Thee Kvlt Ov Øurøbørøs Interview
Thee Kvlt Ov Øurøbørøs hail from Gainsville, Florida and have been exploring the realms of Blackened Doom with their dual pronged monlithic bass attack for just under 3 years. They released their latest demo ‘Rehearsalis Megatherion’ last year and with a full length album, a 4 way split 10″ and a few other releases due in 2008, I caught up with their bass player Mike to ask him a few questions.
Firstly, as I start off with all my interviews, can you give us a quick run down of the bands history and its current members?
THEE KVLT came together in mid-2005, after the dissolution ov the band I CAN’T REMEMBER, which the original drummer (Mattias) and myself were members ov. Basically, the guitar guy was moving away. So we decided to scrap all the old material and start anew, with no pesky guitarists mucking up the proceedings for us anymore. Then, since we needed a singer, we coerced T-DVB (former vocalist for the amazing and hateful powerviolence band E.B.S.) to give being in a band another shot, and THEE KVLT OV OUROBOROS was born. We stayed in that exact line-up for about a year and a half, until Mattias had to move away to go to law school (fuckin’ over-achievers). In that time we managed to record 2 demos (very limited copies, usually CD-Rs given out at shows to friends), and the first EP we recorded all fancy-like for SataniK called ‘BLVD’ (100 hand numbered copies in silk-screened chip-board mailers), and we did a mini-tour ov Florida with up-and-coming black metal horde SECRETS SHE KEPT.
After Mattias left, I turned to my brother from another mother, Chris Marine, to handle drum duties, to which he complied immediately. I had been wrangling around the idea ov having another bass player playing the LOW low bass angle, and I had already been bugging our good friend Jamie Oulman about doing it for about a year, so he finally cowboy’ed up and bought the big purple ampeg 8X10 cabinet (which we refer to as GRAPE APE) and got with the fold. After that, we’ve been writing crushing/blistering material, doing shows with the likes ov TORCHE, BLACK COBRA, GIL MANTERA’S PARTY DREAM, SHITSTORM, NUX VOMICA & CONSULAR among others. we recorded a full length demo project in 2007, which also saw release on SataniK.
This lineup has been solid for over a year and half now, but Chris moved off to NYC, and T-DVB moved to St. Augustine, so we are technically torn asunder right now. But before the moves, we managed to get into a real studio and record a real-deal Holyfield full length album, which will see the light ov day very very soon.
For those who’ve yet to hear Thee Kvlt Ov Øurøbørøs, how would you describe your monolithic drones?
‘Totally Necrodudial’
Although your actively involved in the Doom underground, there’s a strong Black Metal feel to your music in places, so who you would you say are your major influences and how do they reflect your sound?
It’s been said that we’re halfway between Big Business and Bathory, and it’s kinda pretty true. There’s the huge wall ov fuzz bass, yet there’s the majestic melodicism ov Black Metal that creeps in as well. There’s the slow, crushing riffs, and the blasting counterpoint melodies also. I would say the major basic component elements ov THEE KVLT can be traced to Black Sabbath, Gorgoroth, Grief, Bathory, and Celtic Frost.
Black Thrash and Doom.
And what about influences outside of music?
The film ‘Conan The Barbarian’ is certainly a cornerstone. The actual symbol ov Ouroboros was the key to our destiny, and still the focal point in our ideology. Down-home southern cooking also weighs in heavily.
Who came up with your moniker Thee Kvlt Ov Øurøbørøs, what does it mean and why that particular spelling?
I came up with the name, and at first it was just Ouroboros, to kind ov deify that idea without taking it too far. Then that whole idea began to nest itself in my mind, and it seemed like the name could be taken further without being ridiculous. Then I threw that whole notion out the window, and now you have THEE KVLT OV OUROBOROS. Spelling-wise, the only truthful answer is to say that I just think it looks cooler written out that way. I’ve always liked using ‘V’ instead ov ‘U’ from ancient Greek times and whatnot, and ‘OV’ is just simple phonetics, really. Plus, something within me has always sought out difficult and ornate names for things, presumably to distinguish them from what i perceive as boring, contrived, or too common.
The meaning, simply put, is just a steadfast worship ov moments ov catharsis and rebirth, in one’s personal/singular life, and also more globally. The name and the sound is a symbol ov this.
What recordings have you released to date and how can people get hold of copies?
Well, the first two demos (dro)))nedisciple, demo 2006) are just dust in the wind, so to speak, tho I may make that stuff available for download at some point. the ‘BLVD’ CDs are long gone. No distros have them anymore, and neither do we. ‘Demo 2007 – Rehearsalis Megatherion’ is still available in limited quantities thru SataniK Recordings blog site (www.satanikrecordings.wordpress.com).
