Interviews: SÖNUS

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Metal/Rock band SÖNUS from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did the name SÖNUS come from, and what does it represent for the band?

It came about in an odd way from sci-fi/fantasy author and friend of Hawkwind and Blue Öyster Cult, Michael Moorcock. I read something about him starting a magazine called Vox Stellarum (“voice of the stars” in Latin). I thought that would make a cool band name, but didn’t think my vocal abilities at the time were quite worthy of that, so I went with “sound of the stars” (Sonus Stellarum) instead. It was awkward to say so, I dropped the last half and added an umlaut as a wink to Motörhead- it just means “sound,” not very clever for a band, but then again, at least it doesn’t tie us to any one genre! Besides, the band name is the hardest part!

2. After the response to Usurper of the Universe, did you feel pressure going into Planes of Torment, or did it fuel the creative process?

I have always been astounded that anything at all has come from my music- I was incredibly honored and surprised that my little bedroom project was topping the doom charts and best albums of the year lists next to some legends in the scene. Unfortunately, not too long after the release, my life turned upside down, and the resulting chaos made it hard to write what I wanted to write- I had no choice but to get deeper and more personal with this one, and it became a form of therapy. It’s one hell of a breakup album- let’s put it that way.

3. This is your first-ever vinyl release. What does finally hearing your music on wax mean to you personally?

It’s the coolest thing ever! I literally squealed when the boxes arrived. I’ve collected vinyl for a long time and always loved the warm tone. The way we recorded this album just absolutely went with the vinyl tone, and it’s so cool to be able to get up and flip myself to side B.

4. Why did you choose a translucent fiery orange pressing for this release?

Because it went with all of the FIRE!!

5. Planes of Torment feels darker, heavier, and more emotionally intense than previous material. What inspired that shift?

I broke up with the woman I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with after nearly 8 years together. I tried to write about other things, but the words wouldn’t come. It was perhaps the darkest period in my life, personally, and now everyone gets to hear what I felt at various points. Here’s hoping I can get back to fun songs about fantasy books at some point, but the years after have so far not been

6. The album was born out of personal collapse and transformation. How much of that experience directly shaped the songwriting?

It entirely shaped it- it’s written out in bold font on every song- even a funky, groovy little song like “Saturation Diver” couldn’t escape the pull of a dark and introspective middle section! I couldn’t avoid what was going on in my mind, couldn’t escape into anything else- it had to come out, and it was like pulling teeth to write the lyrics at first, but they eventually came.

7. You recorded the album live in the studio to capture raw energy. Why was that approach important for this record?

The first two were basically just made by me in my bedroom during Covid (with some help from a couple of friends on “Usurper of the Universe. I had a band now at this point, and a damn good one- I wanted this album to sound like my favorite albums- and that way of recording was so much fun, and I’m really happy with the results. I don’t see us straying too far from this approach in the future. There’s nothing that beats an actual band, playing live, slapped on wax- it’s a time capsule of a moment that actually happened. I dig the imperfections- listen to Led Zeppelin. Listen to Black Sabbath. That’s how they did it, and their music is timeless and powerful to this day because of that.

8. How do you balance psychedelic atmosphere with classic heavy metal power and groove?

Easier than you might think- heavy metal itself really came out of psychedelic rock- the atmosphere of those forms of music is pretty complementary because that’s what was going on, musically, at the time. Add a little reverb and delay, leave a little space- and let it come out of you. That being said, I never really think about a song before it just sort of comes to me out of the ether. I’m not that kind of writer.

9. What role do improvisation and live chemistry play in your songwriting process?

A major part! All my riffs are written from improvisation and coming up with some random thing that sticks. Same with the solos- I could noodle around for hours if I needed to. I’m self-taught, so I couldn’t tell you the names of chords or what scale I’m playing, but I think that also kind of frees me up- I’m not worried about chord charts or theories, I just play what I feel. “Scorpio” is a great example- that whole song came from a random lightning-in-a-bottle jam session we did at one point. Completely improvised. When I was writing it, I listened to the jam and took the bits and restructured them. That 3-minute guitar solo in the middle was arranged from random licks I pulled out of nowhere in a random jam one time. It was actually pretty fun trying to sit down and arrange it. Often, I just press record and see what comes out when I get to the solo.

