Pale Ritual returns to wreak sonic havoc.

Pale Ritual founders, Matthew, and Cameron Morris

Pale Ritual made it's live debut in 2016, performing at Columbia's New Brookland Tavern, and Greenville's Radio Room in the same week. Their Greenville appearance immediately went down in local history as a show you should feel terrible about missing. Last time I checked, the live stream I posted of the show was somewhere around 1,000 views. Not too bad for a black metal band from an ultra-conservative city that swears up, and down that it doesn't have a vibrant music scene. In anticipation of this Saturday's show (May 20th) at the utterly fantastic, Cabin Floor Records, I decided to have a chat with Pale Ritual co-founder, Cameron Morris about the upcoming festivities.

Hideous: Has it been difficult preparing for this show due to the distance between band members?

Cameron: Truthfully, it has not been very difficult. With Chase (Your Chance To Die) and Alex (Waft) assisting us this time it has proven to be a smooth process. The Carriers of Nothing EP is available for listening so obviously that speeds things up. Instead of writing out detailed tablature or slaving away at a Guitar Pro file, I just sketched out some general ideas for the riffs. I like to keep my music a little open-ended in that respect to see what everyone can bring to the table. With Scarlet Fever, like to establish the chord progression without a strict bass part. The chords and melody are the song and you can respell them however you want and experiment with different sounds and textures.

Hideous: Will you be debuting any new material; is there any in the works?

Cameron: There is definitely music in the works with most of the first full length already written. I can't say for sure if any of that material will make it to Saturday's show, but I'm not ruling it out either. Basically, I've written an entire album but have not yet rehearsed in the same room as Matt. There's a strong musical chemistry that comes from being brothers that have played together for at least ten years. He has all his parts written and we will certainly be rehearsing the new album this week to prepare for the studio. If anything feels confident enough we may decide to perform one at the shows.

Hideous: Now that you've been away for a while, is there anything you miss about Greenville's music scene?

Cameron: The thing I miss most about Greenville's music scene is the camaraderie in the metal and underground community as a whole. Being in NYC for 10 months isn't exactly enough time for me to determine whether they have the same vibe or not. I can definitely say the elitist attitude of more mainstream genres is present no matter where you live. The underground scene is one of the few frontiers left in music and that's where you'll meet the true visionaries and best people. Greenville has a lot of that and I miss it everyday.

Hideous: Last time Pale Ritual played Greenville, the room was packed, was that surprising, and do you expect a similar turnout this time?

Cameron: I have to say it was quite surprising for me to see the turnout that night. I've put myself through the grind for a few years there and never fit in with what was popular. At the end in Greenville, it was one of the most depressing points in my life and I convinced myself nobody cared about what I was doing. That show meant more to me than anyone can know and I just appreciate anyone who cares enough to listen. If it were only 3 people who truly digested it, I would be happy. As for this time around, I don't exactly have any expectations.

Hideous: Now that you've been in a larger market for a while, what do you think Greenville's music scene can improve upon to elevate our status as a music city? Is it possible?

Cameron: Ditch the main stream and for the love of god stop trying to be Asheville. If you're constantly copying others you'll always be 2 steps behind. Waiting for another town or community to tell you what's cool is just not the way to do it in my opinion. The pointless fuss of Greenville's supposed lack of music scene only comes from gentrifying people who want gentrified music. The answer is staring the city in the face. Prop up your underground metal, punk, trap, hip hop, and experimental artists. They are the future and will be the ones telling other towns what's cool.

Catch Pale Ritual with Death/Of this Saturday, May 20th at Cabin Floor Records - 504 Rutherford St, Greenville, South Carolina 29609

Why even name this article?

The cool thing about life in 2016 America is that absolutely nothing matters. That's also the bad thing, but... nah, there's no brightside. Nothing matters. Not this election, not the news tomorrow, nothing. Why care at all anymore? It all sucks, and the story does not have a happy ending. Life is relentlessly brutal. This is the most horrific shoot-em-up ever played: real life is on crystal meth, steroids, and nihilism. It says, "fuck you, everyone is dying" at every opportunity. It laughs at your suffering.

I know you like Japanese schoolgirls.

Hey there, friend. I'm not sure we've met before, but we apparently know each other. I think you're in a band, but I'm not sure. I am sure you like Japanese schoolgirls though because I see you often like photos of them. This feels a bit like "T.M.I." doesn't it? I mean, I know you're not liking these photos, and gifs because you're drawing inspiration for your next Saturday night outfit. Well, I guess I don't know that for sure, but I do know you really like Japanese schoolgirls.

Keepin' it real went real wrong.

