, achieve a feeling of accomplishment. As an art, music is mainly communicative manifestation, wich we express through our albums and live performances. For us it´s also a very important aspect as a band, since there are two sides in the equation in the moment you release an album and begin to promote it live, the band and the public. We love playing live each time there are conditions to do it, trying, above all, to provide the best possible concert and an intense performance.
– All this being said, how could you describe «Faemin» in just 3 words?
Intense, emotive, honest.
– “Faemin” has been your first full-length offering with Bleak Recordings. So, despite this new album has just been released, I guess you can take some conclusions after your work with them for the “The Circle” album so; how are your feelings with this label? How has everything been so far with them?
“Faemin” is a co-edition between us (through Bleak Recordings) and Division Records. “The Circle” was available only through a very “selected” distribution and this time we felt that our music deserved a wider distribution and also a more solid label support ,and we found those conditions on Division Records. We got in touch with them – since we already know their work through bands such as Unfold, Dirge, Rorcal – and they express their sincere will to work with us. I guess right now we’re happy to be where we are and we’re really looking forward for this cooperation.
– Finally, what the near-future plans are for PROCESS OF GUILT?
At short/medium term our plans include continue promoting “Faemin” adn Procvess of Guilt the best we can, inside Portugal but essentially outside, trying to book some concerts in Europe by now. We are trying to take the next step forward like we did with the music contained in our latest album, searching new places with the necessary conditions and logistics to show our work. We love playing live but need those factors as a signal that the show will have quality and intensity, for us and for the audience.
– That has been everything from my side, thanks once more for your time. If you want to add some final words, feel free to do it.
We want to thank you and the people of Queens of Steel for the interest in our work and for this interview and say that “Faemin” is already available to listen in full streaming at our internet page and that all the news concerning Process of Guilt can be followed through our Facebook page. Hope to return soon to Spain, we played there already twice and we had a blast.
