Interview with Burn The Army

Long time without interviews on our blog. Well, it's time to change that. This band I've been following since the first heard at the end of last year. I was offered to do an interview with them and immediately accepted, because it is a new group, fearless, with a great future and more interesting ideas in several respects. So let's put aside the twists and go to what really matters: the interview. With you, Burn The Army, an interesting Post Metal / Sludge / Doom band.

Puro Ruido: Well, for anyone who does not know, how it was born the band? In what circumstances came together to give shape to Burn The Army?

Dyllan Nace: Dyllen lost his ride home after a house show in Corey’s basement, so he slept there. Jordan showed up the next day for the first Burn the Army practice with Corey. Their drummer didn’t show up, but Dyllen was already there and there was a drum set in the basement. It all just sort of fell together and hasn’t stopped since.

PR: In another interview I read that the band name was taken from the lyrics of the first song you wrote. What I want to know is what inspired the creation of this lyric?

DN: I will smash this fist upon the skull of your now fallen father / burn the army / bury them all / sift through their ashes / show them no mercy (purge yourself) / I am the earth ender / the wave that crashes down to suffocate the masses / to uphold the crown

Those are just words to fit something Corey thought or felt when he wrote them. They’re open for interpretation.

PR: According to what I read, "The Tide to Sink the Summit" is based on aspects of Greek Mythology. Perhaps that same mythology inspires the music of the group?

DN: It definitely influenced the thought process behind the music we wrote for the record, and especially our use of dynamics. We made sure to envision Greek gods battling over Olympus before each writing session.

PR: Speaking of music, talk about the compositions. How do you work? There's a creative driving force behind the birth of the most songs? Or work collectively?

DN: Corey already had about six minutes of material coming into writing TTSTS, and Jordan had a lot of riffs he’d saved up over a few years, so we started out with something to work with. Since then, we’ve brought forward whatever ideas for parts we have and seen what works out. We keep adding parts until the song feels like its done. The first one ended up being right at thirty minutes, and the second one is quickly approaching that and almost done, so it seems like half an hour’s our sweet spot. We break them up to make listening to it in your car and making set lists easier, but still consider each song one piece.

PR: How would you describe the experience of playing live? What can we expect from a performance of Burn The Army on stage?

DN: We put a lot of effort into shows and like to think that people can connect with that and appreciate the hard work put into all the things that lead up to the show. We just want people to enjoy themselves as much as we do.

PR: You keep moving independently? Some Label has shown some interest in the group?

DN: Unless an irresistible opportunity comes along, we plan to continue releasing music independently. We’re just going to keep writing music and getting it out however we can.

PR: I understand that Corey is a full time tattoo artist. I guess you all have jobs and activities outside of music, through which you get the money to live. It is difficult to balance work and shows, with the activities carried out as a group?

DN: Between the three of us, we have six jobs and one kid. We all just find the time to set aside for practice every single week and for shows. We just stay motivated to keep showing up every time.  

PR: What's next in the life of Burn The Army? There are new songs on the road?

DN: We’ve been playing pieces of the new material live since about when TTSTS was recorded, and aren’t far away from recording the next release. To hear any of it before that happens, you have to catch us live.

PR: Ok, let's ending. There are goals you have aims to achieve as a band? Where it is going Burn The Army?

DN: We just want to keep doing what we’re doing for as long as possible and putting our music in as many hands as possible.

PR: Well, that's all. Thanks for the interview. Do you want to add anything else?

DN: Just keep listening to the record on bandcamp and telling people to check it out.