Interviews: Howells

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Post-Hardcore band Howells from Canada. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Fade Into Being (Part 1) feels more like a fully realized world than just a collection of songs. When did that shift happen for you—from writing tracks to building something more immersive?

It was always happening. I was building this dark, ethereal, gothic world in my mind, but I never had planned a release big enough in scope to start actually building it out. Even what we have done with the videos and art from this EP is just the tip of the iceberg. We have custom merch from a Canadian maker I'm working on rolling out in the next month here that contributes to the world, as well as plans for a short film later this year. I'm making a place that, when people discover it, they can really get lost in.

2. You’ve described the band’s sound as “halo-core”—that tension between lift and collapse. What does that actually mean in practice when you’re writing or arranging a song?

It means bringing the listener in for soft, intimate moments, usually these are the verses, then dropping them into an explosive chorus where they can lose themselves in a feeling of catharsis. The space of the recording is really important for me for this reason. The ambiance and atmosphere are just as important to me as the words and the harmony.

3. The visual side of this project is really striking—especially the use of the deer imagery and the analog approach. How early did those concepts come into the process, and how tightly are they tied to the music?

The album covers were actually later down the line. I knew I wanted a series of cohesive images that reflected the themes in the music, but I wasn't sure what the right direction was. Along with that, I've always preferred something about the grain and the warmth of analogue images. Last August, I had the opportunity to join some friends for a deer head dressing/mounting, and I immediately realized this would be the perfect series of images for the album. I brought out my 1984 Minolta X-700 and shot the whole process. It was perfect.

4. Working with Devin Taylor seems like a turning point for the band. What did he bring out of you that maybe wasn’t there before?

Devin does what every great producer does: he sees the vision and then helps us boil it down into a more potent reduction of what we originally had in the demos. Doing this and still having the recordings sound like the band isn't easy, and it's what we loved most about working with him. He really let me and the band discover who we were more deeply. Helped coax it out of us.

5. “Overflow” feels like a true collaboration rather than just a feature. What was different about working with Astrology Girl compared to how you’d normally build a track?

Working with Blake and Casper from Astrology Girl was so unhinged. Those guys have the type of musicianship you can't fake. It's special. I brought them the full instrumental with the first verse done and the chorus hook. We sat there, and they just started spitting out ideas, but their relationship with each other is so chaotic. Casper would just start singing something super enthusiastically out of nowhere, and then Blake would be like "CASPER SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU ASSHOLE IM THINKING!" It was hilarious. I kind of felt like a kid watching their parents fight. That went on for like 3 hours, and we came out with something I feel is truly special and unique. A core memory for me now.

6. There’s a push and pull on this EP between heaviness and restraint. How conscious are you of that balance when you’re writing?

Massively. That push and pull in dynamics is a big part of what makes Halo-core. The stark difference between those moments makes them more impactful, and that huge sudden impact is a big part of how we try to achieve catharsis in our music. That feeling where you lose yourself and the music washes over you.

7. This is Part 1 of a two-part release. Was that always the plan, or did the project naturally split itself into two halves?

The project kept growing as we were writing, and as the songs materialized, there was a noticeable difference between the 2 compilations of songs. It only felt right that we give each one their due. Part 1 is a bit heavier in mood and subject matter; they needed their own art and their own separate releases.

8. You’ve built a following pretty organically in Calgary. What did those early shows and that local scene teach you about what works for this band—and what doesn’t?

We used to be a 3-piece. We got away with it, but we were trying to build a massive sound, and it just needed more people contributing to the music. That was the biggest thing. That's how our guitarist Dylan came to join us. We also became a much heavier band over that time. Crowds would go insane if we leaned a little more to the metal side, so we started putting breakdowns into the music. It's so fun to see people go feral during those parts. Our little creatures.

9. What do you hope people take away from hearing the EP front-to-back?

I hope they come to know Howells better. Emotionally, sonically, and spiritually. But more than anything, I hope the EP makes them feel something. I hope there's a song that makes them be where their feet are and take them out of their head so they are just sitting presently with the music. It can be hard to do in this age. Those moments are precious.

10. A lot of bands talk about “world-building,” but it can feel vague. For you, what’s one detail in this project that people might overlook but actually says a lot about what Fade Into Being is?

The album covers. Each one shows a different stage of decay, and the images chosen for each song are not random. They were chosen very deliberately because they intimately reflect something about the track. There's a reason Dissolve cover is the deer skull, and 8 Fold Fence is its severed head with flesh still intact. If you listen, you'll know why.

11. There’s a real sense of movement throughout the EP—like it’s going somewhere rather than sitting still. Was that intentional, or something that revealed itself over time?

Of course. We were very deliberate with the track order for that exact reason. We didn't know what the order would be in the beginning; we had to discuss at length to ensure we were taking the listener on the proper journey. That we guide them where they need to go.

12. When people hear Howells for the first time through this EP, what do you not want them to misunderstand about the band?

I would hate to think that someone may disregard us because they improperly boxed us into one particular genre. We are not married to post-hardcore, or alt rock, or nu-gaze; those were simply the best vehicles to drive these songs where they needed to go.

13. Looking ahead to Part 2, should people expect a continuation of this world—or something that disrupts it?

Trying to imagine the world by only looking at part 1 is like looking at the corner piece of a puzzle and trying to see the full image it displays. Part 2 provides many new puzzle pieces, and it will actually begin to reveal what this place we are building truly is. I'm certain it will disrupt what some people may assume it looks like, but once you see it, everything else will fall into place.

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