Blackened Horde: How did the band get started?
Shane: Mike, & our original guitarist wanted to start something angry & different from their previous band, Guns To Fire, so they got my old bassist from the defunct Wulfshroud’s & then got me on vocals in December 2014 ish.
Blackened Horde: What kind of music do you play?
Shane: It’s a mix of proto black metal, crust punk, sludgy blues & old death metal. Kind of like you threw Hellhammer, Discharge, Eyehategod & maybe Venom in a blender.
Blackened Horde: How has the fan response been?
Shane: They response has been mixed, but good for the most part. We aren’t technical by any means, so all the new school metal bands hate us, or think we’re crusty old farts. Most punks think we’re to metal & most metal-heads think we’re to punk. Aside from that cross section, most folks dig us. Hell, we can’t suck to bad, we’ve opened for a bunch of big bands like Weedeater, Superjoint, Cannibal Corpse & even Doyle. A lot of folks seem to dig it, but like I said, we aren’t technical. Dynamic, yes. Technical, no.
Blackened Horde: Where did the band name come from?
Shane: We were throwing out names & I use to be a huge horror movie & TV show fanatic. In the “Vampire” episode of Kolchak the Night Stalker, the police chief thinks the murders are being committed by a satanic cult called the Dark Star Coven.
Blackened Horde: Introduce the band members and what they do in the band.
D. Ed Lee: Drums
Eric: Bass
Jerry Matt: Guitar
Shane: Vocals
Blackened Horde: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Shane: We all have a hand in the creation process. I do all the lyrics & final arrangements, but we all say what we like or don’t like so it’s a group effort.
Blackened Horde: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Shane: Life, occultism, politics, satanism, our disdain for humanity & maybe some end time prophecy.
Blackened Horde: What is your view in Satanism and Occultism?
Shane: We all have slightly different views on religion, but for the most part, we respect all forms of Satanism. Though we aren’t practitioners, we respect those who are. We believe in ourselves, not some invisible to give you hope in death.
Blackened Horde: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Shane: We put out our EP “Destroyers of False Hope” out, back in November & were scheduled to release our full length on vinyl on the old southern punk label KML Records, but our original guitarist quit on us, so it looks like we will be releasing the rest of the songs as another, separate release. We are ready to move on & write some new material.
Blackened Horde: Tell me about some the songs on the latest CD?
Shane: It’s a 4 song EP called “Destroyers of False Hope”. It contains “Without Sin” which is a play on all organized religions, mixed with a bit of Reverend Jim Jones type carnage. “Bloodied but Unbowed” is kind of a resistance song. You can beat us down, but we will come back fighting. There’s a political vibe to it. “Burning Angels Fall” is kind of a homage to Lucifer, mixed with the chaos of today. And finally, “Heretic” is kind of a modern Salem witch trials type thing. They’re 4 pretty hard hitting songs.
Blackened Horde: Do you have any side projects?
Shane: I personally have had offers, but I can barely get to the corner store, much-less all the way to New Orleans for a side project. Though D. Ed Lee has been playing drums with a punk band in his spare time.
Blackened Horde: Who are some of your musical influences?
Shane: Personally, old back metal, old punk & classic metal & rock. Today I jammed some Mgla, Batushka, Victims, Judas Priest, Robin Trower, Professor Long hair & Ritual Killer. I’ve know Eric our bassist for years & he is the most tame of us for influences. If you get in his car, he’s more than likely jamming to Ministry, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Pink Floyd or old Slayer. Jerry Matt likes a variety of bands, but he’s more often than not listening to Acid Bath. D. Ed Lee on the other hand, has me beat. He listens to a lot of punk or punk influenced stuff. Nausea, Victims, Discharge, Appalachian Terror Unit. I know he digs some ska & folk punk too.
Blackened Horde: Which current bands?
Shane: Personally, my newest indulgence has been Batushka or maybe Ilsa. Though you can always find some Goatwhore on my playlist.
Blackened Horde: What is the band like when you play live?
Shane: We are pissed off at the world. Lol. We try to let the music do the talking, but we are somewhat animated when it moves us. D. Ed Lee is kind of Keith Moon like. I’m glad his kit is tough, cause he beats the hell out of those drums.
Blackened Horde: Have you guys ever played in another country?
Shane: Not yet. Though we have been offered by friends in European bands to join them. We are to broke to afford that at this time.
Blackened Horde: How big of crowd shows up at shows usually?
Shane: I consider the real metal scene in the south, dead, but we are helping rebuild it. It really depends on where you play, & what bands you play with. Folks are complacent & lazy these days.
Blackened Horde: How is the crowd response when you play?
Shane: Most folks dig it. We have followers all along the Gulf Coast, but for the most part, it’s been great.
Blackened Horde: What do you think of the US Black Metal/Death Metal scene?
Shane: I think it’s great. We didn’t burn any churches or kill anybody in the process, but influences are influences & sooner or later the Darkthrone, the Mayhem or the Bathory in us all comes out. The only thing I see, is American black metal doesn’t have the roots like the Swedes or Norwegians do.
Blackened Horde: What do you think of the Overseas scenes?
Shane: I think it’s incredible. Those people live it, they aren’t fly by night fans of metal. It’s a life style over there. Friends have told me you can take the biggest scene in the States & it won’t compare to the smallest scene in Europe.
Blackened Horde: What are some of new favorite black metal/death metal bands?
Shane: I dig Batushka, Mgla, Watain & Destroyer 666 a lot.
Blackened Horde: When do you guys plan on writing any new material?
Shane: As soon as we get these next songs out, we will be working on new material. Over the summer, sometime, more than likely.
Blackened Horde: What does the future hold for the band??
Shane: Good things I hope. Though tomorrow I could get run over by a garbage truck. Nothing is guaranteed, but I would like to think a new release, on vinyl, more road shows & maybe support some bigger bands while out.
Thanks for the interview. I hope it’s okay. Let me know if you need anything else.
Contact them at:
https://www.facebook.com/DARKSTARCOVEN/
https://darkstarcoven.bandcamp.com/
