Dan talked this week with Richard from Canberra Progressive Metal band TALIESIN about their upcoming album ‘Disciple’ and what influenced them.
Metal-Roos: Thank you for having a chat with Metal-Roos. Firstly, I’m very excited to hear the band’s new album “Disciple” scheduled for release on the 6th of October. I enjoyed listening to “Faceless” when it was last released. Can you tell us what we can expect from “Disciple”?
Richard: Disciple is definitely more progressive and heavier than ‘Faceless’ overall. Although we label ourselves as a prog band, 90% of ‘Faceless’ was really just 4/4 heavy rock at its core. This time round, the songs are more musically adventurous, from a timing and instrumental perspective and there are a few longer songs in the 7-8 minute range.
Metal-Roos: Taliesin released a single from “Disciple” called “C.O.T.E.”. Great song by the way. Really enjoyed it. The lyrics for “C.O.T.E.” were inspired by your vocalist Dave after he watched some wartime footage and the video is evidence of that. Can you tell us more about the meaning of the song?
Richard: Thanks….glad you like it. I’d have to ask Dave if there are any deeper meanings to the lyrics…but on the surface, it is written from the perspective of War as an entity and how it has controlled humans throughout time.
Metal-Roos: After hearing “C.O.T.E.” The sound is very Taliesin like, great guitars, bass groove, and drums are awesome and Dave’s vocals really fit in. Was there any difference with the production for “Disciple” compared with “Faceless”?
Richard: The DNA is the same…so hopefully, it does sound like us…if the combination of those elements fits together in a way that gives us some sort of identity that is unique in any way, then we are happy. As for the production, I think the main difference is that ‘Faceless’ was recorded very badly by myself back in 2014-15. I’d never recorded or mixed anything prior to that and the poor-quality source files made it really hard to get it sounding the way I’d wanted it to sound…but I learnt a lot as a result and got to apply what i learnt to the recording and mixing of ‘Disciple’…so if it sounds crap then I have fewer excuses this time around lol.
Metal-Roos: With the songs to be featured in “Disciple”. Was there any song(s) that you can look back on and be proud of how it evolved over time?
Richard: Probably the song ‘God Damn Lies’. Up until this point all Taliesin’s music has been written by either myself or Reuben. This song started with Dave singing me some melodies and playing me some riffs on an acoustic guitar….I recorded them on my phone and tried to decipher exactly what he was hearing in his head lol…once we cracked that code I added some more riffs and arranged it. It was a good collaboration and resulted in possibly the best track on the album.
Metal-Roos: When I listen to your music over the years. I always get the vibe your music is similar to Dream Theatre and Symphony X. What is the band’s musical influence that makes up the Taliesin DNA?
Richard: Those bands are definitely big influences…I don’t think anyone can deny what a huge impact the release of DTs ‘Images & Words’ had on really spawning this genre…or at least driving it forward. Everyone in Taliesin brings their own tastes and style into the sound…like in most bands. Personally I think the Taliesin sound is a combination of all genres of metal we like …from glam, trad, thrash and prog. The vocal harmonies are also a big part of our sound….bands like Extreme, Kings X, AiC, Jellyfish and T-Ride were all big influences in that area in the 90s around or just before the band formed.
Metal-Roos: Last time I saw Taliesin live was last year back in Sydney’s West. What I enjoyed with your live set was the chemistry between all members of the band. What’s the vibe like inside the four walls?
Richard: We are all good mates who enjoy playing music together. In the 25+years Taliesin has existed there has only ever really been 6 members in the band in different formations…and no fights or ego issues…which is pretty rate I bands that have been together for this length of time lol…i think we all have realistic expectations of what the band is, especially in this day and age and knowing how the industry works. We do it cause we love it.
Metal-Roos: Taliesin is based in Canberra. I went down the freeway last year to a gig and noticed the band was there to support the event and different members from other bands that are based in Canberra. Can you describe the chemistry and the bond in the Canberra Metal scene?
Richard: Firstly I’d like to say that Canberra has always had a pretty cool scene with some great bands and great people. We try to get out when we can to support our friends in other bands…we are all in and around the 50yo mark so it does get harder…some of us have kids too so it’s not always easy but we do try lol. There’s not a lot of drama in our scene either compared to what I see in Sydney and Melbourne…maybe we need to try a little harder….I’m pretty sure Deprivation’s set at Wacken was a 100% backing tracks Milli Vanilli job
Metal-Roos: With “Disciple” released soon. Taliesin got some gigs coming in Canberra with “Deprivation” and “Aces High (The Australian Maiden Show)”. How excited is it to play the new songs from “Disciple” to the fans?
Richard: We are definitely keen to play some of these new songs live asap. Hopefully we can get at least a couple stage ready for the Aces High show….maybe one for the Deprivation show. I’ve been away for a month overseas so we haven’t been jamming…and Reuben is in Boston so we are a 4 piece atm which rules out a few songs…and we are a no backing track band
Metal-Roos: What does Taliesin have in the pipeline after the Canberra gigs? Are there any more shows in the planning for other places in Australia?
Richard: Once these gigs are done we will look at doing some interstate shows. We are a bit slack with booking our own shows…mainly get asked to join bills. Hopefully we can plan some gigs for when Reuben comes back into town. And really once the gigging is done it’ll be time to buckle down and work on the next album…most of the songs are written and some songs are already recorded.
Metal-Roos: Finally is there anything you like to say to the fans and other supporters from the local scene that have supported this band?
Richard: We have some amazing people who like and support our band and we’d obviously like to thank them and hope that they enjoy the new album when it comes out on Oct 6th.
