Guitarist, Corey Roth and Bassist, Andrew D’Cagna from Brimstone Coven take the time out to fill in our email interview about their new (re-released) release via Metal Blade Records, their future plans and more!
Hi there! How’re things going at the Coven?
Andrew – Hello Ella! Things are goin’ great here in the Coven camp! We’ve been keeping busy, steady gigging and writing new material. There isn’t much to complain about, and we couldn’t be happier.
Before we begin talking about your recent album, can you tell us about the roots behind the band? (Who are you, how did you form.)
Corey – The four of us have been playing together for years in previous bands. Drew and i go way back, playing in a number of bands together including Angelrust, Once Again and Wilderkin. John and Justin played together in Entropy, which Drew and i also joined later on. Wilderkin kind of fizzled out and Justin decided to take a break from Entropy, so after a while i got the itch to play again and i had this idea for The Coven. I gave the guys the demos that i had recorded and we got together and jammed ’em out. It felt right, so we ran with it!
Coming from Wheeling, West Virginia , I’d like to know how the music scene is there and was it perhaps harder for you to become recognised worldwide?
Corey – Our local music scene is actually quite impressive. We have a lot of talented friends in excellent bands like Argus, Doctor Smoke, Curse The Wicked and Fist Fight in the Parking Lot, to name a few. Being from this area does make it a bit challenging for bands to get the exposure that they deserve. However, I do believe that will change in the future. There is just too much talent around here to go unnoticed for too long.
You’ve been around for a long time, and earlier this month you released your full length album with the addition of your debut EP. Can you explain the reasoning behind this combined release?
Corey – We had already released both albums independently and when Metal Blade approached us, it was their idea to re-release both albums as one. Needless to say, we were all in agreement.
Can you tell me a bit about the writing process behind the release? Are there any key themes or messages? & how has it been received?
Corey – The writing process differs from song to song. Some songs write themselves and others take a bit of time to work out. In my experience, it’s never good to rush a song or any work of art for that matter. As far as themes and/or messages, they usually revolve around the darker side of life. I’ve always been drawn towards the occult and the unknown. To shed light on these otherwise hidden or taboo subjects is important to me. I believe that we have been well received and the feedback, so far, has been very positive.
Apart from the obvious musical influences of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Zeppelin etc, you also blend your sound to create a Dark Occult fusion, do you draw any further influences from books or films? If so, what?
Andrew – I think Corey draws influence from any and all things dark, no matter the medium. I can’t speak for him pertaining to anything in the written word, but I do know that The Folly of Faust was inspired by the vintage German film Faust from 1926. It’s SUPER spooky and actually employs some cutting edge film techniques that, in my opinion, have yet to be rivalled today. He is also a huge fan of the film Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages. It was made in 1922 and also features insanely effective film techniques for the time. The silent film aspect REALLY adds to the overall creepy factor. In reality there is so much darkness in the world (both man-made and natural ), sources of inspiration for music such as this is virtually endless.
If you had to either lose your hearing or your sight, which one would you chose and why?
Andrew – That’s a very tough question, and one that I’ve actually pondered over quite a bit. I definitely value my eyesight, and don’t know what I’d do without it. I really don’t know what I’d do without either senses, as they are both equally important. But deep in my heart I know that without sound or music, I would literally be dead inside. And though I appreciate and love the visual arts, I feel that deep down I could live without them and emerge with my soul intact. I have dedicated too much of my life to ever live without it, period. I truly hope that I never have to make such a terrible decision.
… (One last stupid question, I promise!) If you could ride into battle on any animal, what would it be and why?
Andrew – Well this one’s a no-brainer, a unicorn! What else? Why? Why not? Unicorns are KICKASS! Seriously though, it’s the obvious choice for riding into battle. Horses are still used for such things, what could make it any better? A giant horn to impale your enemies mercilessly, that’s what!
What can we expect to see from Brimstone Coven for the rest of 2014?
Andrew – We are just getting warmed up over here. As far as we are concerned, there is nowhere to go but up from here. We will continue to play as many shows as possible, meet new bands, new fans and see new places. We are already well into the writing process for a new record, and we plan on making it our most classic and vintage sounding record that we can. To us, the new songs are the best we have ever written and we cannot wait to unleash them upon all of you!
Do you have any closing words? Anything you want to tell your fans?
Andrew – Just a big thank you to all of those who have believed in our music and continue to support us, we can’t do any of this without you! See you on the road sooner than later!
Thank you for your time and speaking with Planetmosh.