This interview was conducted by Philip A. Wickstrand with vocalist/bass guitarist Joseph Wickstrom at Branx in Portland, OR on February 11, 2011.

The burgeoning Metal community in Portland, Oregon has been breeding a lot great bands over the last few years. Most Metalheads already have some familiarity with bands like AGALLOCH and TOXIC HOLOCAUST and recent nationally signed acts like RED FANG, RABBITS, SPELLCASTER and EXCRUCIATOR are beginning to get some decent exposure. However, there are a lot more great bands from Portland that slip under the radar unless you actually live there. NETHER REGIONS are one of them. Forged from the ashes of DITCHLIQUOR, NETHER REGIONS plays a style that evokes sounds of Doom, psychedelia and other styles, as well. With the release of their debut album, Into the Breach, many Portland Metalheads are hoping that they will be among the next to get some national exposure.

Phil: First of all, tell our readers a bit about your sound and a short history of NETHER REGIONS.

Joe: The sound is I guess a combination of everything we've ever heard. I mean, there's definitely the BLACK SABBATH and the Metal aspects, but then there's the more psychedelic stuff. And we have Kyle, who's a really young guy, he's eighteen years old and his influences are very different from the others guys, so he brings a more psychedelic feel to it. He's into things like EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, RUSSIAN CIRCLES and he also loves Thrash, so that's where it comes from. We've been going since 2009, been around a couple years, had a couple of member changes; we have a new drummer, Ryan Moore, who's really great and Kyle is not the original guitar player. That's about it.

Phil: So a little bit different than the first show you played at Seismic Emanations III.

Joe: Yeah, different lineup. Half the band is gone. But I don't think the band has suffered as a result of that.

Phil: NETHER REGIONS is definitely a more appropriate name than FIGURES IN THE LIGHT.

Joe: I would agree. Here's the thing about the name is that NETHER REGIONS means your private area but it also means Hell and if somebody's really poor with their hygiene it probably means a little bit of both. [Phil laughs] That's the fucking joke, right?

Phil: Alright, you've got your debut album, Into the Breach, out tonight. Tell our readers about that.

Joe: We recorded the album with Mike Lastra, I think he did EARTH 2, he's done AGALLOCH, RED FANG, WITCH MOUNTAIN, an old school Portland engineer. We recorded it in the summer of 2010 and it's eight tracks. We're not signed at the moment, but we did a limited run of these, there are a couple hundred of 'em floating around, so we're going to send a bunch out to labels and see if anybody bites. And if not, fuck 'em, we'll do it ourselves.

Phil: What would be your favorite tracks on the album?

Joe: I really like "Pale Faced God." It's a lot of variety - it's not just crushing all the time. There's some cool drum breaks in it that I appreciate, there's some melodies… To go back to your initial question about the sound, we want to do something relatively punishing, but it's gotta be musical and we don't do anything unless we feel that it serves the fucking song. It's not about "this is an awesome tone" - you know, we want good tones but it's about song craft; it's what we're really shooting for 'cause it seems to me there's some bands out there writing good songs, but people just don't care about songs the way they used to. You know, you put on a MAIDEN record or a ZEPPELIN record or a SABBATH record and there's fuckin' songs on there.

Phil: Do you have any touring plans at the moment, like maybe around the Northwest since you're not signed yet?

Joe: It looks like we'll probably to Seattle/Portland in April. Our drummer has some other commitments, but it looks like we'll probably go out in July. There are a couple bands I'm talking to about maybe going out with - we'll see what happens.

Phil: So probably just a West Coast run or whatever?

Joe: We'd like to go out as far as we can, but we'll see what the time limitations are. We won't be able to get out for more than a couple weeks, so we'll see how far that takes us.

Phil: Where do you think NETHER REGIONS will be a year from now?

Joe: Fuck… that's the million dollar question. You know, the drummer is not necessarily permanent. I mean, if he was in town all the time he would be, it's not like we're not having a great time, it's just that he has touring commitments with something else that he's doing… which is not a Metal band. Hopefully what we'll be doing is we'll be signed, we'll be putting out some records. It would be cool. And doing some tours, at least a couple times a year for a few weeks. I mean, as far as being one of those bands that they go out for six months out of the year, unless it's paying really good money, is probably not going to happen.

Phil: Ideally what kind of label are you hoping to get picked up by?