In my opinion, the most disheartening thing about being a musician isn't having your music ignored or any of the other standard struggles, it's the overwhelming fakeness of the whole thing. Granted, this is "the business of show" as it were, but you don't really expect everything about it to be a show. Long before an artist ever takes the stage they are presenting an image of themselves that is often not true. Sometimes this image is based in reality and just exaggerated, but other times it is a complete fabrication. I don't just mean obvious cases like Insane Clown Posse or Slipknot where an over the top persona is as much part of the costume as a mask or facepaint, I'm talking about indie artists selling the idea that they are much better off than they really are. This is not a condemnation, but rather a sharing of thoughts on an often overlooked part of the music business: selling a line of bullshit.

Sobriety is Incredibly Boring

I woke up, and started my normal routine, minus checking messages. Generally this routine consists of expressing gratitude for being alive, having some water, stretching, and working on projects. I was determined to not scrounge up any mind-altering substances, or drink any alcohol, so I had to stay busy. Blogging takes up a little time, but I can only type for so long before my hands, wrists, arms, and chest (in order) start aching. Part of the reason I drink so much is that I am in a near constant state of pain or discomfort, depending on what day it is; carpal tunnel syndrome is a motherfucker, folks. A numb, tingling, aching motherfucker that refuses to go away without a risky, and incredibly expensive surgery that is not guaranteed to work. Seems easier to just drink the pain away, but today I wasn't going to do that.

Thoughts From the Bottom

No matter how much I like to say I can self-medicate effectively, I am still apparently human. With all the stuff I see humans doing these days, can you blame me for hoping I could somehow distance myself from the species? Anyway, when bad things happen, I tend to default to drinking. "Pound a few beers, and stop caring so much" seemed like solid advice at the time, but me being me, I go all in. Recently however, I surprised myself, and chose not to grab a beer after a particularly rough night. A night that saw me jumping out of the car at a light so I could show someone I was more than willing to throw a few fists. The conflict? Some guy thought that "playin" with me in traffic was a good idea. I'm grown, kids, I don't have patience for anyone who likes to "play". Not even a little. I recognize that I went too far this time, but thankfully I stopped before going farther.

Thoughts on the Way Down, part three

I do a lot of thinking, some would say too much. Sometimes even I think it's too much, but my introspection has been a blessing in dealing with my breakdowns. It helps to be a stubborn, defiant bastard as well, but not everyone can be so lucky. I heard a comedian say once that rich people go to therapy, and poor people go to the liquor store. I say that's pretty spot-on, but it's definitely not healthy. It's all well, and good to say that you should talk to someone when you're having a hard time, but realistically that doesn't always work. Often people will jump right into how selfish you're being by not appreciating what you have going for you. The thing about depression is that hearing a diatribe like that usually translates into something like "Just shut up, and deal with it! Everyone has problems, grow up you fuckin' baby!" which isn't helpful to say the least. I think there's something to be said for an occasional self-imposed exile.

Thoughts on the Way Down, part two

I don't have a particulary great job. Okay, I'll be honest, I have one of the least-respected jobs available: I wash dishes. For those of you unaware of the restaurant hierarchy, I'll try my best to explain it. On top, of course, is the corporate office who menace the varying levels of managers, who menace the staff in varying degrees. Not much different than any other job so far, right? Well, at the very bottom of the hill beneath all the cooks, servers, and bussers is the lowly dishwasher. A guy who often isn't referred to by name, only "the dishwasher", while receiving everyone else's projected anger, and frustration. As the saying goes, "shit rolls downhill". I don't work this job because I'm too stupid or unskilled to do anything else, I do it because the hours are flexible, it pays decent, and I can listen to music while I do it. That's it other than the fact you're likely to meet one or two pretty cool people in a kitchen, but you also deal with a lot of crap. Even the customers recoil away from me when I bring the cooks their plates, and spatulas. The customer is not always right, no one is always right.

Thoughts on the Way Down, part one

no photo because I refuse to market my life
I suppose this story starts sometime around mid-July 2016. My then fiance, and I were pretty much done with the planning stages of our surprise wedding at Gusto Fest 5, and all the expected cancelations were long behind me. At this point in my history of booking/organizing shows, very little phases me. Couple that with my tightrope walk of zen/nihilism, and you've got a fairly unbothered individual. (Not to mention my penchant for self-medication... oops, I just did.) All we had left to do was pick up a few more items for the wedding, and fill out a little paperwork. I reassured her that we were going to pull this off, and it was going to be incredible. I knew with one hundred percent certainty that this would work, and started to relax a little on that basis.

