Today Lachryma Christi brings you an interview with a Black Metal band from Missoury, USA.
Aphelion were around earlier, around 2007/2008, with the name Goat Sabbath, that some of you might remember. Then they were off for around 10 years, and they are now back as Aphelion, and planning to release a new EP soon. Lachryma Christi is really looking forward to it!
Brandon Teel and Karl Dahmer answered some questions about this and other stuff, you might find as interesting!
(All photos taken from the band's Facebook page)
Brandon Teel: The band originally started around 2007/ 2008 as Goat Sabbath when Karl Dahmer (vocalist) enlisted me, Brandon Teel (guitars), to play guitar in a metal band. I had never played guitar in a band before, but we were all from a small town so most of the people who actually played guitar where already in bands.
Karl and I were attending college, and I was approaching the end of my collegiate career and feeling the stress of trying to finish. I bowed out of the band and the rest of the guys started the grind band called Rimjob, which continues to play today.
Karl Dahmer: Originally formed back in ‘07 under the name Goat Sabbath, the band was short-lived simply as the original members lives were headed in various directions. Brandon and I have remained in regular contact and a couple of years ago, talks of at least recording decent versions of the original tracks were discussed. The original songs had only one extremely crude recording as well as a few YouTube live bits.
Why the choice of releasing the EP now and not in the very beginning?
Brandon: We actually did try recording at a friends house in 2008...but it did not turn out very good for a multitude of reasons. We’ve also drastically changed the sound of the songs as well, to the point that they are hardly recognizable. And now, with all the modern methods of recording on a laptop, it just made sense to start recording ourselves.
Karl: Lending itself to the previous question, we were in a very small town w/ varied schedules and not really the means nor the motivation w/ previous members to push for a quality release at that time.
What does Aphelion actually mean as a name for a band?
Brandon: I have to give credit to my cousin Wesley McGowen. Back in the early 2000’s we had discussed starting a band at some point. He actually wrote 2 of the riffs on EP II (which we are currently finishing up), and he also came up with the name, which is fitting for a cold sounding musical style. As defined by Merriam-Webster it is “the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is furthest from the sun.” We tossed around a few ideas, but ultimately decided Aphelion made sense for our style.
Karl: Much like the dictionary definition or a planet or star at its furthest point from the sun, I feel we are now pushing ourselves into far darker, colder, and more unknown regions of creativity from our center or original point of origin.
Lachryma Christi has a lot (but a lot really) of readers from United States. How do you see the Black Metal industry in the US?
Brandon: There is an endless supply of great music in the US and abroad. In this digital age, the internet has become saturated with bands, labels, and promoters which makes it difficult to sift through and find the gems, but that has become part of the fun for me.
Karl: I feel there are many quality acts from America. As to further inner-workings or politics, we keep out of those realms of debate. Creativity and worrying about ourselves first.
How come you don't have a label yet? Are you searching for one, or you wish to remain as it is?
Brandon: We actually released our first EP (I) with Anti//All - Forever records and with the help of Blasphemous Creations of Hell records and Mayhemic Overkill Records. Metal Archives has us as independent for that release, but we released the CD version through them. As far as moving forward, AAF Records is currently not releasing any new music, so we plan on releasing EP II on Bandcamp and on Cassette ourselves. The first EP is free on Bandcamp right now and the cd can be found online.
Karl: We have simply been working on a wealth of new music and haven’t been actively searching. We are potentially very open to being apart of a label if it should suit us.
What are your lyrics usually about? Where do you get the inspiration for them?
Brandon: Karl is our poet, but I wrote some of the lyrics for 2 tracks (Weathered and Adrift) on EP II. So I can’t speak for Karl, but for me, I take a different approach than most Black Metal bands. Adrift is a story about a sailor trying to outrun a storm at sea, and he’s transporting a cargo of dead loved ones home. The storm is coming and the only way to outrun it is to dump his loved ones remains over the side of the boat to make the ship fast enough, something he struggles with. It’s a metaphor for having to let go of the past to be able to move forward with your life.
Karl: mainly deeply anti religious material. Inspiration for hatred of an utterly ridiculous world seems to flow freely from every direction these days.
What about the music, where do you get the inspiration? How does the writing process work?
Brandon: Nostalgia is a big one for me. The feeling of Winter really gets me excited for writing. My guitar writing is pretty basic and I try to capture pain, but also power. I am not a defeatist type of person and always want my riffs to have an element of warriorism, even when it sounds cold and downtrodden.
As far as writing the music of the songs, It all starts with guitar riffs. I am not a traditional guitarist I guess you could say. I don’t know theory or any of that stuff. I just play sounds that I like that I think helps convey a feeling or emotion. I take the riffs to our drummer Zach’s house, and once the songs are done we send tracks to Dahmer so he can write lyrics.
And for the 3rd release I will be writing with Zach in a more unified fashion.
