Leila Abdul-Rauf: An Interview With The Captivating Multi-Instrumentalist

With most artists who span multiple projects, you can often find strong similarities between their different forms. There are some artists though who seem to wear completely distinct hats. Leila Abdul-Rauf is a great example of this, with her work in various death and extreme metal bands differing immensely from her solo work.

These solo records and collaborations cover multiple genres that are often sonically on a different plane from metal. Her latest album, Calls From A Seething Edge, is a magnificent, diverse and all-consuming record that showcases an approach to composition that really intrigued me. Having reviewed and really enjoyed the album, I got the chance to put some questions to Leila, focussing on her inspirations, her creative process, and the differences that appear in her art.

For those who might not know of you, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a highly eclectic multi-instrumentalist musician, vocalist, and composer residing in Oakland, California. I’ve just released my fifth solo album. I’m also a founding member of the death metal band Vastum and electronic trio Ionophore.

What inspired you to make Calls From A Seething Edge?

World events over the past year – all the wars, natural and human disasters, global expansion of right-wing politics – put a fire in me that demanded something more bold, rhythmic and alive.

It’s almost an amalgam of every genre of music that’s ever moved me in some way…

Where did the title of the album come from?

It’s related to the concept of the intro track, Summon. I envisioned all of humanity, walking along a sharp-edged blade of indefinite length where on one side of it is the ‘safe’ concrete world of the known, and on the other side, a realm of death, infinity and the spiritual unknown, continuing to seethe and beckon to us.

Who are some of the artists that inspire your work and were there any new influences you took on board with this album?

There are many. The neo-classical and dark jazz influence in my earlier work is still there, especially on tracks like Failure To Fire and The Light That Left You. But this time, the influences are more diverse and move further away from the ambient world. There are folk elements from various European, African and Eastern traditions, post-punk and industrial influences that harken back to my youth. It’s almost an amalgam of every genre of music that’s ever moved me in some way, outside of metal.

How much of a change was the creative process for this record from your previous solo albums?

It was a big change for me. The first four albums are all connected with a very defined sound, and after performing this material live many times over, I started to feel a bit confined by it. So, it was time to try something new and exciting, and more challenging. Practical issues around live performance spaces were another big factor.

With my previously more minimal sound, I felt more restricted to what kinds of venues I could play due to the low volumes at which I would perform, and quiet, more intimate spaces are harder to come by. Because I’m more known in the metal scene, I often get asked to perform metal shows at venues where people are usually talking loudly in the audience. This was really annoying when trying to perform my older material. Writing more aggressive songs played at louder volumes solves this problem.

The upright bass line in The Light That Left You was unusual in that it was a compilation of fragments cut up from a free jam I did with Ed Lloyd Grey…

How did the collaborators have an impact and were they involved in writing, or was it more about helping your vision come to life?

Probably more so the latter than the former to varying degrees, and some of the parts I wrote note for note. I had a basic idea of what I wanted each contribution to be but gave most of the guest musicians leeway to make their parts whatever they wanted since I chose people who I admire creatively and trust their intuitions. I already had a solid sense of their style and the kind of sounds they would add to a particular section. The upright bass line in The Light That Left You was unusual in that it was a compilation of fragments cut up from a free jam I did with Ed Lloyd Grey.

How does it differ when you are writing and composing ambient solo works compared to material for your metal bands, Cardinal Wyrm and Vastum?

Actually, Cardinal Wyrm and Vastum have entirely different compositional approaches from each other. When I was in Cardinal Wyrm years ago, most of our songs came out of live jams, or riffs that Nate, the guitarist, tabbed out and evolved greatly from there. Until now, Vastum songs were written in isolation and presented to the band in more or less complete form.

My solo work on the other hand is written while it’s being recorded, so the ‘demo’ is actually the thing that becomes the final recording; it’s not a separate process like it is with my bands. When writing my own stuff, I often use MIDI maps so I can edit melodies on the fly and plug them into different synth patches, so songs tend to come together pretty quickly, as opposed to a traditional band where you would rehearse a new song over and over until you can play it all the way through, only to be recorded in its final form later.

Are there any similarities to your approach?

Not really, they’re as different as can be.

To what extent does metal inform your ambient work, and vice versa?

‘Ambient’ is kind of a misnomer. I never really considered my solo project to be truly ambient. It’s very composed, it has distinct vocal sections with lyrics and horn solos, something ambient artists don’t usually incorporate. I think since it doesn’t have distorted guitars or traditional drum kits, the ambient term is sort of a catch-all used by those who mostly listen to traditional guitar-bass-drums music. Sometimes I hear the term post-rock or ghostly neo-classical. I suppose those fit too.

I think because my solo work is less categorizable, I’m free to explore however I please, more so than with a metal band with a tried-and-true formula. I think Vastum allows for a small percentage of experimentation, and my solo material has informed how the more experimental moments on Vastum records over the years have unfolded. And being in a band like Vastum has informed how to make my solo work heavier, at least on a philosophical level. If you equate ‘heavy’ with intensity, then certainly both projects fit that description.

I think because my solo work is less categorizable, I’m free to explore however I please, more so than with a metal band with a tried-and-true formula…

How has it been playing material from this album live and do you intend on doing more live solo performances?

It’s been incredibly challenging due to all the layers and instruments on the recording and having to suss out what to keep and what to take out when I create live versions of the songs. It’s been an endless process but it’s one I really enjoy. I have a record release show booked at Hart Bar in Brooklyn on December 18th with Gridfailure, Compactor, and Takses. There will probably be another release show booked in early 2025 in the Bay Area.

What are you planning next? Is it a focus on promotion for this record, or is there more new music in the pipeline?

Both! I’m always forging new collaborations for recordings and performances even when not currently working on my own music.  Vastum has a US tour in the works for March and April 2025.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions and please use this space if there’s anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for the interview. I also want to say how much I appreciated your review of this album. I can tell you gave it a deep listen and took in all of its layers. I’m grateful!

Label: Cyclic Law | Syrup Moose Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram

Interviewed by: Will J