www.facebook.com/sallowregent
From: Edmonton, Canada
Sounds like: Metal
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? Who thought of the name “Sallow Regent" and is there any meaning behind it?
Davis: I would just try to emulate and learn whatever I was listening to when I was in my teens. Started forming bands soon after. I thought of calling this band Sallow Regent. It was because I kept seeing references to The King in Yellow (an old, and great book). The big push came when I noticed it referenced in this way, “Sallow Regent”, in a certain games series that I adore. One of the my favorite songs is also titled The Yellow King (Anaal Nathrakh).
Michael: I started playing music when I was 13 and haven’t stopped since. A lot of influence from my older brother and friends that introduced me to metal.
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
Davis: I like to call us “Esoteric Death Metal”. I hope people take away a feeling of unknowable and hidden secrets… something ceremonial and ancient. In the same way, we are born from old metal, and wish to create old metal. There is still more ideas that will be fleshed out as we release more material.
Michael: Take what you want from our music. Either love it or hate it. Regardless all we want to do is have a good time with good people and play music.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
Davis: Death, doom, and thrash combo - an eerie onslaught.
Michael: Doom with a splash of black and death metal.
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
Davis: These currently active favorites immediately come to mind: Anaal Nathrakh, Primordial, and Suffocation. But more realistically we'd love to tour with any of our local friends across Canada.
Michael: Suffocation, Macabre, and Morbid Angel.
5. What are your three desert island albums that you'd never get tired of listening to?
Davis: Fuck me… This is difficult. I own 552 albums at the moment, but… here we go! Sapremia - With Winter Comes Despair (unknown instant classic!), Darkthrone - Under a Funeral Moon (hard to pick just one…), Kekal - The Habit of Fire (there is nothing else like this album, not that I’ve ever heard!).
6. What’s your take on the current state of Metal?
Davis: I love the old bands, even their new material (sometimes especially their new material - here’s to you Napalm Death!). You got these people who only love a band’s first album and it just makes me shake my head. These 20+ year old bands are still making great records. “Fans” who do not buy metal are just bloodsucking parasites. Streaming is unfortunate and convenient, but it’s here to stay. The comeback of cassettes is weird to me, let’s see if that lasts.
7. What’s the current music scene like there in Canada both locally and country wide?
Davis: Canadian metal is small and tight knit, but such large geography creates these pockets and strongholds with a degree of isolation. Make no mistake, we have some fantastic bands that no one on the outside is listening to.
8. What’s your take on legal/illegal music downloading?
Davis: Legal music downloading is great. My collection is a hybrid of physical and digital. I only download from BandCamp, as you get lossless files. I wish the whole of the metal world would make sure to get their shit on there. If you never buy your music I have little respect for you.
9. What’s next for Sallow Regent?
Davis: We are currently recording our next release. The plan at the moment is to keep releasing EPs frequently, to distribute digitally and physically. We play a big festival called Brutal Alberta on June 7th, in Calgary. Honored and hyped, I mean, fucking Piledriver is going to be there!
Michael: Finish recording the ep we have in the works, start playing more shows. Get across Canada and venture into the states. Definitely get into more festivals for 2019/2020.
10. Any shoutouts?
Davis: All those bands from a decade or more ago who were associated with the now deceased underground label Open Grave Records. The biggest influence on me while growing up. Still trying to track down every release I missed out on.
Michael: Bands we’ve played with, Calvin and the vous, Cameron and Celest in Calgary, and everyone who supports us.