Karl: I’ll leave that to the talent to answer.
Do you guys follow any religion?
Brandon: Don’t pass out or grab your pitchforks and torches, but I consider myself a Christian… I would probably be considered a poor example of one by traditional Christians, and some would probably consider me a Deist. I disagree with some biblical text, and always wonder what is just a parable or if any of it had ever been changed during translation (or intentionally to control populations), and how much of it is dependant on the time it was written, but I could talk for hours about different philosophies regarding spirituality. When I was right out of college I started a book, but never finished it, called Genesis Revisited, and I remember being fascinated by it. It’s not what you think, and I may feel differently about it now though. I guess it’s a pretty complex topic to me.
As far as everyone else in the band we have varying beliefs. I have no problem with that as we are not a monolith. That is something that baffles me about Metal music. I’ve seen it said that if you are not Satanic you are not true Black Metal. Metal music used to be one of the most inclusive scenes around, but somehow it’s becoming about ideology and not free will and diverse beliefs.
Karl: I follow myself.
Do you currently play live? How is usually a show of Aphelion?
Brandon: Zach joined the band in 2018 and has another band called Soheil Al Fard. Since joining I have been catching him up on old material before we start writing from scratch, and in the short time he’s been with us we have recorded 2 EPs and played one show, with another on the calendar for this Halloween, and 2 other offers to play in Kansas City with our Death Metal brothers Damned by the Pope, and a Black Metal Christmas show with Crypt Fiend in Omaha, Nebraska in December. As far as if we are able to do those shows we are still working out schedules etc.
Hopefully in 2020 we will be playing more often. Check our Facebook or Instagram for updates.
Karl: One live show w/ the current lineup and material thus far. A few more slated for the coming months. It went very well. We intend to play a handful of live shows per year, mainly focusing on actively cranking out new material as the priority. I live a couple of hours from the other guys, so we coordinate as best we can.
Any chance of you playing in Europe?
Brandon: I would absolutely love to play Europe! That would take a pretty fantastic alignment of the stars since we all have day jobs and I have a sizeable family. Being a teacher I do have a few months that I can devote to shows and recording, and my wife really wants to visit Europe...so who knows. I wouldn’t rule it out.
Karl: I think I can speak for us all in saying we would absolutely love the opportunity to. Here’s to the future!!
Since the EP I came out in April, what are you working on at the moment? Maybe it's too early to ask, but can we expect an album at some point?
Brandon: Zach and I just tracked drums at his house a few days ago, and I have been tracking guitars at my house. Once that is done we will get Karl over and track vocals. We want this EP done before October since we have a Halloween show. It will have 5 songs, and possibly a bonus track to boot. Once EP II is released I want to start writing a Full Length. I’m still learning to play guitar, and growing as a songwriter and I’m excited for the future of Aphelion.
Karl: We are currently nearing completion of the recording of a second ep release that should be completed and out this fall. From there we are already knee-deep in continuing on into ideas for what should be our actual full length that should begin this winter and hopefully be released early 2020. We have had a great wealth of creativity in returning and we intend to take advantage of the inspiration.
How would you define the music you play?
Brandon: Absolute emotional honesty.
Karl: Straightforward black metal . Raw, cold, and unabashed darkness.
What are your favorite bands, the ones that made you like and get into the Black Metal?
Brandon: As far as Black Metal goes, and I’m a bit embarrassed to say this, I am no expert. But lately I have been LOVING the Pest record Ara, Trest’s release Ordalium, and Bloodspell’s Cloaked in Burning Night. Karl also introduced me to Departure Chandelier, and it is fantastic. So much good stuff out there. I absolutely love Goatwhore as well, and I have been a HUGE fan since the Eclipse of ages into Black release in 2000.
Karl: Darkthrone, Beherit, Burzum, Gorgoroth,Marduk, Profanatica, Leviathan, and Ritual Killer to name a few.
Do you consider it easy or difficult to get in the industry nowadays? Do you think the public is receptive to new bands?
Brandon: I think it depends on your goals. The industry has changed so much, and in the age of social media and digital recording, the market is so saturated. Basically anyone with a laptop can be a band, label, or promoter. I am content self recording and releasing and find that it’s quite liberating, but I’m not saying I wouldn't love to be on a label that understands and supports our goals and can help us network and promote our work.
Karl: I feel like there are so many potential outlets into any of the industries various platforms that so long as you keep producing material and keep out there you can get somewhere. Yet, you don’t really need “the industry” to help you get places either.
And how was it for you after a ten year break, to come back?
Brandon: It has been great making music again! I’m having a blast. It helps give my life balance.
Karl: EXCELLENT! This is entirely a whole new band these days. Zach is an excellent new addition and he and Brandon do their creative dance very well. I couldn’t be happier in where we are as well as where we’re going.
Lachryma Christi wishes you all the luck and hopes that since you're back, it is to stay. Thank you for the opportunity!
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