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NOVEMBERS
DOOM - Painful Excursions
By Adrian 'The Energizer' Bromley
I
can only imagine the painful task that Novembers Doom singer/lyricist
Paul Kuhr must go through with each album. I mean, this is some
powerfully melancholic stuff. The band's new album-To Welcome the
Fade on Dark Symphonies-is a brilliant piece of work, full of emotion,
darkened passages and you guessed it, depressing numbers.
The
music, the lyrics and the entire vibe seeping out of Novembers Doom's
latest effort is so emotionally heavy and draining at times, I myself
wonder how Kuhr survives such an ordeal of assembling an album like
this. What is the secret Paul to surviving something so emotionally
punishing like this?
"I
don't find it difficult at all," starts the singer. "I
actually find it to be very therapeutic. I use the writing and the
performing of this music as my emotional outlet. It is a lot easier
for me to sit down and put it into words and turn it into an aggressive
song. Everyone has their own way of letting loose and this is my
way."
Does
Kuhr think he delves too deep and personally into his emotions/experiences
with each recording?
"With
this style of music I really couldn't get away with any other kinds
of ideas without it sounding forced. I couldn't write things about
horror movies for example. It just wouldn't work out. I think it
makes a big difference that I draw from my own experiences and I
think that is what fans expect from this style of music."
Over
the years the band (Novembers Doom is rounded out by guitarist/keyboardist
Eric Burnley, guitarist Larry Roberts and drummer Joe Nunez) has
received quite a bit of press with each release and festival appearances.
Kuhr is happy that the band has been able to stay in the spotlight
throughout their career so far, something he wants to continue doing
as the years go on.
"I
think a lot of our success and us staying in the spotlight of sorts
has to deal with us not wanting to go away," he quips. "If
you continually hammering away at it people remember the name, etc.
I know we are in a situation right now where a lot of people have
heard of us but have not heard the music. We are slowly getting
to that point where we will be included in the list of top bands
in this genre."
The
subject turns to the creative process of the new disc.
"I
think that for me personally it has become easier. When you first
start out you don't know what is going on, you are struggling and
there are many things being thrown out at you. As far as writing
goes, you try to do too many things in the beginning, you try to
be poetic and try to fit a certain pattern of expectations and as
time goes on you discover that you need to say 'Fuck it' and do
what you want."
One
element of the new album I dig quite a bit is the use of Nora O'Conner's
angelic vocals throughout the album, helping compliment Kuhr's darkened
bellows, and at the same time bringing out a wondrous melodic edge
to the gloomy angel of this doom-metal four-piece.
Says
Kuhr about O'Conner: "We have used female vocals from the very
beginning of this band and.."
I
know, but this time around it sounds a lot more in sync with the
music and what is going on, I jut in.
"Yeah,
I know what you mean," he continues. "I think Nora has
a very different voice and styling of singing. This time around
we wanted to make sure we had the right female vocals. This time
around it was also a struggle to decide if we were even going to
use female vocals on this record because it has been so overdone.
We decided to track down someone who didn't sound like the typical
opera-like singer or the typical female vocalists in one of these
bands."
Had
you made To Welcome the Fade without the female vocals it would
have been a much different record for sure.
"It
was close," he admits. "We were in the studio recording
and were trying to figure out what to do and went from there. Eventually
it all worked out for the better."
On
working with producer Neil Kernon (Nevermore, Cannibal Corpse),
Kuhr says, "Before working with Neil, we had done all of our
recordings ourselves."
This is a pretty big step for you guys then.
"Absolutely.
It was a great experience and it was cool being the first band of
this style that he worked with. I think the closest thing, if I
had to pick one, to us would be Nevermore because at times they
change things up and have a real dark edge to their music. He was
with us during the pre-production stages of the material, but really
didn't suggest or make changes with us till we got into the studio
to record.
"I
think that Neil really demands…well I don't want to say he
is a demanding prick, but he demands the best from you. He will
do everything he can to bring out the best performance you have
to that recording. At times it was very intimidating. I can't speak
for everyone else, but standing in front of a mic stand singing
with Neil through a window in the control room is mind-blowing.
Here is a guy who has worked with some huge acts and I'm in the
next room growling my head off like and idiot," Kuhr muses.
"It is kind of unsettling, but his demeanor and the way he
is as a person is great. He is such a great guy and makes you feel
comfortable. He makes you feel equal to everyone else he has worked
with. He is amazing, a very easy guy to work with."
Aside
from the experience that went into this recording and working with
Neil Kernon, what makes this the best album Novembers Doom has put
out in your mind?
"I
think we have taken a step forward in maturity and within our songwriting
and I think we have moving more away from the "doom" classification.
I don't want to keep making the same album over and over again.
I think this aside from the best production and songwriting we have
done, lyrically this album is a very personal album for me."
What
were some of the experiences that led to such personal stuff being
dealt with?
"The
whole album revolved around my personal life of the last two years.
A lot went on and a lot of people will look at this album and the
lyrics and see it as whiny, but all I can say to those people is,
'If you only knew you'd see it very differently.' I am glad I was
able to get these feelings and emotions out, it was something that
I needed to do and as I said before it was very therapeutic."
In
closing I ask Kuhr: Is there a fun or happy side to Paul Kuhr?
"What
you see or hear in the album is not me all the time," he points
out. "That is the mood I am in when I write or go on stage
to perform. We are really a bunch of goof balls. It is all about
having fun."
Some
bands want to stay serious and in band mode 24/7 and would never
admit to having a fun side.
He
end, "If that was the case. I'd have been dead a very long
time ago. I like to enjoy life."
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