BAND OF THE WEEK: Asphodel Wine
"Darkly romantic avant-garde rock", you say? Okay, we're in.
It’s not a general rule, but a lot of great music throughout the decades, especially when it comes to rock and all its descendents - metal included - has been written by great pairs. From Lennon/McCartney to Page/Plant, from Tipton/Downing to King/Hanneman, from Fenriz/N.Culto to Ihsahn/Samoth, almost every subgenre has a few of its generational leaders that are based on the bedrock that is two people writing music together. Of course, that connection is even more reinforced when the people in question are a couple, a situation which though less common, has even recently given us some of the most exciting current bands like Årabrot, Royal Thunder (though not a couple anymore, but still together in the band) or Volores, for instance. Well, one more great name to add to that list is Asphodel Wine, whose music is very much a product of the relationship between Sarah Pendleton and Zachary Livingston, two self-confessed “creative nerds” who struck up a connection during a tour where both their bands at the time participated and started doing music together even before that connection evolved into an amorous relationship. If their names sound familiar to you, that’s natural, since Sarah used to be in the sublime SubRosa and is currently part of the The Otolith lineup, always armed with her expressive voice and her piercing violin, and Zac is still the bassist for the awesome Minsk - I say “still” just to assure you that they still very much exist as a band, though we’ll be entering the tenth year of our waiting for a follow-up to ‘The Crash And The Draw’. We’re told it’s coming, so let’s have patience, but that’s a conversation for another time.
Anyway, this isn’t exactly a new band, as they’ve just released their third album after 2020’s ‘Slowdance Macabre‘ and 2022’s ‘Belittling Colossus‘, but just in case you’re still not too familiar with them, I figured it’s best to just throw this cool video at you from one of the songs on that new album, ‘Concerto Dévour’, rather than attempt any ham-fisted kind of description. The bands where Zac and Sarah are/used to be aren’t necessarily a great reference point in any way (maybe a little SubRosa or The Otolith, but just maybe). Asphodel Wine aren’t excessively complicated or wildly experimental, but at the same time they are very tricky to properly describe. One of the reasons might be because we’re essentially dealing with mood-music - what remains the most with you after the first few listens is the atmosphere and the vibe, the sensuality, the velvety seduction, the sort of dark but welcoming chamber-gothness of it all. The actual catchiness of the songs is understated and will eventually come, but it’s this whole sort of love-noir ambiance that really will enocurage those early repeat listens out of you.
“Understated” is actually a good word to focus on when thinking about this duo. While you might inevitably think of some openly bombastic or even cheesy kind of thing when you see music described as “sensual” or “darkly romantic” (or, let’s face it, when you see albums called things like ‘Slowdance Macabre’ or ‘Concerto Dévour’), this is where Zac and Sarah really get it right - the songs work on you subtly, the instrumentation is rich but never overbearing, the voices flow naturally in and out of each other and never like some hacky attempt at dialogue… in short, their songs are classy, never relying on the gimmicks they could easily fall into, and especially on this new record, they showcase an immense amount of songwriting depth and also variety, with more symphonic, theatrical moments being underpinned by pleasantly rocking numbers such as ‘Moon Over Leipzig’, for instance. And hey, I made a little fun of the album titles back there, but it was just a good-natured little poke - the lyrical aspect of the records is equally classy and deserves attention pored over it, especially since, as they told us in the interview that you can read after the jump, lyrics are usually the starting point for these songs. So pay attention.
You can find Asphodel Wine on Bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook and Spotify.
‘Concerto Dévour’ is out now via Glory Or Death Records.
“Writing songs together (…) has been a part of our relationship since before we realized we were in love. It's difficult to imagine us not writing music together.“
— Sarah Pendleton
What did you have in mind when you created the band, and has the evolution so far corresponded to that idea you had, or has something surprised you somehow along the way?
Sarah Pendleton: Asphodel Wine sprang out of a once in a lifetime chance meeting. Zac and I met while SubRosa and Minsk were touring with Cult Of Luna, and we struck up an amazing friendship. We talked frequently over FaceTime and decided to see if our compatibility stretched into the realm of playing music together. It was through that deep friendship and the writing of songs that we ultimately realized we were much more than friends, and we have never looked back. The idea we had was really to see what sort of music would come out of a collaboration between us and not to think too much about controlling the outcome. That continues to be our philosophy, alongside putting sincerity and raw emotion into every song. Each album has been another step further into miasmic and filmy uncertainty and therefore evolution. I'm constantly surprised by the forms the songs take.
I think the first references a lot of people coming in to the band might latch on to are the other bands where you are or have been active in – is that something that you
mind, that people might listen to Asphodel Wine at first thinking just a little too much about SubRosa, The Otolith or Minsk?
Zachary Livingston: It is most certainly a different animal entirely. It comes from an entirely different place. It isn’t “heavy” in the same way, sonically or emotionally. Different doors are opened. Different paths traversed. But I don’t mind at all, I am simply happy for anyone to enjoy/pay attention to any of it. The fact that anyone cares is amazing. But you most certainly should not approach one of our records hoping for anything identical to what you’ve heard from us elsewhere.
