IAN ARKLEY May 2000

ENTHRONED

Obviously with Ashen Mortality, your style is decisively doom, or death/doom if you prefer.
What would you describe what you did with Seventh Angel?
Do you have your own description for what you do with Ashen Mortality?

Ashen Mortality is essentially a gothic doom/death band with medieval and progressive sections, keyboards and male/female vocals. Our first album had more death vocals, on the second we used a lot of clean vocals as well. As time goes by we are introducing more and more melody and using more clean vocals, but we do not intend to phase out death vocals altogether. We do intend to use more of Melanie-Sarah's vocals.

Seventh Angel was in my eyes a heavy thrash metal band that was influenced by many styles of heavy metal, (particularly thrash). We also had some folky sections which made things a bit different to the average thrash band.

How about your background, where do you come from?

I come from Halesowen, a town near Birmingham (a place that spawned many great bands). I was born in 1969. I lived in Halesowen until 1995 when I got married and moved to Erdington (also near Birmingham). I now live in Weston Super Mare which is near Bristol.

How did you become a Christian?

At a very early age (about 7) - but obviously didn't understand everything until a lot later. I've been through a lot of ups and downs and had to learn a lot of lessons but my faith has been something which has helped me keep everything together.

How long have you been playing the guitar?

Since I was about 16 if my memory serves me correctly. I only seriously started to play from the age of 18. I taught myself basically by watching videos of bands and working stuff out by sharing ideas with friends.

Do you play other instruments?

Not seriously, but I really enjoy dabbling with keyboards from time to time. Melanie-Sarah is a grade 8 Clarinet and Tim (Ashen Mortality Bassist) is an amazing piano player - he also plays in a classical trio.

How did Seventh Angel begin?

Scott and I started jamming and writing stuff in '88. We had a couple of mates as drummers, but recorded our first demo with Mark Ruff in early '89 and played our first gig just after we met Simon Bibby a few months later.

Why did Seventh Angel end?

It had run its course and I felt it was time for something new. We had just done a tour of Holland and our spirits were fairly low and I was quite disillusioned with the whole thing. I wanted to form a new band with Melanie-Sarah, so we called it a day.

What is the origin of the name, why Seventh Angel?

It is from the book of Revelation. We liked the sound of the name; it was the best thing we'd come up with so we decided to stick with it.

Do you still talk to Scott Rawson, Tank, and Simon Bibby, is there any hope of the four of you doing any project again?

I am close friends with Simon Bibby, but there is absolutely no chance of the original line-up getting together again and I do not intend to reform the band at any point.

The sound heard on all four of your main projects both seventh Angel and both Ashen Mortality have that unique "Ian Arkley" sound, but yet, the style on all four are vastly different. Was this a conscious effort? What process do you go through and how much in advance do you think about what sound and style will be on the upcoming projects?

I think that my style is still developing; I have quite an open mind. When Seventh Angel finished I no longer wanted to do thrash and was beginning to listen to stuff like Paradise Lost's Gothic album -which I was blown away by. I loved the death vocals teamed with doomy gothic metal - such a powerful sound. I'd always enjoyed really heavy music. I got into Sabbath when I was about 13 and I'd loved progressive rock like Marillion from about the same age. I wanted to marry these styles with medieval music with really heavy keyboards and female vocals. I didn't want to copy any particular band and I think Ashen Mortality is unique in many ways. As I mentioned in Q1, Seventh Angel were basically a heavy thrash band and Ashen Mortality a doom/death band and each band has improved from their respective debut albums to their second album. It is basically a constant striving to create the best music you can and stay true to your own creativity, being able to take risks and keep moving on.

Going back to "The Torment", if memory serves me correctly you and one other Christian metal band, I can't remember right now, are the only ones to touch on "cussing" or profanity. What inspired you to write a song about that subject?

I wrote this music about 11 years ago and I have done a lot of growing up since then. I am not particularly proud of some of the immature lyrics I wrote for The Torment. The inspiration for the lyrics came from things I had observed at the time, but I had a very judgmental way of looking at things and had a lot to learn emotionally and spiritually. The whole attitude behind much of the Christian music scene then and now is something I feel uncomfortable with. There are many genuine bands but there is also a whole lot of spiritual immaturity, lack of insight and lack of love by bigoted judgmental self appointed spiritual gurus.

With Ashen Mortality we have purposefully distanced ourselves from the Christian scene at times to give us the freedom to be true to ourselves.

The major focus lyrically on "Lament for the Weary" is a positive one, putting God first, and putting 100% trust in Him. It also seems to come from a very personal viewpoint? Was this project something personal to you? Is "Lament..." a concept album?

