Headstone Brigade is a Seattle (USA) based music project driven by Egan Budd. Egan explains the name of his project was accidental as he originally had intended to name the band Headstone Barricade. ‘Originally the idea was the acknowledgement that death is a barrier to overcome but now I imagine it more as some kind of cemetery-dwelling occult group, awaiting to serenade the dead as they depart the land of the living.’ Egan mistakenly used ‘brigade’ instead of ‘barricade’ and it stuck. Headstone Brigade call themselves Dark-Folk,  Neo-Folk, Pagan-Folk, Melodramatic-Pop and Depressing-Polka. By the end of 2023 the newest, self-released, opus “Victory & Defeat” revealed a true accomplishment; a great and artistic mix of multiple influences resulting in a surprising, fascinating, and impressive work.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Can you give us background information about your artistic activities and how did you come to set up Headstone Brigade? Who’s actively involved?

Egan: I officially launched in 2017 and had been doing my Death-Industrial project Xiphoid Dementia  since 1999.  It began as a solo act utilizing accordion and voice but also featuring a plethora of orchestrations for recorded material. After remaining a solo-project for some time, cellist Jeff King (also of Isenordal). Other joined the live band in 2019 and assisted with some recordings thereafter. In 2022, guitarist Mitchell Bell (also of Thunder Grey Pilgrim  and Knifecream) and percussionist/vocalist Bree Sadira Rose (also of Other and formerly of Witchbottle) joined me and Jeff for the project’s first post-covid performance at Litha Cascadia 2022 and were subsequently made permanent members of the band.

While still helmed by me for recordings, Headstone Brigade now performs live as a 4 piece and heavily features the band’s members contributions in recorded material.

Q: You label your music as ‘Dark-Folk,  Neo-Folk, Pagan-Folk, Melodramatic-Pop and Depressing-Polka’. I like the label Melodramatic-Pop’ but especially the ‘Depressing-Polka’-one but what’s the deeper meaning of it all?

Egan: There’s not really a deep meaning to how we label our music so I decided to have some fun with it which is where the ‘depressing polka’ term came from. I often remind my bandmates that I want to ride that line between not taking ourselves too seriously on one hand, but not being too cringey on the other. I think the most important thing to me about categorizing or labeling our music was to come up with our own term that would show we’re not just trying to ‘fit in’ but rather create our own path with strong anchors to the music we are inspired by.

Q: I noticed you’re busy for a couple of years now so how do you perceive the evolution of Headstone Brigade and its sound?

Egan: I think there’s a lot of evolution that has been made by the project and hopefully much, much more to come! The most important thing though is to let it grow organically and not try too hard to push it one way or another. I know personally I’d like to explore including some more Post-Punk or Cold-Wave-like elements but they would still have to stay within the ‘world’ of what Headstone Brigade is which is mainly a Folk-Horror origin. However, some of the new stuff is sounding much more in a Pagan Folk-vein so.. who knows!?

Q: Over now to the new album “Victory & Defeat”. What is it all about and what did you try to express by its title, the lyrical content and the artwork?

Egan: The meanings can probably be broken down best track-by-track but if you were to take themes that pervade most all of them it’s about coming to terms with the things in reality we can’t change which include war, death, transience, love, love-lost, and special moments we should cherish along the way. It’s also about being stoic throughout this life and existence we all have to face and seeing life as a mystery even in this bleak post-modern world.

Q: The album has been composed together with multiple guest musicians so how did it all happen? And what did you keep in mind from the entire writing- and production process?

Egan: The first step was just writing all the songs with accordion/vocals on my own during covid lockdown. Once I had those I had a cello player (Kevin Lewis of Nital Etch) who played with me briefly before Jeff King joined who has a unique ability to come up with fantastic improvisations on the fly. So I had him lay a cello base for many tracks which I then edited heavily. I did most of the production, percussion, editing and then at about the halfway mark Bree and Mitchell had joined the band so Mitchell added some much needed acoustic guitar parts and Bree added vocal harmonies – both of which they had established as we polished the tracks for live performances.

Q: How important are live performances to you and how do you perceive yourself as a live-band?

Egan: I really love the songwriting and production process myself so to me that is the most important aspect. But live shows are really special especially since the band has joined ( I played live solo for many years ). With the full-band its much less stressful and more fun. The other band members bring in more people (friends, family) and it’s such a great way to connect with our audience that I’ve grown to really appreciate the live experience. That said I still try to keep a high standard for our live shows. We practice quite religiously and continue to polish songs and just get better as a band which I’m also hoping will play a pivotal role in our upcoming recorded material as well!

