Are you shocked that we here at Nine Circles are fans of the death metal? Particularly the soiled filth attack that routinely comes out of the 20 Buck Spin stables and – even more specifically – the unique onslaught brought to bear by Los Angeles five-piece Civerous. Our own Vince reviewed their debut album Maze Envy here, and hell – even I got in on the action after picking up the vinyl over on my own site. Bassist Drew Horton took some time away from engaging the world with his sick tone (seriously – check out the bass sound on “Shrouded in Crystals”) to answer our Profile questions, expounding on the joys of seeing younger faces in the scene, and lighting the torch for some Kook Keith. Check it out after the jump and don’t sleep on Maze Envy…it’s a killer.

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How and when did you first get into playing music, or metal more specifically, and how did your band get its start? Any pushback from family/those close to you?

I was commuting about 35 miles for work and if I drove home right after the end of my shift it would take up to 2 hours, so I needed something to kill time with. I looked on Craigslist and found a blackened death band that needed someone on bass and that was the first “real” band I was in, until then it was just high school buddies and myself screwing around. My family has always been incredibly supportive, my parents have even gone to several Civerous shows. Civerous formed between Daniel and Lord Foul wanting to create a band like Spectral Voice.

How would you describe your band and what you play to someone who is completely in the dark?

For a complete normie, I find it easiest to say “I’m in a death metal band” and when they give a blank look just say “lots of screaming”. That generally gets the point across when a coworker or family member asks.

Is there one (or more) thing about your latest / upcoming album or about your band that no one will find in any interview or review that you care to divulge?

We saw a few comments on loving the “string synths” on the album which made us laugh, because those are live violins.

Any funny stories from playing shows / tours / festivals, etc?

Lord Foul once drank 18 beers in a single night and continues to deny that he was hungover the next day.

What do you see as some of the great things happening in and around the metal scene (yours or just in general) and what are some of the worst things happening right now?

Great: a lot of younger people are making music. The scene generally feels populated mostly by adult men but seeing a fresh faced 18 year old kid putting a band together and killing it warms my heart.

Worst: Venues that demand merch cuts from bands. Until they start giving us a cut from the bar, they’re not getting money from our merch.

Most folks have passions for a cause or causes that are close to them. What, if any, are some of the most important issues (social/political/humorous/etc.) for you / your band and how do you insert those issues into your music?

Civerous does not support discrimination or the violation of anyone’s fundamental rights as a human. We prefer to keep our music apolitical however.

Do you have day jobs or hobbies you want to share?

Drew works in hospitality, Lord Foul in distribution, Daniel in security, Alonso in retail, and Aidan in freelance sound work. Some of our hobbies include video games, cinema, exercise, basketball, and spending too much time online.

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

Find a way to make yourself stand out. Whether it’s positive or negative, having your own voice and style is what makes an impression on the artists. The first review that comes to mind when someone asks me if people liked the album was on Rate Your Music where someone said that we dressed up our riffs in a turtleneck and glasses to sound smart. Really stuck with me and made me laugh.

Any specific long term goal(s) in mind?

We want to visit more places. East Coast USA, UK, Paris, Japan, Australia. The greatest part of all of this is the connections we get to make with people all over the world.

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

Spectral Voice – “Sparagmos”
Sisqo – “Unleash the Dragon”
Genophobic Perversion – “Beneath the Buzzsaw”
Atrae Bilis – “Aumicide”
Kool Keith – “Sex Style”

What is the near future outlook for you or your band? Any specific events on the horizon that the masses should be aware of?

We will be at Oslo Death Fest in November and launching off a short European tour right after, booking with Killtown. We will be in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, and Czechia.

Summarize your band in one word.

Diseased.

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Many thanks to Drew for the time!

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Maze Envy is available now through 20 Buck Spin. For more information on Civerous, give them a follow on Instagram.