10. The album has a very cinematic and emotional flow. Did you approach it as a complete journey rather than individual songs?

It actually does have something of a structure, similar to “Usurper” does. I think some tracks just naturally flow into each other, and that’s what shapes the journey an album becomes. I do write to visuals, actually- when I’m writing, I’m seeing something in my mind that’s informing the music- dreams, nightmares, weird flights of imagination. I’m almost making a soundtrack to an imaginary movie at some points.

11. Tracks like “Scorpio” bring in unexpected elements like a flute. How do you decide when to expand beyond traditional heavy rock instrumentation?

That was actually just a really cool alignment of the stars- our bass player knew a guy- Will Harper (who also directed our music video for Sisyphus Stomp, among many other film projects he’s been involved with- the dude is super cool). Will could jam on a flute, and so we invited him to jam with us while we were figuring out Scorpio- it just added such a cool element to the song. We were so happy he was able to meet us in the studio when we were recording it and lay down a few on-the-spot takes, which Dave and I arranged later- at that point, we didn’t really have any exact idea of where the flute would go, but we are so happy with the result! It may be my favorite track on the album (but of course, that’s hard for me to pick).

12. Which classic albums or artists had the biggest influence on Planes of Torment?

Led Zeppelin really came through on some of this one, but of course Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Mountain, early Judas Priest, a little AC/DC- and actually, surprisingly to many, I’ll say the very end of the title track “Planes of Torment” was inspired by “Ashes Are Burning” by Renaissance.

13. How do you honor the spirit of bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin while still keeping SÖNUS sounding original?

I think for me, it’s just so baked into my brain that it’s instinctual. It’s not really something I think about- those bands, those riffs, they feel like a part of me. When I express things through music, that’s the language I speak, but I have my own voice- if that makes sense. My dad literally played Led Zeppelin for me in the womb, so it’s literally always been with me.

14. What was the most difficult or rewarding moment during the making of this album?

Finally having a mental and emotional breakthrough after lots of therapy finally got me to the point of being able to let go of my ex. Ending things with her was like cutting off a gangrenous limb- even though you know it’s poisoning you, you still don’t want to part with something that’s such a part of you. After that, I was finally able to process everything, and then the words started to pour out of me.

15. How did working with Adam Reed, Dave Reno, and Matt “Mojo” Denton shape the final sound?

Adam did an amazing job of recording and capturing our sound and our energy- Reeds Recordings is such a great sounding studio, and he made the whole process really fun- there’s nothing like hearing a great take back at the mixing desk! Dave ultimately took the tracks Adam recorded and mixed them into what I wanted them to sound like- Fuzzy Wizard Studios for anyone in need of a great mixing engineer! I’m fortunate to have him as my bassist for so many reasons, and this is definitely one of them! Matt took those mixes and really breathed that last spark of life into them. Ragged Birds Music for all your mastering needs! He immediately got what we were going for and nailed it so quickly!

16. What does independence and self-releasing mean to you in today’s music landscape?

Lots of expenses, lots of work, but better than agreeing to a deal that offers very little tangible benefit to the artist. That said, we’re certainly open to working with the right label someday.

17. How do you want listeners to experience Planes of Torment? Headphones? Vinyl? Loud in a smoky room at 2 AM?

Preferably vinyl (purchased from our Bandcamp or a live show) in a Smokey room, but I’m not picky- I’m just glad anyone is listening! I say listen where, and however you need to- I hope this album can comfort anyone else going through heartbreak or a hard time.

18. What’s been the reaction from fans so far to the vinyl edition and new material?

The response has been great! Overwhelmingly positive! We’ve received some really great messages and opportunities from some really cool people who we definitely did not expect!

19. If Planes of Torment had a visual or film counterpart, what would it look like?

Something like Excalibur meets Mad Max and directed by Sergio Leone.

20. What’s next for SÖNUS after this release?

We are well on our way towards the next album already! I’d say it’s maybe about half written at this point, and there’s even a title… and a title track. But we’ll save that for next time!

Support independent metal journalism — Visit the official BTC store