interview with Netheriel
Have any of you played in other bands? Matt: I played in 2 other bands before starting Netheriel. Always doing vocals and either guitar or bass.
How is it that you started playing music? Matt: I played violin in High school. I gave that up soon after hearing metal for the first time at 15. I didn't really start playing guitar until I was about 18. I'm a late bloomer.
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you? Matt: Currently it's only me. This band has been a solo recording project since 2016 that I only maintain intermittently. I play guitar, bass, do vocals and program drums now. Previously we had several members as a full band, but the rest of the band have moved on to different projects.
Have you had other previous members? Matt: Like many bands we have gone through a lot of members. Especially Bass players, who i seem to have very bad luck with. Before we called it quits as a live band, we had a very good line up. We had to go through a lot of bad apples though.
Did you make music even when you were young? Matt: No. My interest in music came about when i was 15 and just getting into metal.
Where are you from? Matt: I am from Montreal, Canada.
What year did the band form? Matt: We formed in October 2007. It's almost our tenth anniversary.
What's your style of genre? Matt: Netheriel is brutal old school death metal
What inspires you? Matt: To narrow it down? Hmm... shitty people, their institutions and bullshit beliefs have always been fuel for Netheriel's fire. But i take musical inspiration from the bands i grew up listening to.
How have you developed since you started with the music? Matt: I like to think so. I could barely play guitar at 18
Do you have other interests of work outside the band?
Matt: Yes. I've dabbled with art and writing fiction.
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?/Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? Matt: If the right label comes and makes me a decent offer, I wouldn't refuse. I have nothing against labels. Self promotion is a lot of work and a pain in the ass.
What made you decide to make this music? Matt: I've been wanting to form a death metal band for a long time. At 16 I was becoming obsessed with death metal (and some black metal), listening to it everywhere i went at every opportunity and alienating the world in the process. It was a great! I wanted to be involved in making this uncompromisingly brutal music that was not widely known and as far from the mainstream as possible. I had one or two failed previous bands that never went anywhere. Netheriel was my only success in that regard.
What are your songs about? Matt: It varies greatly from song to song. I've written of murder, mutilation, ritual abortion, demonic possession, conspiracy theories, secrect societies. The list goes on.
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? Matt: I wrote all the lyrics and composed 80% of the guitar riffs. I programmed a good portion of the drums for the times we did not have a drummer.
Do you start with the music or the lyrics? Matt: I usually start with lyrics and form the rhythm guitar riffs around them.
Do you compose in a certain environment? Matt: Anywhere I can be alone basically without distractions.
Have you done any covers live? Matt: only twice and I kind of came to regret it. I'd prefer not to be associated as some sort of tribute band.
What language do you sing in? Matt: English, with one or two lines in Latin
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?
Matt: I seem to recall one show where we had over one hundred people. There may even have been as many as two hundred? Beer obscures details. I distinctly recall a show where there was literally one old man who threw his back out trying to dance to us.
What ages are most of your concert attendants? Matt: early twenties
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? Matt: No. I would regularly change around the set list just to keep things interesting and fresh.
Do you have a regular place you play live often? Matt: Back in the day, Vern's Tavern in Calgary, Alberta, was our regular roost.
What was your first gig like? Matt: Awkward...We had no bass player and there were sound issues.
What was your latest gig? Matt: our very last gig was in late 2015 at a place called Distortion in Calgary, Alberta. It was our goodbye show.
Have you had to cancel a gig? Matt: Only once. I took pride in our punctuality. We were always on time and professional. The only time we cancelled was because the area of the city where we were to play was flooded. Apparently the venue was still open that night despite half the city being deluged. I remember joking about taking a raft over.
When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale? Matt: We have had CDs for sale since 2008. I currently have our back catalogue consisting of four albums for sale through or facebook page. In the past we had shirts, but I do not possess capacity to print more at the moment.
Where can people buy your merchandise? http://www.facebook.com/netherielband you can go to our shop page or message me (Matt) directly at [email protected]
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? Matt: I think we have evolved to a point where genuine artists are separated from the rockstar assholes by how much they complain about this issue. Those who seek to express themselves artistically stand apart from those who seek to line their pockets. I take no issue with anyone downloading my music for free.
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? matt: I think there are more artists/musicians today than ever because everything is so accessible. Maybe too many.
What do you think of my work? Matt: What can I say? I am appreciative of the chance to talk about what i do.
What have been your biggest obstacles? Matt: Life? Lol. Yes I am bitter. But I would say my biggest obstacle was contending with musical egos and still is today. When people are on the same page as to what kind of music they want to create things can work wonderfully. When they are genuinely interested and make an effort is even more impressive. I hate wasting time!
What advice would you give other bands or artists? Matt: Be yourselves. Forget what the other guy is doing.
How do you get psyched for a gig? Matt: Towards the end I would go to the back of the venue as a ritual and walk back and forth with my guitar in hand and recite the lyrics....and try to sober up.
Do you have any new material? Matt: The last Netheriel album was my self produced EP Lamentation of the Damned, available on the facebook page. I am currently compiling lyrics and riffs for the 5th album which will probably come out in two years.
What are your web sites?
How can people reach you? Matt: Best way is probably through the Netheriel facebook site
What are your plans for the future? Matt: defy my enemies, drink more beer and make more hateful metal
Do you have something to add? Matt: Hails to you and Sweden! Thank you for this opportunity! Keep it brutal!