Lament was a concept album. The basic story line was about someone about to commit suicide, who finds comfort in the faith they knew as a child. The story is not about me but a few of the lyrics are personal and reflected my feelings at the time, but many did not.

Why do you think Seventh Angel was received so well in the Christian metal scene?

I think we were doing something a bit different to the other bands, we had very broad influences and ideas and didn't want to sound like Metallica etc. as many bands did. It was very fashionable at the time for Christians to only listen to Christian bands (an idea that I'm not comfortable with), so I think they were happy to embrace the few bands that came out at that time.

Does it surprise you how much of an influence Seventh Angel has been on the Christian metal scene?

It's always a compliment when someone says you are an influence on them. I suppose so few bands were doing heavy stuff at the time in that scene, that most people into thrash would have had at least one of our albums at times when they were starting bands themselves.

How did it come about that Rodney Mathews did both covers for Seventh Angel?

I liked his work on Magnum and Diamond Head's albums. I can't remember how we got in touch with him, but he had already painted the cover we used for The Torment, which we bought from him. The cover from Lament is one we actually commissioned. The concept for the painting was our idea. I really like what he came up with.

How did the record contract come about for Seventh Angel?

We recorded an EP, Heed The Warning, which led to us getting signed. The record company had been interested in us for a while since they had seen us play live the previous year and I think they were waiting for us to get good enough to record an album. The Torment was actually recorded just a few months later.

What bands were you close to at the beginning?

Detritus were good friends. Mark is in the band Firefly with Simon Bibby (ex Seventh Angel) and they are both great friends of mine. We got to know a lot of local bands, there were quite a few thrash bands playing with us at the time.

Did you have any help with other Christian metal bands?

We did a few gigs with Detritus and generally spent a lot of time together socially.

How is the metal scene in England?

Pretty healthy as ever, probably too many punk indie/alternative bands and not enough real metal!

With the trend in metal now going back over to power metal and black metal will that influence you to change styles or are you going to remain a death/doom band?

No I don't want to go in this direction at all. I am not a big fan of black metal and power metal would not be the right direction for Ashen Mortality. We are sounding more Goth, but this is a natural progression rather than band wagon jumping. There has always been a gothic element to our sound anyway and it is just coming more to the forefront. I have enjoyed bands like The Mission and Sisters of Mercy for years. I think Goth has always gone hand in hand with extreme metal but a lot of bands and people into metal have only recently begun to listen to it.

How did Ashen Mortality come about?

Melanie and I had been talking for a while about forming a band and when Seventh Angel it left me with the time and enthusiasm to really get a new band off the ground. Melanie and I started playing some stuff that I had recently written and it started to sound really good. I started doing death vocals and singing more clean sections, (mainly with Melanie) and with the keyboards as well it was sounding really powerful. This was at the start of '93. Within a couple of months Tim had. He fitted in perfectly and now all we needed was a drummer. Our first drummer, Ben Jones, was a friend of Melanie's brother Nick. We got a short set together and by the end of the year had recorded our first demo and played our first gig. There was a lot of excitement about the band at the time and the following year we did loads of gigs and festivals and a tour of Holland and Germany. We also recorded our second demo. Both demos met with a great deal of praise from media and fans alike. It felt good to be starting something fresh again without the constraints that I had felt in Seventh Angel.

What influenced you to change to a more extreme death/doom style?

As I mentioned earlier I was listening to bands like Paradise Lost, Cathedral etc. At the time I wasn't so into thrash. I wanted to play something very heavy and dark but not so technical. I wanted something with more feeling and emotion, which didn't require the same kind of precision. I was keen for Ashen Mortality to be a complete change from what I had done with Seventh Angel and I wanted to be able to write music which expressed myself honestly and that I enjoyed.

I love Sarah's vocals; will she be used more in upcoming projects?

Melanie-Sarah! Yes we intend to do a lot more with Melanie's vocals in future - this is something everyone wants to hear more of. Although we were (and still are) very pleased with the outcome of Your Caress, which incidentally was recorded and mixed in only 3 days, we felt Melanie's vocals (and some keys) could have been a little bit higher in the mix. This is something we wish to rectify in future, as well as the quantity of her vocals.

How did you two meet? (personal question)

We met in 1990. I was involved in organising a small festival/conference at the time and Melanie was interested in attending - we wrote to each other for a while and one day she came to Birmingham to visit the university and we met up. After this occasion I was extremely keen to see her again! A few weeks later I went to stay with her in Bristol and we saw each other most weekends from then on - we've been together ever since. We've been through a lot together and have stuck together through thick and thin, she is a true friend and someone I love a great deal.

