We are a metal band based out of the Seattle area that I guess would best be described as progressive death metal. Or at least that’s probably the most appropriate sub genre to attach to us. Though we do pull in influences from black metal, doom and rock as well. It’s heavy music, but also very melodically driven with plenty of lead guitar and can be a bit emotional at times. I think our music tends to have peaks and valleys with lots of movement. At least that’s my perception, but I also like hearing how others perceive us. I find it interesting how artists can sometimes view their music very differently from an audience who isn’t emotionally attached to it yet. The band started with me wanting to try and write music on my own since I had always written songs in a collaborative band setting, more or less jamming with others. So it was kind of a challenge to myself to strip all that away and see what I could do alone. This was in late 2017, early 2018 or so. I asked my friend Kyle Chapman if he was interested in performing vocals and playing as the second guitarist. He plays guitar for the band Aethereus and while he isn’t the vocalist for that band I knew he was very good at aggressive vocals. Thankfully he was interested and agreed. Shortly after that I asked John Devos, another friend of mine, if wanted to play drums for us. We did most of the tracking earlier this year and just released the Wretched EP on October 30th.
2.Recently you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?
When I began writing these songs I consciously went into it without a specific genre of music in mind other than it being some form of metal. I really tried to focus on letting whatever influences were in me come out without restraint. I wrote around 10 songs ranging in sound and while the early ones were maybe a bit all over the place, it was that process that helped me define the sound and songwriting that I felt were unique and honest to me from an artistic stand point. So the early experimenting is how the 4 songs on the Wretched EP came to sound the way they do. Which I think is heavy, melodic and ranging in emotion.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
The themes in Blighted Eye are more introspective in nature. Kyle and I discussed the themes together early on and then he wrote the lyrics for the songs. The lyrical themes for the EP are about the destructive capacities of depression and the feelings of isolation, anger, and nihility they create in spite of how much a person tries to fight against it. The songs show the progression of a person who silently fights an invisible enemy of the mind, but ultimately succumbs to its pressure and allows it to control their life.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Blighted Eye’?
-It’s a reference to the minds eye and the perception of oneself and how that influences how we perceive and interact with the world around us. And in turn how those experiences and interactions with the world influence the perception of ourselves. So it ties closely with the lyrical concepts in the EP. I also like the way the name sounds.
5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?
-Yeah Samuel Nelson did an amazing job on the artwork. Kyle and I were in communication with him and ran him through the themes and concepts surrounding the band and release, then we just let him go for it. I was interested to see his interpretation and I think he did such good job. It’s a really cool piece of art to look at. One of those pieces where you see something new each time you look at it.
6.Are there any plans to do live shows if the pandemic goes away?
Yes! We would love to play shows, however it’s hard to plan anything at this point, but I am hopeful that can happen next year sometime.
7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
The release of Wretched is still very new so we haven’t received any communication from labels at this point, but would certainly be open to that if we receive something that makes sense for us.
8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of extreme and progressive metal?
So far it’s been very positive! It’s still very early so we are still trying to reach a lot more people. And being totally brand new you're in a uphill battle, but I am encouraged by what we have seen so far and I’m very thankful to anyone willing to give us a listen.
9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
Kyle also plays guitar for the band Aethereus and they are about to start tracking their second full length album any day now, so definitely look for updates on that. That’s also his main songwriting outlet so definitely check it out if you haven’t. John drums and records for a million different bands so he is most likely recording something as we speak. Some of the other artists he works with include Mesmur, Comatose Vigil A.K, Dalla Nebbia and Blood Atonement. I believe Blood Atonement is going to release an album next year.
10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
I just started writing new material for a full length album a few weeks ago. While a release date can be hard to predict this early on, I think sometime in 2022 would be my first guess. As far as the sound I hope to further develop and evolve the sound from the Wretched EP, but also let it be its own entity and bring some surprises to the table as well. Hopefully something unique and interesting.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
A few of the bands that have helped shape me as a musician are Opeth, Dissection, Enslaved, Cynic, Death, Megadeth, Alice in Chains, Candlemass, Moonspell, Pink Floyd, Ozzy Osbourne. There a ton more but that’s a few off the top of my head. I have been listening to the new Kiko Loureiro solo album Open Source. Great guitar inspiration and really creative songs. Also the new Katatonia record City Burials is great. Usually this time of year I listen to more doom oriented bands and one of my favorites is a band called Slumber. Sadly they only put out one record called Fallout, but it’s a great album if you haven’t heard it. Really awesome bass lines and lead guitar all over it.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Just thank you for reaching out to me for the interview and for checking us out. Anyone taking time out of their day to give us a listen is very much appreciated! Hopefully we can all get back to seeing live music next year at some point.
-Chris-
https://blightedeye.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/BlightedEye
https://www.instagram.com/blighted.eye
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJQbFvhBfM-cWXY77wnj6yA
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