Interview:Vestiges

1. First and foremost, I would like to thank you for taking your time for this interview. To start off, please introduce yourself and the rest of the band.

We are Vestiges, a three-piece band composed of two guitarists and a drummer. The band was formed as a two-piece in January of 2010 by one of the guitarists and the drummer. The second guitarist was added in April, shortly before entering the studio in June to record The Descent Of Man.

2. What is the story of the formation of Vestiges?

All three members have been closely knit in their local music scene for years prior to the formation of Vestiges; sometimes crossing paths and playing in the same band, sometimes just enjoying each other’s bands, and sometimes touring extensively with one another, but this is the first time that all three members have been in the same band. Once we got together, discussed exactly what we were looking to accomplish, and actually started writing the music, we knew that this was more than just a creative outlet for us. We knew that one of the members would be moving across the country in the fall, so we insisted on recording what we had written up until that point. However, we knew that we needed more perspective before entering the studio, so we asked the second guitarist to join the band and help us with the project. Even though the structure of the album was already written, the new guitarist added a whole new depth to the music, which we are extremely grateful for. The lyrics were written after all of the music had been recorded and the vocals were performed by the two original members. We will be touring as a five-piece, adding a bassist and a drummer to the lineup so that the original drummer can take over on vocals.

3. Vestiges has a strong concept flowing through its music. Tell me more about the whole idea behind "The Descent of Man."

The concept behind The Descent Of Man is the fact that many of us will not admit that humans are not perfect or the most advanced species, nor are we unsusceptible to extinction. We conduct ourselves as if we are above the natural order and can do as we please without consequence. As we have stated before, we were meant to be a part of nature, we were not meant to conquer nature. There is no conquering nature. We have failed to realize this fact, or rather chosen to dismiss it on account of our greed and “progress” as a species. The band feels that a big part of what led to this was the establishment of the church. Man created deities and stories of an afterlife to help apply a sense of purpose to our existence. We were not content with the fact that we lived and died not unlike every other species on this planet and that we were no more important than the next, so we lied to one another, we lied to ourselves, and we created another world in our minds that was superior to this world in every way. We lost sight of what really mattered and began treating this world and everything on it as subhuman. The Chain of Being, which is essentially a rating system for all life through the eyes of God (or rather man), is a perfect example of how ignorant and pretentious we have become since adopting religion. Man created God, so you will notice that God and man are interchangeable within the lyrical context of The Descent Of Man.

4. What inspired you to take the band down that path?

The current state of humanity and the fragility of the environment inspired us to take the band down this path. It’s hard not to question what we have done, what our motives are, and where we are headed as a species, especially as threats of overpopulation, depletion of natural resources, war, famine, and global warming loom over our heads. It was a more recent discovery for each of us that a message in music can sometimes distinguish art from entertainment. There is a big difference and we feel that music should be a dialogue and a purely uncompromised form of self-expression. We just consider this to be the most important message for us to be talking about, especially at this point in time.

5. Could you give me some more information about the film being produced?

The film is being produced by the founding guitarist and a close friend of the band. The guitarist was a producer on a documentary that our friend released and they have worked on a number of shorts together as well. The film will capture the narrative of The Descent Of Man without the use of human imagery, meaning that there will be no people or actors in the film, just images of nature and what humans have done to disrupt the natural order. With that said, it will also serve as a tour documentary, so everything that is featured in the film will be from a place that we have traveled to on account of the band. We don’t want to give too much away, but we plan to release it on DVD as a part of a final box set along with our forthcoming EP and LP.

6. Do you think it is possible for your band to be "eye-opening" when it comes to humanity's behavior toward nature? I really find your lyrics and music in general to be quite heavy.

A lot of things have opened our eyes, including music, so it was inevitable to incorporate these ideas and philosophies into our music, as well as our lives. It would be a lie if we said that we wouldn’t be flattered to be regarded as an “eye-opening” or “influential” band, but this album was written only to provide a different perspective on a broader timeline than most of us are accustomed to thinking. We didn’t want to just harp on our current situation; we wanted to start from the beginning, explain where we think we went wrong, and reiterate the fact that there are consequences for every single one of our actions against the natural order. This is what has been on our minds for some time now and we felt that the concept was timely considering the plethora of environmental issues we have been faced with - issues we are responsible for creating in the first place.

