– Hi, thanks for your time. What are you currently up to? How is everything doing right now with REVOCATION?

No prob! Currently I’m sitting in a van on a 21 hour drive across the US to get to the next gig. Things are great in Revocation, we’re having a blast on tour right now.

– You will soon release your new album, «Revocation». How are you feeling about it? How are the first reactions being?

We’re incredibly stoked on the new record and can’t wait for our fans to check it out. So far the reactions have been really positive, the songs that have been released have had a great response from our fans and the reviews of the record that I’ve seen so far have been very encouraging.

 

– After giving the album some spins, I could say this new record unifies all your trademarks, it just contains all your essence. Is this why you choose to self-title the album? Is what we find on this record what REVOCATION is all about?

Yeah we all feel that this is our strongest record to date and is the best representation of our sound as it stands today. We also went through a line up change as well and with the addition of Brett I feel that this is the best incarnation of the band thus far.

 

– Talking about such, do you feel like you have found your ultimate personality or is there always room for some evolution?

There is certainly always room for evolution and we will continue to experiment on future releases. Our main goal is to continue to improve as songwriters which can be difficult to do when playing music that is more technically oriented. It’s a fun challenge to write a good song that still has some twists and turns to keep the listener on there toes while drawing them in at the same time.

 

– With each new album you’ve gone a step forward, always solidifying your own essence. Do you consciously try to outdo yourself or do you just let your inspiration flow naturally?

I like to let the inspiration flow naturally. If you try to outdo yourself on every release there’s the danger that you’ll loose sight of the song as a whole.

 

– Talking about such, I would like to know how is the songwriting process like for REVOCATION. With such technical edge, is everything planned or do you let your creativity flow in freedom?

We definitely plan our songs out before we go into the studio. When you’re working with a producer in a studio there are certain budget constraints so it’s best to have everything ready to go so there aren’t any surprises that could hold the process up. I usually follow the same formula when I write a new song. First I come up with some riffs that all work together, then I arrange them in my head and figure out what I want to be the intro, verse, chorus ect ect. Then I bring my ideas into the practice space and jam it out with Phil. From there we keep jamming it and making tweaks until it feels complete. After the framework is solid I’ll write lyrics and come up with vocal patterns and also improvise over the solo section until I come up with some phrases that will comprise the heart of the solo. There is some room for experimentation in the studio though. For instance I might get the idea to layer a different guitar part over a riff or Phil might play a different drum part to mix it up but I would say 95% of the music is complete before we hit the studio.

 

– Personally I could say this is one of your most aggressive releases, sharing a similar vibe to the «Teratogenesis» EP. Was this approach something you were striving for?

I agree that this is probably our most aggressive release, we all were really happy with the way Teratogenesis turned out so I think some of that vibe carried over to this newest release.

 

– It’s also one of your most diverse records to date, this has always been one of your trademarks though. How important is versatility for REVOCATION?

Versatility is very important for us and we strive to have each song have it’s own personality. We don’t want to put out a record where every song sounds the same or could be interchangeable. I think it helps the album as a whole to have a varied mix of songs because it helps us to break out of sub genre specific boxes.

 

– Anyway, what could you say are the main differences between this new «Revocation» and your previous «Chaos of Forms»?

I think we experimented a little more on Chaos than on our newest record. The other main difference is that the overall vibe of this record feels a little heavier and darker than on Chaos.

 

– «Revocation» has been your first full-length album with Brett. How has he fitted in? And what has he brought new to REVOCATION?

Brett has been a great fit for the band. We toured with him before when he played in the Binary Code and he really impressed us a dude and a player. When Anthony left he was the first guy we called and the rest is history as they say. Brett brings his own style to the band while still being able to fit within the framework of our sound. He’s got a great ear and I think you can hear his personality coming through on a lot of the parts.

 

– On the other hand, once more you recorded the album at Damage Studios. How positive has been for the final outcome to work in a comfortable and known environment?

It was a super positive experience working with Pete again. He really knows our sound at this point and he has a great attitude which helps things run smoothly. The studio can be a stressful environment so it’s crucial to work with a producer that you feel comfortable with.

 

– And the cover artwork has been crafted by veteran Orion Landau but, what did you want to express with it?

I spoke at length with Orion about the lyrical themes and overall vibe of the record and from there we let Orion just do his thing since he has such a unique style. We’re really stoked with how the artwork came out because its different from a lot of metal album covers that are released today.

 

– All this about «Revocation» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?

Super Fucking Pissed

 

– And finally, what are your near-future plans? If I’m not mistaken you will be touring until December, both in the USA as well as in Europe.

Yeah we’re heading out to do Europe with The Black Dahlia Murder and Aborted in September and then after that we do more touring in the states.

 

– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.

Thanks so much for the interview! Pick up our new record and come check us out live!

-Dave

 

Sergio Fernández

sergio@queensofsteel.com

Deja una respuesta

Tu dirección de correo electrónico no será publicada.