Q: What comes next?

Egan: I always have grand plans even if they are merely a small seedling within my own mind. Over the last few weeks I’ve actually manifested some of those concepts into the world but of course these things take time so it may be a while before brand new recorded material sees the light of day. However, if anyone is curious to hear new stuff we’ll be playing it live! I’m going to go ahead and break the news here because it should be announced next week but we are supporting Of The Wand And The Moon in Vancouver, BC on March 10th! So if you’re in the area please come check it out.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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Of The Wand & The Moon started as a solo-project by Kim Larsen in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1998. He released the debut album “Nighttime Nightrhymes” in 1999 which was a Dark-Folk/Neo-Folk album. He moved on releasing the albums “Emptiness Emptiness Emptiness” (2001), “Lucifer” (2003), “Sonnenheim” (2005) and “The Lone Descent” (2011). He also released several EP’s and singles. It took ten years for Kim Larsen to unleash a new studio album, which has been written and recorded over the past three years. “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow” released by the end of 2021 on Heiðrunar Myrkrunar is a great piece of music. The songs are mixing Dark-Folk/Neo-Folk together with Cinematic music and Jazz, but also a kind of Psychedelic Chanson reminding the 60s. The album is pure magic and according to me one of the best and most poignant productions from the past year. I talked about it with Kim Larsen.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q:  “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow” is the first new album by Of The Wand & The Moon in ten years. Did you get the feeling everything was said and done, which brought you to work on Les Chasseurs De La Nuit? What does this new album mean to you?

Kim: I feel totally drained after every album I do. Using up all the ideas I have. After “The Lone Descent” there was also a lot of touring. To be honest I don’t want to treat my music as this kind of business plan. One album a year with a couple of good songs and the rest just fillers. And then go tour for the rest of the 6year. Repeat…
I’m sure I could do an album a year with songs that were ok. But I want the new Of The Wand & The Moon-album to be done at the best of my abilities at that moment in time. Making it grow and explore a bit each time.

My Les Chasseurs De La Nuit project is more a thing of experimenting and perhaps getting some old-school Neo-Folk songs out there. That I like. For sure. But not for Of The Wand And The Moon.

Also I did work as Vril Jager and White Chamber between these 10 years. So it’s not like I stopped doing music. Also I did 7inches and re-recordings of Of The Wand And The Moon. But when it comes to the albums I want to do my very best.

Q: Of The Wand & The Moon has been always linked to Neo-Folk although the new album clearly brings other –and sometimes surprising, influences to the surface. It sounds pretty sixties as well reminding me to early stuff of Serge GainsbouRG. Did you get the feeling to reinvent your sound and tell us a bit more about the different influences?

Kim: It is a development that has been on its way for some time. I think those 60s influences got more articulate on “The Lone Descent”.  And now even more.

I think it is a thing more of going back in time. To when I was a kid. My dad had a big record collection with mostly Jazz but also rock music. Things I was most taken by in his collection were The Beatles’ albums “Rubber Soul” and “Help”. And also the Serge Gainsbourg single “Je T’aime Moi Non Plus” (and with “Jane B” on the flip side).

So that bass sound has always haunted me. As you can hear on my new album as well. I also used to record movies on my tape recorder from videos we rented or what limited things was on the TV. I remember recording “Escape From New York”. Loved the mood of that movie and the Soundtrack. Those days you couldn’t just buy the Soundtrack. So I would record it from the TV so I could listen to it later. So that aspect of Soundtrack sound also plays a part in my music in general.

Q: One thing is for sure, it sounds as your most diversified and accomplished work to date. Where does this evolution comes from and how do you see yourself as musician evolving throughout the years?

Kim: As I mention I think this stems from my childhood. Things I was listening to etc. Think I will still need to explore that era in time in the following stuff to hopefully come. We will see…

Q: Tell us a bit more about the writing of the album? How did the writing take shape and what have been the different stages to achieve the work? What has been the impact of the guest artists?

Kim: Some things have taken a long time to finish. For instance the song “Love Is Made Of Dreams” was started before the previous album “The Lone Descent”. In the beginning this was a very typical sounding Neo-Folk song. But during time it ended up the way it did. A bit country somehow… Dolly Parton. Please do a cover of this one hehehe…

Actually I was very much in doubt if it should have been on the album. It being so different. However, the other guys in the band persuaded me otherwise and it ended up on the album. I agree now that the song gives a break in the heaviness of the other songs. Though still having pretty bleak lyrics.

