Hello Narshadden. Welcome to Metal Health. Congratulations on your music to date. I’m enjoying listening to ‘A silence across lands’ your release from 2018, along with the tracks ‘Forsaken’ (2019) and ‘Bridge to sorrow’ from last year. Some beautiful gentle solo bass and guitar beginning those tracks respectively, before glorious musical mayhem is unleashed! Some very nifty guitar work on ‘Unholy Witchcraft III’ your latest release from May 2020. Congratulations on the great music to date.
What does good mental health mean to you?
Good mental health to me means that you’re in a good and healthy mindset, having the right people and good relationships with those people and your hobbies. Keeping headstrong at work and in everyday life isnt easy but there’s always support and be able to maintain a health headspace.”
How is life for you off the road or when you’re not gigging? Especially after a tour or big event, is it difficult to adjust back into life at home after time on the road? If so, how do you adjust/cope?
“I don’t currently tour but it is something I’d love to do if the opportunity arises.”
What motivates you? What keeps you going?
“Listening to metal, I always hear something in a track like a riff or a drum beat and I just have the urge to make something up to that riff or drum beat, and just the satisfaction of knowing that there people out in the world to listen to my music, keeps me pushing on.”
Are you a positive thinker? How do you stay positive?
i’m not always a positive thinker but i always try to think positively, i stay positive by just listening to music and hanging out with supportive and loving people, recording music is a great escape to express and release things”
“I have been through some rough times, work related issues and suffering from anxiety and depression. I made a few changes including job changes and seeing people for my mental health.
Have you experienced any tough times personally that you’d be okay talking about? If so, how are you/did you get through this.
I used to go home and scream my heart out to release all the negative crap that built up at work or after a crap day,”
What does making music mean to you? Why do you do it?
“I make music for personal development and to build a fan base, i did it originally to release my problems and express it musically, now i do it because i know there’s people out there that listen and to get better musically”
When did you start making music? Was it like finding some buried treasure that you didn’t know you had, and how did making music fit in with the rest of your life?
“I started recording and releasing music a couple of years ago when I was 18, I’m 20 now. it was something i always wanted to do… I wasn’t worried about negativity, I just wanted to get something out there. it fit into my life by being a release and a place to be for myself. Metal has been a huge part of my life since I was 12 and it was just a dream to be able to create something and I’ve pushed to start making that dream come true.
How important is it for the bass and drums to be tight, and where do you see guitar and voice fitting in the groove?
“Drums and guitar is more important for me to be tight, my music is very raw and not well produced, i like to match the guitars with my voice to make an impact and atmosphere with the drums, The bass in my recording can be very subtle for intros and be a inaudible wall of noise for background effect for harsher segments, I don’t try to make a groove but to build a depressive/atmospheric sound, it isn’t meant to be easy listening.”
How is the recording process for you? Do you bang it down live with other musicians where possible, or record one instrument at a time, etc? I see you’re a multi instrumentalist!
“I record all instruments individually, my drums used to be real but now I’ve moved on to programming. normally goes drums, guitar, bass then vocals, i write my vocals after the instrumental is complete. I’d like to try a band with other musicians but it’s hard to find someone with the same ideas and mindset.
It’s all made up on the spot with the song title already made, the new EP This cold… dark winter has all the titles already made and i build the song to that title.
How was/is the songwriting process for you emotionally? Does the music seem to come easily?
“Music seems to come pretty easy to me. I’m not a great musician but I’m not afraid to show emotion and opinions through music. the more i release and create the better i’ll get, i started guitar around 3 years ago and i don’t learn songs i just make my own, that’s the process i like and i’ll keep.”
So what are your plans ? Depending on the covid situation, any touring or gigs you can mention? Any other projects musical or otherwise happening? I read on your Facebook page you have an E.P. almost completed? Sounds interesting.
“The only plan I have currently is focussing on this EP. I’ve been struggling to get motivated but now I’ve sorted stuff out. I’m going to get something together by the end of 2021 and early 2022.
It has been interesting so far, spending more time trying to get the sounds I want and aiming for a slightly better production level. recording hasn’t moved too far but it’s starting to kick off now.
I’m also considering putting my name out there looking to create a project or join a project with different people… but we’ll see.”
Ok, last question. What would you say to fans who are struggling with their mental health, or finding life difficult at the moment?
“There’s always someone out there that will support you, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. There’s lots of different ways to deal with mental health, mine is music and someone else’s could be walking or listening to music.
There’s more support out there than you think so don’t be afraid to reach out. It was something I always used to hide but I talked to someone and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done. It helped a lot.
We all have troubles but don’t give up and push through it will work out in the end.”
Well said. It’s ok to reach out, and we should if we’re not feeling ok. Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Wishing you safe travels, and all the best with your upcoming music albums. Greg \Mh/
Thank you for the opportunity of an interview, i hope everything is good and stay safe
Thanks Narshadden of Volkume.
Music links for the band: https://www.facebook.com/Volkume666
Tags: anxiety, depression, good mental health, heavy metal blog, heavy metal music, heavy metal music interview, heavy rock music, mental health conversations, mental health interview, music interviews, schizophrenia
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