Love is Stress

There's an old saying that goes something like, "find something you love to do, and you'll never work a day in your life". I started really thinking about that saying, and now I don't know what I've done with my life. I'm not sure if I've wasted time doing something I don't really love, or if this supposedly wise old saying is completely wrong.

I've created hours upon hours of music, some of which will never be heard, and some that gives me a great sense of pride. I have to assume I committed that much time to music out of love, but I'll be damned if it wasn't work. Have you ever spent an entire day listening to the same song, trying to get it right, and never quite getting there? If so, you know there's nothing fun about that; love, and frustration are not synonyms last time I checked.

Year after year, I release music, do shows, and try my best to get people to pay attention. I make no money, and with each passing day, I get a little bit more numb. I don't even flinch when things go wrong; I don't care about rejection anymore either. I don't make music out of love, I make it because I have to, and when people don't like it my reaction is something like "yeah, figures". I just keep moving, regardless of any acceptance.

I have Depression, and I don't care.

About six months ago, I was diagnosed with depression. I went with my significant other to get the prescription filled, and cracked jokes about the tabloid magazines while we waited in line. She said, “And they say you're depressed?” to which I replied, “It takes many forms.” She didn't really understand how I could be considered depressed, but appear normal, or at least “normal” by my standard. The truth is, I don't fully understand it either, but when I got that diagnosis I felt like saying, “No shit, dude. What am I paying you for, again?”

I don't really remember a time when I was truly happy for more than an hour or so. There's been a dark cloud trailing me ever since I can remember, but I'm blessed with something wonderful: stubbornness. Some would credit this to my astrology, (Taurus) but I credit it to my genetics. My family has always been full of defiant individuals, and for that I am grateful. I come from “a long line of bootleggers, and horse thieves” as my father once put it. I'm not sure if this is where I get my love of alcohol, and disdain for authority figures, but I like it, and it serves me well.

When I get into a particularly dark passage of life, I always tell myself “I'm fine” over, and over. I say it until I either believe it, or have to focus my attention on something else. The pills I take are somewhat helpful, but I know this is a battle I have to fight on my own for the rest of my life. The bad thing about this medication is if I forget to take it, I feel horrible the next day. This is no way to live, and I hate the way our health-care system is designed to just pump you full of medication, and keep billing you to death. Honestly, I view doctors in no higher regard than most mechanics; they're both just trying to screw you out of money.

DIY therapy, and musings on society.

I recently made my not-so-triumphant return to blogging. The only reason I did it was because I had to get things off my chest. Honestly, that's a pretty common motivation for most of the things I do; if I hold onto the things that bother me, they grow into monsters. Truth be told, I'm an emotionally volatile person. Plenty of people just read that, and uttered "no shit" to themselves, I'm sure.

I'm not really the type of person to weep during a movie or anything, but I do feel things rather intensely. When a friend hurts, I hurt; when tragedy strikes, I fall into darkness. For a long time, I've tried, and failed miserably, to suppress my emotions. People who know me well have told me they can read me incredibly easy, and honestly that embarrasses me a great deal. As much as I'd like to be stoic, and cooler than an industrial fan in a meat locker, I'm simply not. I'm becoming okay with this, and more willing to embrace it fully, but I'll speak more on that later.

My biggest mistake was trying to suppress a natural part of me, as if there was something wrong. The only thing wrong with my hypersensitive nature is that I've let it get the best of me at times. I've learned that the best thing about making mistakes is that you get a good lesson out of it. All the times I've entered a room only to be greeted by groans, and disgusted glares have hardened my outlook, and made me more cautious around people. Some would say that's not a good thing, but for me its been quite useful in sorting through potential friends, and associates.

NOLYB is under construction!

Here's the thing y'all, after 3+ years of doing the podcast, it's time for a change. It's time to evolve. Those of you who follow the social media pages may have already heard about changes on the way, but I'd like to elaborate a bit. NOLYB is on it's way to becoming much more than just a podcast, and blog; plans are being made behind-the-scenes to turn NOLYB into a sort of entertainment network. A place you can go for many different entertainment options. New web shows are in development, and as always, we're looking for contributors. If you've got an idea, let's talk about it, I like to think I'm a damn good listener for someone with extreme ADHD.

What this means for you, the listener/reader is that there's going to be some times ahead with somewhat limited NOLYB content. I'll keep blogging, but any sort of schedule has been thrown out the window until further notice. In addition to making these podcasts, and figuring out these new shows we're adding, I've been working really hard on music. It all takes a lot of time, and there is only so much. Plus, my co-conspirator, Caleb is going on a well-deserved vacation with his wife, and will be unavailable to do all the coding, and whatnot for a little bit. Fear not, my friends, this is nowhere near the end! This is the dawn of a new beginning! It may be a little rough at first, but it's going to work, and you're going to love what we have in store for you!

