Interview Plagued Ritual

Delve into the dark and morbid world of Plagued Ritual as they discuss the genesis of their latest demo, 'Catastrophic,' and the challenges of forging a unique path in Kentucky's Black Metal scene.

1. Congratulations on the release of your new demo, "Catastrophic"! Can you tell us about the inspiration and creative process behind the music on this demo?

Thank you so much! This demo was heavily influenced by the late 80's/Early 90's wave of Black Metal with a little taste of our own creative ideas. We got a lot of inspiration for our tone from "Mayhem", and really early "Morbid", and actually a lot of our lyrics were also. Catastrophics lyrics are really dark sounding and morbid, and the whole idea for a really heavy sound and dark, kinda screamy vocals with morbid lyrics comes from those early waves of Black Metal.

2. Plagued Ritual hails from Somerset, Kentucky. How has your local environment influenced your approach to creating Black Metal, and what unique elements does it bring to your sound?

Unsurprisingly, there aren't very many Black Metal fans around here, as we live in the bluegrass state and that's all it is mostly, but we do have fans who are really amazing, and who do cheer us on. It really is the tight knit group of fans that really bring it all together. In a town that revolves heavily around country music, we have our own little spot with our own true fans, and that's what it's all about to us.

3. Black Metal is often known for its intense and dark themes. How do you navigate the balance between maintaining the authenticity of the genre and pushing the boundaries to bring something fresh to your audience?

Great question! For us it all lies in the lyrics and the music. We maintain our authenticity by stripping our music down to the bare roots of Original Black Metal. On the other hand though we bring something fresh mainly by adding our own splashes of originality. Our vocals have heavy reverb, Our guitars and basses are tuned low, and our drums' volume is much higher in the mix, while also having a heavier sound to them. 

4. Your band has a sizable fan base. How do you engage with your fans, and how has their support impacted your musical journey so far?

Our fans are just as much a part of our band as we are. Every Email or DM we get we always make sure to reply, and show them as much support as they show us. There arent any black metal bands around here, so the fans we have are true and loyal, and we care for them all deeply. We wouldn't be here without their support. They're truly amazing.

5. The name "Plagued Ritual" suggests a certain ritualistic or ceremonial aspect to your music. Can you elaborate on the thematic elements that play a role in your compositions and overall band identity?

"Plagued Ritual" is actually a name we all picked out for thematic effect. We're all about stage presence, and a ritual-like environment is the kind of vibe we want to use to portray ourselves. Gravestones,Heavy fog, Pentagrams, you know that's our whole thing so that's where our name originates from.

6. In the world of Black Metal, visuals often play a crucial role in conveying the band's atmosphere. How do you approach the visual aspects of your band, including album artwork and stage presence, to enhance the overall experience for your audience?

In Black Metal, it's all about being morbid, and dark and that's the image we try to portray for our band. Our corpse paint, Our album covers, even our lyrics and sound, all come from a deep place in our minds. It's all about the shock value, and there's not many bands out there who write lyrics as dark as we do or use the same dark, ritualistic visual feel as we do, and we really play into that. Very few bands try to shock their fans anymore, but we do. We want our audience to feel like they're being introduced to something new, and an uneasy, and dark feeling that leaves them wondering what they just saw and listened to, and why they actually liked it. We strive for uniqueness, and we try to bring our minds and feel to the table as much as we possibly can. 

7. "Catastrophic" is a powerful title. What does it signify, and how does it encapsulate the essence of this particular demo?

The name "Catastrophic" comes from how we think the song sounds. The guitar and bass are blaring, the drums are deafening, and that's what we were wanting. Even from the first open power chord strum, it hits you like a ton of bricks. We went out of our way to make this demo as heavy as we could while also still being able to call ourselves a Black Metal band, so it all really sounds pretty "Catastrophic".

8. The Black Metal scene has evolved over the years. How do you see Plagued Ritual fitting into the broader landscape of Black Metal, and are there specific bands or artists that have influenced your musical journey?

By keeping the original roots intact. In the Black Metal scene it's super important to not shy away from what Black Metal really is. It's a super hard genre to experiment in, because Black Metal is super straightforward. Many of the Black Metal bands with bigger fan bases have tried to experiment, and it wasn't well accepted. That isn't to say that you shouldn't be creative with your sound, because that's what makes a band unique; you just have to be careful about it, and our way of being careful about it is by targeting fans of the late 80's/early 90's wave of Black Metal by keeping the roots going.

9. As a band from Somerset, Kentucky, what challenges and triumphs have you faced in establishing yourselves within the music industry, especially in a genre that often thrives in underground communities?

We've faced a few challenges, but none have proved tougher than being from a town (and State) that are largely made up of Country music fans. Ultimately though, that challenge ended in our biggest triumph so far, which was having a fan base of our very own. Whether it be family, friends, or the dedicated fans that continue to support us, we have people that do enjoy our music, and i feel like that is something that can never be taken way from us.

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Catastrophic - Demo (Official) (youtube.com)