1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the musical project these days?
1. Recently I’ve just been recovering from making The Dewerstone. I wrote and recorded that album in quite a short space of time and that drained a lot of my creative energy. However, over the last few weeks I’ve written a handful of riffs. Nothing solid yet, just ideas. I’m still looking for inspiration for the next albums concept. Apart from that, I’m in the middle of remixing and remastering the first album for its two year anniversary. The re-release should include demos and a bonus track not heard on the original album.
2.Last year you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
2. I think everything on The Dewerstone was bigger and better than everything in my discography that came before it. I wanted to focus on longer, story driven songs rather than the shorter tracks I released in the past. I also put a lot more time and effort into the production and mixing. I find doing music production rather tedious. Despite this, I think that The Dewerstone’s production is a significant improvement over its predecessors. This is part of the reason why I’m re-working the first album.
3.Most of your music is heavily rooted in the 90's Swedish style, can you tell us a little bit more about the decision behind going into this musical direction?
3. I find that a lot of the 90s Swedish stuff is just more engaging to listen to than some of the more traditional black metal. It’s also, as far as I’m concerned, more challenging to write. I find this makes finishing a song or album even more rewarding.
4.The lyrics on the new album cover the history, myths and legends of South Devon and Dartmoor, England, can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrics and stories that you have covered with this release?
4. Growing up near the moors, one tends to hear a lot of fantastical myths and legends about the area. I was originally going to write just one song based on one myth, but there are so many to choose from. After some consideration I decided to make it into an entire album. A lot of the stories you hear stories are quite similar. They tend to be based around evil witches, giants or the Devil, so I had to pick and choose the best and most varied for the album. A personal favourite is the true story of John Lee, a man famous for surviving three attempts to hang him for murder. Another is the tale of Classenwell pool in Dartmoor. It is claimed that at dusk the waters call out the name of the next parishioner to die and that their face can be seen in the surface of the pool at midnight on Midsummer's Eve.
5.Some of your lyrics also touch on the occult, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
5. For The Dewerstone I was simply retelling stories that I had heard over the years. England has been a Christian nation since the 6th century and has only really started to let go of its faith in the last few decades. Many of the tales told in The Dewerstone are a few hundred years old. The threat of demons and witches roaming the moors seemed very real to the 18th and 19th century peasants who came up with these myths. As a result, there are many local stories about occult happenings. I’m just trying to tell them in a new way.
6.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects you have explored on the older releases?
6. You can still find a fair few occult songs on older releases. At the time I think I figured that’s what good black metal is all about. I also wrote a couple of songs about the cosmos on Midnight in Anthemoessa, such as “Anthem for a Dying Sun” and “Enceladus”.
7.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'TrveSovereign'?
7. When I first started the project it was called Vampyriis. Before I released the first demo I hastily changed it to Sovereign as I thought it was super cool and original. As it turns out, there are a million other bands called Sovereign and naturally that leads to some confusion. So, before I released the first album I changed it to TrveSovereign in order to make it more unique. Not good, but unique. I would have changed it to something completely different but I decide against it. Partly because I was somewhat established and didn’t want to change the name too much just before I released the projects debut album, and mostly because I had just tattooed the projects logo on a good friend of mine. I thought it would be a bit of a dick move to change the band name almost immediately after. I’m sure you can find the pictures online if you try. However, he still wears that tattoo with pride (as far as I know) so all’s well that ends well I suppose.
8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
8. The artwork was painted by yours truly. It depicts a cloaked figure with the dewerstone in the background. I didn’t paint the figure as anyone specific. Is it the Devil? Vixana the witch? The wicked Richard Cabell? It is whoever the viewer interprets it to be.
9.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
9. I’m quite content working by myself for now. I’ve worked with a few people in the past but I think I’m a bit of a David Lee Roth to work with. Although I’m much less cool and don’t do nearly as much cocaine. A producer would be nice though. And some studio engineers. And a studio.
10.The new album was released on 'Necroplague Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
10. Necroplague is my personal label. I was planning to start signing other bands and making something of it, but as it turns out that’s a lot of hassle. So for now it’s my own Cymophane Productions. Less murdery though.
11.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of melodic black metal?
11. So far the reaction has been very good. All the reviews I have read for The Dewerstone have been around the 8/10 mark, so that’s very positive. A few tracks have been featured on radio stations all over the world and the project will hopefully be in a couple of magazines in the near future. The great thing about the internet is that even for a small artist, the world is your audience. Not just the people from your local town you can offload demo cassettes to.
12.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
12. I’m not much of a forward-thinking guy. At least not when it comes to music. I’m just going to keep shouting into the void until I end up on the cover of Metal Hammer. That’s the plan anyway.
13.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?
13. Taake was a big influence on The Dewerstone. At least I thought it was, no one ever seems to pick up on it. There was a bit of old and new Darkthrone in there, some Thorns and a sprinkle of Carcass’ Heartwork for good measure. As for what I’m listening to now, I’m on a bit of a black metal break at the moment. I’m currently listening to a lot of somewhat obscure 80s hair metal bands. I know that’s about as far away from black metal as you can get, but it can’t be doom and gloom all the time, right? I’ve had the first Vinnie Vincent Invasion album on repeat for the last few weeks. Also a lot of Heavens Edge, Danger Danger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Spread Eagle and a whole bunch of others.
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
14. Firstly, thank you for having me. It’s been a pleasure. Secondly, if you haven’t already, go and check out The Dewerstone. It’s free on Bandcamp and you can find it on all major streaming services. Finally, give the project a follow on social media. It’s on all the platforms you’d expect it to be.
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