To sort of put that question in an inverted format, have you noticed that you might have a part of your fanbase that is really into Asphodel Wine and might not even necessarily be into the other stuff you do/did? The music is, as you said, substantially different, and it does have the potential to generate its own following, so…
Sarah: There are those people who are fans of Asphodel Wine who had never heard of Minsk, The Otolith, or SubRosa, which is lovely. I'm so grateful to have people willing to give Asphodel Wine a listen because they love one of our other bands, but it's a whole different feeling when someone loves Asphodel Wine for what it is without prior context.
Of course, this is an exciting time – your new album came out just recently. Now four years after your debut, how do you think Asphodel Wine has grown in the meantime, especially considering a couple of these plague years in between have been a little weird, to say the least?
Zac: That debut album, ‘Slowdance Macabre’, was a giant leap in the dark. It was the first thing we made together, and our first individual attempts at digging this deep into the wild unknown of our musical selves. Its heart is raw and true, but perhaps less sure of itself. In contrast, the second album ‘Belittling Colossus’ is, as its title suggests, exploding with unblushing assuredness and unshakable virility. With quite a few different stylistic universes swirling in the same sphere, though possibly outsized and overweening. ‘Concerto Dévour’ I believe finally pulls all of our truths and inspirations into a more concise stream, while never repeating itself.
How is usually your method of working for new music? Especially considering you are a couple and the band is just the two of you, is it hard to switch into that “mode”, or on the contrary, does it come naturally to you? Not many music-related arguments at home, I hope?
Zac: The ignitor of a song is usually a title or a group of lyrics. Whatever the point the song is telling us it wants to make is the first thing to happen. The violin and guitar then feed from that and build the palace to house it. It is very much a room in the corridor of our souls that we are trying to actualize through sound, and the lyrics are entirely autobiographical non-fiction. Always. Switching into this mode is perfectly natural because there is a huge part of me that always exists in that mode. And since the nature of the music and words are so inseparably connected to our romantic relationship - writing and recording our records as a two-piece is really the only way. The main difference for me is (attempting) playing more instruments in this band than I ever have before. But the challenge is deliciously irresistible.
Sarah: Writing songs together over a massive distance is one of the steely strong threads that keeps us connected and the engine of us running hot, and has been a part of our relationship since before we realized we were in love. It's difficult to imagine us not writing music together.
Are there any specific inspirations that you would like to pinpoint, that might influence your writing?
Zac: Navigating being trapped on a planet amidst such volcanically absurd human behavior, whilst nurturing a record-length long-distance relationship that makes every bit of suffering worth it and powers my retaliations. But if any artists could be credited for directly inspiring this work, they’d be Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Type O Negative, Ulver, PJ Harvey, Katatonia, Beastmilk, Carpenter Brut, Junius, Dead Can Dance, Mark Lanegan and Heart. Morticia and Gomez Addams.
Sarah: Since Zac has done an impeccable job listing musical influences, I'll list a few that are not musical. Bram Stoker's Dracula, Tim Burton, The Terror (novel), Carrion Comfort (novel), Drood (novel), Clark Ashton Smith, campfires, dark red wine, the habits of birds, Italian folklore, Irish folklore, Marc Chagall, Hieronymus Bosch, Salvador Dali, Only Lovers Left Alive (film), disco balls, and leather.
“Goth(ic) Love Songs for Bloodbaths” is a great description, I have to say. Have you seen any descriptions or comparisons to your music that have surprised you in any way?
Zac: Thank you, I quite like it as well! A close friend recently described our new album as “Darkness in technicolor- two lovers whistling past the apocalypse. Simultaneously a tapestry of suffering and a beacon of total liberation. Full willing surrender in every extremity.”
The video for the ‘Hex and Silence’ song looks like it was fun to record! How was that experience?
Zac: It was so much fun! Both music videos we’ve made have been done with my close friend and flatmate Cj Johnson. We have a really great working relationship and he has a way of making the uncomfortable realities of filming actually something quite enjoyable. He understands me and the band’s visual vision. We present the script of ideas to him and he just nails it. And we work quickly.
Your live activity has been quite limited, is adding to that something that is in your plans?
Zac: We have only performed live twice, in October 2022, as a five-piece consisting of Chris and Ryan from Minsk. This is, in part, because of the geographical distance between Sarah and I. Such an arrangement, albeit temporary, sadly limits our ability to play every show we’d like to. The ultimate goal is to play European festivals. Our hearts ache to return to Roadburn, Amplifest, and Hellfest in particular. The ultimate live vision would consist of the aforementioned five, plus a percussionist and a second violin. A pagan ritual lesson in darkly romance. As soon as someone's willing to take a chance on us.
Speaking of plans, now that you finally have this record out, what do you predict the next stages of the band will be like? Do you have anything specific you want to accomplish, and any steps that you’ve already outlined?
Zac: We actually have the next album demoed nearly in its entirety, and it feels like the album we’ve been trying to make since the beginning. Old skins have been shed, corners have been turned, and doors have locked behind.
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