Are the demos for Ashen Mortality still available? I heard of about three or four of them on a web site. Can they be ordered from you?

They are unfortunately no longer available, we sold many copies of both demos but do not intend to produce any more. The songs from both demos (except for a short instrumental) appear on Sleepless Remorse). They were all either re-recorded, remixed or added to in some way, so they sound better on the album anyway.

Are there any secular doom or death bands you like?

Quite a few, apart from the bands I've already mentioned, I am a big fan of My Dying Bride. I also like some of Anathema's material, Dark Tranquillity's last CD, some Blood Divine, Orphanage and the Gathering's early stuff. I also like (as far as doom metal goes) Trouble, Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Godsend, Acrimony and a few others. There are only a few death metal bands I like but I think Napalm Death is an excellent band (also from Birmingham).

Who are your favourite Christian bands?

I don't really follow the Christian scene closely and listen to a wide variety of bands. However Saviour Machine, The Choir, Undercover (Balance Of Power era), early King's X, Circle of Dust, Believer are favourite "Christian" bands of mine. Saviour Machine being the one I currently listen to the most.

Has any new band within the past year, grabbed your attention?

Bands that I have recently heard that are interesting: Avrigus and The Tea Party (not necessarily new).

What kind of music does Ian Arkley enjoy listening to when not writing or recording for Ashen Mortality?

My favourite bands are Sisters Of Mercy, Marillion, Rush, Trouble, Sabbath, Saviour Machine, Paradise Lost, The Cult, Warrior Soul, My Dying Bride, Mike Oldfield (Tubular Bells etc) and U2. I also enjoy plenty of traditional metal, rock, prog rock, folk, Goth and classical/early music. I also like Prodigy and Moby.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

I don't have one. I think the whole thing is relevant and you have to be careful not to take one verse alone and take it out of context ignoring the rest. Some verses can provide comfort, encouragement etc. at different times in your life but I can't say I have a favourite one like choosing a favourite song!

What is your favourite junk food?

I don't eat a lot of junk food to be honest but sometimes visit Burger King or MacDonalds for a change or for convenience. I think the best MacDonalds burgers are the specials they bring out from time to time, you know the limited edition ones, I don't know if you get them over there - I expect so. We get limited edition chocolate bars over here too, which are always better than the normal ones - never mind.

Have you ever had problems with the black metal people in England, the ones into bands like Cradle of Filth who are so extreme that the authorities get involved?

No none; probably because Ashen Mortality is not a "Christian Band" - we are all Christians in the band at the moment, but this was not a purposeful decision, it was the way it worked out. We do not class the band as a ministry (I believe a Christian's whole life is his ministry, not just sections of it). We are not judgmental of people of other faiths and beliefs and because of this I think people are not scared off by us (we are very down to earth people basically). A lot of people have expressed an interest in our beliefs because they see us as very different to their pre-conceived ideas of preachy, self-righteous Christians.

We don't believe in using our band to indoctrinate people with our ideas. Ashen Mortality has no hidden religious agenda - I just write what I feel.

I had a lot of hassle from "Christians" when I was a member of Seventh Angel, which was quite upsetting and led to the writing of the Ashen Mortality song Cast The First Stone. It's quite a sad fact that a lot of Christians are so critical of each other.

What do you think can be done to improve the direction of Christian metal, or Christian music in general? What would you say are the most encouraging things you see? And where do you think Christian musicians in general can improve?

I think all bands, Christian or not, have to strive to be the best they can be (not copying other bands or musicians) and putting everything into their music.

When can we expect a new Ashen Mortality disc? Will it remain in your current death/doom style?

Hopefully sometime at the end of the year, but it is impossible to say at this stage. We are writing new material, as I mentioned, the style is getting more Goth, but there are still a lot of very heavy sections and the customary medieval sections. There will also be a lot more of Melanie's vocals this time.

Are there any Christian bands who no longer exist that you would like to see re-unite?

I would like to have seen more stuff like Arkangel's Warrior album. It would have been interesting to have seen how their music would have developed. I like some of Kemper Crabb's stuff as well, but I think his best moments were with Arkangel.

If you could make a "dream band" of Christian musicians, who would be in that band? (for me, it would be: Jayson Sherlock (drums); George Ochoa (guitars); Ian Arkley (guitars + vocals); DJ [ex-Living Sacrifice] (bass))

I tried to do this but found it too difficult. I don't really have any favourite musicians as such and tend to enjoy the sound of a band as a whole - sorry. Thanks for putting me in yours!

