
Dear readers we have the pleasure to offer you in this article an interview with a Swedish band offering Doom and Heavy Psych. We welcome Altareth.
Hello, it is a pleasure to have you among our pages, how are you?
“Hi,
We are all good – positive vibes and looking forward to an exciting new year full of energy that we can channel through our joint music making endeavors. Thx for asking and having us!“
The band was formed about ten years ago, how did the project come about and what does the name Altareth mean to you?
“Altareth came about through an initial interest in playing really heavy and slow music based on guitar riffs and psychedelic vocal harmonies. There has always been a love for that old school feel of the older bands when it comes to combining clean vocals and a gritty, heavy background of guitars. Luckily we found each other right here in Gothenburg through social media and social networks and could start working with making music together.
The name Altareth is important in the way that it represents sort of a shrine for us where we can pay our respect for the magic that is music.“
You offer a blend of Doom and Heavy Psych, how did your passion for these sounds come about?
“We all have a long history of interest in music from the 60s and 70s so the combination of doom and psych comes natural for us. We love the eerie harmonies of 60s bands and the more heavy leaning sides of many of the 70s bands that sort of make up the background for what became known as doom. A perfect mix would be to blend together things like Gran Parsons, Neil Young, Black Sabbath and some of the progressive stuff coming out of the Swedish rock scene in the 60-70s. But only if it is correctly adjusted to the shifts and shades of contemporary music. It is not a matter of âretroâ music but building on great genres and coming up with something new. I think we did a great job at doing just that.“
Your new album âPassage – The Welfare Sessionsâ was recorded live in the studio, how would you describe this work?
“It was a natural set up for us. We rehearsed quite a lot before the recording of the album. Mainly we just plugged in our instruments, did our job and we did it well. It is the true sound of Altareth at that time.“
How was this project conceived and how did the creative process of the music take place?
“The creative process is always the same. One of us comes to the rehearsal place with an idea for a song. Often this means that most parts of the song are already in place and the other members add their flavors to the song. Altareth is not a âjammingâ band and never will be.“
Intense instrumental and vocal parts, what themes do the lyrics deal with?
“Dreams, the transcendental, death and the beyond, chance encounters, destiny and journeys towards the One.“
Confirming your live qualities, will there be a chance to hear you on tour in the near future?
“No. We have not planned any live performances at the moment.“
Do you have any memories or anecdotes you would like to tell us about your live experiences?
“No, not really. We do not appreciate playing live that much. We prefer to focus on rehearsing and recording music.“
This is your third release, how has your sound evolved over time?
“No. This is our second album. The first one is called âBloodâ. Our sound has grown more complex, rounded, more melodic and all around more exquisite.“
The Heavy scene is always in great turmoil, how do you see the music scene in your country and more generally nowadays?
“We actually do not know or care that much to have an informed opinion on that. We do not âconnectâ or socialize with other bands or follow a specific scene locally here in Gothenburg. We just hope that everything will work out just fine for everyone according to their own goals.“
How difficult, if at all, is it to succeed in the modern music scene by offering sounds like yours?
“We do not have the faintest idea. Everything we plan from here on we plan according to our own agenda and that is not developed according to any klnd of external standard of success in whatever way that might be defined. I think you have to ask for example a record label what would be considered success of you are asking for success in terms of quantity. We consider success being related to how we manage to create what we consider to be high quality music.“
I thank Altareth for the interview and wish them the best as they continue their artistic careers.
Read our Review of their new album here: https://progrockjournal.com/review-altaereth-passage-the-welfare-sessions/