Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
U.S. melodic black metal band Old Moon will release their debut album “Home to Nowhere” on May 8. To celebrate the release, the band will perform a handful of shows in Finland this June. Chaoszine spoke with the band’s frontman Michael Priest on the eve of the debut release about the origins of both the band and the album.
Hello, Old Moon! How are you doing at the brink of the release of your debut album and who will be answering our questions?
Michael Priest: Hey this is Michael Priest. Thank you so much for having us. We’re doing good. Lots of things moving so things are getting exciting.
Can you tell us how and when Old Moon was created?
Priest: I came up with the idea for Old Moon just after covid, so sometime in 2022 I think. At that time there were some pretty heavy changes in my life. Both good and bad. The idea lingered for quite some time before I fully committed to it. At the start it was just me and a friend (Ben Hansen) jamming and trying out some new things to find the sound we wanted. Together we wrote probably 14 tracks. None of which made it on the album or EP but in that I found the desired sound and worked with it. By the end of 2023 both the EP and “Home to Nowhere” were written.
Your debut album “Home To Nowhere” will be out on May 8 th. Once the album is out in the world and “belongs” to listeners almost as much as it does to you, how does that feel?
Priest: Having it worded that way is honestly perfect. I want to give listeners something that they feel belongs to them. At the same time it feels quite vulnerable to share something that to me is very personal. But maybe someone out there finds some relation with it and love it. Maybe people hate it. Either way music is meant to be shared and this is a piece of work that I’m proud of.
At what point did the first seeds of this album begin to manifest, and what was the initial impulse behind it?
Priest: After the music was written and it was time to start on lyrics, thats when everything really changed. I sat down to write and had the thought “these words will either mean nothing or they will mean everything”. Going with the “everything” option decided the rest for how Old Moon was going to be presented.
How did the writing process unfold? Was it structured and deliberate, or more organic and driven by moments of intensity? Were there moments during the process where the material pushed you into unfamiliar or uncomfortable territory?
Priest: Like I mentioned before, it took some time to really find the sound. I’m a fan of every style that we incorporate into the the music but writing that way and finding the proper way to mix everything together was foreign to me. For every change I took a double take to see what I could do differently from what my natural style would do. On the other side of that some riffs and changes came very organically. I wouldn’t say it was an even mix of both. Probably 70% unfamiliar.
The orchestral arrangements seem like a defining part of your sound. How do you approach balancing the orchestration with the raw aggression of the black metal side, where does one end and the other begin?
Priest: The orchestral parts were completely unplanned initially. I had no intention of them being added. Not because of the sound. I just didn’t want the headache of arranging or dealing with an IEM system. As I was writing I sent the tracks to a few people for feedback. One of those people was Jamie Rojo. He didn’t send any feedback. He sent me back the track with a full arrangement. After I heard it was clear that it was something that made the tone of the music speak so much louder. Like you said, “defining”. After that first track I sent him the the rest of the material. There very very few parts that changed from what he sent. Mostly just intros/outros. The rest was just his take on the music. He did a really great job finding the balance in that.
The three singles “Obsidian“, “A Rest to My Name” and the title track “Home To Nowhere” each carry a different mood. Was that contrast intentional, and does it reflect how the album flows as a whole?
Priest: For those three being singles, yes, that was deliberate. I wanted to show the range of emotions that the album carries.
You’ve said every song on the album comes from a very personal place and has its own voice and story. Is there a track that was especially difficult to finish or one that almost didn’t make it?
Priest: There were two in particular. “Distance” and the title track “Home to Nowhere”. The lyrics for both came very quickly once the writing started. Like the page knew what I wanted to say before I could write it. But with the heavy emotions behind those tracks it was quite difficult to get out. Though he’s not in the band, Ben has a few parts here and there on the album. The lyrics for “Distance” are split 50/50 between him and I. We got about halfway through and knew how we wanted to end it but at that halfway point we need to stop and take a break. It was very intense process.
I don’t think there are any songs that didn’t make it on. If there are I’ve forgotten about them.
You have shows lined up in Finland this summer, including dates in Tampere, Lohja, and Helsinki. What draws Old Moon to Finland specifically, and what do you expect from Nordic audiences?
Priest: We do! And we are incredibly excited for them! Finland has a very special place in my heart. Some of the best music in the world is formed there. The scenery there is beautiful. Over the last couple of years I’ve been lucky enough to spend my summers and winters living in Helsinki. It’s maybe the only place in the world that I actually have some peace. Being an introvert in America is very difficult. You guys make it so easy and it’s very appreciated.
Aside from my own personal reasons I think Old Moon‘s music just fits there. Aside from the writing for this album every other piece of work I’ve put into this was done while I was there. I did the mixing for the EP sitting at a bar in Alppila and sat at On The Rocks sending countless emails to labels. So I think its important that the band gets to visit and experience a place that has been a huge impact on what we’re doing.
I can’t say I have any expectations. I just hope the music is received well.
What’s next in line for Old Moon? Any plans or goals you can share with us?
Priest: Quite a few plans. Things are going to continue being busy for us for awhile. We’ll be having a few more summer shows added for North America. We’re looking at the possibility of coming back to Finland and hopefully more places next year. Hopefully some festivals will be included in that. And without saying too much, I would say there might be some new music sooner than some would think.
Thank you for your time and welcome to Finland! Anything you’d like to add for our readers and your listeners?
Priest: Of course. Thank you as well.
For the readers and listeners thank you all for the support given so far. Even before the album is out. We appreciate each and every one of you and it’s given us a great amount of joy.
Enjoy the summer shows and festivals. See you soon!
See Old Moon in Finland:
6.6. Varjobaari, Tampere
12.6. Masterhouse Rules, Lohja w/ Korpsesoturi
13.6. See You in Hell @ Bar Loose, Helsinki w/ King Satan