How did the Paramaecium project come about?

Andrew rang and told me about his plans to start a new line up of Paramecium and asked if I would be interested. I said I would as I'd always thought Paramecium were a quality band. Andrew and his wife Elise stayed with us for a while and we wrote the album together. A few months later we visited them and recorded my guitar parts in their home.

I heard that you wanted Andrew Tompkins to produce "Your Caress," why didn't he do that?

We were going to do some recording over here for the Paramecium CD and wondered about maybe using Andrew for the Ashen Mortality album; but we went to Dep International in Birmingham and met Dan Sprigg, who had just done the engineering on the Cradle Of Filth album Cruelty and the Beast, and decided he was definitely the man for us - he was incredibly professional and got everything completed in just three days with a great production and an intense feel.

Do you ever think Ashen Mortality and Paramaecium will play live together?

Possibly - it would be a good gig.

Have you ever toured outside of England at all? How was it?

Yes- in Holland and Germany with Ashen Mortality in 1994. I have some very fond memories of the tour, although we had a few hassles. We did some great gigs and had a lot of fun. I have also played in Holland and Germany with Seventh Angel.

I once read a fairly positive review of "Your Caress" in Illiterature Magazine (#17 I think), how was response to that album?

The response has been great. The reviews for Your Caress have been extremely positive and feedback from people who have written to us after buying the album has been very encouraging. Someone recently wrote to us, who does the fan club for Anathema in Germany. They loved it and have done an interview for the fan club magazine.

We now have proper distribution with Plastic Head Distribution which has been another positive step forward.

With Ashen Mortality, you take a different approach to lyric writing. More personal I think. Why have you gone this route?

This is the way I feel comfortable with lyric writing - to be honest and let my inner feelings out. I no longer have any desire to write the kind of lyrics I wrote with Seventh Angel and no longer have the same attitudes as many of the songs displayed. I find it to be very therapeutic writing in this way and spend a lot of time writing and re-writing my lyrics until I am happy with them. Most of Your Caress was written about Melanie, she inspires me a lot to write lyrics.

Do you have fish & chips often? Hehehe

Let's put it this way: I get up in the morning as any self respecting English gentleman - early, so I can get on with chopping up the potatoes and getting the chipper warmed up. After listening to the wireless and eating my fish and chip breakfast, I walk the dog in Sherwood Forest.

When I arrive home I eat a healthy portion of fish and chips for lunch, washed down by a cup of refreshing English tea. After lunch I often visit Tony (Blair). I enjoy our little get togethers, especially when Charles (Prince) comes round too. At dinner time I arrive home and ask Melanie - "What's for dinner tonight love?" to which she will always reply " fish and chips". Great.

The evening is spent in front of the open fire with a supper consisting of a large cup of tea and a vat of chip fat.

Personally, I love salmon. Grilled with a sprinkle of dillweed. yummy :)
What is your fave fish, do you like it prepared any particular way?

I like all fish except certain seafood which reminds me too much of slugs.

Over Christmas, Melanie made salmon wrapped in Parma ham with pesto sauce and mashed potatoes - very nice indeed.

Does Ashen Mortality still play out live at all?

We play live quite a lot - we've had a few periods where we have taken time off from gigging, but generally like to play as much as we can. I personally love playing live and a good gig is a great experience.

With your clean vocals and Sarah's singing, do you envision leaving the death/doom genre for a more refined sound? Kinda like what Paradise Lost did with "Draconian Times" to present. I think it would be really neat to have someone doing something similar like that in the Christian scene.

I personally think that Paradise Lost were better before (Gothic, Shades of God era). I did like One Second a lot but the new album is not my cup of tea at all. I wouldn't want to contrive our sound, especially to sound like someone else and I don't want to totally leave the genre we are a part of. As I said earlier our sound is evolving all the time, which is healthy; unfortunately some bands evolve to such an extent, they lose their identity.

Final Comments?

I think, to be honest, I've said it all! I'm exhausted. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at

36 Bransby Way
Locking Castle
Weston Super Mare
North Somerset
BS24 7BW
UK (note: address not current)

or look at our website at http://ashenmortality.future.easyspace.com (note: long since vanished)

or look at Nick Bolton's BLACK PLANET ZERO at http://www.blackplanet0.freeserve.co.uk

Thanks for the interview.

