Summon: How did the band get started?
Tony: Pete and I were looking for a project after Equinox fizzled out and our original drummer Stephen Spillers had contacted us about possibly getting a new band started. Pete and Steve wrote 3 or 4 songs and sent them to me. I started writing lyrics right away.
Summon: What kind of music do you play?
Tony: Old School Doom mixed with Death and a hint of Black Metal flavor.
Summon: How has the fan response been?
Tony: Killer! Selling Cd’s and vinyl like crazy. Our live shows are what we really live for, and have had the best response. There’s no hiding behind a great production or a really cool CD package. You get that immediate response from the crowd.
Summon: Where did the band name come from?
Tony: We are obsessed with Kings and Lords and Barons and Witches, especially the ones in history that were known for murder and torture. Those stories really stand out for us. We wanted a name that symbolized all that gruesomeness, but still left something to the imagination. Pete brought up the name Druid Lord one day and Steve and I said “fuck Yeah”.
Summon: Introduce the band members and what they do in the band.
Tony: We have Pete “the Tyrant” Slate who is like the leader of the band, on lead guitar, Stephen “did I spill my drink on your blouse? Better take it off before it stains” Spillers on drums, Ben “the maniac” Ross on lead guitar and I’m on bass and vocals.
Summon: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Tony: On the first two releases Pete and Steve wrote all the music, and Pete and I took turns writing the lyrics. But now, Ben is starting to write more riffs and I have some stuff I wrote recently that I want to work on with the guys. Pete and I split the lyrics 50/50.
Summon: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Tony: Old 60’s and 70’s horror movies mostly. There was something creepy about that time and the movies that came out during that era. I think some of the more gore driven stuff that has come out recently is lacking that creepiness those old movies had.
Summon: What is your view in Satanism and Occultism?
Tony: I was into Satanism and dabbled in the occult arts back in my Acheron and Apostasy days. I even did some stuff with Serpent Son that was satanic, but to be honest I don’t consider myself a Satanist. Satan is a fictional Christian character that they use to scare kids into doing their homework. If anything, I am anti-Christian.
Summon: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Tony: It all started with “Hymns for the Wicked” in 2010 on CD and vinyl. Then we did a split 7 inch with Wooden Stake called “Black Candle Séance”. Purple vinyl split with Skeletal Spectre was next, called “Dark Age Sorcery”. Then a very unique split with Kaiju that comes with a 7 inch and an 8 song split CD inside. And our most recent release is a gatefold 7 inch with Doomentia Records that comes with a poster. It’s also available on blue vinyl. Visit Druidlord.com to see what’s new.
Summon: Tell me about some of the songs on the latest 7 inch?
Tony: “Curse of the Skull” is based on the movie “the Skull” and tells the story of an occult dealer that purchases a human skull and later finds out it has possessed him to kill people. The other side is “Druid Death Cult” which pays homage to all our fans we call the “Druid Death Cult”.
Summon: Do you have any side projects?
Tony: I’m playing and recording drums for the Black Metal band Gravewurm, but I wouldn’t exactly call it a side project. Gravewurm has been around for decades and I am just helping Kevin out until he finds a drummer locally that is worth a shit, ha.
Summon: Who are some of your musical influences?
Tony: Bathory, Slayer, Venom, Necrovore, Celtic Frost, Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Exodus, Kreator.
Summon: Which current bands?
Tony: I’m really into what Hooded Menace is doing. And The Grotesquery, Afterdeath, Behemoth, Krisiun, Acid Witch.
Summon: What is the band like when you play live?
Tony: We’re not too serious. It’s about having a good time and listening to heavy shit. We try to make it as heavy as possible.
Summon: Have you guys ever played in another country?
Tony: No. not yet. Hoping to. So far no one has had the money for 4 plane tickets and a little for us to take home.
Summon: How big of a crowd shows up at shows usually?
Tony: About 100 to 200 on average. Some of the 1st gigs were poor turnout, but we haven’t had less than 100 since the first two or three shows. Florida fans are very loyal.
Summon: How is the crowd response when you play?
Tony: Crazy. I can’t believe some of the shit people say after we play. I’m sure booze has a lot to do with it. Some guy at our last show said I was the best bass player in the world. Another said we were the heaviest band I the world. I don’t know about all that, but it’s cool to hear people really get into it.
Summon: What do you think of the US Black Metal/Death Metal scene?
Tony: I feel out of touch with most of the new stuff coming out. It’s too busy. Too much shit going on at the same time to really get into it. I like to let the song breathe and it’s obvious a lot of other bands do not feel the same way.
Summon: What do you think of the Overseas scenes?
Tony: Norway is still kicking ass, but what I like to see is all the new bands from places I’ve never seen metal at before like Peru and Malaysia and Indonesia. That’s really cool. I’ve heard some bands even risk being arrested, just be be in a metal band. Now that’s dedication.
Summon: What are some of new favorite black metal/death metal bands?
Tony: Geez. Put me on the spot. I’ve been listening to this band called Disma a lot lately. They’re pretty sick. Derketa is an all female band that I really dig. Ebullition is a local band I really dig. As far as Black Metal, to me, no one is ever going to compare to Darkthrone, Emperor, Immortal and Mayhem. Sorry.
Summon: When do you guys plan on writing any new material?
Tony: Actually we are working on a full-length with Doomentia Records right now. We have half the album written and two tracks in pre-production. I have some new recording gear, so it’s sounding amazing so far.
Summon: What does the future hold for the band?
Tony: Uh, I don’t know. Let me think. Well, I know we just got a new shirt design from Mark Riddick that looks killer and it’s a good thing because the other shirts with his other design are almost gone. We are also in negotiations with a promoter to schedule a tour up the east coast, but I have no idea when that will actually happen. Right now we are just concentrating on the new record.
Thanks for the interview Altara. Please tell everyone to check us out at Druidlord.com
Contact them at:
http://www.facebook.com/DruidDeathCult
http://www.reverbnation.com/wickedhymns
