}
Translation by:
Paula Jabür
}
Questions by: Cezar
Augusto
}
Replies by: Larry
Roberts
Novembers
Doom
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TGZ:
Who named the band and why the name Novembers
Doom?
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Larry Roberts: To be honest,
the name of the band was thought up by one
of the old guitarists from a long time ago,
back in 1991, who hasn't been with us for
a long time. At the time the band was called
'Laceration', but as the band drifted more
towards a doom sound it was decided to come
up with something a bit more dark and moody
sounding....there isn't any great plan or
anything behind the name, it's just that November
tends to be the most bleak and dreary month
around here. The name might sound contrived
nowadays, but fourteen years ago it was a
bit more original.
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TGZ:Tell
me about the line-up changes that happened
recently and about the line-up of nowadays. |
Larry Roberts: Well the only
real change we've had recently was that we
mutually decided to part ways with bassist
Mike Lagros, who plays full time with his
band DISINTER. We put out the word for auditions
and we checked a few people out, during which
time we were contacted by our old bassist
Brian Whited, who expressed interest in coming
down here and giving it a try. He did and
everything went great so he's in the band
now. We're all in the same mindset these days
so it works out nicely. The only other addition
to the lineup since our last album is guitarist
Vito Marchese, who replaced Eric Burnley back
in late 2002. Eric wanted a family and he
relocated about six hours away from here so
we parted ways with him, and Vito has been
doing a great job ever since.
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TGZ:
You have dealed with other record companies
(Advantgarde Music, Martyr Music Group, Dark
Symphonies). Which reasons lead you to hop
from one to the next till finally coming to
The End Recs.? |
Larry Roberts: Well basically with each
label we've been on, we got as much out of
each other as we could, and when the contract
is up and it's time to move on, we do. Pretty
simple really. Most of these labels only sign
you for a couple of albums at best anyhow.
Each deal we've signed has been better for
us as we go along. We just look for the right
home for Novembers Doom as we go.
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TGZ:
far how do you evaluate the work developed
by The End Records? |
Larry Roberts: The End records is a cool
label, nice people there and everything, and
there's some good bands on the label with
us. They do alot of promotion and I've been
seeing the cds in many stores here so it's
pretty good so far.
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TGZ:
The artist that makes the covers of your CDs
is always the same? What is the meaning of
the artwork of "The Pale Haunt Departure"?
|
 Larry
Roberts: No actually, if you read the
booklet you'll see that this time we did not
use Travis Smith (who did the artwork for
"The Knowing" and "To Welcome
The Fade"), instead we used a guy by
the name of Attila Kis, whom Paul met through
an online forum, and we were so impressed
with the work he was sending us we decided
to use him this time. The artwork on the cover
ties in closely with the theme of the title
song, which deals alot with the question of
faith and what really becomes of you when
your time here on earth is up...
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TGZ:
I would also like to know more about
the meaning of the images within the booklet
for I have noticed surreal and apocalyptical
touches on it. Am I correct? What inspered
such ideas and what message did you wish to
pass through those images? |
Larry Roberts: All of the artwork in
the booklet ties in closely with the words
and subject matter of the songs. There are
many subjects being touched upon in our songs.....loss,
heartache, faith, physical pain as well as
emotional pain, regret, as well as occasional
flashes of hope. I'd honestly prefer that
the listeners read the lyrics and study the
art and come up with their own ideas and explanations
for what it all means, using their imaginations.
I'd rather not spell it all out too specifically.
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TGZ:
Tell us about the special guests of the album.
|
 Larry
Roberts: Well the album was engineered
by Chris Djuricic (whose done Jungle Rot,
Enforsaken, Disinter, etc.) and the mixing
was done by musician/producer Dan Swano (Edge
Of Sanity. Bloodbath, countless others...)
Both Chris and Dan did great jobs at their
respective roles. Dan even added a guitar
solo at the end of "Dark World Burden",
because he felt the song reminded him a bit
of Edge Of Sanity so it just made sense that
he should contribute! Finally the mastering
was handled by James Murphy, whose work we
admired as well with bands like Death, Testament,
etc. He did a great job putting the final
touches on the sound of the album. We're very
pleased and honored to have been able to work
with all of these guys.
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TGZ:
The album contains intense tracks, dense
and very heavy, but also contains atmospheric
ones with accoustic presence and an aura of
melancholy and introspection. Did all of you
take part in the composing process? |
Larry Roberts: If so, how do
you manage to bring together the diferent
inspirations that end up in such creative
symphonies? I am a main songwriter in the
band along with Vito who also composes much
of the music as well. Basically we just draw
upon our many influences and tastes in music
and we've developed our own style and sound
over the years. I listen to many different
kinds of music from metal to rock to jazz
and so on, and I've played in many kinds of
bands over the years so I do not limit myself
to any one style of writing or playing, and
I think that's how we come to the sound we
have now. The other guys in the band are the
same way as me, they all have very diverse
tastes and open minds and so we don't limit
ourselves to anything. We enjoy writing brutal
heavy songs, and we enjoy writing acoustic
tender sad songs. As long as it all sounds
like Novembers Doom in the end, then we're
happy. We're pretty critical of what works
for us and what doesn't. At the same time,
as long as we're having fun playing something
and we all like it, then we do it.
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TGZ:
Talking about concerts, which countries
did you visit to play? If I am not mistaken
you are confirmed to take part at 'ProgPower
Europe', right? |
Larry Roberts: So far we've really only
played in America and Canada, but we do have
plans to visit Europe this year. We will appear
at the ProgPower fest in October and then
hopefully we'll do a small batch of shows
afterwards as well. We'll probably return
to Canada again this year as well, if all
goes according to plan.
