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The
very interesting interview with Albert and Jordan, bass player and
singer on new great traditional doom band Nomad Son, from
Malta.
Hi Albert and congratulations to "First Light" really an excellent
debut. You are already the bass guitarist of a very important and
estimated doom band, Forsaken. Why did you feel the need to
create Nomad Son?
Albert: Ciao Vaake! First of all, on behalf of all the
band I’d like to thank you personally and all at Whitemetal.it for your
all interest in Nomad Son and for embracing the band with such
enthusiasm! To get back to this provocative question, to start off I’d
 like
to make it clear from the outset that Forsaken is indeed still very
close to heart, and I am fully committed to the band. However, over
these past recent years, I had been looking for the opportunity to get a
new doom band going for quite some time; first of all in an effort to
widen the scope of my song writing but also in an attempt to venture
deeper into the 70s and early 80s roots of the genre and quench my
thirst for more doom!
To clarify further, Forsaken’s epic doom metal orientation is now very
well established and although we (Forsaken) draw significantly from the
reference points mentioned above, our sound and songwriting style is now
very clearly etched, as shall also be revealed on our upcoming album
“After the Fall”. I enjoy playing and songwriting in Forsaken
tremendously, but some of the ideas I have steer to a somewhat different
direction even though they’re still very much rooted in the doom world.
As you know doom metal is not restrained to one form of musical idiom.
There are different directions the true path of the music can take and
although both bands can be strongly identified with doom metal, I think
that Forsaken and Nomad Son each have their own specific interpretation
of the genre and their own particular sound and identity.
I often have ideas which do not strictly fit within Forsaken’s epic
oriented style and it was important for me to find a new outlet for
these ideas. Nomad Son provided me with this opportunity, and I am
really very grateful to have found band members in Chris, Julian, Jordan
and Edward who share this same vision and who are as committed to the
whole concept of Nomad Son as I am.
The band, other than you, contains four members from Frenzy Mono,
a rock band from
Malta with light stoner influences, a genre very distant from doom. How
did this collaboration begin? How important is the Nomad Son
project, even towards your original bands?
Jordan: Nomad Son is a strong bond between the members of
Frenzy Mono and Albert Bell (Forsaken bassist). While recording Frenzy
Mono’s first album, “Unorthodox”, in 2006, David Vella (the producer at
Temple Studios) asked Albert to come to the studio and to listen to a
track off our debut album “Unorthodox” which had just been recorded by
Frenzy Mono. This track was the break through to Nomad Son and the first
step of our journey into doom metal. In the next session at the studio
we (Frenzy Mono) met Albert, and we gave it a try. The feeling we
commonly felt during our first jam was so incredible that I can hardly
explain it in writing. It
was a hell of a jam session lasting several hours in which “Shallow
Grave” and “Empyrean Fade” were penned. That’s how things started
really. After that we kept on jamming and writing new songs which all
eventually made it to “First Light”.
As for the other part of your question, originally Nomad Son was only
meant to be a side-project but I assure
you that it is much more than that, especially now that the band’s
prospects are getting brighter each day. We are taking matters very
seriously, pushing ourselves to the limit and really finding ourselves
immersed in the world of doom metal. For us Nomad Son is on par to
Frenzy Mono, as it is to Forsaken in Albert’s
 case.
We are all totally committed to this band 100%. At the moment we are in
fact writing new material for our second album, and have been
undertaking various live shows locally. Meanwhile, all have us have
maintained our committed to our other bands and you can expect new
albums from both Forsaken and Frenzy Mono soon!
For you guys from Frenzy Mono, classic doom, especially the
heavy kind, is a sound completely different from the one you are used
to, but you accepted
this challenge, and the results are incredible. Were you already
familiar with traditional doom heavy? What challenges did you have to
face while writing material and playing it? How satisfied are you with
"First Light"?
Jordan: When it comes to Frenzy mono’s influences, we are
more into the 70’s classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple
and so forth. However, the seed of doom was always there, namely in the
form of our love for Black Sabbath. When we started the band however we
immediately accepted Albert’s “invitation” to get more into archetypical
doom metal bands like Pentagram, Trouble, Candlemass and St.Vitus. The
combination between all these different reference points comes to life
on our debut “First Light”. I think that this is a crucial factor in
making “First Light” so special.
One can say that the band’s sound is a subtle but perfect blend between
Frenzy Mono’s sound and Albert Bell’s bass playing and ideas. In all
honesty, I really think that the result of our combined forces has been
stunning. “First Light” is testimony to all this. There were no
difficulties in immersing ourselves into doom metal because it comes
naturally to us and it is part of us now. As we were writing, recording
and producing the album we were convinced that we were onto something
special. But the end result really blew us away. Needless to say, our
producer, David Vella at Temple Studios and his great ideas played a big
part in all this.