IAN ARKLEY Summer 1999

MEGION GIORD Issue 2

For those of you not in the know Ashen Mortality hail from the UK and knock out some decent melancholic Doom/Death. They were formed some years ago by Ian Arkley ex Seventh Angel (cult Thrash act from way back) and Melanie Sarah Bolton (keys and vox) and have so far released two albums on Forsaken records. When I heard about their newest album "Your Caress" I got straight in touch with Ian guitar/vox) to dig a little deeper and find out more about the workings of Ashen Mortality. The band are currently gearing up for a spot of gigging around the country and composing some new material.

What is the current state of play in Ashen Mortality?

We have just released our second CD "Your Caress" which is picking up a lot of really positive reviews at the moment. This has obviously been very encouraging and has lead to a lot of interest in the band. We're starting to rehearse to get ready for gigs this summer, as well as UK dates we are hoping to play in Holland and Germany this year.

How have the band changed since their debut CD "Sleepless Remorse"?

The newer songs incorporate a lot more diversity, there are more female vocals and also a lot of clean vocals, although we have not dropped the more deathy growls like a lot of bands in the scene. Melanie (keys and vox) and I have started writing for our third album which will add a new dimension to the band (previously all the songs were written by me). The band is always improving and the songs are getting better and more carefully written. We also have a full time drummer now in George Aytoun who's unique style has added further depth to our music. Our second CD has a much bigger and more mature sound. It was recorded at DEP international studios in Birmingham which is an excellent studio. The artwork for the CD is also much better than on "Sleepless Remorse". We were able to include the lyrics also as it has an eight page booklet.

As an act you draw on the darker more morose side of life, what is it about this area that inspires you?

I think basically the reason for this is that I have always felt more moved to write when I am feeling upset, angry, confused or regretful about something or in more down times of my life, so the subject matter is often quite dark. With some bands this is really contrived but I always write about things I genuinely feel or have experienced myself. Although it can seem from the lyrics as if I am a very depressed person, this is not the case, music can get things off your chest. Lately my lyrics have become a bit more positive and I have focussed more on hope for the future and songs about more personal subjects and relationships.

Your musical style is not particularly championed by the popular musical press, does this ever dishearten you or do you not care as to the attitudes of others?

Our band is a hobby and therefore we are not looking to become superstars or the next big thing. We are only concerned with making music we genuinely enjoy and that is true to ourselves. Obviously when you recieve good reviews and letters from people who enjoy your music it is encouraging but we never expect to be anything special in the eyes of your Kerrangs and Metal Hammers. A lot of popular music is very low in quality and depth, we would much rather be true to ourselves than famous.

Your lyrical approach seems to show deep reflection and thought, what things inspire you and when do you write them?

I am someone who does think deeply about things. I think some things in life require a lot of thought and seriousness. I hope a lot of my lyrics will encourage people to think about those things. a lot of different things inspire me, as well as things in life and experiences, I often feel inspired by my surroundings especially the countryside, ancient buildings, places of worship etc.

Ashen Mortality have been around the scene for quite some time now and yet you remain fairly obscure, to what would you attribute this?

We all have full time jobs so we can only run the band part time. Due to this we can't spend hours every day getting more interest in the band. We are quite relaxed about the whole thing and are pleased with the steady progress the band has made. A lot of people have been around for a while now and the interest is steadily growing.

Would you care to inform me as to how your beliefs affect your music and if you see any conflict between the two, or do they exist in harmony?

My beliefs affect my lyrics in as much as whatever you believe or have faith in affects all you do in life, who you are and the way you see things. The two exist completely in harmony as I write lyrics that are true to my feelings and thoughts.

If I think right your CD's have been released on your own label, do you feel better able to express yourselves when you are in complete control?

Yes, when we were in contact with other labels before Forsaken Records was formed, they all wanted us to change some aspects of Ashen Morttality but we wern't willing to do this. Being on Melanie's label has meant we are totally free to be ourselves and create our own artwork and music without any interference from someone who knows nothing about us.

Have Forsaken Records released any other albums?

The two Ashen Mortality CDs are the first releaees on the label, though Melanie hopes to release other bands in the near future.

Is the band an integral part of your life, possibly an extension of yourself and your feelings, or is it more of a pass time that is separate to other areas of your life?

it is certainly not my whole life as I have a very full and varied life, but at the same time it is not separate as it is a part of me and something I spend a lot of time and thought on. Also a lot of our friends are musicians or involved in music in some way, so although it is not my whole life it is very important to me and is totally part of my lifestyle, if it wasn't I wouldn't carry on with it and would choose a much easier hobby with less hassle!

How do you see your music developing in the future?

As I said earlier - Melanie and I are going to be writing together from now on. I feel this will add more diversity to our music and will mean that the songs will be even stronger in future. Melanie has some excellent vocal melodies that I wouldn't have come up with on my own.

