Interview with KNEEL

Tell us about your latest release: the main concept; what fans should expect; what were/are your goals with it:

“Interstice” started from some stuff I left undone from my other band (Kneeldown, 1999 – 2007). When the band ended, I started writing more stuff. It wasn’t meant to be a solo project, but at the time I had no people to continue as a band. I work in Lisbon, and since I didn’t had conditions to record there, I could only work on KNEEL on Saturdays in my hometown (Ponte de Sor), and so the songs took a long time to develop. There are songs that were written in 2010. I always liked thrashy, hardcore and weird song structures, as well as twisted patterns, so I took some of that into the songs… not planed, they developed with those elements naturally.

I have no main goal other than keep making music and develop as a musician, producer and mixing engineer.

Did you have a specific sound in mind when you formed the band, or did that grow and evolve as you played together?

KNEEL is no band, it’s a solo project with a special guest on vocals, so I don’t know exactly how to answer this 🙂

But no, I had no specific sound in mind. I don’t like to overthink about music. I like to let it flow naturally and let my ears decide what they like the most.

How does your writing process normally work out?

Slowly. Very very slow. Unfortunately, my job and my life don’t give me more time to work on this so I can only do this from time to time.

Usually songs start from a guitar riff or a drum beat, and I need to have my recording computer always ready to record to keep ideas in place.

But it depends… some songs can take 2 years to complete, others took about 2 hours. After the songs are done, I give them to Filipe (special guest and fundamental element on KNEEL’s sound), I explain to him what the subject of the album should be, and he makes most of the lyrics and all the vocals.

What are your ambitions and how far do you want to push your band?

Honestly, I’m not an ambitious person when it comes to wishes for this project. I like to let it flow and time will tell.

I just want to be able to make music as long as I can, as better as I can.

What are your influences/musical references and the impact those same influences had in your sound?

My favourite band is Meshuggah, and I think you can find some of that on KNEEL’s songs, but in a different way…

So Meshuggah, Pantera, Sepultura, Megadeth, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Madball, Converge, Mastodon (Leviathan and Remission) are some of the bands that made me want to do this.

6) What’s next for you?

Next album is almost ready. So I guess it won’t take too long to get a new record out!