The doom style of Nomad Son follows the style of bands such as
Candlemass, Saint Vitus, old Trouble and,
obviously, Forsaken. What are your
feelings towards these bands? Does Nomad Son have other
inspirations?
Albert: There are a variety of influences which come into
play in the creation of Nomad Son’s sound and approach to doom metal.
Yes, of course, the doom bands you mentioned are strong influences, as
are 70s classic rock bands like Deep Purple and Uriah Heep. The Black
Sabbath influence is also hugely pervasive, but we are draw inspiration
from other sources, included NWOBHM (Witchfinder General for example are
a strong case in point in this regard) and 70s progressive rock (ELP,
King Crimson, Camel etc). However, I don’t think that Nomad Son can be
typecasted as a replica of one band or another. We bring our own
interpretation
of heavy music to the table so to speak and I think that altough we are
surely not breaking any boundaries (it is not our intention to do so),
there is something unique and special about our sound.
The production of "First Light" is spectacular; it’s rare to hear so
much rhythmic power mixed with vocals and solos. Even the last two works
of Forsaken are good, but the result of this work is excellent.
Albert: As Jordan mentioned earlier we are all really
pleased with the production on the album. I rarely enjoy listening to
albums that I am involved in to be
honest. But I have to say that in “First Light”’s case, I really enjoy
re-visiting it frequently.
I think that a combination of factors contributed to the general feel on
the album. First of all, David Vella’s notable production skills have
to be underscored once more. However, I also think that the way we
approached this recording really contributed to the way things turned
 out.
Although we were working within a strict time frame to conclude the
album, we felt no pressures at all while writing the material and
recording it. There was a strong sense of commitment to seeing that the
product would reach the result we achieved by each and every member of
the band. Perhaps even more importantly, I think that the bonds of
genuine friendship in the band and the great positive attitude between
us is reflected in the album and in each individual member’s
performance. We would all the be there (day and night really) in the
studio, spurring each other on and contributing ideas to our things
should sound without imposing on each other and with strong respect to
each individual’s musical abilities. This I would say is the crucial
ingredient in Nomad Son
and on “First Light” - that is, the strong respect we all hold for each
other and the common mind-set we all have to creating music.
Dark ambient and progressive scores, and epic hints and solemnity. You
were able to create many variations to your
compositions without revolutionizing the genre; did the album come out
as you wished it would?
Albert: When you have high expectations for a band you’re
never really 100% pleased with whatever you do. You’re always seeking
amelioration and self-improvement with every album you release. In the
case of “First Light” however, we were
convinced of the direction the material was to take well before we
recorded it. In fact, we did lots of ground work at our rehearsal studio
and at Chris’ (our guitarist) home studio. This strong pre-production
effort, really helped to sort out our ideas on each track and so when we
were in the studio recording the album there were only some small
refinements to make, which however, were also crucial to the end result.
To be honest with you, I can’t really identify anything substantial on
“First Light” which we could have done differently. Perhaps the only
flaw on the album is the way which Delirium (an instrumental keyboard
track) is set off from At the Thresholds of Consciousness. Originally,
our idea was to use Delirium as an intro to At the Thresholds of
Consciousness. With the benefit of hindsight we now think that the
instrumental would have worked better as an intro to At the
Thresholds.... However, other than this little detail, I think that the
whole formula on “First Light” (the song-writing, the songs, the lyrics,
the band member performances, the production, mix and mastering) combine
to masterful effect. I wouldn’t say that there aren’t things we can’t
improve...but I think we already have come a long way on our debut. The
challenge for us I think is to maintain this level really.
The keyboards are used very sparingly.
Albert: The way keyboards are used in doom metal may
dilute the overall heaviness of the music. The are
 several
bands which use keyboards in a tacky way,
diffusing the attack of the riffs on offer. I can list several bands
which fall to this trap. In our case, heaviness is absolutely paramount
and there is simply no compromise on this. Julian’s style of playing and
vision of how his work fits into our overall sound meets this
pre-requisite totally. Even more than that I sincerely think that his
Hammond driven sounds add heaviness to the band, as noted by the
countless positive reviews we’ve had since the album’s release. He is
really a joy to work with and certainly one of the main pillars of this
band!
Also, the artwork is really detailed. What is the meaning behind the
front cover?
Albert: The concept of the artwork (courtesy of the great
Jowita Kaminska-Peruzzi) centres on two basic themes: the first is the
stained glass motif which basically deals with the triumph over
adversity and evil and the second is the ominous, dark background that
represents the obscurity of our music. So the general idea is that our
music marks our personal triumph over all the negativity we encounter
around us and that hopefully it can also mark some sort of hopefulness
for all those out there who are accompanying us on the journey of Nomad
Son.
You are the author of the lyrics. Could you make a summary of the main
themes on "Fisrt Light"?
