Being an overly active member of a message board does have it's quirks. All I remember saying was good things about the band, and the next thing I know, I got an email from Tino, the drummer from Epoch of Unlight. One thing led to another, and here we have this email interview. So enjoy. -Andrew
First off, tell me a little bit about you and Epoch of Unlight, for those who don't know you.
My name is Tino and I�m the drummer and founding member of EOU. The following is an exert from our bio which should hopefully fill in any background info on the band you may need:
The band has existed in various forms under different names since 1990 but it wasn�t until 1994 that we officially decided upon EPOCH OF UNLIGHT. In 1995 we released our first demo, "Within The Night�" as a 4-song MCD, and in May of 1997 they returned to the studio to record three new tracks. The new songs were released as a promo CD entitled "Black & Crimson Glory�. This promo captured the attention of many labels and in the winter of 1998, EPOCH OF UNLIGHT signed with THE END RECORDS and towards the end of the year entered the studio to record our debut full-length album. Entitled "What Will Be Has Been", which was a mix of melodic death/black metal. The band then supported the new release with countless live shows including a five-week national (including Canada and Mexico) tour with Dimmu Borgir and Samael.
How was the recording for the new CD, Caught in the Unlight?
The recording for the new CD was the best experience we�ve had in a studio to date. This time around we had the opportunity to work with Keith Falgout. We�d heard about Keith for years through bands like Soilent Green and Goat Whore. His name and engineering talents were brought up to our label and then we both contacted him. The album was recorded and mixed in 5 days(which despite how short it may sound, is the most time we've had in the studio for one recording). The vibe was great. Keith is a real easy guy to work with and recording down in Louisiana was just the change of environment was definitely a plus. Alot of good music has come out of Festival Studios and it sets the tone while you are in the studio down there.
How long have you been with The End records?
We signed with The End records in �98. Marco at Metal Maniacs reviewed a copy of the "Black & Crimson Glory". We pressed about 500 copies of it ourselves and sent out a ton of promos. They liked it so much that they passed it along to Andreas at THE END records and he contacted us.
How has your relationship been with The End?
Working with The End Records has been a great experience. I said numerous times that dealing with Andreas is more like discussing music with a friend rather than reporting to a business. We are the only band that The End has supported on a tour as well which I think is a glowing endorsement for our excellent working relationship.
You play a unique style of Death/Thrash/Black metal. Are really can't lump you into one genre. What would you say Epoch of Unlight plays?
Although I really hate using a single label, I would best describe us as a hybrid of the various musical styles that we enjoy listening to and playing: thrashy, black-influenced death metal.
How is the response to EoU when you play shows in your home state compared to the rest of the USA? I'm assuming it's much better.
That couldn�t be further from the truth. It seems we have a better response everywhere except in our hometown. Metal is not big in Memphis. (Unless you consider Korn metal-which I don't!) The scene in Tennessee, especially west Tennessee, is virtually non-existent. Most, if not all of the clubs in Memphis have changed format and do not offer any venues for music other than MTV alternative and blues-rock. Everywhere else we have played outside of the city, we seem to get a good response. We�ve played the Milwaukee Metal Fest three times and had really good turnouts for all of them. Quite a few people came up to us after the show quite surprised that we were from the states. We also played the Michigan Fest one year and did our first tour of US/Canada/and Mexico with Samael and Dimmu Borgir. The feedback for both of these things were also better than anything we�ve ever gotten back home.
Are you planning on attending Milwaukee Metalfest this year? Please say yes!
At this time we are confirmed to play the Metalfest. The only question now is which day and stage we�ll be on.
Do you have any major tour plans coming up soon? I would love to see you guys.
Thanks. Actually, we�re working on that right now. There were talks of doing a brief tour centered around the Metalfest but nothing has been confirmed at this time.
I heard you had looked into getting a second guitarist. How did that go?
As of last week, we have started rehearsing again with a new second guitarist. If all goes well, he will be with us in Milwaukee. It has been a VERY slow process due to the lack of musicians available in the area. (And of course absolutely NO one wants to come to Memphis). Also, the ability and dedication required to play the music has been missing in many of those that have auditioned as well. (We have amassed so many nightmare audition stories a friend recommended that I write them all down in a book.)
What CDs have you been into lately?
Immortal�s �Damned in Black�, Eucharist�s �A Velvet Creation� and Napalm Death�s �Enemy of the Music Business�. I�m definitely looking forward to the new Blind Guardian album and the double live Iron Maiden due out soon.
How would you compare the new album to your previous one, What Will Be Has Been?
I think the first thing that will stand out is the production on this CD. In
the past we have been limited to working with guys in the studio that have
had no experience recording this type of music. This time we had the opportunity to work with an experienced recording engineer that basically knew how to record a metal album. The guitar sound is much thicker and the drum production is very deep and natural sounding. (This was especially important to me on this release because we have some of the fastest songs we have ever written on this album.)
The music still has a strong melodic/thrashy component to it. (I think the fact that we all grew up listening to '80s thrash metal should be a bit more apparent on this release!) The vocals should be noticeably different. With the exception of a voice-over by Ben Falgoust, Jason handled all of the vocals this time. Overall we are much happier with this release than the last.
Thanks for doing this man. Any closing remarks?
Thank you for the interview and supporting US metal. As I mentioned before, Epoch of Unlight will be playing the Milwaukee MetalFest again this year. Several tour dates are being considered for the fall as well so we getting back out on the road as soon as possible. For band contact I can be reached at [email protected] and www.epoch-of-unlight.com