ARES KINGDOM Interview up 2/22/2010



http://www.ares-kingdom.com/


1. This is the 1st time I've heard Ares Kingdom I know you came out of few well know Death/Thrash metal forces. Tell us a bit about the band?
Mike and I have been playing together since 1986, and have known one another since 1973. In 1987 we formed Order From Chaos, recorded three albums, several singles and mini-LPs, and according to plan, stopped the band after the third album in 1995. In 1996 we formed Ares Kingdom, released our demo in 1997 and played as a two-piece until around 2000 when we enlisted Doug on bass and Alex on vocals. We recorded a live-in-the-studio 7" EP titled "Chaosmongers Alive" for Agonia Records in 2003. In 2004 we began recording our debut album, which we finished in December 2005. We released a teaser single in January 2006, titled "Firestorm Redemption," while the full CD and LP of "Return to Dust" was released in May 2006. Also that year we reconfigured the line-up and moved Doug to rhythm guitar, and Alex took up bass in addition to vocals, a position he held in his previous band, Nepenthe. In fall 2007 we released a 12" single titled "Failsafe," and in 2008 compiled our demo and vinyl-only material on a CD called "Firestorms and Chaos." We began recording our latest album, "Incendiary" in February 2009 and wrapped things up last September.

2. With Incendiary you have that classic power Heavy thrash sound that came from California and Germany in the late 80/ early 90's what this the mission to begin with?
The mission was to put out the best album we could; one that reflected the core of our formative influences, which as you have identified, are traceable to those traditions - and back even further.

3. Your working with a label I know very little about Nuclear War Now! how did this come about and are happy to be with a label that seems to understand the classic thrash metal sound.
Sure, we wouldn't have it any other way, and NWN is the perfect home for us. We're old fashioned and believe an album release should be an event that your fans really anticipate, and you don't get fans anticipating, the way we define it, anyway, by not pouring maximum effort into every aspect - music, lyrics and packaging. NWN is a unique label that allows us almost free-rein to do whatever we want. Where "Return to Dust" was a strong debut, "Incendiary" improves on those ideas and takes them to even greater extremes.

4. Is there a theme behind the songs on Incendiary?

Incendiary explores several topics, although you can point to anti-complacency being an overarching theme present in most lyrics - to greater or lesser extents. Historical events or ideas were my frame of reference for the lyrics, which tackle subjects as varied as religious extremism (Incendiary), the Creation vs. Evolution debate (Descent of Man), elitism and nihilism (Beasts that Perish), anti-complacency and the dangers of appeasement (Gathering the Eagles), and the Chernobyl disaster of 1986 (Abandon in Place).



5. Whats you thoughts on the modern digital age. Do you feel mp3s and torrent site make it too easy more bands to get the music out there?
Too easy? Perhaps. Torrents and file sharing are the tape trading of the new millennium, but unless I'm imagining it, there is a new and younger breed out there that aren't concerned with the aesthetics of a release and view new music as a place holder or distraction in their lives - rather than the way we were - where it was our lives.

6. Do most new bands need more time to really develop?
Sure they do. No matter how long the individuals in the band have been playing, chemistry is key, and if a band lacks it, it doesn't matter how great one guy is, the band itself will suffer. AK has the advantage of having known one another for decades and developed a chemistry to match.

7. Is there a big different in styles or sounds between releases or is more just natural growth?
I think the biggest difference is that the new songs are more focused and cohesive than ever. A by-product of us having been together so long. This is not a project back where we get together every so often to record an album or play some shows, we do this at least twice a week, 52 weeks a year. So for us its natural growth for sure.

8. Live are the arrangements very different from the releases or its more just about the power of the live show?
We try to play our stuff live in the same arrangements as they were recorded. We are also graduates of the Venom school of live performance where we allow attitude and spontaniety rule.

9. Your guitar work really stands out like the old days on thrash Testament, Sodom, Exodus and Forbidden to my ears. Are solos and harmony guitars the way metal really gets its sound across . I feel many bands are missing that today whats your thoughts?
I think there are many ways for metal to make its point, and its seldom the same from one band to the next, though there are certain qualities or practices a few of us resort to naturally, and the dueling guitars idea is certainly very effective.
As for bands missing a way to make an effective point with their music, I think there are many reasons. The biggest in my mind is that many folks have learned to play an instrument - but never learned the art behind writing a good song. Perhaps they're not interested in challenging and applying themselves to originality, or perhaps they're just not able. I'm sure its something to be considered case-by-case, but certainly not for me to care about. But this is also why you have entire scenes full of bands endlessly imitating a certain band or album or trend. Of course this attitude only pays tribute to the excellence of the original inspiration and leaves the imitators in the position of being pretenders to the throne.

10. If there was one band Ares Kingdom could tour with who would it be an why?
Probably Destructor. Our formative influences are similar, yet both they and we are interpreting what we've learned through our own personalities which gives our bands distinct and unique qualities that would compliment one another very well...should we ever get to share a stage. Plus they're all diamond guys to hang out with.

11. Are there heathen elements in your sounds I feel that I hear them very strongly am I mistaken?
I don't think so. There are bigger philosophical fish to fry and that whole schtick has been done so many times before, I have no interest in adding even 2 cents to the mix.

12. Your website is impressive its nice to see a band in this day and age with more then just a myspace page. Tell us a bit what you want from the site it seems to be a labor of love...
Thanks, that's Alex's domain. He's got a great vision and eye for website design. Having a Myspace and/or Facebook page is important to bands in this day and age, but you should have a true homepage as well. At least that's what we think.

13. Just wondering what your thoughts were about Chaos from Order Reunion after the Angelcorpse 2nd phase ended??? I feel Ares Kingdom is much more powerful a project just from the one CD I've heard so far..
The Order From Chaos reunion is not permanent and there will be no new music from that band. Just a handful of shows for newer fans that never saw us back in the day. Then its over. You're correct, AK is a far more powerful and better developed band than OFC was, and while OFC deserves credit for what it did and represents to us, there's no reason to hang one's hat on it and call it a day.

14. Thank you for the time any closing thoughts here....
Thanks very much. Keep an eye on our websites for show dates and other up-to-the-minute news updates. Die hard!

Comments