AUSTARAS
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: First of all, can you tell me a little about the history of
Austaras? If it's not too personal, why the four year hiatus between
records?
JB- John Becker
SH- Shane Hill
AH- Adam Hansen
JB: Austaras was first conceived by Shane Hill and myself in autumn
2008. We met because he was wearing an Opeth t-shirt and I approached
him. After discussing music quickly I mentioned Wolves in the Throne
Room and later that day he went home and heard them for the first
time. I guess you can say I passed the ‘cool’ test with that
recommendation.
Soon Shane and I started playing guitar together
in the practice rooms at our school and found out we wrote music in a
very similar style. It wasn’t until the next school year in 2009
that a drummer came into the permanent fold which was Adam Hansen. It
is quite difficult to balance being a full-time student as well as
being in a serious band. This is the main reason it took so long to
get off the ground and once we finally played live at the end of 2010
our first EP still wasn’t completed. It took until the summer of
2011 for the music to finally be released. We played a number of
shows around Chicago and had to move our rehearsal space around
multiple times because of logistical issues. In 2012 we parted ways
with our vocalist/bassist, had to move out of our rehearsal space,
and all had lots of personal issues dealing with living situations,
full-time jobs, etc. that we had to deal with. Between 2012-2014 we
had a fair amount of material written but not much time to really
become a full-time band. While Adam and Shane were settling into
their post college lives I used my time to release my first solo
album under the moniker Vaskula. After this in 2014 Austaras was
finally able to dedicate the time, effort, and energy needed to
record what became Prisoner of Sunlight.
SH: I will add that John was wearing an Enslaved t-shirt that day,
and the ‘cool’ test was definitely passed. But yes, the
connection and drive to create our own music started instantly and
has been evolving ever since (meeting Adam Hansen the following year
and experiencing his prolific drumming capabilities added immense
benefit and inspiration).
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: I hear a more lively, rejuvenated, perspective based record
focused on defining a core sound. Should more bands take time between
albums?
JB: There is a clear difference in the overall tone of the album
compared to Under the Abysmal Light which I contribute to us
finally finding our own voice and completing this album at the right
time, when we were all ready, and in the correct headspace. We spent
hours upon hours refining riff ideas over and over until we were 100%
happy with every single note and word written. There is too much
mediocrity out there in my opinion and we wanted to be truly proud of
the final product.
SH: Yes, they should. An ongoing band joke is the gaps in years
between Tool albums; however, we understand that in some cases this
is wholly necessary so you’re not simply replicating yourself with
each subsequent album.
AH: I think Prisoner captures the essence of what we, as a
creative unit, are all about. The EP was a great snapshot in time of
where our heads were five years ago, but I think back then we
certainly weren’t trying to push any boundaries or do anything as
genre-defying as Prisoner.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: There was a huge evolution in sound between the ep Under the
Abysmal Light and Prison of Sunlight. Maybe I'm wrong, but I hear
some Kings X influence and a mixture of various elements.What did you
want to accomplish with this new album and what messages would you
like to convey to the audience? Do you think about an audience when
you write or does that influence you in any way? Or Can thinking
about an audience negatively affect the process?
JB: It’s funny you mention King’s X because the first time I
heard them was this May 2015 when I was visiting Austin Lunn to
record violin for the new Panopticon LP. He flipped when I mentioned
I had never heard their music and quickly blasted one of their early
90s efforts while he was finishing up at work.
There are so many
various influences on this album. I could go on and on for a page or
two detailing which song reminds me of which band but it’s actually
just the sound of the three of us playing together, this album truly
sounds like us playing live together in a room. I personally never
think of the audience when writing and I think that’s a major
pitfall for many bands. We wanted to find our own voice and were not
afraid of doing something different from what is going on around us.
SH: We strive to write music for ourselves. Though that may
come across as being vain, it’s just something we’ve never really
been concerned with--perhaps this comes with the territory as we
explore more progressive avenues (you’ve the freedom to wander
without the concrete expectations of more traditional genres).
AH: I agree with John- I think especially in the “always on”
world of social media it’s very easy to get caught up in satisfying
the general public’s desire for whatever major trends are happening
at the moment- even in metal. Extreme music used to be a sort of
haven for people who really didn’t give a shit about what the
latest fad or ultra-segmented “genre” was, but these days it
seems like more and more artists are sounding like copycats of their
peers. We certainly care about delivering a well-produced, meaningful
product to people, and for giving them a memorable experience when
they see us live, but that’s really where it ends. The moment you
let your audience dictate creative decisions in the writing process
is the moment you lose your artistic integrity.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: I recently spoke with Austin from Panopticon about his decision
to hold off on PR for the album, Autumn Eternal. In essence keeping
the record from the audience until the release date. How do you think
the music industry or even music as a whole has been hurt due to the
ease of downloading? ( i am guilty myself but I admit that it used to
mean more/was more special)
JB: I think the current state of the music industry is in complete
shambles because of the abuse of technology. This is a very sore
subject for me and I take it quite seriously. I’ve made friends
with the employees at my local record store, I order merch from bands
directly, I enjoy music as a physical entity and I know each of us in
Austaras feels 100% the same way. Sure downloading can be nice to
preview a record but if something truly means something to me I will
buy it. I’d rather own 10 great albums on both LP and CD as opposed
to 10,000 albums downloaded in low bit rate. I really hope this
rather recent surge in purchasing physical media again continues.
