We spoke to Feral about the nature of darkness.
“The upcoming release is a concept album about the flow of blood and the essence of the Will.”
Can you tell us a bit about your musical background and how Feral came to be?
Music was introduced to me at a very young age, as a toddler my father would take me for drives blasting the likes of AD/DC and Van Halen. As I got older I started to learn drums on my father’s kit at home and I must have been 6 years old when he played Black Sabbath’s album Paranoid for me. As soon as I heard Iron Man come in full swing I immediately told him I wanted to play guitar. While playing with different bands through high school as a guitarist and vocalist, I decided to pick up bass, mandolin, and keys along the way and once I graduated I decided I wanted a different approach to music.
I became obsessed with the idea of writing a concept album about the nature of darkness and the forbidden arts. Inevitably this would have to be carried out by a strictly esoteric project and after working with/auditioning several musicians I felt that I would need to fill all the roles with regards to writing and tracking. In 2013 while still playing seasonally with a few groups in Toronto (Volk, Desekratewhore, Protokult) I started recording “For Those Who Live In Darkness” with Jerm’s Productions. That is essentially the birth mark of Feral – the concept behind the album and the will to bring this music to life.
What are, who are your influences?
As stated above Black Sabbath has always been my biggest influence. Along with sabbath, Feral has been influenced primarily by Burzum, Led Zeppelin, and Cradle of Filth. Though not limited to those acts, I’m influenced by anything that is unique and stands out from the likes of Vivaldi to the Smashing Pumpkins.
“Feral was the only name for this project as far as I’m concerned.”
Can you tell us about the themes and motifs you use to describe your music?
The Will – which often directs me to the Occult and Celtic Dogma. The innate calling to grow, flourish, and succeed.
What inspires you as an artist?
Euphoria, freedom, and the energies that bombard me. I do most of my writing at Riverside Cemetery in Tabusintac with an acoustic and a tin of strong chewing tobacco though I can write anywhere once I become lost in a trance.
There’s another couple of artists who use the moniker Feral, the name certainly fits your sound however, were there any alternatives you considered using before you decided on Feral?
Feral was the only name for this project as far as I’m concerned. The music and the entity free from any boundaries.
What can you tell us about the new album?
The upcoming release is a concept album about the flow of blood and the essence of the Will. Inspired by the passing of a loved one, the album explores what knows not the bounds of death. The sound is very different from For Those Who Live In Darkness as it drifts from cold black metal to a more melodic and progressive feel. Each song was written one by one within a years time and recorded immediately after the composure had finished. Very excited to introduce this new sound to listeners, the response to the single While Flowers Die has been extremely positive.
“I’ve been writing this album for a while now and it will be my greatest work.”
What’s the alternative scene like where you are in Canada and what are your plans for the future of Feral?
I feel that Quebec has the best scene in Canada, great energy at shows from incredibly talented bands. Montreal in particular seems to produce most of the best bassists in the scene. Ontario has a lot of solid acts as well, many great shows in Toronto.
The future of Feral after the release of Forever Resonating In Blood will be a third full length to be a concept album on death. I’ve been writing this album for a while now and it will be my greatest work. Building on the sound to be introduced with the upcoming release though rekindling and surpassing the intensity felt with “For Those Who Live In Darkness”
You can check out the latest single on bandcamp or on YouTube:
