Ever come across a band that has so many different styles wrapped up in one package that you can’t help but like them? That was the way I felt when I came across Bloodline Severed. I was searching different bands on Bombworks records website when I clinked on the MySpace page for Bloodline Severed. I am a fan of many different genres that goes through different phases, but I typically lean towards the heavier and harder side of music. Bloodline Severed is a band that could be described as metal I suppose, but there are distinct flavorings of hardcore, thrash and black metal (or white metal?) mixed in as well. The other thing that caught my attention here was the album artwork. In the digital age so many aspects of creativity have been broadened and enhanced. Art is no exception – seems like these days artists can do just about anything by computer. I caught up with Corey, the lead singer of the band, to ask a round of questions.
1) How did Bloodline Severed come together, and when was this? I think you guys formed in 2003?
Yes, we formed in 2002. It was basically our old guitarist who is no longer in the band, David (our current bass player), our original drummer Paul, and then I (Corey) came in the band later. Their original singer was only with them for a few months then I stepped in and have been in the band ever since. When we first started we were more along the lines musically as a Creed kind of sounding band, more of a heavy rock sound. Then we have been progressing ever since to what we are today and we also have changed names as well, when we originally started we were called Marked.
2) Is it still you (Corey), David, Derek, Aaron & John?
Yes. Like I said David is the only true original. I came a few months after the band formed, John (current drummer) came in a year or so after me, Derek entered the band 2 years ago, and Aaron came in about a year and a half ago.
3) How would you best describe the sound of Bloodline Severed?
We actually talk about this pretty regularly, everyone has got there own description of what we sound like to them from members in the band to people reviewing us or the album. I would agree with the description our record label tagged us with Progressive modern metal. We have so many different influences to our music – we definitely don’t like the same old routine. We have some mixes of melodic death metal and black metal, progressive metal, metal core-ish type stuff, just a whole lot of genera’s that we meld to together to make up Bloodline Severed.
4) You guys are obviously an openly Christian band, what is the goal of Bloodline Severed… are you guys a ministry oriented band? If so, how do you work out what you feel God has called you to?
We are definitely a ministry band and we would have it no other way. For so long Bloodline Severed has called ourselves a Christian band and have been very open about that, but with in the last few months we have felt God calling us to be a ministry band. To me the biggest difference from where we were to where we are now is that we want everyone that comes to hear Bloodline Severed live to leave feeling that they have just been to church with some really heavy praise and worship. I want the power of God to move in that bar, church, venue, where ever he calls us to play in a major way. I want people to leave not saying how awesome we were, or how great of a band we are, but I want them to leave saying “man I really felt God in that place” and them to leave totally different than the way they walked in that venue. That is what God calls of Bloodline Severed which may not be for everyone but we are going to do what God has called us to do and to be completely honest with you, I would like to see several other bands doing the same thing. People have to know the truth, they have to know that He (God) exists and the only way that is going to happen is if we as Christian bands go the extra mile and really tell them who God is and how much He loves and died for the lost….I guess we need to be more bold about our faith!
5) Who/what are some of the primary influences on Bloodline Severed?
Well I would say for us musically it would have to be Killswitch Engage for the big melodic choruses that we love. Also Meshuggah, Threat Signal, In Flames – to be honest there’s a lot of bands that I could name but we honestly try to go into writing new music with the mind frame of crucifying our own flesh and write what God wants us to write. Every album that we have ever written as a band (Visions Revealed included) we wrote with the mind frame of pulling different influences of bands that we like and I can honestly say for the new stuff were writing now, I like the songs A LOT more because we’re letting God write them. I can tell you that a big major influence on me as of late is the lead singer of Sleeping Giant Thom Green. It has nothing to do with his singing or screaming style, there music or nothing like that. I am influenced by him spiritually, this man has such a love for the Lord that just seeps out of every pore this man has… its really unreal how he just speaks with such power and the good thing is, I can do that too, anyone reading this can have that fire, you just have to let go and let God.
6) Are you guys currently touring behind Visions Revealed?
Well, we have toured for this album as much as we can. We all have full time jobs and families that we have to take care of, but I think for the new record we will look to tour a little more for that one. We definitely love to tour and meet new faces. That is the fun part about what we do, but we are limited as a band because of our responsibilities. We are not looking to play many more shows for the rest of the year, we are trying to write this new record and it makes it very hard to write and play a lot of shows at the same time. We just want to take the time to write our sophomore album to make sure it is the best that we can possibly make it, and then look to tour more with the new record as it comes out.
7) Who did the artwork for your album cover? (it’s very, very cool)
Yea the artwork is pretty sweet. Matt from Darkwave Studios out of England did it. He is an amazing artist and was super easy to work with. He has done several album cover for a lot of big bands. The guy definitely knows what he’s doing.
8) How did you get hooked up with Bombworks Records?
Well the President of Bombworks sent us a message on MySpace requesting a demo which I of course sent him and he contacted us back a couple weeks later and said I would love to have you guys on board. We actually released Visions Revealed independently last July or August (I think), things were really tight for us financially speaking back then so we had Derek (guitarist) record it for us. So we actually recorded, produced, mixed, everything for Visions Revealed our self. In December of last year is when we signed the contract with Bombworks Records and since we recorded it our self we obviously had all the master tracks to the record which we gave to Bombworks and they remixed and mastered the album and put some new artwork with it and it released worldwide in May of this year. So that’s kinda the quick little blurb of how all that worked out. We love being with Bombworks thus far, they are really good people and most importantly they communicate with us which is a big deal to us.
9) How do you feel the digital age of music has helped/hurt Bloodline Severed?
Kinda funny you mention that as the record label and the various bands on the label have been talking about that as of lately. Here is my two cent on the matter: As far as MySpace and any other networking/social sites are concerned, they are awesome for bands, labels, and the like. As far as music downloads and purchases is concerned it is a two fold thing really. It DEFINTELY hurts the music industry financially as a whole. You can do a Google search right now for “Bloodline Severed Visions Revealed” and a thousand websites will pop up where you can get our music for free and that kinda sucks. You see the label has got money tied up in to promoting and pushing a band. Everything cost money: mass producing the cd’s themselves, magazine ads, promotions in general…everything costs. Well, the label fronts the money to do all of these things and the band has to pay that back. So in turn if everyone is illegally getting this stuff off of the internet than all you’re doing is putting that band out of “business”. If you really like a band then support them and buy their record, because I can tell you, if the band doesn’t make the record labels money back then they get dropped from their label thus possibly forcing that band to break up which means if you really like there music you will probably only hear it on that record you got because they will not be around anymore to enjoy there music in the future. Let’s also not forget what God says about it either…you know that whole ten commandments stealing part. HOWEVER, I am not going to say that I am perfect and have never done it either because that would be a lie and furthermore we have talked about it as a band and it does help get your name out there. Would I rather people steal our music online and Lord willing they get touched by it, or never have them pay for it and not receive a blessing? God will make a way for us, I just think we need to make better choices as people and support someone when that is there job….not steal from them!
10) What are the plans for the future? Any new music in the works, etc?
We are currently in the process of writing the new record as we speak. A lot of people are shocked by that but we are really chomping at the bit to get some new music out there. Keep in mind we released this album ourselves summer of last year, so we are getting kinda bored with some of the songs. Also, half of this record was written before Derek or Aaron was even in the band so we are anxious to write new material with all 5 of us so that it will make it more of a cohesive record. We actually have a surprise with maybe a 6th member in the works to maybe do some keys for us but more on that at a later date. Our plan is to pre record November/December of this year and start recording in late December of January of next year. All this is hinging also on the label but thinking maybe for a release of the new record by summer of next year HOPEFULLY! So keep us in your prayers!
11) What is currently in your CD player?
I have been listening to a lot of different things lately: Impending Doom (new and old record), DC Talk (greatest hits), With Blood Comes Cleansing, Anerion, August Burns Red, and a lot of other things as well. I have honestly tried lately to have good spirit filled music in my life, I need that. The guys always pick on me but I like pretty much ALL music and I listen to a lot of things even things that are not metal.
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