AH: This is such a tough issue for me. Torrenting and file sharing is
a huge detriment to artists because it devalues their work. However,
there have been times when I’ve been given mp3s from a friend or
downloaded something I couldn’t find in stores, fallen in love with
it, and ended up buying loads of merchandise or concert tickets to
see the artist in question. I guess it all depends on how you use it.
I will echo John’s sentiment that there is simply no substitute for
a physical product, and I hope people feel strongly enough about our
music that they’re willing to pay for it.
SH: Agreed with both John and Adam on this point. When streaming is
used for “preview” purposes that eventually leads to obtaining
something tangible, that is key.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: What can you tell about the new album, Prisoner of Sunlight?
What does the title refer to and Can you elaborate further on the
mythical concept on which the album is loosely based? (it's a great
title by the way). When will this album be released?
JB: The album release date is November 6, 2015. Sometime in 2013 we
discovered that there was a certain feeling coming from the music
that we couldn’t explain other than it reminded us of desert
scenery. Soon we decided that writing a story would be a great option
to tie the album together.
SH: The outset was vague scenery in our minds which chronicled a
transformative journey. Adam can speak to the specifics, but it’s
best left open to the listener’s perception.
AH: I’m glad
you like the title! It’s actually taken from the lyrics of the
first track, “Deserter”, and it really sums up the position in
which our protagonist finds himself at the beginning of the record:
alone and delirious in a vast, inhospitable wasteland with absolutely
no memory of how he came to be there other than this overwhelming
sense dread and shame. From then on, it really chronicles his
wanderings as he tries to make sense of his surroundings and come to
terms with his situation. There is a lot of introspection going on as
well- but the concept is really meant to be interpreted by each
listener in his or her own way. The phrase “prisoner of sunlight”,
(and the arc of the story itself) can mean a whole host of different
things, and that’s part of the reason why we really don’t like
explicitly stating much of what goes on over the course of the album.
It’s best left open to interpretation.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: You had mentioned before that you were avid readers. How does
fiction/literature influence your sound? What are some of your
favorite authors?
SH: This is something that’s always
acting behind the curtain. New stories and perspectives allow one to
cultivate their endeavors. We try to avoid wearing specific
influences on our sleeves, but I would be speaking a mistruth if I
said conceptual / transformative works such as those by Verne,
Orwell, or Kafka didn’t contribute in some obscure way.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: The new album is killer. It sounds to me like there are more
prog-y elements in the mix this time around. It's an enjoyable album
from start to finish. I respect the fact that it's an an album that
flows together well and not just a collection of songs. How important
is it for a band to create either a lyrical thread or a sonic thread
running through the album? How important is it to create a sonic
experience rather than a collection of songs that comprise an album?
JB: Thanks so much! Progressive rock and forward thinking music is
very influential to Austaras. We believe in moving forward and I know
for me progressive rock and electronic music has been in my life
since a child. I remember hearing Spirit’s The Twelve Dreams of
Dr. Sardonicus and Yes’ Close to the Edge blaring
through my house when I was young. I feel very lucky to have had that
exposure because it formed a special foundation in my life. I was
also put into violin lessons at age 3 but that’s another whole
story…
I greatly enjoy albums that are cohesive statements lyrically but
collections of songs are great too and it really depends on the band,
style, etc. I’m always one to listen harder to the notes and
musical feeling as opposed to the words so I’d rather have a
cohesive flowing album musically than lyrically but when you can
bring both together it can be quite special.
SH: Thank you! There undoubtedly are more proggy elements, and
this is a direct result of us each being obsessed to some degree,
with classic and more modern prog music. John and I went through a
period in 2009 of only listening to prog from the 70s, which we
reminisce about frequently. Prisoner exhibits recurring
feelings and atmospheres--themes even--each of which was not
necessarily intentional from the original draft, but developed with
subsequent revision.
AH: There is definitely a big progressive element to what we do.
Having said that, we try not to lose sight of great melodies and the
art of crafting a well-balanced song. I think there’s a tendency in
modern progressive music to just show off how many odd times you can
play and how fast you can play them. I’ve always been a fan
progressive bands like Camel, Pink Floyd, Gentle Giant and Porcupine
Tree- bands that never lose their sense of melody even when the
structure underneath is fairly complicated.
