Has anyone else been enjoying the absolutely suffocating experience that is Resilience, the second LP from doom practitioners Amarok? We’ve had a few weeks to absorb this thing now, or rather, a few weeks for it to absorb us, so you should probably get on that in you haven’t already. Because as it happens they’re also currently in the middle of a North American run with Mizmor, and you still have plenty of time to make one of those dates. Regardless of how choose to dive into this project, you won’t be disappointed, especially if you were previously unfamiliar before 2024 (*raises hand*). It’s loaded in every sense of the term – the music is heavy, of course, but it’s also the context behind those notes that leaves a mark. To get a bit of a better sense of what Amarok and Resilience are about, Brandon Squyres and Nathan Collins took some time out of their day to answer our Profile questions, and there is a lot to be gained from their responses. So give it a read after the jump, hit that play button, and we’ll see ya on the other side!

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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?

BS: My foray into metal started actually with punk. I always loved the heavier side of music and in high school punk and hardcore were the things I gravitated towards. I originally didn’t know how to play any instruments, but realized I could scream loudly without losing my voice, so I asked some friends if they would want to start a band. Fast forward through multiple bands, I started playing bass, continued singing, and as one of my bands was winding down, I asked a few friends if they wanted to start a new band that was going to be loud and slow. For me the heaviest riffs tend to be slower. Growing up going to shows in the punk scene of the Bay Area, I always gravitated towards bands like Noothgrush and Dystopia, especially the slower parts. Since my other bands hadn’t really explored too much of that side of heavy music, I decided I needed an outlet for that. I then started Amarok with the idea of playing punishingly loud and slow. As for pushback, not really. I don’t know if my parents always knew what to think about what I did musically but they were pretty supportive.

NC: I was raised religious in a cult-subgenre of protestant christianity, and there was this myth in my church that Black Sabbath’s music was satanic and would bring people to kill themselves. Of course, I had to find out. From hearing that first tritone, I was hooked on dissonance and heaviness. I quickly went from that to exploring bands like Cannibal Corpse, Cattle Decapitation, Darkthrone, anything dark and mysterious. I started playing guitar around the same time, so I always had metal roots, chasing those harmonics. My first heavy band was called … Spinal Tap and legitimately, we did not know the movie as little sheltered christian kids. I’d just say that I can’t share what I create with my family, but we’re in a good place where we respect each other, and they get excited for me putting out music and touring. My friends and girlfriend are super supportive and love that I do this art. I move in a lot of circles that have nothing to do with metal, so I try to do some PR for the genre: it’s actually the most cathartic and joyful music. We need more metal.

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

BS: Simple description for me would be loud, heavy music, with some extremely slow parts, and some really fast parts. Basically, when I tell people that don’t know much about heavy music, I say it’s like Black Sabbath but slower and scarier.

NC: Since I’m a teacher, my students are extremely curious about all my music projects and want to come to shows and see that side of things. I basically just tell kids it’s really loud, really scary, but actually very joyful. At school I’m the “chill” teacher, and people always ask me how I maintain my composure, so I show them my band: that’s how. Get it all out. In a productive, artistic, useful way.

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

BS: I had to play all of our drummer’s parts. Hahahaha no just kidding. We sat on some of these songs for about 5 years.

NC: As we’re demoing things out, we will approximate things with programmed drums to set tempos and do scratch guitars before Colby feels out his parts. On Legacy (XIII), we had this random bell hit in the programmed drums that I ended up really liking as the song developed. It was literally the last thing Colby tracked, he was so burnt from the double bass sections, and here I am asking him to add a random bell hit in his drum part. He did it for me because he’s a sweetheart. I stood in the tracking room to cue him for where I wanted it. Listen for that gem.

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

BS: Once on tour with another band and we were playing a show in Ashland, Oregon. There was no one at the show other than the bartender and two locals who booked the show. So we decided to play a game with the band we were on tour with, where we had to try and see who could do the most rock moves during their set. We were up first and there was a long slow intro to our first song. Just as it started I put my foot on the monitor, as I was going to strike a ridiculous rock pose, and as soon as I set it down it immediately tipped over and I fell awkwardly off the stage. Mainly because I knew I was going to fall but I didn’t want to snap my bass neck off so I turned myself around and landed flat on my back. I raised my arm to motion to my band to continue to play because I, as a professional, did not miss a beat. Unfortunately due to the speed of the songs I wouldn’t let anyone pick me up as I was stuck holding out a note and I just had to lay there until the next chord change. Which was not soon. Although I didn’t ruin the song, I didn’t attempt many more rock moves either. As the simplest task had already beaten me at the beginning of our set. It’s all on YouTube and makes me laugh every time.