Albert: There are various lyrical themes explored on
“First Light”, some of which are quite introspective and experiential,
such as those on The Light at the
End and Seven Notes in Black (which deal in different ways with my
mother’s passing away towards the end of 2007 and her battle against
terminal illness). In some instances the lyrics also offer some direct
socio-political commentary as on Forever Twilight for example that deals
with the gradual yet certain demise of our planet and humanity’s
incessant and mindless spiral into decay. Unlike my recent lyrics for
Forsaken, there isn’t a central lyrical theme permeating “First Light”.
However, generally speaking, I would say that the album provides
reflections on the negativity surrounds us, while at the same time also
recording the yearning and possibility of something better – the light
that is within our reach at various points of our lives. It is up to us
each one of us to decide what to do with this opportunity for individual
and social betterment.
Doom music, especially the classic one, many times talks about christian
themes, even though many of the bands in the doom scene are not
christian; why is doom music then so close to Christianity?
Albert: Generally, I would say that it is primarily
Christianity’s symbolism that is intimately tied to doom metal
(including most notably the crucifix which is the banner of the whole
genre really!). Perhaps, this also comes from the association with
Black Sabbath and the use of the cross in their early logos, and so in
some way bands that use this symbol would be paying homage to Black
Sabbath rather than Christianity per se. However, this said, there are
several milestone doom bands from Trouble to St Vitus, Count Raven and
more recently and even more emphatically Place of Skulls who draw
significantly from Christian precepts and Christian theology in the
lyrical themes they explore. One also has to emphasise the link between
Christian escathology (as in the Revelations of St John) and doom metal.
I have to say that I find the imagery of the Revelations very inspiring
and it fits in like a glove in the thematic aspects I explore with both
Forsaken and Nomad Son. So as you can see there are various explanations
for the ties between Doom and Christianity. However, one common thread
that I notice between all these bands is their commitment to be
themselves and to steer away from all the trends that are typical in
metal. This in itself makes it easier for bands to provide reflections
on their beliefs and
 their
world views in a way which perhaps runs counter to all these nihilistic,
anti-God bands that are so common in the scene today. Such bands are
really offering nothing new at all. Venom and Mercyful Fate did it all
before them and they were much better bands anyway!
There are also bands who are really christian, for example the early
Trouble. Are there any other christian doom bands you know about and
estimate?
Albert: I’ve already made reference to Place of Skulls.
Truly an
awesome band. I had the privilege of seeing them headlining Doom Shall
Rise III and they were really a pleasure to watch, and their albums are
absolutely divine! My favorite Place of Skulls release is their EP “Love
Through Blood” - simply flawless. Veni Domine are another interesting
long-standing Christian
doom metal band really worth checking out in my opinion (bordering
somewhere between epic and progressive doom) and Sweden’s Faith who
bring together a variety of influences, even Swedish Folk music.
Although normally I am not into death-doom metal, one band for which I
can certainly make an exception is My Silent Wake from the UK. We
(Forsaken) had the pleasure of playing and meeting them at the Elements
of Rock festival in Switzerland two years ago and they were a fantastic
band on all counts. Of course, there are several other noteworthy
Christian or Christian leaning doom bands which deserve your readers’
attention. Three essential bands from the US are Last Chapter Pale
Divine and Dbeality featuring David Benson. Sorrows Path from Greece
should also prove a bright prospect for the future. They’re great guys
and their recent demo has seen them reach for new, higher standards of
delivery.
Doom music evolved greatly with time, starting with death, with gothic,
and then with black ("depressive"), with metalcore ("sludge"), with prog
death fusion ("post-metal"), with industrial ("drone"), not to mention
funeral doom...What do you thing of this? Is real doom only classic
doom? Are these evolutions still doom?
Albert: I am very conservative and opinionated about what
is doom or not! For me most of the sub-genres you mentioned dilute doom
metal’s heaviness and more than that I totally find them one-dimensional
for the main. There is obviously scope for doom for slow tempo riffs,
after all, the genre’s originators – Black Sabbath – demonstrated this
to perfection (e.g. Black Sabbath, Hand of Doom, Electric Funeral). But
to be honest I find most of the bands in the styles you mentioned
above who seem intent on pounding the same slow tempo riff on end over a
60 minute album totally uninspiring. There are exceptions to this of
course, and as I said before there are some
doom death (or slow death metal bands he he) that I enjoy...but they are
the exception rather than the rule.
Back
 to
Nomad Son, how did your relationship with the Italian label Metal
On Metal Records begin?