As for the threads running through the album- I’ve got to be
honest, I’m not a huge fan of all-out “concept albums”. It’s
far too easy to get completely lost in the pomp and circumstance and
forget about the music. I think what we’ve tried to do here is have
little allusions to the musical and conceptual threads running
through the songs without beating the listener over the head. Every
song still stands on its own- even the shorter ambient tracks. I had
Iron Maiden’s “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” in mind a lot of
the time while writing lyrics and melodies for this album, because it
was written according to a very similar philosophy. I’d rather have
the listener discover on their 3rd or 4th
listen that there is some underlying thematic stuff tying the album
together than just lay it all out for them to see up front, otherwise
you loose some of the sense of excitement and exploration that should
come with music as dense as this.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: What bands/ records are you currently listening to
individually/ collectively? Best records of the year? Albums that
surprised you? Any albums that surprised you with how good, bad or
indifferent they were?
JB: One band that I think the three of us can totally agree on is
Tool. Hugely influential to us as a unit and I personally have
listened to them since 2001 when Lateralus came out making
them one of my longest-loved heavy bands. Opeth has been one of my
top influences for years and remains a favorite. Currently Adam and I
have been majorly into Tears for Fears’ Songs from the Big
Chair. My favorite album this year has been Steve Hauschildt’s
Where All is Fled, a beautiful analog synthesizer ambient
journey which holds great emotional and reflective weight. Most all
heavy albums I’ve looked forward to this year have been mediocre
and disappointing which has been a disturbing trend across the
musical horizon in the past two years or so.
SH: The past year or two, two albums I’ve had on constant repeat
are Altar of Plagues’ Teethed Glory & Injury and WIFE’s
What’s Between. Copious amounts of anything by Brian Eno.
Another continual influence is Daylight Dies (particularly
Dismantling Devotion).
AH: Well, John has already mentioned Tears for Fears- that’s been a
bit of an obsession as of late. Those guys are absolute songwriting
masters. As for more recent stuff, I’ve been enjoying the new Iron
Maiden record “The Book of Souls”. I’m a massive Maiden fan so
that one has probably been the one I’ve come back to the most- I
think it’s one of their best, certainly in their top 5, and I can’t
wait to see them on tour next year. They’re probably my number one
musical inspiration- both in their uncompromising attitude towards
their songwriting and the amount of sheer energy they put into
everything they do.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: With so much music saturating the market, it's becoming harder
and harder to compete for time in a digitally busy world. It's
becoming harder to scratch out a personal identity that doesn't
become absorbed in the musical wallpaper. So many bands, artists,
authors doing so much great work, it's difficult to compete on any
level. I hate referring to myself as a product and I'm sure that you
do, too. It cheapens the time and effort we all put into our art. I
would rather have 1000 people read or listen to my record than to
become a mass produced product. How do you feel about the
commercialism of art and music and what can we do as artists to
shield from becoming another "product" to be consumed and
discarded?
JB: I think this is the major question for artists of the this
generation. It’s a truly difficult time to get any recognition but
I do believe that if a band continues to put out better and better
work that over time recognition will occur. Norwegian band Enslaved
is a great example.
AH: I honestly don’t mind referring to our album as a product,
because at the end of the day- that’s what it is. As I mentioned
earlier, we don’t let the “market” dictate how we craft the
songs or artwork, because you’re right- 1,000 people enjoying a
genuine piece of art is better than selling a watered down collection
of pandering drivel to 1 million. But I do still see it as a product-
albeit one that is very genuine and uncompromisingly unique.
SH: In some ways unfortunate, but I agree with Adam. The best we can
do is to be as original and honest as possible and see what the
future holds.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: After I write something, I always get this strange suspicion
that it was always there waiting to be written. That may sound weird,
but there is a strange interaction between the known and the unknown,
the seen and the unseen, the unwritten and the final product. In
matters of art creation, do you feel there is something happening on
a deeper level?
JB: I do to an extent. I know what I am capable of on a personal
level musically but take that and combine it with both Adam and Shane
and you get Austaras. The special moment when something completely
out of the blue just happens makes all the struggles worth it in the
end. The first quiet break in the track “Fractures” is a perfect
example of something almost cosmically aligning and a very special
section of a song almost writing itself. The three of us were totally
locked in and in the correct mindset and one of our favorite musical
sections was born one day at rehearsal.
SH: It’s difficult to say what that intangible thing is, but when
the three of us approach it we certainly embrace it. Having
collective vision is crucial as well, as it helps to have certain
ideas ahead of time that can serve as foundations.
