Chad Bowar: How has the band’s sound progressed from Dismantling Devotion to Lost To The Living?
Jesse Haff: We are all proud of Dismantling Devotion, but I think Lost to the Living has an organic and confident character all its own. You have more delicate and vulnerable songs with all clean guitars and clean vocals like “Last Alone,” but you also have more aggressive and rhythmic songs as well.
Did having a stable lineup help your recording process?
Not having to search for new members certainly expedited things, but the writing process has basically remained constant since No Reply.
How did you decide on the album title?
This isn’t a concept record, but generally the lyrics focus on the burden of day to day living and we felt the title captured that elegantly. Lost to the Living implies the blind inertia that work and routine can cause over time.
Did the songs change much from the demos to the final recordings?
We’re pretty meticulous in the demo process, but there’s always things that occur in the moment that weren’t calculated.
How important is song sequencing/order on an album, and do you spend a lot of time on it?
We regard it as really important for the flow of the album and the mood, but we can’t make those calls until we hear the final product. It’s the last creative decision we make usually.
Your last album got really good reviews. Did you feel any pressure to match or exceed its success?
The reviews are less pertinent than meeting our own expectations. The reviews were a year behind us when we were writing, but obviously we proud of Dismantling and wanted to make something as good or better this time around.
What have the first couple of shows with Candlemass been like?
We’re only two shows in, but so far so good. We’re honored to be touring with Candlemass and look forward to the rest of the tour.
What are your tour plans after that?
Not sure yet, but since the album comes out on June 24th, we are hoping we can jump on another one before the year is over.
Do you or the band have any pre concert rituals?
Mostly we just try to settle down from the stresses of touring before we go on stage.
What are your van/tour bus essentials?
Lysol, Febreeze, hand sanitizer, WASP, and unholy amounts of caffeine.
What are the largest and smallest crowds you've played in front of?
Probably a couple thousand for the most, and as little as you care to imagine.
Any tour horror stories?
Having to buy a trailer 12 hours before the tour started and being unable to legally register it, as has happened on this tour, probably counts. Of course there’s been equipment failures on stage, but that comes with the territory.
What band did you have the best time touring with, and why?
We haven’t done a ton of tours, but all of them have been great in their own ways. I especially enjoyed touring with Katatonia, as I’ve been friends with them for many years. Generally we’ve been really lucky to be touring with bands that were friendly and easy to get along with.
What bands/artists are you listening to currently?
David Sylvian, Opeth, Woven Hand, Meshuggah, etc.
Who are the most overrated and underrated bands in metal?
Generally I think there are a lot of bands recycling Gothenburg meets hardcore garnering tons of success, while more thoughtful records go under the radar.
