The sophomore album for British Atmospheric Black Metal band Beautality, "Einfallen", will be released March 16th. More than enough motive to convince David Ravengarde, the mentor of this project, to talk to us about it.
David Ravengarde: You're most welcome. Thank you for allowing me the platform with which to speak.
MeP: First things first, I must say I really appreciate your work. The way you combine Heavy Music with intricate quality melodies is awesome.
DR: Thank you. That truly means a lot to me. I create the music in Beautality first and foremost for myself but knowing some love, like and appreciates it means so much to me. Beautality is my vision realized. From the moment I got my first guitar almost 18 years ago. Everything I have done has built to where I am now. Free from boundaries. Knowing someone 'gets' what I do is damn cool.
MeP: How easy it is for you to compose? How do you come up with such great tunes?
DR: Thanks again for the wonderful compliment. And that's a great question.
In all honesty I mostly find composing songs pretty easy. The major issue I've always had creatively is making too much. Back at mums house I've got about 60 audio cassettes of material that I haven't listened to in over a decade. Since I created Beautality in March 2009 we’ve amassed a wealth of material and shelved even more. I could comfortably never pick up another instrument to compose again and already have enough material to make another 10 albums. I'm sitting on over 250 songs at the moment and new material, melodies, harmonies, rhythms and more continuously come to me.
It's not something I can control. At any given moment I may be dreaming and a full song will enter my dreams, as one did a few nights ago or I'll just start humming a melody that has somehow entered my head. I sit down with my phone or a pen and paper and 20 minutes later I have a song to take to the studio to play through. Changes can happen at that point, which is welcomed; anything that improves the song. I have deeply powerful instincts and know what will work always.
Alternatively sometimes we will enter the studio and I'll play a riff that's been in my head or I'll just make something up on the post and 20 minutes later we have a song. Improvisation is valued as much as staunch meticulousness is to me. Sometimes channeling those primal instinctive feelings can really take a song to the next level. Vocals generally come to me once the songs gain a more solid form. A story emotively develops within my mind’s eye and the lyrics come to me quite easily. I was put on earth to make music. That’s why I found it so easy. I'm in my absolute element. About 45% of the clean vocals on "Einfallen" were instinctively improvised. I just let the music play and faith the right melodies would come- They always do.
In all honesty I mostly find composing songs pretty easy. The major issue I've always had creatively is making too much. Back at mums house I've got about 60 audio cassettes of material that I haven't listened to in over a decade. Since I created Beautality in March 2009 we’ve amassed a wealth of material and shelved even more. I could comfortably never pick up another instrument to compose again and already have enough material to make another 10 albums. I'm sitting on over 250 songs at the moment and new material, melodies, harmonies, rhythms and more continuously come to me.
It's not something I can control. At any given moment I may be dreaming and a full song will enter my dreams, as one did a few nights ago or I'll just start humming a melody that has somehow entered my head. I sit down with my phone or a pen and paper and 20 minutes later I have a song to take to the studio to play through. Changes can happen at that point, which is welcomed; anything that improves the song. I have deeply powerful instincts and know what will work always.
Alternatively sometimes we will enter the studio and I'll play a riff that's been in my head or I'll just make something up on the post and 20 minutes later we have a song. Improvisation is valued as much as staunch meticulousness is to me. Sometimes channeling those primal instinctive feelings can really take a song to the next level. Vocals generally come to me once the songs gain a more solid form. A story emotively develops within my mind’s eye and the lyrics come to me quite easily. I was put on earth to make music. That’s why I found it so easy. I'm in my absolute element. About 45% of the clean vocals on "Einfallen" were instinctively improvised. I just let the music play and faith the right melodies would come- They always do.
MeP: You’ve released your debut full length in 2012, which caught the attention of many judging by the reviews and interviews. Do you believe "Einfallen" will achieve the same or surpass it?
