|
GARDEN OF SHADOWS was formed in the beginning of 1995 when the remaining members of the band FUNERAL OPERA began to search for a second guitarist. Their search ended in July when they chose Mary, former guitarist for BIOVORE, to complete their line-up. The band parted ways with drummer Kevin shortly after, and they went through several drummers before finally discovering Bret, former drummer for Maryland's SADISTIC TORMENT, in late 1996. The band then changed their name to GARDEN OF SHADOWS and recorded their highly acclaimed debut demo entitled "Heart of the Corona". The GARDEN OF SHADOWS sound is heavy yet melodic with guitar harmonies, majestic keyboard melodies, pulverizing drums, brutal, growling death metal vocals and ethereal female vocals. The music synthesizes elements of various metal styles and combines them to create music that tenaciously grips you and refuses to leave your mind. Recently, bassist Owen has been added to the line-up. He will be featured on the upcoming MCD and on future recordings. GARDEN OF SHADOWS has played shows in Maryland, DC, Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, including opening up for DECEASED, SIX FEET UNDER, OBITUARY, SUFFOCATION and MY DYING BRIDE, and they are actively searching for gigs across the US. The band is fiercely determined to make a name for themselves in the underground as one of the foremost atmospheric death metal bands in the USA. Successfully, we had a chance to speak with guitarist Brian. He told us more about the activities of GARDEN OF SHADOWS. ENTER THE GARDEN OF SHADOWS!!!
First of all, describe to us the members of GARDEN OF SHADOWS one by one. (Age, job, interests, religion, etc.)
- To start with myself, I am 22 and I am currently a student at the University of Maryland studying Philosophy. The largest interest in my life is death metal and nothing else really compares to that for me. Playing and listening to music are my life! I have no religion as I am an atheist. Mary is 23 and she is also a student. Her interests essentially mirror mine, which is why we work so well together! She considers herself an agnostic as does the rest of the band. Bret is 24 and he works as an electrician. Music is a large part of his life, but he has a family now and he devotes most of his time to taking care of them. Chad is 22 and he works two jobs - one in retail sales and the other doing filing in an office. Scott is 21 and he works in the same office as Chad! Owen is 25 and he is a computer programmer.
Very interesting for me your song "Apollonian Realm" but I hadn't seen your lyrics of it on inlay. Tell me more about this song. Have this song any deal with ancient Greek mythology?
- This song does deal with ancient Greek mythology. We didn't print the lyrics for that song on the inlay because we didn't have room for them. (The lyrics will be printed on the inlay of the CD version of the demo.) This song is about the cult of Apollo and it deals with their manner of
worship in the days of the ancient temple. We chose the topic because it interested us and we choose to impose no limits on the subject matter of our songs.
Your music is more closer to European Death/Doom Metal than to American. What can you tell about it?
- I agree with you. We write and play in the style that we love. I cannot deny that many bands that have influenced us hail from Europe and that being the case, one can see why our sound is more similar to those bands than to the more brutal "American" sound. Although I must tell you that this stereotype is changing. There are more atmospheric and melodic death and black metal bands here today than ever before. Forty Days Longing, Estuary of Calamity, Sculptured, Scholomance, Agolloch, Epoch of Unlight, December Wolves and Thorns of the Carrion are just a few of these bands and I am certain there are more I have yet to hear. I personally see melodic/atmospheric death metal as an evolutionary step beyond purely brutal death metal and it just seems like America is slightly behind the times compared to Europe.
Give us more information about the contract with X-RATED Records.
- The contract is just for one release. They will be releasing our demo on CD. The packaging will be far superior to the cassette version. In addition to this, the demo has been digitally mastered to sound clearer and it contains a new song of about 8 and a half minutes entitled "Shards of the Sphere". This MCD has a running time of over 39 minutes so I think it is a pretty good deal.
In what way your new material will be?