You also utilise 2 bass players, what extra do you think this brings to the band?
A totally different sound and riff method. when you take 2 bass guitars, tune them down to G#, and put them thru very loud, fuzzed-out amps… it’s unholy. There are times when I play my bass more like a guitar, and Jamie takes up the bottom end an octave lower, then there are times when we are in unison for extra added ballistic heaviness. Then there are times when I go low and Jamie will take the melody. we write our riffs to be played by US, and no one else. Playing THEE KVLT songs on guitar would be damn near silly.
Lets get on to your lyrics, who writes them and what subject matters do they cover?
There has been a three way split in lyric writing duties, mostly between T-DVB and myself, but lately Jamie has supplied all the lyrics. Especially for our new NEW songs. The older songs dealt with alchemy, weird rituals/cosmology, barbaric death shit, earth’s demise. There are some ‘religious’ songs that explain the significance ov the symbol ov OUROBOROS, songs that extol the virtues ov the human flaw. Who knows what Jamie’s lyrics are about? They are amazing tho.
Can you give us an insight as to what the scene is like in Gainesville, Florida?
Well, tonight, for example, Samiam is playing with Hot Water Music, and it’s a big fucking deal… to everyone else. Mainly, punk rock shit like that is what’s poppin’ here, that and effete indie rock. Not much metal, to speak ov. There is, however, an awesome DIY scene that embraces pretty much whatever kind ov music as long as it’s rooted in underground ideals, and thru that we’ve played shows with all kinds ov amazing folks and had a blast. Also, some very good hardcore/d-beat/grind type bands floating around the area.
Is it easy for you to get gigs locally as well as nationally and what is a typical Thee Kvlt Ov Øurøbørøs show like?
It’s not really that easy. We get shut out ov shit around here based on personal bullshit, and we blow off other shit we’re offered because the bands/venues/promoters aren’t proper. The best shows we’ve had are at the DIY spaces, and that is pretty much your typical THEE KVLT show right there: a bunch ov wild motherfuckers with shitty canned beer smashed up on each other, head banging, fist pounding, beer sloshing, falling all over each other to express their sense ov awesomeness at the riffs being laid before them. Lately, we’ve preferred to play in places with no stage, to get right in the thick ov it while we’re performing. The ‘last’ THEE KVLT ritual found us all soaked from head to toe in sweat and beer and catharsis. My bass got kinda rusty from it.
You’ve been asked to collaborate on a vinyl only release for Land O’ Smiles Records which will also feature Volition, Fossegrimen, Gnaw their Tongues, and Disjecta so can you tell us a little bit more about this and when its likely to be released?
I really really wish I could, but the details are not with me. I am personally in contact with the other bands, but not the label. I do know that VOLITION has their piece written, as does THEE KVLT. I also know that I would buy a comp with all those bands on it even if we weren’t on there, so that’s a good thing. Only time will tell…
Can you tell us what your involvement with SataniK Recordings is?
I am at the helm.
What are you listening to at this exact moment?
BONE AWL – All Has Red (cassette tape). It’s all about cassettes.
What are your plans for Thee Kvlt Ov Øurøbørøs over the next 12 months?
The plan is to finish up the full length recording, mixing, and mastering, get the artwork for the LP finished, and then RELEASE it upon the world. There is going to be a ‘die-hard’ styled edition that will come with a live DVD ov the ‘last’ THEE KVLT ritual in Gainesville, a pin/badge, a t-shirt with artwork that corresponds to the album, and colored vinyl. Then, once that is out, we will do some shows in support ov this release on the East Coast, which is what i’m really looking forward to. It’s a whole different ball game when we are right in front ov you with mega bass power at our fingertips. Also, we have to record the track ‘Forest ov thee Goaticorn’ for the aforementioned 5-way split, and there is talk ov a collaborative recording with Jacksonville doom duo DARK CASTLE in the works. Which will be amazing, by the way. Also, a split 7″ is imminent with SECRETS SHE KEPT on SataniK, so stay tuned for that.
Thanks Mike for the interview and please use this space for any final thoughts…
Many thanks for the interview, keep an eye out for the SSK split and our full length album ‘GVTS’, and remember…
MAY ALL THAT IS BURIED FOREVER LAY IN REST.
Check out all the latest goings on with Thee Kvlt Ov Øurøbørøs at: www.myspace.com/ouroboros666
And SataniK Recordings at: www.satanikrecordings.wordpress.com
Interviewed by: Lee Edwards