AH: One of the biggest strengths of this group is the fact that we
really are more than the sum of our parts. It’s such a humbling
experience to bring an idea to your peers and have it completely
sliced up, changed around and mixed in with a bunch of other
material- but in the end the results are so much greater than what
you’d come up with on you own. It helps that we’ve known each
other for so long now- there are really no egos to get in the way of
pursuing our musical goals. John mentioned “Fractures”- which was
kind of my ‘baby’ lyrically and conceptually- that was a song
that we really struggled with. I mean, it must have been through at
least 3 or 4 major rewrites. But when it finally came together we
just knew we had it, and now it’s really the ‘epic’ of the
album. I suppose it’s akin to Michelangelo seeing an angel inside a
block of marble and simply carving and carving until he had unearthed
what visions he saw in his mind. I’m not trying to say we’re the
Michelangelo of prog metal by any means, but it’s the same idea!
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: Being a writer, we are a self-conscious, self-critical lot. I
always hear that it's so important to finish your work. And, I've
applied that advice and overcome some huge obstacles/writer's block
that way. What is the best advice you can give to someone in the arts
that helped on your path?
JB: I see a lot of great work around me never come into fruition.
Life gets complicated but you have to push through it. Sometimes
scheduling a writing session for myself has been the best medicine. I
write well under pressure and usually can create when I make myself.
I know not everyone works like this but for me it helps.
AH: I think this album is a testament to not letting anything stand
in your way. Sure, it might have taken a few years, but it needed to.
Any sooner than now and we would have been releasing something that
was not up to our standards and didn’t fully represent what we were
trying to say musically. Don’t be afraid to let things fester for a
while- I’m the son of an English major so it’s always important
for me to go through a few “first drafts”. After you’ve created
something, let it sit and then revisit it with a fresh set of
ears/eyes and you’ll be surprised how your opinions change. There
are quite a few places on this record where we threw out sections and
replaced them, only to come back around to the original idea in the
end.
SH: Funny you mention that--one source of endless inspiration
(another Renaissance shout-out) is Da Vinci, who apparently was quite
notorious for rarely finishing projects he would start--they often
would remain sketches, grand visions of the future. The inception of
musical ideas is my personal favorite part of the writing process,
and it’s always a struggle to see them through the revisions.
That’s why I enjoy working with John and Adam and the “multiple
drafts” mindset. Advice? To keep at it and if possible collaborate
with others to ensure your ideas are realized.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: It's very easy to get sidelined by the distractions and
acquiesce to the comforts of modernity. Musically and artistically,
do you feel it's important to spend some time out of your comfort
zone?
JB: Absolutely! Modernity is a quite alarming place. Folks completely
zoned into their phones with absolutely zero regard for all the
things passing by. Endless scrolling, endless internet personas, none
of it matters in the long run. The actor John C. Riley says he
doesn’t participate in social media because “life is too short.”
This is great but not all of us were lucky enough to be established
in the pre-2000 era. I think maintaining a balance in life is key.
AH: This is such a perfect question to ask about this record. This
was my first time ever recording vocals on anything- let alone in a
professional studio for public release. I’ve been singing to myself
all my life- but once we made the decision not to look outwards to
hire a new vocalist I decided to step up to the plate and just go for
it. John’s solo record last year was a major inspiration in that
regard. It’s so important not to let your fears and doubts stand in
the way of what you want to accomplish with your art. It’s
something that everyone struggles with to an extent, but the more you
push your boundaries, the easier it becomes.
SH: The comfort zone can be a dangerous place if you linger there
for too long, as it can stifle new growth. It’s important to be
constantly exploring new sounds and spaces. With respect to
modernity, the only way to counteract this is to balance with the
ways of old.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: For anyone that would like to catch an Austaras show, will
there be any shows or tours in the near future?
JB: There will be shows in the near future. We hope that our first
performance can be a showcase type event where we perform all of
Prisoner of Sunlight including the quiet songs.
We would love to play festivals and hope to perform overseas in the
future.
SH: Certainly will be--the initial goal being to
perform Prisoner in its entirety--as John said. Eventually
playing elsewhere in the country and world are dreams we hope to make
reality.
The Fleeting Nature of Forms: Anything that I may have forgotten to mention, please feel free
to mention it here...
JB: Thank you very much for these insightful questions.
SH: Cheers for the thoughtful enquiries. There is no fate but
what we make for ourselves in Austaras.
AH: Many thanks for
taking the time to ask us these questions, and thank you to anyone
taking the time to read this. If you’re interested in staying
up-to-date with all things Austaras please check us out at
facebook.com/austarasband, where we’ll let you know as soon as we
have some live shows lined up. The new album will be available
November 6 at austaras.bandcamp.com on a
very limited CD
pressing as well as high quality digital download.
Check out Austaras "Prisoner of Sunlight" here at
Austaras bandcamp site... on November 6th.