The goal of NOLYB has always been to shed some much-needed light on the underground scene here in South Carolina, and beyond, as well as provide a document for the future. When they come around to make a film about us in a few years, we'll have all these live recordings, and interviews to refer to, and it'll be so incredible! In the meantime, please do visit the sites we have linked off to the side, and let us know if you think we're missing anyone. It's great to see so many people over the past few years taking action, and starting their own sites. I've even recently found a local site that's been at it for much longer than I have! Y'all keep your heads up, eyes open, and keep fighting the good fight. We'll be back better than ever real soon!
- Hideous

You People Make Me Sick

I've worked really hard over the past year or so to find some semblance of inner peace. Anything to keep me from bursting with blind rage towards a world I view as being almost completely full of terrible people. I'm like you, I spend too much time on the Internet, and I read about the things that interest me. Of course, that's only after I wade through all the clickbait, and “satire”. Today I caught myself thinking “hey, none of this idiocy is bothering me at all”, and I thought for a moment that maybe I was actually making progress. Then, something horrific happened.

Someone went into a building, and started shooting, unfortunately this happens really often in America. This time the victims were attending church, last time they were in a mall... or maybe it was a parking lot? I don't know, it's honestly hard to keep track, there's just so many. Anyway, another white guy, (don't even think of saying “race-baiter”, it's a white guy 99.9% of the time) went into a historic black church, and opened fire. That's after he sat quietly with them for a moment during their bible study; it's pure evil, and it just doesn't make any sense.

So there I was, so glued to twitter that I might as well have been physically attached. It was honestly the only place to find any news on the shooting for a while there. I think it would've remained the only place if it weren't for so many people calling out every major news outlet on their lack of coverage. Eventually, a few major news sites started talking about it a little, but Fox remained silent. Fox actually ran a story about a Mexican BBQ restaurant having “White Appreciation Day”, that is, once they got done talking with king of the jackasses, Donald Trump.

I've had enough.

When I started this podcast/blog it was to shed light on some deserving, but under-appreciated musicians. I've always loved sound, but never really had much of an affinity for pop music. Well, after I discovered the joys of hip-hop, and heavy metal at least. I started NOLYB because I felt it was needed. I could look all around my home state of South Carolina, and see loads of cover, jam, country, bluegrass, and gospel groups doing their thing with loads of support, but no media outlet was supporting the music I enjoy. So, I made it my job to sing the praises of the artists I listen to, and respect.

Fast forward about three years, and South Carolina is actually changing a little. Sure, any music that isn't happy, safe, and suburban (read: lily white) still gets shunned for the most part, but there are so many more people fighting the good fight now. Over these past three years I've watched several music blogs start up, and it's all been interesting to witness. We have more Internet radio stations, video podcasts, “web zines”, you name it; there's been a fairly significant shift here lately. In fact, even one of the local TV stations has decided to start up a show occasionally featuring local musicians.

Granted, hip-hop, punk, and heavy metal will probably never get the respect it deserves in this state, (unless you slap that “christian” tag on it) but I say all this change, albeit small, is still a start. Part of me wants to sit back, and say “well, my work here is done” because clearly people have gotten the idea at this point. (“Create your own media” is something I've pushed with NOLYB since day one.) On the other hand, contentment is the death of ambition, and we do still have a long way to go before S.C. is respected nationally as a place with a viable music scene. There's a lot more to this area than Asheville, North Carolina, but it seems fighting against bigger names is all part of this music thing, isn't it?

Everyone Loves A Gimmick!

Gimmicks are nothing new in music. They go all the way back to the days of Robert Johnson supposedly selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads. They probably go back further than that, but today it seems that you won't get a first glance without a gimmick. Masks, facepaint, and even teenage girls have been worked into the world of heavy metal for the sake of a gimmick. Anything to get your attention, and if it distracts you from questionable music, that's even better; don't think, just buy!

In the current age of over-saturation, bands are focusing just as much on their gimmick as they are on their music, if not more. A depressive black metal band from nowhere, North Dakota apparently isn't as interesting as one from China. Why? Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm sure it has something to do with building hype. I don't feel this way, but someone, somewhere once said, "Oooh, a press kit in broken english, this music must be awesome!" and the hype spread from there.

The entertainment industry is built on fabrication; just like politics, religion, or any other big business. Whatever can convince you to plop down your hard-earned money is fair game. Not to speculate, but I feel certain a conversation like the following has occurred at some record label: "I'm tired of one-man metal bands, how about a one-WOMAN metal band?". Blank expressions fill the room as a young executive ponders, "No? What if she was from somewhere exotic, would that help?". Faces light up as they search press kits for a blonde woman who can fake an accent.