Speaking a bit about some of the guest artists. Bo Rande (various horns) I worked with for the first time on “The Lone Descent”. I remember when we did his sessions back then I thought to myself that I would have him playing a lot more on the next stuff I would make. So made a lot of room for him for the new album. He is such a talented musician and can’t praise him enough.

Uffe Lorenzen from Baby Woodrose also delivered vocals on “The Lone Descent”. And thought of his vocals again for the “Barbs Of Time”-song. He agreed and think it turned out beautiful.

Through my good mutual friend I had asked the legendary Danish artist Martin Hall to write the liner notes of the album. During the recordings I couldn’t stop hearing his voice on “Nothing For Me Here”. I asked him if he’d like to do some vocals for it and he heard the exact same thing as me. Very happy this came to fruition as well.

Q: I also noticed an evolution in the lyrical content of the work. What did you try to express and what’s the connection with the album title “Your Love Can’t Hold This”?

Kim: I really don’t want to get into lyrical content as it sometimes destroys the magic. But I guess lyrics and mood got more melancholic rather than the magical, runic and mythological stuff from the earlier albums. Just wanted to be a bit more free and not too locked in expression.

Q: The album has been released in hard times; I’m referring to the ongoing pandemic, which also has a serious impact on artistic activities. How do you as artist experience this tragedy and what’s the impact on your own activities? What’s the importance of music and arts as a kind of cure to this situation?

Kim: The pandemic hit me very hard. As I’m sure it hit everybody.
I usually say to myself that the album I am doing might be the last I’m doing. So I spend all my energy and money on it. We will see if this is that one. Hopefully the new album will do good. There is also a tour planned for April 2022 with Brighter Death Now and hopefully some other shows later on in the year. So we’ll see if brighter days are ahead. Otherwise, Auf wiedersehen, au revoir, goodbye, arrivederci, do svidaniya, adiós, farvel, tot ziens, slán, hamba kahle….

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Neo-Folk, Chanson, Cinematographic.

Format: Digital, CD. 

Background/Info: Set up in the late 90s by Kim Larsen, Danish formation :Of The Wand And The Moon: became a renowned and established formation active in the wider fields of Neo-Folk music. It took ten years for Kim Larsen to unleash a new studio album, which has been written and recorded over the past three years. 

Content: “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow” is much more than simply an old-styled Neo-Folk album; Neo-Folk remains an important source of inspiration and often the basis of the songs, but it has been mixed with other influences. From pure Cinematographic passages to a kind of smoked Jazzy sound to some surprising 60s elements, this work is true music fusion. The songs are driven by the deep timbre of voice of Kim Larsen. The use of acoustic instruments is one of the main characteristics of the composition while some irresistible trumpet sounds/play can be heard as well. A few guests like King Dude, Martin Hall, Sarah Hepburn and Uffe Lorenzen contributed to the work as well. 

+ + + : This is an astonishing return! The album is a deeply artistic creation, which can be heard in every single detail. First there’s an impressive production of the vocals revealing the artist’s irresistible timbre of voice. Kim Larsen is a great singer for Chanson. Next there’s the music, a true artistic creation Larsen accomplished together with producer and multi-instrumentalist Mikkel Elzer. I’ve been especially impressed by the magic of trumpet sounds/play. It has something mysterious, but also sensual and perfectly suited for ‘Film Noir’. “Les Journées Sans Fin Et Les Nuits Solitaires” featuring female vocals sung (or half-spoken) in French can’t leave you unmoved. But the absolute pearl of the album is “Let’s Take A Ride (My Love)”. This is such a beautiful song; simply a magic ballad with an elevating effect and featuring great trumpet sound and an explicit 60s influence as well. Darkness becomes beautiful thanks to the genius of this artist. 

– – – : If you’re into pure Neo-Folk, you’ll maybe be disappointed, but I don’t have any minus point. 

Conclusion: “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow” definitely is one of the best and most artistic works from the year. What a return for this artist!

Best songs: “Let’s Take A Ride (My Love)”, “Les Journées Sans Fin Et Les Nuits Solitaires”, “Nothing For Me Here”, “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow”

Rate: 9.