Joe: One that isn't just completely Metal-centric, you know? I mean, what I'm saying (is) there's some labels out there that I think are really cool. I do think Relapse is cool; they're a local label now, which I think is super good, really good for the community here in Portland. But I think that Kemado is really cool because they'll do… they're a really cool label and from what I understand really take good care of their people, so that would be a cool one. You know, basically anybody who's willing to not fuck us in the ass.

Phil: So not Metal Blade.

Joe: Yeah, yeah. [laughter] I dealt with them when I was like seventeen, so I've been down that road.

Phil: Oh, you were on a…

Joe: No, we almost were. I'm not even going to get into that. When I was a kid, I had some dealings with Metal Blade and it was heart breaking. Sound familiar?

Phil: From what I've heard from other bands, yeah. Not musician myself, fortunately I've never had to deal with that.

Joe: They fuckin' dumped MIDDIAN like a hot potato. I think he probably takes care of the bands that make good money for him.

Phil: But anybody else…

Joe: I think he's a big enough independent label that he's doing the tax write-off thing that the majors do. I mean, it's pretty much a major label at this point even though they say "Oh, we're indie." They started as indie, but they make a lot of fucking money.

Phil: So what are the general plans other than things discussed prior for NETHER REGIONS in the foreseeable future?

Joe: Well, me and Kyle are going to write some songs, when Ryan's in town we'll flesh him out. Maybe we'll get an EP together to go out with us this summer. That would be ideal, so we're going to shoot for that but for now we just wanted to get this fucking record out. I mean, for awhile there it seemed like we weren't even going to release it; we couldn't find a drummer that could play the shit, you know, it's like guys would either be [makes blast-beat sound] blast-beat guys, which does not work with what we do at all.

Phil: Yeah, it requires more of a gentle hand.

Joe: And a swing; the person needs to swing a little bit, you know, not just be mechanical about it. It's like, the music needs to breathe. Our timing isn't perfect, you know. A lot of bands, they come out and they're really tight, they're really technically proficient, they're not heavy, though. It's just like, "That's not heavy." You put on a BLACK SABBATH record, that shit's heavy. Worrying too much about polishing it, I think really takes away from the power of the music a lot of times, so that's not where we're coming from. We're just like, we can play, but we're not going to spend hours and hours and hours just trying to make it perfect. We don't give a shit about it. My belief is that once you get that far into it you're not expressing yourself anymore.

Phil: Yeah, polished records kind of sound a bit soulless.

Joe: Yeah, yeah.

Phil: Recommend a book for our readers and then tell why you recommend that particular work.

Joe: "Geek Love." Has anyone ever recommended that one before?

Phil: Not so far. I've never gotten the same book recommended twice, though.

Joe: Oh yeah, "Geek Love." It's Katherine Dunn. She was a local writer and it's about circus freaks and the inner workings of the circus freak community and it's fucking fascinating! You need to read that, Phil.

Phil: Jeez, I've already got a hundred-seventy plus books at home I haven't read yet.

Joe: If you haven't read "Geek Love," man... I mean it, like… you live in Portland?

Phil: Yeah.

Joe: You need to move. Or read the book. [laughter] Everybody's read that book here. That's a good one.

Phil: Okay, is there anything else you'd like to add?

Joe: Thanks for your time!

Nether Regions' Joe Wickstrom

Interviewer: Philip A. Wickstrand

February 26, 2011

*By clicking "Submit" you agree to the following Terms of Use. You agree not to post any material that is obscene, slanderous, or threatening, or that may violate any law of your country of origin or the United States or of international law. Should you wish to restrict viewing of your email address by third parties, you must select "Hide My Email." You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Metal Psalter from any claims, actions, suits, damages, or other costs arising out of any breach of these Terms of Use.

*Comments:

TO THE TOP

PHOTOS BY PHIL A. WICKSTRAND

(Click on Photos to Enlarge)

(Click on Photo to Enlarge)

Formed: 2009
Portland, Oregon  USA
Label: Unsigned
Genre: Psychedelic / Doom Metal

CURRENT LINE-UP:

Joe Wickstrom:  Bass/Vocal
W. Todd Pidcock:  Guitar
Kyle Bates:   Guitar
Ryan Moore:  Drums

DISCOGRAPHY:

Into the Breach (2011)