OK, Ian that's al for now thanks for your answers, and do you have anything you would like to add?

Cheers for the interview and interest in Ashen Mortality. Anyone who would like to write to us we'd like to hear from you.

"Where has purity flown,
The world's corrupted seeds are sown,
As love is twisted in ugly shame,
So many innocent feel the pain"

Ian Arkley/Ashen Mortality (1998)

IAN ARKLEY November 1999

ART FOR THE EARS

MELANIE BOLTON early 1999

THUNDERLINE MAGAZINE

Thunderline - How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
Melanie - It's sort of a blend of doom, death, progressive, gothic metal with moody atmospheres and wistful folk influences!

Thunderline - Have you had many chances to play live?
Melanie- Yes, we have played live quite a lot. Just recently we've had a bit of a break from live shows etc. what with doing the new album and everyone in the band has moved house and job recently too. So there hasn't been a lot of time for gigs. We're hoping to get back to it in the spring. Before that though we did a lot. We've toured quite a bit in the U.K. ,Holland and in Germany. We've played quite a lot of festivals and done a lot of gigs in England. Playing regularly in Birmingham, London, etc.

Thunderline- Who are you influences musically or bands that you enjoy listening to?
Melanie- We have such diverse tastes within the band which is partly why our sound is so unusual I think. We like to combine parts from all sorts of musical styles. Some of the main bands we're into are: Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, Trouble, Candlemass, MonsterMagnet, Sisters Of Mercy, Saviour Machine, Marillion, Rush, All About eve, Clannad.... I could go on and on! I guess all the bands you're into have a certain influence on the music you write, although that's not always a conscious thing.

Thunderline - How do you feel about being labeled a "Christian" band, and do you consider yourselves to be a Christian band?
Melanie - We don't consider ourselves to be a Christian band and find it quite weird that just because someone is a Christian their entire band becomes labelled as a "Christian" band by some people. It's like you're not perceived as a normal person and you couldn't possibly be in a normal band or enjoy normal music! It is sad how keen people are to stereotype people and put them in a little box so that they feel safe and not threatened by someone being a bit different in some way. You get a lot of small mindedness in both the Christian and black metal scenes (both trying to oppose anything different from their own blinkered opinions in such a childish and unproductive way) that we don't really that we don't really involve ourselves in those scenes because it's just not us. that is not to say that there aren't any good Christian bands or genuinely nice people in those bands, t's just there is so much that we don't get along with that we feel it's just not for us. There are so many connotations that go with being a Christian band that are so unhelpful that we do get a bit fed up when people insist on labelling us in that way, but it's not a big problem. We certainly never hide the fact that Ian and I are Christians so I guess some people find it a bit confusing.

Thunderline - What do you guys do for fun or hobbies outside of the band?
Melanie - We all have very full (and hectic!) lives apart from the band. All the lads work full-time and I work part-time and have a 20 month old baby. We all have a lot of outside interests and circles of friends which I think helps you keep life in perspective and be a more balanced person. The band is obviously important to us but it's not our whole life by any means. I think you can get really boring if you're only into one thing and only mix with people who are into that too. You also miss out on a whole lot of things in life if you limit your interest or lifestyle.

Thunderline- Could you fill us in on how the band got together and how your music has evolved?
Melanie - Ian and I formed the band in January 1993 when Ian's old band Seventh Angel split up. We had been planning to start a band together anyway and when Seventh Angel split it was the ideal opportunity. Tim joined us on bass soon after and has been a valuable part of the band ever since. We've been through quite a few drummers but have at present we've got George who we are really pleased with and he's also been a great asset to us with his graphic design skills - he did our album cover and will be setting up a website for us. Musically of course you evolve over time (and we've been going a while now). I think we've all improved as musicians over the time and our own unique blend of styles has really come together in this last album. Where we will end up, who knows. There are definite aspects of our music that will always be there and other aspects that are constantly changing so we don't stagnate. This album is more refined than the first one, it is better played and better produced and has more groove to it and is generally more accessible.

Thunderline- Final comments?
Melanie- Thanks for the interview and the great review (in Brutal Reality 'zine). we are really pleased with the feedback we have received from this album.

(all titles from Ashen Mortality are available at www.crossrhythmsmusic.com)

MELANIE BOLTON 1998

NEWS FROM THE INFESTED GRAVEYARD

Ashen Mortality from England is not the most known Doom/Goth Metal band in the world. But with their two albums; they have built themselves a very good reputation among avid Doom/Goth Metal fans world wide. Mainly because this rather unknown band, are among the best Goth/Doom Metal bands on this planet at the moment. After a six months long pause when the band re-located from the grim Birmingham area to the sunny West- County, the band has resurfaced again and are ready to take on the world.
Melaine-Sarah Bolton, the female vocalist in Ashen Mortality, guides us to the forsaken world of Ashen Mortality.