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?

BS: One of the great things is the amount of younger people starting bands, and some are really good. After COVID lockdown, I wasn’t sure how fast people would come back to live music and to my surprise there were a bunch of younger people that had been sheltering together I guess, and starting new bands. At least locally for us. As well as just coming out to shows. The attendance since all of that for heavy shows has definitely risen in our area. I think it’s been a rough time as a society for a lot of reasons over the last decade, and I think heavy music is really flourishing as an outlet for people’s frustrations.

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?

NC: The first song on “Resilience” is about my hometown being burned to the ground, so we have real stakes and firsthand experience with climate disaster. Brandon was trapped on his in-laws ranch surrounded by the fire, and I remember not knowing if I’d see my friend again. Each song is about an experience like that. Life is heavy, and as an artist, you have to find a place to put that heaviness, or it will drag you down with the weight of it. That’s what this music represents to me. It’s a place to put the darkest moments, and somehow in doing that, it becomes light.

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

BS: I am a contractor (general and fire protection), Colby (Drummer) works in construction. Kenny (Guitarist) is a medicine man, Nathan (Guitarist) is a teacher.

My main hobby is probably music. I try and play it as much as possible. I also love comics, video games and movies. I’m a nerd.

NC: We definitely follow the Neurosis ideology of supporting yourself so your art is your own. This release represents the culmination of this with us going full DIY for the entire project. It feels good to own the art like that.

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?

BS: The main thing I would say is, and this is not just for critics, get out and see more live music. I’ve listened to bands before and not really got what they were doing until I experienced it live. The only other thing is to keep in mind is that, even if it’s not your cup of tea, take into consideration the amount of time people spent writing the music, practicing and recording it. Most people don’t put out music that they didn’t attempt to make as good as they possibly could.

NC: I would totally echo Brandon’s sentiment here: if you’re listening to any kind of DIY mid-level band, I don’t care if you can’t stand what the music sounds like, you need to honor and respect that they’re doing it. The endless hours, the determination to practice, the money for gear, the money to record, the money to tour and time off work, all of it. Everything about it is a fight. I’m always telling my students as they move forward in life, you’ll need to fight for your art. Know that every recording and every show is a sacrifice.

Any specific long term goal(s) in mind?

BS: To be able to continue playing music with each other. As you grow older life can get in the way and it can be easy to lose focus. We love this band and love playing together. I think we all just want to find ways to continue our lives and make sure this remains an integral part of it.

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

BS: Currently I’ve been listening to some older things like Primitive Man – “Caustic”, Yob – “The Unreal Never Lived” and Masakari – “The Prophet Feeds”. Newer: Blackbraid – “1”, Full of Hell/ Nothing and Level – “Gone West” on the heavy side. As for not heavy I have been listening to Wander – “March”, Czarface meets Ghostface, Blueneck – “Epilogue”, Mono – “Heaven 2”.

I’m usually a few years behind as it takes me a minute to get time to listen to albums.

NC” I’ve been going through a ‘90s grunge phase. I teach high school, so I’m basically back in the nineties right now as kids reinvent the vibe of that time and rediscover bands like Dada, Dinosaur Jr., Fugazi, Fu Manchu, Helmet, Hum, Jawbreaker, Melvins, Mudhoney, My Bloody Valentine, Pixies, Sonic Youth, Sunny Day Real Estate, like they’re not playing around with just Nirvana and Weezer anymore. Kids want the real deal, and I’ve been kind of reliving that time with them. There are some newer bands doing the post-punk and shoegaze thing which is cool to see like Glare and Nothing.

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

NC: Amarok as a project has always been in a state of becoming. The songs are literally a journey like a metaphorical story of our lives. This album “Resilience” is very close to home and real and personal. I think in that way, it’s reached a point where we’re all artistically in tune and connected and able to bring everything we have to the creative process without fear or shame or judgment. We’ve found this joy and freedom in expressing our grief and sorrow together. We’re all pretty close friends and supportive and not afraid to be real. I remember when I showed the outline of what became “Legacy (XIII)” to Kenny and Brandon, they were like: dude are you okay? I was going through it, and I could share that and make it into something new. I think when you’ve built something like that, the art rings true for people. We’re not about to stop writing music together anytime soon. As life gets heavier, so shall we. We’re looking forward to this release and touring on it alongside our friends in Mizmor this summer.

Summarize your band in one word.

BS: Resilience

NC: katharsis

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Many thanks to Bandon and Nathan for the time!

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Resilience is available via Amarok’s own Vulture Print in the US and Vendetta Records in Europe. For more information on Amarok, give them a follow on Instagram or Facebook.