- Korvus
- Sam Korvus has fast become a prominent figure
in the UKBM scene, producing records, supporting bands, and not least recording the
material of his own act, Korvus. With “In the Name of Lucifer”, the debut
full-length, having been available for a little over a year, it was time to catch up with
this talented artist to discover a little more about what makes him tick.
- Hierophant Nox: Hail
Mr Korvus - thank you for agreeing to talk to us. How are you doing?
Korvus: Very well, thank you.
Hierophant Nox: Introduce the idea of Korvus to my readers. What are the origins and aims of the band and what are you setting out to create?
Korvus: Korvus is the medium through which I channel my energy and inspiration, exploring the darker elements of humanity through music. Much of the lyrical content is based on various gothic literature and philosophical studies, particularly modern Satanism, and more recently atheism. Musically, I strive to combine the intense and chaotic sound of black metal with strong elements of classical music, along with various other genres that influence me. -
Hierophant Nox: You switched between being a solo artist with session members and a fleshed-out band, and have now settled comfortably back into the solo route; what are the various advantages and disadvantages you see in these two modes of operation? Do you think solo black metal brings with it certain stylistic expectations?
Korvus: For me, the huge advantage of working as a solo artist is the freedom to recreate my vision as accurately as possible, without having to compromise in any way. As much as I enjoy working with other musicians in a creative environment, Korvus has always been very personal to me, which is why I have chosen this particular path for my music. Having a separate live band of extremely talented and experienced musicians allows me to perform the music live just as proficiently, without having to face the common limitations of working as a solo artist.
Hierophant Nox: “In the Name of Lucifer”, your debut full-length, hit us in September 2007; were you happy with the end product? Is there anything you would change about it?
Korvus: The end product is exactly what I set out to create at that point in time, and I am still pleased with the result. As with everything I create, I am very self-critical, so as time goes on there will always be things I would like to improve on, but that is an important part of developing as an artist. I wouldn’t change anything about the album, as it is no more or less than it was meant to be, but I have progressed as an artist in many ways since writing that album, which will certainly be evident upon listening to the new material.
Hierophant Nox: How have the reactions to your album been from the press and your fans?
Korvus: I am very pleased with the response from the album overall. I’ve had a lot of great feedback from both the press and the fans, and I am constantly surprised by rapidly growing amount of people showing their interest and support, which is always great to see. I’ve also had a great response from the new promotional single “Bringer of Light”, which was recently released online to give listeners a taste of what to expect from the next album. It seems to have generated a huge amount of interest and positive feedback, which is always very encouraging.
Korvus: It certainly was a big project, and a huge amount of work went into making everything happen as it should, but it was definitely worth every second. I will continue to deal with the production side myself, as it plays a huge part in the overall sound and atmosphere of the music, so it’s something I like to have complete control of. As for the release, it was definitely a good move for the first album, but I intend to sign to a bigger label for the next album, so I can concentrate purely on creating the music and touring with the live band, while the label takes care of the business side.
Hierophant Nox: If my memory serves (which it occasionally doesn’t) you are listed in the production credits for some of Artisian’s work too; is this an area you are keen to develop into?
Korvus: Yes, I produced their third album “Seargte le Reothadh” in 2007. I do a lot of production work outside of my own music, specialising in extreme metal. I’m currently doing some work with Imperial Vengeance, a very interesting new act that have recently signed to Candlelight Records, and Fornost Arnor, who will very soon be bursting their way into the UK metal scene, so keep an eye out for both of them.
Hierophant Nox: What would you say are your main influences in creating Korvus material, musical or otherwise?
Korvus: This is probably one of the most difficult questions for me to answer, especially to put into words, which is why I use music to express my ideas! The overall concept of the material I’m currently working on is based around the darker elements of the human mind, our understanding of existence, and the psychology behind organised religion. In terms of musical influences, there is quite a wide variety. The roots of the music are still in black metal, particularly the sound of bands such as Emperor, Dimmu Borgir and Dark Funeral, among others, but some of my other favourite bands are Devil Doll, Opeth and Therion, and I also listen to a lot of classical music and film soundtracks.
Hierophant
Nox: What is your conception of, and attitude towards, black metal as a genre,
ideology, art-form.. whatever?
Korvus: I think that black metal is a much wider and more varied genre
than many people seem to think. Obviously there are distinct musical elements that
separate it from other genres, but for me it is the atmosphere created that sets it apart
from the rest of the extreme metal subgenres, not the narrow-minded following of strict
guidelines in terms of image, concept and sound. I never write music with the intent of it
being black metal, which is why so many other elements can be heard in the music. I use
the term ‘black metal’ rather loosely then describing my own music, as there are
many aspects that some would say are not. I’m very keen to push the boundaries and
explore what can be done with the genre, rather than replicating what has already been
done.
Korvus: Yes.
Hierophant Nox: Heh heh. How do you feel about the British metal scene? What about its relationship with its press?
Korvus: I think that the next few years will be a crucial time for the British extreme metal scene. It seems to have been almost inactive for the last decade, which is definitely changing now. There are a number of very interesting acts emerging from the UK at the moment, which will very soon be making their mark in the extreme metal scene. In the past, I think the extreme metal press have been rather biased and lacked interest in British acts, particularly in black metal, as it is commonly thought of as a Scandinavian creation, and I’ve recently found this is changing too. Many of the leading magazines and journalists seem to be very keen on the idea of pushing UK scene as much as possible and exposing what is has to offer, which can only be good.
Hierophant Nox: Speaking now of your live work, you have opened for some pretty big names. How have you found the live experience so far? What is the best show you ever played?
Korvus: Live performances are definitely something I enjoy very much, and although Korvus is primarily a recording project, it is always great to have the music brought to life by a full band of live musicians. We have played various shows around the UK with bands such as Dark Funeral, Endstille, Akercocke, Hecate Enthroned, Napalm Death and Gallhammer, among others. The best response we have had so far was probably the show with Dark Funeral in London last year.
Hierophant Nox: You mentioned the new track that listeners can find for preview on your Myspace; are you working on new material at the moment? Do you see your future releases taking a different turn to “In the Name of Lucifer”?
Korvus: I am currently working on material for the second album, with the track that you mention currently available to stream on the official website at www.myspace.com/korvus. The new material has certainly taken a different turn to “In the Name of Lucifer”, and is already sounding much more intense and chaotic, with much more complex melodies, harmonies and orchestral arrangements. If all goes to plan the album should be ready for release around mid to late 2009, when we will also be making a few special live appearances, so keep an eye on the website for updates, and be sure to check out the current promotional single “Bringer of Light”...
Many thanks for your time, and we will be sure to do so!