1. Let us start with the beginning. When was Ashen Mortality started ?

Ashen Mortality was formed in 1993 by Ian Arkley and myself. We were joined soon after by bassist Tim Cooper and we three have remained a constant and solid line up throughout the life of the band, despite quite a few changes of drummer. George Ayton, who we consider to be our best drummer to date, joined the band shortly before recording our second album though he has played for us on various occasions prior to that. We recorded our first demo in '93 and our second in '94, which were both met by a great response from the media. In '96 we finally released our first album, some 12 months after it was recorded. This met with a similar encouraging response and in '98 we recorded our second, and by far our most professionally written, recorded and produced album, which is currently picking up reviews etc. in many mainstream magazine and underground fanzines. We have played extensively throughout the U.K. during the life span of the band and in Holland and Germany at various festivals, gigs etc. and have had the opportunity to play with a lot of great bands. More recently we have had a break from playing live shows following the recording of the second album and we are now rehearsing, ready to start up again this summer.

2. You had a record- deal with Head Not Found. What happen with this deal ?

That seems a long time ago now, and has not been a particularly momentous event in our band history, but as you ask……
Head Not Found were extremely interested at one time in our band and Metallion was of the opinion that we would be the next big thing following the Third And The Mortal. They financed our first album, but then, before hearing it, decided not to release it as they had heard rumours that a couple of our members were Christians and for that reason they wound no want to promote the album. Obviously we found this pretty ridiculous bur were grateful to have come across this problem before this album came out on their label as, firstly, we still have all the material in our possession and own all the copyrights and performing rights so we could still go ahead and put the album out ourselves and, secondly, we would have had a problem working with such a small minded company as we are very much opposed to censorship or repression of music due to the creed, color, sex or personal lives of individuals in a band. Music is what we are interested in , which is why we are in a band and why we create music. We believe that music is either good or it's not and all these other issues shouldn't cloud our judgement or close people's minds to good music. There are people within the music industry who try to make these other issues more important than the music but we're just not interested in that. Some people dedicate so much energy and commitment to this huge battle they think they are waging on people with different beliefs and opinions. It really make me laugh because the only battle that's going on, is inside their heads. They need to stop worrying about other people and get a life themselves. It's fine for them to believe and do whatever it is they do so why so they feel so threatened by each other. Weak and insecure people always fear things which are different to themselves but in reality this world is large enough for all of us and a depth and richness can be found in mixing with and listening to people with all kinds of leanings, thoughts, cultures and beliefs.

3. What happen after the break up with Head Not Found and up to the release of your MCD "Sleepless Remorse" on Forsaken Records ??

We had quite a few labels interested in us at that same time. A couple we encountered similar problems with but most were cool. It's just that things weren't moving along as fast as we wanted. We suddenly thought about putting it out on our own label. After all, some of the smaller labels interested in us couldn't really offer us more than we could offer ourselves - sometimes less ! So we put it out and quickly found there were many more advantages to be on our own label and we're glad not to be frustrated as many of our mates were on small, useless labels. We sold over 1000 copies of our first album, which we felt was a good start. Our second album has now come out on our own label too and things are looking very promising. We expect to double the last album's sales figures.

4. You released your debut release through your own label Forsaken Records, but without a web- site. How did you market, promote and distribute this record ?

We didn't have a web site and still don't but we will have one up and running in the next few months. We'll let you know the details once it's completed.
We promoted ourselves mainly through reviews with the fanzines. We gained some excellent reviews (and actually had no bad reviews at all as far as we are aware of) which helped enormously with publishing our band and we had a few people do us favors and put free advertisements in magazines for us. We were played by many radio stations and had a team of independent distributors who helped us out with sales. We were available in the shops in the U.K. through Draconis (R.I.P.) but obviously for this new album we're always looking for bigger and better distribution and promotion.

5. What is your view on this MCD in hindsight ?

"Sleepless Remorse" was a good place to start. We were pleased with it at the time particular considering the budget, timescales and faciltites we used. But of course you move on and "Your Caress" is something else entirely.

6. What happen between the release of "Sleepless Remorse" and your new album.

We spent a lot of time after the release of "Sleepless Remorse" writing, rehearsing and perfecting the material for the next album. We played the usual gigs and festivals, but we also had a considerable time of from live performances. Partly due to work on the new album and partly due to a lot going on in all personal lives. We all changed jobs and moved house during this time (all four of us) and I also had a baby which was a huge event for me personally. I think we've matured as a band owing this period both musically and personally and we all the better for it. It's been a positive time.

7. Please present us to your new album "Your Caress". The recording, lyrics, music, artwork, booklet, line - up etc. etc.

"Your Caress" is probably best described by our promotional add:
"Powerful and beautiful. Sensitive and brutal. Intense and intriguing. Dark atmospheric and heavy grooves layered with menacing vocals, haunting keyboards and fragile female vocals. Ashen Mortality move into another dimension with their unique and evocative blend of gothic doom. Seven new songs of diverse , melancholy metal, making this album a classic culmination of all that is Ashen Mortality"
The album was recorded at DEP International studios where many well known bands record and use Dan Sprigg, who has just finished working on the latest Cradle Of Filth album in the same studio. It was definite an advantage to us. We were able to record "Your Caress" quickly enough to keep within our budget and still attain a production and professional quality we felt extremely pleased with. We spent more time (and money) on packaging this time with an eight page full color booklet which include lyrics, as we had so many requests for lyrics sheets for the last album.

8. What is your plans for marketing, promotion and distributions of you new album ?

Of course we'll be using all the distributors, magazines, 'zines, shows etc. that we used last time, but we'll definitely be exploring new avenues for the promotion and distribution of the new album. This will include our new website and an attempt to get distribution through a well known international labels as we really need the kind of exposure that would give if we are to attain more than we have already.

9. How would you compare your two releases ?

I see the second album as a complete progression in every way and I think that's the way it should be. However, "Sleepless Remorse" is still a good album in it's own right and while it could have used the superior production and packaging of "Your Caress", there are still a lot of great songs and interesting ideas on that album and it is still something we're pleased to have recorded.

10. Ashen Mortality comes from the same city as Black Sabbath. Do you feel that there are any similarities between Ashen Mortality and Black Sabbath ?

Black Sabbath clearly has some degree of influence on the music we write, not least because they are among the favorite bands of each member of Ashen Mortality. However, our influences and inspirations are many and quite diverse so the similarities are limited.

11. It is my impression that the new Goth Music scene follow the same pattern as the Romantic New Wave scene did 20 years ago with bands like ABC, Duran Duran and Human League. The similarities are striking. The Romantic New Wave scene was a reaction to the Punk music; the new Goth Metal scene is a reaction to the Death Metal scene. What is your view ???

Twenty years ago ?!! I was five years old ! The Romantic New Wave scene is not something I'm knowledgeable about so I'd rather not voice an uninformed opinion !!

12. Following this question; what do you call Ashen Mortality's music ?

It's always hard to answer that because everyone likes to think they are original and avoids being pigeon holed. But for identificational and informational purposes you do have to think what area you fall into. I guess Ashen Mortality falls into the Doom/Gothic/Death/Progressive Metal categories at various moments. I feel there's parts in our music which could appeal to a broad range of tastes.

13. What is your future plans ? Any tours ?

We plan to get back to gigging in the U.K. during the summer. Possibly a mini tour with Serenade and a couple of festivals. In the autumn, plan to go over to Holland, Germany, Belgium etc. for a brief period. We've got a few promotion companies working on that at the moment. Ian and I are already writing for our third album, but there is much work to be done and we won't be recording until next year.

14. From where can the fans buy the CD and what are your prices and terms of delivery. Do you have any merchandise and what are the terms of delivery and the price on this stuff ??

Our CDs are available from:

Forsaken Records
36 Bransby Way
Locking Castle
Weston Super Mare
BS24 7BW
UNITED KINGDOM (note: this is no longer a current address)
Fax: 0044 1934 522197.

Our prices are £ 9.50 (U.K.0 and £ 10.00 (overseas), including P & P. Cheques, International Money Orders (I.M.O.) and Postal Orders etc. must be made in British Currency (£££) and made payable to Forsaken Records. $ 20 in well concealed notes are also accepted, sent at own risk.
We are having new t- shirts printed up in the next few months as we have sold out all our old stock.

15. Any final comments ??

Thanks for the interview. It is much appreciated. We'd be pleased to hear from anyone interested in Ashen Mortality at the abovementioned address or fax number.
Our apologies to anyone who's encountered problems trying to contact us at our old address in the last six months. The Royal Mail has completely screwed up our re-direction service so a lot of mail never reached us. Please try to contact us again at the abovementioned address.
Look out for our new website over the next few months.