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Texas-based Solitude Aeturnus started in the late 80's and doom fans around the world love them. Not their classic demos are available on CD. Reason enough to talk to them about the release of their demos and more!
A great welcome back with your classic demos on CD.... Explain to us this kind of new release.
Well, thank you very much! In Times Of Solitude is a release of the earliest incarnation of the band from the years 1987 and 1988. So this is old stuff with our old line up including a different vocalist. The 5 song Justice demo has never been officially released on CD and I just thought it was time to do so! I loved the early days of the band and I just felt the need to document this with this release. I dug up some very rare live and rehearsal tracks as well with some unreleased material. I've written an extensive liner notes for this as well, detailing how we came together and more info on those early days!
Good to see you on Massacre Records again.... Any news for studio album, live album or DVD?
Massacre is great! They've stood by us/me even though we don't put out albums every year! We're on Massacre as long as they'll have us! They are so patient with us/me and they've done a fantastic job for us on the last two albums. We are currently writing music for a new studio album. About half of the songs are finished and still working now. No idea when we'll finish it but we're working on it pretty hard at the moment. But these things take time with us! No live album or DVD in the works. I don't even have a copy of the live album that Metal Mind put out!
Robert Lowe is still your singer?
Yes indeed! The Candlemass situation doesn't affect us at all and we're all friends anyway. We're all glad and happy for him to be in Cmass as well as SA! Now, the new release (In Times) features Chris Gabehart on vocals and he's quite a bit different than Robert! But I loved his style as well.
You are from Texas and your music is not exactly the most popular kind of stuff there..... Tell us, how you can survive in that jungle?
It's not easy and it's never been easy for a band like ourselves in Texas. Our music is not popular AT ALL in the states or Texas for that matter. But the bottom line is that we don't or never cared about that. We knew what we liked and what we wanted and ultimately did not care if the general metal public accepted us or not. We've always had strong support from many of the true underground metal fiends from around here and Texas so I'm not complaining at all, but the truth is that this style of music is just not very popular. It's always been about the more extreme forms of metal and while I can certainly appreciate that, my head has always been into the more ethereal, thought provoking and HEAVIER styles.
Are you currently follow the actual doom music scene and which are your favorite bands of today and your tell us about your music influences?
I still follow the underground although I will have to be honest, it's been rather difficult to keep up with so many bands and new bands coming out. I suppose when you start getting a little older (I'm 45 now!) this is what happens! I tend to listen to my old favorites within the doom scene although there are certainly a lot of newer bands that are doing good things. My influences are pretty much all great metal from the late 70's and 80's, things like Judas Priest, Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Trouble, Vitus, old Scorpions, Metal Church, Savatage, and also things like early Dead Can Dance, Fields Of The Nephilim and psychedelic music in general.
Any plans for a tour or some specific live concerts to promote your new CD?
No tours or live shows are planned until we get a new album out! I'm not even going to schedule anything until we're finished with a new album.
From 1987 until today, describe us the changes in the music biz in your point of view!
Well, I don't think recorded music is a thing that you can sell these days with much success. I mean we do still have sales and yes, it's still worth it to release things on CD and especially LP but more people are just downloading music, sharing music or getting from YouTube without paying for it. This will ultimately make the quality of recorded music suffer as many musicians won't be able to make a living from writing and recording music any longer and so you'll have a million home made recordings being made but it will be lacking in quality. I see the current state of the music biz as being in a transition where the focus will be more on the 'live' aspect of a band rather than recorded output. I still love record albums and will until the day I die, but I can't speak for the younger generation. I am happy to see the slight re-surgence of vinyl sales! It gives me some hope!
Are you still active outside the band?
Yes we all work real jobs and stay very busy with our lives. I work for myself and do other jobs around town as well as play with my psychedelic band Liquid Sound Company.
More than 20 years of Solitude Aeturnus.... What does it means for you?
It's all about being dedicated and persistent. When I started the band I knew where I wanted it to go and what it needed to be and so I just took steps to make it happen. Sometimes it can take a long time but if you are dedicated to your art you will stick with it. I'm proud of the fact that we've done such quality work over the years and also proud that we've stuck with it for so long.
A big thank you from Ice Vajal, say something to our followers to close this interview?
Thanks very much for reading this! Anyone not familiar with SA, just be aware that this new release is the early days of the band with a different lineup! This release was intended for the die hard SA fan. Everyone else check out our last album on Massacre called Alone! Thanks again for the interview!
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