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TGZ:
Lately the most usual thing in doom metal
is the diversity of genres and sub-genres.
Do you think so many tags are needed or not?
Why? |
 Larry
Roberts: I don't really believe much
in the many many sub-genre tags and titles,
I think it's just getting too nitpicky and
specific. When I was younger I listened to
music that I thought was good, period. I didn't
care much if it was called speed metal or
thrash metal or doom metal, etc. If I heard
it and I liked it, that's what mattered. I
understand the need to tags sometimes in order
to help describe a band to people but I think
it's gotten a bit out of hand. We don't even
really consider Novembers Doom to be a "doom"
band, I think that's much too limiting. Surely
we have doom influences and parts of our sound
are doom, but there's so much else going on
in our music that doesn't fit that tag. I
prefer people just refer to us as metal, simply.
I can't stop people from labelling things
but I'd like to see people not be so consumed
by labels and trying to take sides all the
time. Listen to music of all kinds and absorb
it, I say.
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TGZ:
What is your opinion about the change
of style of bands such as Anathema and Paradise
Lost? |
Larry Roberts: I don't know....well,
I think whatever they want to do that makes
them happy artistically is good for them.
Alot of bands like those mentioned started
out very young, and as you progress as a musician
and as you get older, your tastes and talents
evolve and change. Alot of people get bothered
because those bands don't still play brutal
heavy music anymore, but that's too bad, because
the artist has to evolve and please himself
first and foremost. I'd rather that a band
evolve even if it means changing drastically
from their original sound as long as they're
being honest about it, rather than seeing
a band become stagnant just to please the
old fans and not because it's what they really
feel good about playing.
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TGZ:
About religion and beliefs, what do
you think about the constant conflicts and
wars "in the name of God"? |
Larry Roberts: That's a heavy subject
to get into really. I think any sort of war
really sucks, because most often it's unnecessary,
but then again it seems to be the way of mankind
since the beginning, so it's never going to
change. My attitude in life is basically to
live and let live, and just do what you need
to do to make your life good as long as you're
not interfering or hurting anyone else in
the process. If more people could live by
that motto, regardless of race or religion,
then I think everyone would be better off.
Spirituality is fullfilling, religion is man-made
bullshit.
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TGZ:
Do you believe in the theories about
life after death? |
Larry Roberts: I have no idea. I try
not to think about that stuff too often because
the truth of the matter is, I believe, that
none of us truly have any clue about what
really goes on after death and what awaits
us and all that. Human beings tend to think
of themselves as so fucking smart and philosophical
but I think we just don't really have any
clue as to what is out there and why we're
here and all that. That's why I don't like
any form of organised religion because it's
all based on what seems logical to human beings,
and not based on any absolute fact. I have
seen some evidence of ghosts and things of
that nature, so there must be some sort of
"life" that goes beyond our three-dimensional
world, and whether that includes reincarnation
or not, I have no idea. People can theorise
all they want but noone really knows for certain,
do they?
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TGZ:
What are the beliefs of the members
of the band? Materialism? Ocultism? Spiritualism?
Atheism? |
Larry Roberts: Everyone has their
own personal beliefs and I think honestly
that I cannot speak for them, nor do I think
they really want to speak much on that stuff
anyhow, because it's all very personal. Sometimes
we'll sit down and discuss these things but
ultimately we respect each others feelings
about religion and spirituality and we don't
pry into each other's business about that.
I can tell you that noone in the band is an
Occultist or Satanist or whatever, we don't
buy into that shit or promote it in any way.
People think evil and metal should go hand
in hand all the time and that it makes you
look tough and cool but whatever, I don't
buy into that crap, I'm too old and grown
up for such nonsense.
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TGZ:
Mention six bands, six albuns and six
songs that are classics in your opinion. Interesting
question there....I mean how do you narrow
it down? |
Larry Roberts: Hmmm......Well for me,
six bands that have been major influences
on me would be The  Beatles,
Kiss, Voivod, Celtic Frost, Led Zeppelin and
Pink Floyd. Six albums that are "classic"
for me would be "Kiss Alive II",
"Led Zeppelin III", Pink Floyd's
"Meddle", Voivod's "Angel Rat",
H.I.M's "Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666",
and Pyogenesis' "Twinaleblood".
There are so many classic songs I don't even
know where to begin.....off the top of my
head I'll say "Something" by The
Beatles, "Love Is Dead" by Atrocity,
"It's Over" by Roy Orbison, "The
Usurper" by Celtic Frost, "Echoes"
by Pink Floyd and "Thats the Way"
by Led Zeppelin. I'm leaving out tons of other
great bands and songs and albums I love but
this is a hard question!!
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TGZ:
Ok! ThunderGod Zine thanks very much
the important participation of Novembers Doom
in our work. Here is the space for your final
messages or anything you might wish to add.
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Larry Roberts: Thank you very much
for your time and support everyone!
Please check us out on the internet at www.novembersdoom.com,
where you can write to us, read about us and
even listen to our songs and watch our music
video!
My best wishes to you all.
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Novembers
Doom. This north-american band started in
1989 has some released albuns and presents
an apocalyptic sound through a deep doom metal
inspiration. ³The Pale Haunt Departure²
is the name of the album released by the american
label The End Records and on this interview
we are going to cover not only the opus, but
also subjects such life, death, beliefs etc.
Unroll the scroll and read intently the visions
of Novembers Doom as they take form of words...