Albert: During our first ever jamming session together we
penned and recorded demo versions of two tracks Shallow Grave and
Empyrean Fade (which were then to feature on Metal on Metal’s label
compilation released before “First Light”, and re-recorded for the debut
album). We decided to send the Shallow Grave and Empyrean Fade demos to
some reliable and knowledgeable friends I have in the doom scene for
their reactions and the feedback we got was really encouraging. Our
intention was just to get some reactions to what we were doing and we
were not really on the hunt for a record contract. However, I sent one
of the CDRs with the demo tracks to Jowita Kaminska Peruzzi ( Metal on
Metal Records, Italy) who I knew well from her artwork collaborations
with Forsaken. Eventually, it turned out that Jowita was setting up a
new label with her husband Simone Peruzzi. They were both really
impressed with the material we sent them and offered us a record
contract for our debut release. Knowing Jowita very well (as a reliable,
professional and honest person) and eager to take the next step forward
we had no hesitance to sign with the label, and I have to say that the
decision yielded very positive rewards as both Jowita and Simone are
behind Nomad Son 100%.
Looks like critics are embracing "First Light" with open arms. Why do
you think they are enjoying it so much?
Jordan: Yes as you’ve said Vaake the critics seem to
have embraced “First Light” whole-heartedly. We haven’t had one bad
review so far! I think it’s the freshness of our approach to doom metal
which has really appealed to them. We’re not really inventing the wheel
as Albert has already said, but there’s something unique in our overall
sound which is proving very appealing. I also think that the sincerity
and unpretentiousness of our music is also an important factor in this
regard. We are really not trying to prove anything with Nomad Son or
following any trend. We are just reflecting what is inside us and I
think the critics are really appreciative of all this.
Will you ever tour Europe?
Jordan: We’re presently exploring possibilities in this
regard and we have already confirmed our appearance at next July’s
Headbangers Open Air festival warm-up show in Itzehoe, Germany together
with Vicious Rumors (US) and two Italian bands – Trinakrius and Battle
Ram. We’re also trying to sort out some other shows close to the warm up
in Germany and possibly Holland maximize the potential of our visit
there. There’s also the possibility of participating in another festival
in Europe later on during the year but nothing has been confirmed yet.
But be sure, we certainly intend on taking our show on the road in as
many places as possible in future.
You already went at the swiss metal festival,
Elements of Rock, with Forsaken: going back with Nomad Son would
be great!
Albert: Yeah, playing there would be great. I really
enjoyed my time at EoR with Forsaken. The organization and
 overall
atmosphere at that festival was quite impressive. To be honest Vaake I
have approached the organizers about the possibility via email but have
yet to receive a reply. Hopefully, we will make it there one day soon.
Meanwhile, however, as Jordan said we’re not sitting idly waiting for
things to happen and we are working on various possibilities for dates
abroad apart from our appearance at the HOA warm-up in Germany which is
now 100 confirmed.
Do you get the chance to perform in Malta? The Malta metal scene seems
to be very alive, judging by the number of bands.
Jordan: We have been performing in various venues here in
Malta where fans had been numerous and very responsive. The Maltese
metal scene has really responded to us enthusiastically and we normally
attract circa 150 at each of our gigs. We hope we can maintain the
momentum in this regard and shall be hitting the stages here locally
from March onwards. The scene here is certainly quite active, especially
when you consider the small size of the Island, and more than that the
doom scene is also growing from strength to strength. However, we are
doing our utmost to widen our spectrum in terms of live shows and not
just restricting ourselves to the local scene. We’re really hoping that
2009 will be our breakthrough year for us in this regard.
What can we expect and what are your hopes in Nomad Son’s future?
Albert: Our immediate plans are to continue consolidating
our presence in the doom scene in Malta and abroad and to continue to
promote the debut via more live shows in Malta and elsewhere and through
interviews and so forth. We have already stated working on new material
for the album and have sketches ready for five new tracks already,
although two of these still need to be worked out with the rest of the
band. Fans can be re-assured that we will follow “First Light” with
another potent slab of doom in 2010! Meanwhile, Metal on Metal are
working on plans to extend the distribution of our debut and looking
into the possibilities of releasing “First Light” on vinyl. As a vinyl
freak, this would be a dream come true for me! So I’ll be certainly
keeping my fingers crossed that this will happen.
Thanks for granting us this interview and I hope we’ll have the chance
to see you play!
Albert and Jordan: Thank you Vaake for this opportunity
and for the interesting and engaging questions. We hope that we have
stirred enough curiosity in your readers for them to check us out. Those
of you out there wishing to delve deeper on the band should visit our
myspace page (
www.myspace.com/nomadsonmalta
). There’s lots of info and updates in our blog space and samples
from the album. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the album
directly from the band (paypal payment is accepted) by writing to
info@nomadson.com . The album may
also be purchased from or label (
www.metal-on-metal.com ) and
all the leading online metal shops like
www.hellionrecords.de and
many more (you can check these out at our label’s site). We both thank
you all for your support beforehand. Hopefully, our paths will cross
with several of you in future. Meanwhile, doom on!
Vaake
(with collaboration
of Christopher Warman)
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