7. It is quite obvious that you mix a lot of different genres into your tunes and your songs are very complex. Personally I love the black metal/crust overlap. How does the process of song writing go for Vestiges?

The Descent Of Man was written as one song from start to finish the same way that it plays out on the album. We knew that we wanted to write it this way so that the message was not lost amongst different tracks, each possibly having their own sound and structure. The only reason that the album was broken up in different tracks, which we were very hesitant to do, was to make it more accessible to the listener. We felt that the use of different genres at specific times throughout the narrative would help express each idea and help set a mood for each section of the album. We are very excited to start writing the EP and we promise that it will only be heavier and more intense than this album, especially considering what we have planned for the continuation of the narrative.

8. What are your plans for the future as a band?

To continue to write music with a message and a passion that is nothing short of honest. We feel that there is no reason to write music unless you have something to say or some emotion to convey, so that is what we will continue to do. We currently have a winter tour planned for the Midwestern and Southeastern areas of the United States. Beyond that we hope to tour and cover as much ground as humanly possible. As far as future releases are concerned, we plan to release an EP and another LP to complete the narrative that The Descent Of Man has started. We honestly don’t know how far the concept can go past those two albums, but you never know.

9. Vestiges is quite a new band, so there isn't much information about you on the internet. Do/Did some of you participate in other music projects?

Yes. We have been in different bands, we have been in bands together, and some of us are currently in other bands. We don’t care to associate any of those band names with this name; we feel that Vestiges should have its own identity and be free of our individual identities. It should not be about us, it should be about the music, which is why we have chosen not to list our names, post any pictures, or specify any locations. We have all toured before, so we realize that we could be recognized eventually, but until that time we are merely Vestiges.

10. You mentioned to me once that band members are spread across the country, in different time zones even. Did it make things tough for you when it came to writing music and rehearsing?

We were very fortunate to have spent about 90% of the writing and recording process together, but the remaining 10% towards the end was very difficult, especially considering that it was one of the most important parts of the process. Only the founding guitarist was present for the final mixing and mastering of the album, so everything needed to be relayed for approval to the other members, and then revisited in the studio. It was a painstaking process, but we learned a great deal from the experience and came away with a better idea of how we should approach the next album. In the future, we will be writing everything via video and audio sessions when we cannot get together. We have a better understanding of what we are capable of, what each of us are looking for, and where the music will be headed, so writing the EP remotely will not be an issue.

11. Do you have some hobbies outside of music?

Of course! We enjoy photography, sports, fitness, cooking, reading, and traveling, as well as finding new vegan restaurants and participating in locavorism.

12. Time for you to ask a question!

Vestiges: What is your interpretation of the album?

I took the task of listening to your release without previous notion of the whole concept of the band and it is quite interesting how it actually managed to strike me. You managed to create such music that it easily transfers your message to the listener in the exact way like you answered my third question. There are everyday examples of how man is ignorant and selfdestructive and completely blind on the matter of how much pain he is causing to our planet. We completely forget the fact that we are all very insignificant and unperfect, yet we put ourselves on top of the food chain. Everything from war and disease to overpopulation and enviromental damage, it is all humanity's fault. "The Descent of Man" has a very direct message and an atmosphere with a sad, yet hope filled tone. It present the true fact, that humanity will just continue to decline and will never stop. But Mother Nature is bound to wake up and swallow us one day for our sins, an ending I find quite happy.

13. In the end, thank you so much for doing this interview. Do you have some final message for the blog, "fans", bands, the world?

Thank you for taking the time to interview us, Stefan. We cannot express in words how much we appreciate this or how much we appreciate all of the mail, reviews, and support we have received from everyone all over the world. Just knowing that people have taken the time to listen to our album means more than you will ever know. It is amazing to see this band grow from nothing. We had no Internet presence or promotion prior to the release of the album on 10/10/10 and we are at a loss for words about what has been accomplished within the span of a week. We honestly didn’t expect to receive any of this, and we owe it all to the “fans” (which still seems weird to say) and to the blogs that were willing to share our music with anyone and everyone. We will forever be in your debt and we just hope that we can play for each and every one of you. Thank you!