Interview Dead Storm Rising

In this exclusive interview, we delve into the mysterious world of Dead Storm Rising, an anonymous trio hailing from the gloomy depths of Seattle. From their formation to the upcoming single "Leo," discover the influences, creative process, and the haunting beauty of darkness that shapes their distinctive sound.

1. Can you tell us about the formation of Dead Storm Rising and how the project came to be in Seattle, WA?

I’ve been a musician in the Seattle area for many years, played with a lot of different bands, gigged in just about every venue around here. Over time the calling to do my own thing grew louder… to compose and record music that comes straight from my soul. I brought my wife in for cello and keys/pads/vocals, and her brother for lead vocals.

2. Dead Storm Rising is described as an anonymous trio. What led to the decision to maintain anonymity, and how does it impact the creative process?

First, the anonymity creates a clear separation from any other projects I am (or have been) involved with. Second, it serves the aesthetic of our music. It’s hard to maintain the mystery behind a gothic glower when you’re also known as “Bob from accounting” by daylight. This project is about the art with no room for personal egos. By each of us taking on a persona and removing the self/ego, the focus is firmly placed on DSR as a whole rather than any individual.

3. Your music draws inspiration from Paradise Lost, Lacuna Coil, and Tool. How do these influences manifest in your sound, and what other musical elements contribute to the unique blend in Dead Storm Rising's music?

Paradise Lost has been a favorite of mine for many years. They have evolved so much from the beginning and explored so many different sounds along the way, but as they settled back into their doom metal roots (specifically the album “Faith Divides Us Death Unites Us”) their music resonated strongly with me. I spent time analyzing it and understanding exactly what made it sound the way it sounds, and fell in love with the style… naturally, it became a part of my own personal style. Lacuna Coil’s influence injects more of the gothic metal into the mix, along with other influences such as Type O Negative, Poisonblack, and Draconian.

4. The upcoming single, "Lullaby," explores real-world misery within the dreamscape. Can you share more about the inspiration behind the track and the thematic elements you wanted to convey?

The inspiration behind this concept is finding escape and solace in the comfort of our nightmares rather than facing the horrors of the real world. Despite civilization’s best efforts there’s always a faction that devolves into the cruelest of human nature, and we turn a blind eye to this; murder, rape, human trafficking, egregious war crimes, and the suffering the indirect victims of all of the above must endure. We see it on the news but turn it off, citing it as “depressing”. We choose to accept this lullaby with which the pain and suffering of the world sings us to sleep.

5. Gothic metal, doom metal, and progressive influences are evident in your music. How do you balance these diverse elements to create a cohesive and distinctive sound for Dead Storm Rising?

It is my opinion that Gothic Metal and Doom Metal are a perfect pairing. I’ve loved the gothic aesthetic ever since discovering Bauhaus in the 1988 movie “Night of the Demons”. It was like nothing I had ever heard and I needed more. It would be fair to say Stigmata Martyr was the initial seed of Dead Storm Rising. Infusing this with doom metal allows me to take the creepy and the eerie, and deliver it with crushing low frequencies and grinding distortion. The progressive influences show more in the song structure and overall use of dynamics.

6. How does the city of Seattle influence your music and contribute to the atmospheric and melancholic aspects of your sound?

Given our somber nature, you could say the Seattle weather makes a contribution to the atmosphere and melancholy... otherwise it’s the thriving gothic community that dwells here. There’s really no better place in the United States for us… we are among family in this place we call home.

7. The haunting beauty of darkness is a recurring theme in your music. How does this theme play into the overall narrative and emotional landscape you aim to create in your work?

I’ve always been attracted to all things dark… heavy music, horror movies, things others dismiss as disturbing. I’ve never really bought into the mainstream ideas of life in general; what is acceptable in polite society, how we should look and what we should wear, how we are expected to conduct ourselves. There’s excitement in danger and there is beauty in darkness, and this is where we are coming from.

8. As a studio project, how does the recording and production process contribute to shaping the sonic identity of Dead Storm Rising?

I write the songs as a whole rather than individual parts. When I’m working out a guitar part I’m keeping in mind how it will sound with the keys, bass, drums, strings, etc, before those tracks are ever laid down. It’s about serving the song and not any one single instrument. Each part should complement the others without vying for control. This can be difficult to achieve when writing music as a group; nobody wants to be stuck playing a “boring” part… but sometimes that’s what the song needs.

9. Can you share any details about the upcoming debut single, "Lullaby"? What can listeners expect in terms of musical style and lyrical content?

Slow and heavy. It starts with a despondent piano that soon finds itself intertwining with grinding bass and guitar. Dynamics shift throughout the song, ebbing and flowing between power and quiet despair.

10. What role do introspection and personal experiences play in shaping the lyrical content of your songs?

Our songs hold a magnifying glass over the dark side of humanity, which may lead to introspection within the listener… we hope it will spark a little thought. We do not include much in the way of personal experience, other than what we see in the world around us. Our lyrics explore the villainy contained within civilization at large, and not so much the expression of personal joy, angst, or other emotions. If anything, we hope to inspire the listener to accept and integrate their entire self, darkness and all… only then can we truly be whole.

11. How do you approach the creative collaboration within the band, considering the anonymity and the diverse influences each member brings to Dead Storm Rising?

I write each song from start to finish and record a demo version, keeping some elements basic, such as the keys, and give Kitsune the freedom to expand on her parts as she sees fit. After Raze adds his vocals, I may or may not adjust the other instruments around that. After everything is pretty well solid, I use it as a reference track and record the final version for mixing and mastering.

12. The themes of despair are prominent in your music. How do you hope listeners connect with and interpret these emotions conveyed in your songs?

I hope they will appreciate it for what it is, and that maybe it will encourage people to think. Again, it’s finding that beauty in the darkness, in the way one might enjoy a piece of fine art in a museum.

13. Are there any specific messages or experiences you aim to communicate to your audience through your music, especially in a genre that often explores darker and more introspective themes?

We hope that listeners will consider what we are conveying through the lyrics, and look at things from another point of view… or realize that they are already on the same page and relate.

14. How do you see the future of Dead Storm Rising unfolding, and are there any long-term goals or aspirations for the band?

Our goal is simply to write music that we enjoy, release it, and hope that other people out there like it as well. We may one day add members to include a full live band, but for now it’s just the three of us doing what we love while remaining covertly in the shadows.

15. In what ways do you envision Dead Storm Rising evolving and pushing the boundaries of the Gothic Doom Metal genre in the future?

As we grow the songwriting will become tighter, we will settle into our roles more firmly, and we will continue to refine and perfect what we do. We’re not trying to push the boundaries of any genre, we’re just looking to develop our sound to achieve its full potential.

16."Congratulations on your latest release, 'Leo.' Can you share the inspiration and creative process behind this track, and how it aligns with Dead Storm Rising's overall musical vision?"

Last summer a friend of mine approached me about a friend of his from a record label in France (Bitume) that was putting together a Failure tribute album and looking for bands to take on covers. I talked to this guy and agreed to take on Leo from their album Fantastic Planet. Leo is an uptempo grunge style track about a recluse that has trouble relating to other people, and appears to suffer from a great deal of social anxiety. I liked the theme and enjoyed the challenge of adapting it to our style. It’s not typical for our sound as I had to work within the confines of the original song, but we had fun doing it.

Dead Storm Rising - Gothic Doom Metal from Seattle, WA

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