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| This interview was made in collaboration with Last Cathedral Records |
Formed in 2022, Norwegian Doom Metal band Zebulon draws inspiration from bands such as Candlemass, Trouble and The Skull. In this interview, guitarist Torstein discusses the band's origins, songwriting approach, riffs, atmosphere, and their participation in The Ancient Vigil compilation.
Asmoth: Zebulon was formed in 2022, but your music already carries a strong sense of identity. When you started the band, what kind of musical direction did you want to explore, and how close is today's Zebulon to the band you originally imagined?
Torstein: When Oddmund (bass), and I set out to get this band up and running, our ambition was to write and play music in the vein of the bands we listened to and love e.g Candlemass, Trouble, The Skull etc. However the first year as a band we did not have a singer, so we spent our time writing riffs and structures that would become songs, but we did not know how it would sound. When Kristian (Vocals) joined, the sound evolved quite organically, we learned to complement eachother and write stuff that people seem to enjoy.
Asmoth: Your music seems to rely heavily on atmosphere, weight and the feeling created by the riffs rather than simply speed or technicality. What makes a riff truly work for Zebulon?
Torstein: For a riff to make it to a song, it has to serve a purpose. We try to make riffs that can be hummed along to, and use chord voicings to create an underlying melody that might take a couple of listens before you catch. We rely on contrast and dynamics and let the songs do their own thing, rather than trying to impress anyone with our (or lack of) technical prowess
Asmoth: How do you approach songwriting as a band? Do you usually build a track around a central riff and develop it from there, or do you work more progressively, with different ideas gradually coming together?
Torstein: Most of the time, someone comes to practice with an idea, which can be just a riff, or a more complete sketch of what they think can become a song. Then we try to jam it out, figure out the bass and drums, aswell as guitar parts and make a structure that will work as a song. Finally we let Kristian do his thing and create a vocal melody that sits on top which elevates the composition from a decent song idea to a more or less finished track.
Asmoth: Doom Metal gives musicians a lot of space to let riffs breathe. How important are repetition, tempo and silence in your compositions, and how do you decide when a song needs to move forward or stay with a particular musical idea?
Torstein: We are no strangers to repetition, but we do try to restrain ourself, and would rather leave the audience wanting more, than drifting into boredom. But if we can, we aim for the sweet spot. We also like to switch up the tempos or time signatures, and have some unpredictability in our tracks, to keep listeners on their toes, and not know what to expect.
Asmoth: There is often a thin line between creating something heavy and creating something atmospheric. When writing Zebulon's music, which of these two aspects usually comes first, and how do you balance them?
Torstein: If things are heavy all the time, the heaviness fades. For a song to be truly heavy it needs contrast, likewise with atmospheric sections. They are intertwined and need the right balance, which is something we try to do, and hope to one day master.
Asmoth: As a relatively young band, what do you think Zebulon can contribute to today's underground Metal scene? Is there something you feel is missing from the current scene that you would like your music to bring back or explore differently?
Torstein: I feel our sound has unique elements. Combining heavy riffs with melodic vocals is not something groundbreaking, but I believe we do it with our own twist, which hopefully can appeal to audiences out there. Make melodies great again!
Asmoth: Your participation in The Ancient Vigil places Zebulon alongside several other bands from the Doom Metal underground. What does being part of a compilation like this mean to you, and do you see these underground connections as an important part of keeping Doom Metal alive and evolving?
Torstein: Being part of a compilation is a great opportunity for us, and all the bands, to reach a broader audience, and discover cool bands for ourselves as well.
A scene is nothing without the people. From the bands themselves to the listeners, people who attend shows, people who write articles, reviews and spread the word, they all play a crucial role for a niche genre to continue to thrive in the underground. None of us is in it to get rich, it is purely the love of the music that drives us.