Fallen
Sanctuary
In times like this when
metal music is dominated mainly by hardcore and death metal acts, I'm really
glad to find out that there is still place for good old traditional U.S.
heavy metal! Fallen Sanctuary might have a reminiscent sound, but this
doesn't mean that they don't incorporate in their music personal elements
that make their music stand out and sound unique. Check them out and I'm
sure you'll have a great time like I did!!!
1. Can you tell us a little bit about the
band’s history and what exactly the musical vision of Fallen Sanctuary
is?
William Dezarn: There isn’t a whole
lot to tell. We started doing this band in late 2001 and have spent most
of our time writing music and refining our musical skills and knowledge.
We wanted to do something quite simple actually: form a band that sounded
like the band we wanted to hear by blending Old School Metal and modern
Underground Metal. We’re Old School Metal Heads at heart, but we like a
lot of the Power Metal and Death Metal today as well, and we wanted a band
that was reflective of that.
2. How desperate are two guys to give up drums
and bass respectively and become guitar players? Is it really so hard to
find heavy metal musicians in Indiana?
WD: I'm not really sure how much desperation
was involved. When we started out, we decided that we wanted to have a
strong creative stake in this band by writing a lot of the material and
deciding the direction. As a rhythm section, we hadn't had much opportunity
to do that in the past. After a couple of years our abilities really improved,
and we realized that to truly fulfill our vision, we needed to be the ones
behind the axes!
3. This is a self-financed release. Does this
mean that you couldn’t find a record label to release your work or you
wouldn’t?
WD: We're really "do-it-yourself" types,
and we had the capabilities to go ahead and do it, so we did. We had thought
about doing a demo, but we had so much material and had been running for
so long, we just felt that an album was the right thing for us to do. Looking
back, it was A LOT of work doing all of that on our own, the hardest either
of us had ever worked at anything in our lives! We're really proud of what
we accomplished though, and we're shopping for a deal right now.
4. There’s a quite strong scene in the US that
reproduces the Swedish death metal sound mixing it with hardcore elements.
When nowadays this is thought to be metal, how do people turn towards classic
heavy metal forms? Is there any room for good old US heavy metal?
WD: Oh yeah, there IS room for it! I
think there are a lot of people that are currently not being catered to
musically. Sure, lots of people are going after the more metal-core thing,
but that's certainly not for everyone. Our love has always been for straight
out Heavy Metal, and I know we're not alone!
5. Can you name some of your influences? I’d
say that song-wise you’re near the Sanctuary-early Nevermore and Metal
Church model while leads and solos clearly indicate early Iced Earth appreciation.
Do you agree?
WD: Our influences are mainly 80's Metal,
from Dio, Maiden, and Sabbath to *Old* Metallica, Slayer, Pantera. We're
pretty broad in that regard. Of today's music, we listen to a lot of the
bands you mentioned, and some Death Metal too. I'm not sure how much we
may sound like them, though, but however much of that is there, it's probably
coming from a lot of the same places they came from.
6. When composing do you ever consider which
element between melody and heaviness will dominate in the end? Nevermore
(which I think is one of your big influences) have chosen the second path
while you seem to have kept a balance between those two.
WD: We don't really try that hard for
one or the other, that's just mainly how it comes out. Like I said before,
we're pretty broad in how melodic or heavy the bands are we like, so it
just works out that way. We like both, and it wouldn't be the same without
it! We gotta have it all!!! We go with what we feel and like.
7. Nowadays many bands seem to be minimal when
it comes to ideas. How selective are you with the riffs you come up with?
What are your demands over a song regarding its complexity?
WD: We're pretty selective. We write
a lot of music that never sees daylight. Hell, when we recorded our album,
we had enough material that didn't go on there to record another one! We
just make sure it's something we really like, that sticks in our heads
and we're still playing around with it days, weeks, or months later. That's
when we know we've got something special! As far as complexity, we don't
try really hard to put it in there for it's own sake, but it definitely
makes things exciting when it's there!
8. The vocals are amazing! Although they are
hoarse in hue and character they are not afraid to go high pitch. Can there
be heavy metal without screams? Do you think it’s the perfect proof of
actually feeling what you sing about?
WD: Thank you so much!! Hey, sure it
can be Heavy Metal without screams, but what would be the fun in that?!
There is actually more screaming on our album than was originally planned
out, but it just sounded right "here", "there", "there again", etc. So,
I guess it really was more of a feeling thing. We just let the music lead
us, like a puzzle where the secrets to finishing it, the secrets to the
magic, are within it.
9. Do you listen to any 80’s thrash metal?
I think that your music has lots of latent thrash elements. Is it maybe
an indirect result of your influences?
WD: Oh, definitely! We are into a lot
of 80's thrash/speed metal and we wouldn't be able to get rid of it if
we wanted too!! Like I said earlier, our influences range from Sabbath
to Death Metal. The heaviness is really half of the picture. Some elements
may be more dominant than others, but it's all in there.
10. Lyrics and album title seem to tend towards
apocalyptic issues. Do you consider yourselves religious people? Is there
something special you wish to say through your lyrics?
WD: No, we're not very religious. We
just call things as we see them, ya know? The world's a pretty fucked up
place, and there's a lot of people making it that way to benefit themselves.
Politicians, businessmen, religious leaders, and others take their comfort
and power out of the suffering of those weaker than themselves. Of course,
we don't feel that ALL of them are like that, but a lot are. I thought
it was kind of interesting myself how our songs tended to come out on the
album, but then the last song, Fallen Sanctuary, is the only one that actually
has a positive outlook. I thought that was rather fitting in many ways.
I guess it's our way of saying no matter how bad things are, there's always
something, no matter who you are, worth fighting for! There's always hope.
11. Since Fallen Sanctuary is kind of a family
business and considering that brothers are not usually very fond of each
other, how do you agree on what’s best for the band? That’s a hypothetical
question of course!
WD: We get along really well! We're
really on the same page musically and business-wise! We're the best friends
either of us has ever had! We do probably get along better than any other
set of brothers we know.
12. The production although being done by you,
sounds very successful, fresh and modern and it’s not stealing any of the
music’s quality. Are you happy with it? Did you wish for something else?
WD: We're very pleased with the production!
We recorded the album in our own studio, and it is by far the best results
we have ever gotten. Of course there are little things here and there that
we'd like to improve on in the future, but that's just us always trying
to up our game. We always look at how things could be done better in the
future, and not just recording.
13. My favorite songs in the album are “Whores
of Mammon” and “Masquerade of Sanity”. Both of these songs offer some really
Iced Earth-like leads like they used to do it in the old days! “Whores
of Mammon” also begins with the most modern but yet traditional opening
riff I’ve ever listened to! What can you tell me about this? Which song
is your favorite?
WD: I can't answer that! That's like
asking a parent which kid is their favorite! Every song has something different
to offer. The album isn't 10 of the same song like a lot of bands. We don't
really even have two of the same song, each one adds to the picture. I
think someone's favorite would mostly depend on taste, but it's all our
taste. We like how every song seems to go to a different place and expand
on the overall picture. You can't experience the whole album by listening
to two or three songs. Hell, this album isn't even the full picture of
what is going on inside our heads. This is just the first chapter!
14. Are you planning any live appearances and
how are you going to deal with the lack of members? Can you describe us
how a Fallen Sanctuary live show would be?
WD: We’re working with a bass player
named Kelly Steves right now. He happened to move from Buffalo, New York
to our area a few months back. We hooked up and it’s looking really good!
We are still looking for a drummer, but James is considering playing drums
until we find the right drummer so we can start playing shows. I think
the live show is going to floor people! We ARE NOT just a studio band!
I really feel that people who see us live will definitely remember it!
Playing live is half the reason we play music, and my mouth waters just
thinking about it!! We have a real passion for putting on a good show!
15. Which are your future plans and dreams
about yourselves and the band?
WD: We feel like it is all up from here!
We're just getting started! We're pursuing record labels and media and
soon we'll be out gigging! We think we can really do something with this
band and turn some heads! This is the first time in my life I could actually
say that! We're still growing, and I see tremendous potential for us. We'd
love to be able to get out and tour, especially in Europe and Greece!
16. If your music was a painting what would
it show?
WD: What?! I've never thought of that
before, haha! I guess it would be a scene of someone staring down a road
at all the carnage and desolation of a world gone wrong, but boldly striding
forth to pick up the pieces and make it whole once again! Something like
that, I suppose, if you could fit that all that context into a painting.
17. Thank you very much! The last words of
this interview are yours.
WD: Hey, we want to thank you and Behind
The Veil for giving us, and Heavy Metal, such great support!! I've heard
so many great things about how badass and Metal Greece is, we can't wait
to one day be able to come over there and bash some fuckin' heads!!! Hailz
Greece!!
George “Volt”
Tassis
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