Nine Circles

Doom and the words “beautiful,” “angelic,” “euphoric” generally don’t go together but in the more than capable hands of husband and wife duo Oldest Sea, those terms take on a life of their own on their latest full length A Birdsong, A Ghost. Some of you can’t function without a RIYL but a) we don’t do those and b) just trust us here and take a chance. Obviously any music is all about perspectives but this thing, to me, is…let’s put it this way: in prep for this I curled up with an excellent coffee, my dog, a warm camp blanket, and my best headphones and was completely blown away for 40 minutes as I all but forgot about earthly problems and stressors. It’s doom with a pulse, a heart, and a unique life all its own. Subsequent listens proved better and better so it’s a win, win situation. We had the opportunity to pose this duo of Samantha and Andrew Marandola our set of Profile questions in hopes of pulling back the curtains just a bit so keep reading to see how it all went down. And, do not miss this album – we dropped links everywhere in this post so do the needful.

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How did you first get into playing music, and have you achieved the level of success that you hoped for?

Sam: I started playing music consistently in my 20s. Andrew started playing in bands as a teenager. As far as achieving a certain level of success goes, I feel like we’re just getting started.

What’s the most you have ever debased yourself to get your band onto a show, into a magazine or otherwise promoted, covered, and praised? (If you don’t have a story, please tell us any funny/embarrassing story.)

Sam: I don’t know if we have any embarrassing stories (yet!) But we recently played a pro wrestling show. That was awesome and also funny.

What do you see as some of the great things happening in metal and what are some of the worst things happening inside the scene right now?

Andrew: The best thing happening right now is probably the broadening of genres. People aren’t afraid to mix funeral doom and black metal as an example. The worst thing happening is probably the homogenization of production. A lot of records sound very similar and in the early days of metal, each record had its own unique production sounds.

It seems that now everyone has a passion for some cause and that those people are very open about displaying their passions. This is probably a very, very good (and progressive) thing socially. What are some of the most important issues for you and how do you insert those issues into your music?

Sam: Everything I write is highly autobiographical, and very rarely do external issues, causes, or current affairs find their way into my songwriting. That being said, a lot of my writing is fueled by a very specific feminine rage, and expressing that rage is very empowering as a woman. I want all women to feel that way. The empowerment of women paves the road to human progress. Also (and this is unrelated to my songwriting), I work for an environmental conservation nonprofit. Taking care of our planet during this climate crisis is also very important to me.

What, or who, got you into metal and how old were you? How did your family take the news?

Andrew: Hearing Black Sabbath on the radio for the first time was what got me into metal. I was lucky because my family liked them too.

What advice do you have for aspiring music critics and outlets out there? How can we all better serve the genre in the eyes of a hard-working musician?

Andrew: Just to keep an eye out for bands doing innovative things. For example, fans of death metal don’t need to be told about a very ubiquitous death metal band or album. Critics can help set the taste for newer, more groundbreaking music. Listeners don’t need to be convinced to listen to something within their comfort zone. They may, however, need to be convinced to listen to something more challenging.

What’s your goal? You guys thinking world domination? Maybe saving a continent? Maybe invading one? Any interest in starting a cult? Do you guys have day jobs or hobbies you want to share? Whatever it is, please let us know.

Sam: I think our goal is to keep making music until we’re dead.

When you’re not obsessing over your own material, what are some of your favorite albums to listen to currently?

Sam and Andrew:
Bjork – “Vespertine”
NONE – “Damp Chill of Life”
Felsenmirror – “S/T”
Vouna – “Atropos”
Jason Molina – “Let me go, let me go, let me go”
Mount Eerie – “Now Only”

Summarize your band in exactly one word.

Gloom.

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Many thanks to Samantha and Andrew for their time!

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A Birdsong, A Ghost will be available December 1 on Darkest Records. For more information on Oldest Sea, visit their Facebook page.