Q1. Hello. How are you? How are things in the band’s camp at the moment? 

A1. Hello! Doing very well, thanks. Within the band we’re in high spirits and feeling motivated because of the completion of our new album entitled Echoes of a Distant Scream on Soman Records.

Q2. Ok this is our first interview. So let us speak a bit about the band’s past. Who and when had the idea to form this band? 

A2. With my other band Hallows Eve at rest for the moment, I decided to create music that was more intricate, more melodic, and epic. So I contacted Chris Abbamonte, also from Hallows Eve, because I thought he may be interested in these ideas plus he has an incredible guitar tone that’s perfect for Bludy Gyres.

Q3. What motivated you to form Bludy Gyres?

A3. I had always been a fan of early 70’s English prog rock and thought to mix these ideas with the slow, Sabbath based metal to give us a unique twist. I grew up listening to King Crimson, ELP, early Yes, and early Pink Floyd. These bands have no fear of experimenting and that’s what I wanted to do with Bludy Gyres. We’re very fortunate that we have Izzie Herman on guitar as he sounds, too me, much like David Gilmour so I have written several sections just for his sound within our music.

Q4. Which are the biggest problems that a metal band has to confront when it starts?

A4.I think the biggest two beginning issues are to define a clear direction of what the band is doing. And to be friends and actually enjoy playing with each other. You’re going to spend a lot of time together so you have to get along. For instance, when I had a show the other night in my band Tommy Stewart’s Dyerwulf, our Bludy Gyres drummer Dennis Reid and his wife came to see me play because they are my friends. That means a lot to me.

Q5. Was it easy for you to find a line- up from the start?

A5.The original line-up briefly had a different drummer. But he just didn’t work out in personality as I was talking about before! For a minute we were a three piece! But, at CHris’ insistance, we added a guitarist and that was Izzie. Shortly thereafter we added Dennis. The odd thing about me and Denni is we actually grew up on the same street and hd never met each other!

Q6. How did you choose the name Bludy Gyres for the band? Does it have a specific meaning for you?

A6. Ha ha, I wanted a much longer name. I said Ogres of Bloody Sorrow and Chris thought it was too long. That ended up being a lyric line in a later song of ours. So I ran across where the original English word giant came from the word gyres. A gyre is also a big swirling vortex. We added the bloody. Then said it phonetic as Bludy Gyres; a big bloody swirling mess! Yep, that’s about right.

Q7.What do you think about the new collaboration with Soman Records and Acier doux Metal Management and Promotions Tunisia  ?

A7. This collaboration is working with Bludy Gyres and my other band, Tommy Stewart’s Dyerwulf, very hard and I can say nothing less than it has been giving me the best year in a long while.

Q8. Can you tell me more about the new Album ? 

A8. I can tell you that it was a dream for me to produce the album myself! We recorded off and on from September of ’16 through January ’17. Things got very intense for me mixing in January with many long days. The album is called Echoes of a Distant Scream and has 5 songs running about 50 minutes total. They are To Live is to Bleed, Kept Death Busy, Discipline Man, Defy the Lie, OOD (Ogre of Death).  The art is something we’re very proud of and is by Jeff Grimal (of The Great Old
Ones). It should be released around March. I could tell a book about each song, but let me describe it as epic, very heavy, and even sometimes a little wicked wink when there is an element of sarcasm as in Kept Death Busy.

Q9. I want hear more about the GMA Support for Bludy Gyres 

A9. I can tell you that the GMA International Metal Club was very supportive for Bludy Gyres existence. They gave us many shows to play at the their events. The club members were basically the test audience for some of the material on the album! This album is actually our fourth release, but our first full album. It was our friends in GMA that inspired us to go ahead full steam. Thanks GMA!

Q10. Thanks for your time answering my questions. I wish you all the best. Please close the interview in any way you like…

A10 . Thanks for the chat. We’ve had nothing but positive response about our music so even though we have finished recording this album, we are already working on material for another release. Hopefully, there will be some touring. I especially want to do a tour in Europe. See you then!