Back to the Drawing Board

I've been in podcaster/blogger/whatever I am mode for so long, I've almost forgotten how to just be a musician. I've been writing about the ins and outs of music, but haven't really bothered to make any of my own for quite some time. As is expected for many long-time musicians, the urge to perform live started becoming too strong to ignore any longer. In response to these urges, I pumped out a live set's worth of music in e.p. form over the course of about two weeks. The excitement has built within me, and I've been trying to spread it around as best I can without being a spambot.

I made a sort of plan to go along with the release, and mostly stuck to it, but I've come to realize a few things since “restarting” this solo music endeavor. First of all, I'm just another guy with “a mixtape” at this point, and that's pretty disheartening to say the least. Second, I took a long enough break from making music, that I'm basically starting over, plus I'm in a different genre now. Needless to say, I'm also making music for art's sake. That is to say that I'm making this music for myself, and those who relate, as opposed to popularity. To say that the odds are stacked against me would be an understatement, but hey, that's music for you.

Seems like just about everyone has some sort of music project now, and I'm just another hat in the ring. Just another body stirring up dust in the already overcrowded desert of independent music. Perhaps some people would give up upon these realizations, but not me, I already gave up a long time ago. Not in a “woe is me” kind of way, but in a “I don't care anymore” kind of way. Caring about how your music (or whatever artistic endeavor you pursue) is received is not only a waste of time, but it'll drain all the energy right out of you.

The NOLYB Creativity Contest is almost over!

To enter: tell Hideous (CREATIVELY) why he should give this pile of music swag to you. Contact: Facebook Twitter Instagram Email Singing Telegram or Barbershop Quartet  or just leave a comment right here, just remember to be creative!   Winner gets announced on podcast episode 100, March 14th! 

The Music We Have Isn't The Kind They Want

There's been a lot of talk lately around Greenville, South Carolina about how to make this area more known for it's vibrant music scene. I often view these conversations with mild confusion, and amusement because I'm always left thinking “What in the hell are you people talking about?”. Being someone who actively searches for local shows, and new artists in my area, I see a scene that certainly isn't perfect, but is much more active than many people realize. I read articles, and social media chats on this topic, and always walk away thinking that many of the louder voices in the conversation aren't being entirely honest about what they want.

We're in the middle of the bible belt, somewhere right around the buckle, so to say that a conservative viewpoint dominates the landscape is an understatement. The problem isn't a lack of music, it's a lack of the kind of music that the conservative crowd wants; they just won't come out, and say that. Although a perceived lack of "safe music" doesn't make a lot of sense to me considering the fact that you can't swing a dead cat without hitting some kind of Jimmy Buffet, or Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band. You can't please everyone, especially in regard to music, but we can at least recognize that there is something for everyone here. Media, and everyone else in this conversation doesn't have to enjoy it all, but it also shouldn't ignore what it doesn't understand, or appreciate.

Even during these colder months there are several shows at various venues all across town, and in neighboring cities, so what's the problem? To hear some people tell it, there aren't enough “big names” coming through this area, and to a certain extent that's true. However, I remember a festival here not too long ago featuring Snoop Dogg that received loads of complaints from neighbors. This wasn't a house show, of course, but rather an event at the city's largest venue, an arena. Names don't get much bigger than international hip-hop legends, but apparently that's not what the powers that be are trying to draw. Indeed, the conservative voice seems to complain the loudest.

You Are Your Main Obligation

The only constant in life is change. As soon as you think you've got something figured out, here comes a variable you never expected. You can plot, and plan as much as you like, but something is going to catch you off guard. I used to never be late to things, and I'd always do everything I said I was going to do regardless of how difficult, or time-consuming. Lately, I've noticed that I go back on my word far more than I ever intended. Not because I've suddenly become flaky, but because the unexpected arrives grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

The fabled monkey wrench grinding into the gears that comprise your life. The sound of steel, and iron scraping together to cause an unholy uproar inside your head. The fury, and fervor combining to generate a grand distraction, keeping you from the things you truly want to do with your days. Work, school, relationships, and everything else keeps chipping away at your sanity until one day you either breakdown, or begin cutting things out.

Of course you don't want to neglect your loved ones, but there's always that thought that you'll see them later. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Sometimes goodbye becomes permanent, and you're left to pick up the pieces of your shattered reality. I wish I could tell you that things get back to normal after a while, but once a significant change is made, it can't be undone. Adaptation is the cornerstone of an effective life.