- It is in the same vein as our old material although I believe that it is more mature. Perhaps the level of complexity rises in some songs, but the basic mood remains the same. We have some new songs that are faster and heavier than those on the demo, but we also have some that are slower. What I can say is that all of our material is melodic death metal that keeps us interested from beginning to end. We won't be changing styles ever. I hate it when a band I love changes style completely - particularly death metal bands that cease to play death metal. This will not happen with us.
Your opinion about the greatest American Death Metal acts DEATH and MORBID ANGEL?
- I prefer Death over Morbid Angel because they are so much more melodic. As for Morbid Angel, I think they are great for what they do, but that isn't my favorite style anymore.
As for me your music is very atmospheric and melodic. Do you prefer to listen such music?
- Definitely. I live to hear good atmospheric and melodic death. Some of my favorite bands are Septic Flesh, Orphaned Land, Rotting Christ, Dark Tranquillity, Crypt of Kerberos, In Flames, Dissection, Fall of the Leafe, Horrified, Embrace of Fear, Deviser and many, many others.
What's your associations with:
a.) A.S. LaVey - I really don't have much to do with Satanism. I am simply an atheist and I have no need for any sort of religion in my life. From what I have heard, LaVey seemed to be an intelligent person, but I really have no strong opinion of him.
b.) U.F.O. - I don't believe any alien species have actually made contact with anyone on earth. I am not even certain that any life exists outside of earth. I suppose it is possible, but I think that if an alien race had made contact with people here on earth we would know about it.
c.) K.K.K. - I am strongly opposed to any group that promotes prejudice. It is one thing to hate someone as an individual... it is quite another to someone just because that person belongs to a particular race or ethnicity. We are all part of the exact same species and we experience life in the same way. It is only personal experience that colors our perceptions of the world. A person who lives around racism may become a racist, but I do not think that is an intelligent position. All of us who love metal must stick together! Metal is a strong underground movement because enough people who are into the scene aren't prejudiced. If we were, none of us would ever send letters to foreign countries and there would be no worldwide movement. We should all unite in the name of METAL!
d.) Black Metal - I think there are some black metal bands that are very talented and I enjoy their music. My personal tastes lean towards death metal vocals, but recently some black metal bands have been incorporating some deeper vocals and I love this because I think they really add to the power of the music. As for the ideology, I only really care about the quality of the music. If a band makes good music I will want to listen to them, but I don't really care about background ideology of a band.
e.) POSSESSED's "Seven Churches" - I don't have much of an opinion of this album. It never held a strong position in my life. I have only heard it a couple of times and it didn't really strike me as the kind of thing I love, but I can see how it could have inspired a lot of people when it came out.
f.) Wotan - I like mythology and in this sense I find Nordic mythology interesting, but I don't see it as something to base my life on, any more than Greek or Roman mythology. Of course I don't mean to belittle those who do believe in it, but I don't think the characters of these mythologies ever actually existed.
g.) Atlantian civilization - I have to take the same position here as I did in the previous item. I find it fascinating as a mythology, but I do not know if it ever actually existed. I still love the images that the word "Atlantis" conjures up.
Do you believe in the end of the World?
- I believe the human race may become extinct at some point, but I also believe that it may not. I do not see myself as qualified to say what will happen. No one can see into the future and no one knows with absolute certainty what will happen. This is the only thing that I think is certain.
Your five ultimate albums of all time.
- It is almost impossible for me to pick just five favorite albums, but I will try:
1. Septic Flesh "Mystic Places of Dawn"
2. Crypt of Kerberos "World of Myths"
3. Horrified "In the Garden of the Unearthly Delights"
4. Rotting Christ "Non Serviam"
5. In Flames "Subterranean"
Do you know something about Hanz Gorbiger's theory "Four Moons" if you know what's your opinion about it?
- I wish I knew so I could say something interesting here, but I don't!
Last commandments...
- Hail to you Cornelius for such a great interview. Thank you for the opportunity to appear in Encomium. To all of you reading: feel free to get in touch. Our MCD will be out in September on X-Rated Records and we now have T-shirts available for $10 US/$12 world. Support metal!!!
| 