Artist & Label: www.facebook.com/wandmoon 

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Out via Heidrunar Myrkrunar next month is the all new Of The Wand And The Moon album “Your Love can’t hold this Wreath of Sorrow”. It’s the Danish project’s first new album in 10 years since “The Lone Descent” from 2011. A Vinyl edition will follow in early 2022. The album has been over 3 years in the works and was produced by Kim Larsen and Mikkel Elzer (Kloster etc) and mixed by Mikkel Elzer.

Through the 10 new songs you clearly get to hear Kim Larsen’s inspirations from 60-70’s singer/songwriters such as Lee Hazlewood, Leonard Cohen and Serge Gainsbourg, as well as movie soundtracks from the same period. It of course still maintains some of the dark neo-folk roots of the band.

The album also includes guest performances by King Dude, legendary Danish singer/author/artist Martin Hall (who also wrote the liner notes for the album), as well as several other household names on the Danish scene such as Uffe Lorenzen (Baby Woodrose), Bo Rande (Blue Foundation) and Sarah Hepburn (Kloster a.o.).

Check out the title track.

About Of The Wand & The Moon

Of The Wand & The Moon started as a soloproject by Kim Larsen in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1998 when he was still a member and composer in the doom-metal band Saturnus. The debut album “Nighttime Nightrhymes” was released in 1999 and was a dark folk/neo-folk album that received quite some attention in both neofolk, goth and metal scenes.

With the second album “Emptiness Emptiness Emptiness” (2001), the sound of Of The Wand & The Moon had developed much, and was by then considered a neo-folk/dark folk classic.

Of The Wand & The Moon would continue to release new material, the albums “Lucifer” (2003), “Sonnenheim” (2005) and “The Lone Descent” (2011 – see further down), as well as several EP’s and vinyl singles followed.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Genre/Influences: Neo-folk, chanson, industrial, dark-ambient, ritual.

Background/Info: This compilation was already released a few years ago, but lately promoted. And it’s a real special compilation featuring a tribute to John Murphy. Born in Australia and living in the UK he passed away in 2015. He left an impressive artistic legacy, being involved in great bands such as The Associates, SPK… working together with Death In June, Lustmord ao. “All My Sins Remembered” also is a charity project with all proceeds from the sales going to John’ widow. 

Artists: Of The Wand And The Moon, David E. Williams, Shining Vril, Nikolas Schreck, KnifeLadder, Blood Axis, Naevus, Foresta Di Ferro, Die Weisse Rose, Andrew King, Zeena Schreck, Last Dominion Lost.

Content: The list of contributors is mainly projects/artists John Murphy has been involved with. Several songs are live cuts featuring John Murphy, which makes this sampler really special. It’s a diversified list of artists and music genres, which also shows the eclecticism of the artist. From neo-folk to ritual to dark-ambient to industrial chanson and martial, this album is a remarkable summary of John Murphy’s involvement.

+ + + : The idea and concept is not just original, but a way to remember an influential artist who has been active for years in different although related music scenes. It clearly is an homage testified by numerous live songs. It also is a way to re-discover some great names such as Blood axis, KnifeLadder, Naevus, Of The Wand And The Moon, Last Dominion Lost. One of my personal favorite cuts is Knifeladder’s “Long March”. This album is a must have for the fans featuring rarities, but still a great arty box.

– – – : Like all compilations there’re always a few cuts which can’t fully convince, but you definitely have to be a fan of John Murphy and the different music styles he has been involved with to like this sampler.

Conclusion: Even heroes are not eternal, but their work will remain in the collective minds for years even after their loss.

Best bands: KnifeLadder, Blood Axis, Shining Vril, Zeena Schreck, David E. Williams.

Rate: (7½).

Label: www.the–epicurean–transformed.de / www.facebook.com/epicureanescapism

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Death In June have informed that their longstanding percussionist John Murphy passed away, aged 56. He died on October 11. Murphy will be best known as the percussionist of Death in June and he was – as Kirlian Camera’s Maurizio Moscarelli puts it – “for at least the past 35 years, involved in many interesting bands and projects such as ‘9.3’Current’9.3′ SPK, Death In June, N0N, Sword Volcano Complex, Blood Axis, Of The Wand And The Moon, and many more.”

Death In June’s Douglas P. posted a video in remembrance of his former bandmate, namely Scorpion Wind – “The Cruelty Of The Heavens” featuring Death In June, Boyd Rice and John Murphy.

But like many other videos, that one has been pulled offline.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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