Are you ready? This week, restless doom lords Lycus will release their mesmerizing second full-length, Chasms, and to celebrate, we wanted to give the band a chance to sound off about their year in the run-up to the new album. Some time ago, the band also gave us a peek at a new song, “Solar Chamber,” so be sure to go check that out. At least until this Friday, when you get your ears on the whole four-song, forty-four-minute event. Definitely worth your attention.
Okay, ‘nough of our blathering. Here’s guitarist/vocalist Jackson Heath and drummer/vocalist Trevor Deschryver:
What recorded music have you enjoyed most this year?
JH: I really enjoyed Monotony Fields by Shape of Despair, Aeons in Tectonic Interment by Tyranny, and the Eos and Arche demos.
TD: I haven’t really been keeping up with what’s been coming out lately, but I’ve been listening to a lot of Coil, Kate Bush, Hate Forest, Swans, Lycia, Esoteric, Pharmakon, Loss, Deathspell Omega, and Godflesh over the last year.
Which other bands’ live shows have you enjoyed the most this year?
JH: Ride, The Chameleons, Worship, Dispirit, Spectral Voice, Blood Incantation, Clan of Xymox, Jedi Mind Tricks, SPECTRES, Altar De Fey.
TD: There was a wide range of great shows this year. The ones that impacted me the most were Loss, Worship, Lydia Lunch, Alaric, Altar De Fey, Morrissey, Chrome, and The Chameleons.
Which of your own shows were you most stoked about in the past year?
JH: California Deathfest was a blast. In fact, that whole tour with Worship leading up to the fest was great.
TD: We were really stoked to be a part of the “Gloom Over the West” tour with Worship. They blew us away every night and were a lot of fun to hang out with. The whole experience was a dream come true.
Which of your new songs took the most time and effort to get right?
JH: Probably either “Solar Chamber” or “Chasms” as those were the first two written for this album, they’ve had around 2 years to be perfected.
What non-musical activity took up the most of your energy and attention in the past year?
JH: Reading.
TD: Attending art school, gardening, and over-analyzing everything.
What beer/food/other ingestible got you through the tough times this year?
JH: I can’t really say. If anything has gotten me through the tough times, it’s friendship and music.
TD: Coffee, burritos, and… other stuff.
What sucked about 2015 that you hope will be better in 2016?
JH: This year was one hell of a roller coaster for me. Some periods of intense depression. I’d hope those are fewer and far between next year.
TD: I spent too much time and effort trying to maintain friendships that weren’t meant to be. I involved myself with certain people who appeared to be friends at first, but turned out to be quite detrimental in the end. In the next year, I hope to build healthy relationships with the ones who truly matter.