San Francisco/Toronto/highways of the world metal band Castle has been touring steadily for nearly three years, and these long stints of road warrior-ing lend themselves to hibernating and writing albums when they return, like Castle’s most recent release, *Under Siege*. “When we write it's a very intense process. I set up a home studio and write full time for a few months until the album starts to take shape. I think it would be really hard to create that space needed on the road, it's just a different mentality,” says guitarist Mat Davis, who along with Al McCartney and Elizabeth Blackwell makes up the band. “But coming off the road and starting to write really lends itself in a great way, I find I carry energy into the writing process after touring and you develop a natural feel for what’s going to work on stage.”
Castle trade in some doomy heavy metal, Blackwell belts out occult-themed lyrics over melodic riffs. “There are some underlying themes on the record,” says Davis. “Whether or not people pick up on them doesn't really affect the listening of the music or songs really, they work individually just as well. That's really a writing device for us, another way to create an overall mood and also was a way for us to tie in the artwork (which was done by Denis Forkas) that centered on the labyrinth/minotaur mythology referenced throughout the album.”
“If it's successful it will work on different levels, one being personal for us, but also something I hope people can personalize in their own way.”
Castle w/Hitman, Novichok, Forward Unto Dawn
Saturday, October 11 at 10pm
Gus’ Pub, 2605 Agricola Street
$8
www.heavycastle.com