DR: I believe, with no shadow of a doubt Einfallen will surpass everything that "Providence" was. I love "Providence" and I always will. It was a brilliant stepping stone within my creative nature as a composer, musician and a performer. It was the first time I had formed a band myself and had complete control with no compromise to my vision or playing style. This time around Beautality has a record deal with Nordavind Records and we're pushing this as far as we can. "Einfallen" is currently my magnum opus. It does everything I've set out to do and to a higher, more accomplished magnificent level. I couldn't be more proud. So much of me in is in this record. "Einfallen" is the ultimate emotional euphoric journey through a myriad of different paths and outcomes.
MeP: It’s quite obvious the opposing ideas in the name Beautality: Beauty and Brutality. Is it a result of the songs you write or the other way around?
DR: Beautality quite simply fits our sound so perfectly because it defines what we do creatively. There is a deep sense of dualism within my core and this translates heavily into the music I create. I want the music I make to be a journey with all types of opposites working in beautiful unexpected yet entirely coherent unison: light/dark, heavy/soft, insidious/righteous and much, much more. The only underlying constants are the fact every section is catchy.
MeP: I believe you were aiming for an EP prior to your sophomore album but it turned out into a double disc! What made you change your course?
DR: Ha! One of my trademarks along with being deeply meticulous is always saying something is subject to change. I know full well inspiration could hit at any moment. Originally the album set list for what was supposed to be released first "Solitude" was nearing completion. Then we decided it was time after too many years to begin playing live again. I wanted us to come on stage to a unique song we'd created ourselves. Work began. It was only supposed to be a 4 minute atmospheric instrumental. Haha!
Suddenly the ideas came flooding in for a second song to follow- all the while song one, "Einfallen" was growing in scale. I knew the piece would grow in scale it suddenly went from two planned songs to a maximum of four... to five. And then "Unreality" came to me and it grew into six. After "Einfallen" every other song grew organically in order with my deep planning and instincts in keen balance. I didn't anticipate the songs would be this long. I know however that they're the percent length. Before I knew it the story I was telling over obsessive love turning into poisonous insanity had grown into an epic cinematic saga of absolute downfall into righteous redemption.
Suddenly the ideas came flooding in for a second song to follow- all the while song one, "Einfallen" was growing in scale. I knew the piece would grow in scale it suddenly went from two planned songs to a maximum of four... to five. And then "Unreality" came to me and it grew into six. After "Einfallen" every other song grew organically in order with my deep planning and instincts in keen balance. I didn't anticipate the songs would be this long. I know however that they're the percent length. Before I knew it the story I was telling over obsessive love turning into poisonous insanity had grown into an epic cinematic saga of absolute downfall into righteous redemption.
MeP: Recording an album takes time but you did it in 6 days, sleeping only 4 hours a day! Were you merely imbued with creativity or was it some kind of hellish rush pushing you forward?
DR: Lamentably it was all down to having a lot to do and very little time. I originally wanted to do it all in 6-7 days to be safe. I realize that still probably sounds like no time at all but I work incredibly quickly and always have. There were some setbacks with the drums and on the final day the mixing desk actually blew up! But against it all the hard working ethic of me and the Producer Tom Dring got it done. Honestly though despite the fact I was sleeping on a couch for 5 days I wouldn't have it any other way. I was in my complete element and loved every second of the process. Due to financial and line up issues it was 3 years since "Providence" and I finally felt alive once more. I'm not sure I would've been able to sleep longer anyway. I was so excited and stimulated throughout the whole experience.
MeP: Well, we’re ending this interview. Again David, I thank you for your time and availability. I usually leave the last lines for the interviewed to use it freely and pass their message. So this is your time, go for it.
DR: Thank you again for the platform to speak about my passion. Follow your instincts. When that voice tells you something, listen.
Keep on rockin' and buy "Einfallen: A Tale Ov Torment & Triumph" out 16/3/15- it might just change your life.
www.nordavindrecords.bandcamp.com/album/einfallen-a-tale-ov-torment-triumph
www.facebook.com/beautality777?fref=ts
www.facebook.com/NordavindRecords
Keep on rockin' and buy "Einfallen: A Tale Ov Torment & Triumph" out 16/3/15- it might just change your life.
www.nordavindrecords.bandcamp.com/album/einfallen-a-tale-ov-torment-triumph
www.facebook.com/beautality777?fref=ts
www.facebook.com/NordavindRecords
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