What is the real inspiration for Solace Of Requiem?



Why don't you tell our readers a bit about yourselves and your roles in Solace Of Requiem?
My name is Jeff Sumrell and I am the Bassist and vocalist for SOR. I am the only original member remaining from the band which I helped to form in Virginia Beach, VA in 2003. I am also the songwriter and CEO (for lack of a better term) of the band. I write all the music, control the websites, book the tours, make all the plans, etc.. So I guess I am SOR (in a way) but I always encourage and accept input from the other band members.

I understand that you worked with the esteemed Andy Classen on your new record, what was it like to work with such a legend within the scene?
It was AMAZING. Andy is the consummate professional, always thinking and striving for better ways to produce a great sound. It was no easy task to achieve a heavy sound with super-technical guitar riffing, but we (SOR) all feel that he has done just that. We had a lot of fun working with him and when we decide its time to record again, Andy will be the first person we consider. I can't say enough good things about our experience with him.

How did you come into contact with him?
Our former label (Ruptured Silence Records) had contact to Andy for the mastering of our 2nd CD (Utopia Reborn). Andy did such a great job of mastering our mix on that CD that we all decided it would be best to give Andy the chance to produce our whole 3rd album from start to finish. That, and we all were all aware of the sound quality he had achieved with Belphegor, Krisiun, and his other top projects. Even though we knew our music was in a totally different category as some of his more famous productions, we had confidence that he could create the sound we needed for our album.

How was the material for this album written?
In a word?! SLOWLY.... I am a bass player, although I can play the guitar, my skill on the instrument is limited. However, my brain is not limited on what it can think of for the guitar. So little by little I started making home-videos of myself humming riffs. After a year or so I had compiled a pretty extensive collection of video footage (over 30 hours) of myself mouthing riffs into the camera. I then began to catalog the riffs so I could study them and determine which ones were worthy of being played on the new CD. After that I began to put the riffs into song-format so I could start tabbing it all out. I picked up my old Fender Strat laying quaintly in my bedroom corner and very diligently began tabbing the songs note-for-note. After about a year of that, I had tabs for almost the entire album, with the exception of just a few parts I was unsure about. Once the songs were tabbed I gave them to our guitarist (Chris Armijo) who then started to learn the material. After a few months we all met each other in Virginia and created the bass lines, BPMs for the riffs, as well as the riff-to-riff time-charts that our drummer (Dave Tedesco) needed to begin working on our drumbeats. Slowly but surely we hashed-out all the songs and got ourselves ready to record at Andy's studio. The lyrics came last. I wanted to "feel the music" before I started creating words for our songs and I'm glad I did. I always hated when the lyrics to songs were either unintelligent, or simply did not fit the song's natural atmosphere. In retrospect I feel like we did everything the right way and I wouldn't change a thing if I had it all to do again. My only regret is that it took me so fucking long to do.

What is your source of inspiration to create music?
Lots and lots of weed! Seriously though, my main inspiration is my desire to create memorable music and perform on stage for my fans. I don't want to be on my death-bed and say to myself "I didn't do what I loved in my life". That's what keeps me going forward with SOR. That, and lots and lots of weed!

Do you think the quality of Death Metal is progressing or withering away?
There are a lot of great bands out there. So I can't say that death metal is withering away. But I can say that death metal is a musician's music. Everyone that comes to our shows has a death metal band of their own. And that's not always a good thing. Because although there are a lot of great bands out there, there are also a lot of bands out there that should spend more time practicing instead of playing shows and contaminating the industry. In all other businesses you are paid according to your talent level. For example, the better you are at selling cars, the more money you're paid for doing it. The entertainment business is just not that way. There are far too many bands that are amateur at best, but are breaking the bank. There's some kid out there right now who is 15 years old and loves Linkin Park. He plays all their songs everyday on the guitar and strives to be the best at what he does. And in 10 years, when he's 25 years old, he'll still suck at guitar. Suffer The Children....

Where are your favorite places to play?
My favorite places are where we are welcome! I enjoy bringing my music to everyone who will listen. I like to play in Holland because of the laws there. HaHaHaHa I also like to play in Germany because of the attitude they have toward death metal and music in general. I like the USA because its my home and the moshpits are the best. I love the Czech Republic because of the numerous grind fans in that country. Hell, I love to play everywhere. Simply put, I just love to play.

A lot of bands prefer European crowds to American crowds; does this hold true with you and Why?
I'm actually sick of hearing this. Europe is a TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLACE than America. You can't compare Apples to Oranges. Its more about what your preferences are. I like both areas immensely, but they are far too different from each other to compare. Each has it charms, but the USA will always be home to me. The hospitality in Europe is better. Americans could definitely learn how to treat touring musicians from the Europeans. But the crowds in America are a bit more "violent" for lack of a better way of saying it. And hey, who doesn't love violence?! I can't answer this question because this question has no answer. To answer this question would be to give you my opinion. And opinions are like assholes, everybody has one and they all stink!

Does Solace of Requiem have any plans for after the tour with Resurrection?
We are currently writing new material. The plan is to record a 4 song EP in the summer of 2011 to shop to perspective record labels. During this time we won't be playing live but we are talking about doing another EU tour with the German band Moshquito in the spring of 2012. Also, depending on where we record the new EP, we might have a chance to play a few shows in the USA during the summer of 2011. Whatever the case, we're still alive and committed to touring and making new music. We can only hope that the next CD will be signed to a label and promoted for in the way we feel we deserve.

It's been a pleasure doing this interview with you two and the BRUTALISM.com family here wishes you the best of luck!
THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Jeff, I would like to thank you for the time to do this interview with BRUTALISM.com!
Interviewer: Kong
Oct 31, 2010

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