Exclusive Interview: Eftboren talk self titled EP!

The first endeavours of Black Metal duo Eftboren form a self titled EP produced by Sam Chatt (Young Ghosts, Scumgod, Goliath) at Sound Sanctum Studio that crosses into the realm of Shoegazing psychedelia infused Post-Metal with blast beats and Sludge toned guitars to create something both claustrophobically crushing and bleak as well as bizarrely spiritual. We spoke to the band about their World and the conversation went something like this…

As a duo, you’ve been playing together for a while before forming the band; how do you think that chemistry has helped shape the works of Eftboren?

W: “We have been playing music together since we were teenagers, this has given us a unique bond that other people in bands do not have. We mainly play in a style that is a lot more ‘free’ than modern bands who are far more gridded. Not that there is anything wrong with the latter, but it’s what gives Eftboren it’s sound”

E: “It’s certainly been a long time.  We spent a bit of time playing in separate bands but returned to playing together in bands and as a duo a few years ago. Our chemistry is ever changing, and though we accumulated that from our past spent playing together and growing up as music fans, it continues to flourish and hopefully boosts the music. I’m not fully sure how to properly articulate to what degree our chemistry shapes the music, but for me personally it all boils down to the fact that I have a lot of respect for W and his musical ability, and knowing I have to compose the best work I possibly can for him to play drums to”

The sound of Eftboren is gloriously varied, the self-titled EP offering flavours of Black Metal, Psychedelia, Post Metal and Shoegaze to name but a few; do you set borders or boundaries on the band’s sound or is variety the spice of life?

W: “Thank you, for me it has always been about creating the music we want to hear. If that means setting rules within a song to get what we want, so be it. Although saying that, we break that rule regularly and I’m looking forward for people to hear where we go next”

E: “Thank you! Variety is definitely the spice of life and we want to keep an experimental mindset when it comes to the band’s music. While we’re always seeking to grow the Eftboren sound, it’s only right that we take things in a direction because it feels natural and not writing something in a certain style just for the sake of it”

What drew you to the artwork of Marcus Good who provided the image for the cover of the EP?

W: “The artwork went through lots of different conceptual ideas, some of which will never see the light of day, haha! We wanted to pay homage to the Neolithic imagery used in black metal and psychedelia.  At the time we were talking about the power that places like Silbury Hill and Avebury possess. As a frequent visitor I often feel cleansed when I come back from visiting. As residents of the North Wessex Downs, we find the landscape incredibly inspirational. E found a photo taken by Marcus and we felt it would transport the listener to it. The British Isles are soaked in so much history that I think we often overlook how much of it is around us. Simply, we wanted to remind people of their roots. In summary, Marcus’s image perfectly captures the mystique and beauty of Silbury Hill and the surrounding area”

E: “On Facebook I follow a page called ‘Ancient Stone Bothering’ and one day I saw this photo of Silbury Hill (in Avebury, Wiltshire) photographed by Marcus which I thought looked pretty epic. I pitched the idea of using the photo as the cover to W and he was all for it. Avebury holds a very special place in our pagan hearts. I contacted Marcus and he very generously let us use his photograph for free. Then one very cold morning in January we went to Silbury Hill to do a photoshoot before the record’s release and we just happened to bump into Marcus taking photos of the hill and got to thank him in person, which was a very happy co-incidence!”

If we are made up of our genes and our influences, what is in your jeans and who would you consider your influences?

W: “Christ that is going to be a weird pair of jeans, hahaha! Definitely not Gene Simmons! Aphex Twin, Meshuggah, Derek Roddy, Burzum, Old Tower, Atilla Csihar, Nick Cave,  Ben Weinman, Tigran Hamasayan, Trent Reznor, Greg Fox and Gene Hoglan.”

E: “Like most people I tend to keep my phone and wallet in my jeans, haha! But in terms of genes, our family surname is of Anglo Saxon, Old English origin which in turn influences the very core of Eftboren’s identity. As for songwriters, I have been particularly influenced by Chuck Schuldiner from Death, Steve Harris from Iron Maiden and Michael Gira from Swans to name but a few. Music is a constant obsession in both our lives, and I’m forever searching for another band, artist, song or album that really inspires me to create”

Do you see yourselves fleshing the band out to a three or four piece for live shows or do you see it as purely a studio endeavour at the present time?

W: “Watch this space!”

E: “I’d love for Eftboren to play live at some point but we’re not in a mad rush to just play a random gig. It has to be a special occasion and under the right circumstances, otherwise for us there’s no point. It would be great to expand our ranks if the right person or people came along, but I personally feel that right now the band only needs the dual efforts of myself and W, perhaps with occasional collaborators”

What’s next for Eftboren?

W: “We are working on new material and preparing for a live debut. It will be announced when the time is right”

E: “Church burnings, murder and suicide. No, but in all seriousness we just want to keep writing, recording and releasing new music to keep progressing as a band. As I said previously, hopefully we’ll play some concerts in the not too distant future but we’ll just have to wait and see. Right now we’re happy making music together and continuing to do what we do”

“Self Titled” by Eftboren is out now and available over at bandcamp