Gus De Beauville: ......a lot of hard work followed by a lot of debauchery

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing bands today?

Steve Moore: Well, I can tell you the biggest challenge facing GOOD bands today. And it's not torrents or downloading. It's saturation. Every band that strives to do things the right way has to contend with hundreds of thousands of bands who frequently spam masses of people and media. This makes it difficult for the serious bands to be heard. But we've found some ways around it. We talk to people individually and respect those who support us. In fact, we make efforts to return the favour every time.  There are also more services than ever looking to make money off indie bands and scam them. Battle of the Bands, compilations and Indie Awards shows, some of them anyways, are set up solely for this purpose. Be careful out there. There are plenty of leeches in these waters.

Gus De Beauville: Not enough exposure and support for respectable artists that hold on to principles and artistic integrity. I think it causes a lot of disillusion when an aspiring band/artist switches on the 'tele' (did you catch that one mate?) and sees that the standard for commercial acceptance and success is Paris Hilton lip synching on a beach. Or four guys brandishing diamond plated tooth jewellery and heralding the virtues of booty meat. I mean I can appreciate a nice ass just like any other guy but when it comes to music there should be an effort made to channel genuine emotion and empowering energy into the creation. There must be a rekindling of the days of lore where wonder, magic and interest burn strong in the hearts and minds of the curious.

What’s the scene like in Calgary specifically and Canada in general?

Steve Moore: There are a lot of great bands in Canada. Bands like Divinity, The Evidence and Into Eternity seem to be doing better than ever, and they deserve it. We try to discover as much new music as possible. As far as the Calgary scene, they seem to love their indie pop here. I think it's even worse in Vancouver. If you wear striped socks and write songs about the girl next door, you're guaranteed to pack the clubs. I won't lie about it - I'd really like to see some content and intensity, also some diverse acts hit the scene. We're also both isolated as hell working on this album, the music ranges between styles and we're not necessarily social butterflies in the first place, so I doubt we'll become card carrying members of a scene but I hope we meet some good people and comrades we can share respect and good times with.

What’s this obsession with being buried alive guys?

 

Steve Moore: Well it is not mentioned in all the songs but I noticed a theme reoccurring in some of the more prominent songs. There are many other themes on the album but this image is one of the most powerful - the image of being buried alive and digging yourself above ground. To me, this is the struggle for an authentic existence. Real communication is rarely available to us anymore in our daily lives - it's easy to feel buried alive, ignored or counted out. I have had a few intensive personal deaths occur last year, and I've gone through, and am going through the metaphorical process of digging my way out. We want real communication, not just reviewing our favourite products or updating our status. A real microphone. So to me, it is meant as a metaphor to the listener but it is real to me. It has nothing to do with image or heavy music. Part of the idea is celebrating an authentic existence. Part of it is showing up as the uninvited, unwanted guest at the party, ready to shock and appal.

Describe The Unravelling live experience.

Steve Moore: We will be putting the live show together shortly. We'll make sure it stands out.

Gus De Beauville: I'm a fan of theatrics intertwined with music so I'll have to incorporate that into our live show. Bands like Cradle of Filth, Marilyn Manson, NIN and Tool really inspired me over the years with the effort they put into the concert experience so I'll try to carve out a bizarre world of our own as we approach the live show.

Have you got any plans to take The Unravelling beyond the Canadian borders (please come to the UK!)?

Steve Moore: Yes, in fact. Shortly we will look into promoters in the UK to do just that. We're also rapidly building our following in South and Central America, so travelling will be in the cards.

Gus De Beauville: I don't know how you guys in the UK have done it but you have honestly pioneered many of the truly best bands and genres out there. From Black Sabbath of course who started it all to the current bands that keep music interesting to this day. I can only imagine what concert goers over there must be like. Of course I would be as happy as a pig in shit to play some UK / European shows and the time will come. Trust me.

You have some amazing imagery (photos and drawings). Where do the ideas come from?

Steve Moore: Some of the ideas were from songs such as "Last Rights Protest", which begins with the line "I'm not dead". To be thought of as out of the picture, and then to show up from out of nowhere. I feel this is a good metaphor for our band. We are unknown, but we're coming for you. You can count on that.

Other ideas, some of the significant shots with the black paint and the more spiritual imagery, Gus came up with.

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