Interview: Lammoth
Photo provided by Lammoth
One of the most enjoyable things about being a fan of black metal and dungeon synth is when you stumble upon a new artist randomly, whether that be on social media, Bandcamp, Spotify, or another platform. The genres are already so obscure, so finding new acts can be a challenge. Thankfully, the community that supports these genres can be very supportive of the artists, which helps them gain more exposure than they would on their own.
Better yet? Finding an artist who I enjoy who lives in my own back yard. Well, not literally, but he is within close proximity in the wonderful state of North Carolina. What’s better than Carolina and black metal? Very little, I dare say.
Lammoth is a fantastic new black metal artist with thematic elements surrounding Tolkienism, particularly hobbits. The music is both harsh and beautiful – a perfect reflection of the inhabitants of Middle-earth. With their first EP titled Tales of Treachery set to be released on July the 12th, this is the beginning of a black metal act that I’m really excited about.
With no further ado, on to the interview with Lammoth.
Thanks so much for taking time to do an interview with us! You’re based in Asheville, North Carolina. Correct?
Thank you for having me. So happy to be doing this! Yeah, I’m based out of Asheville. Originally, I grew up in Texas, but I moved to North Carolina 5 years ago. There are certain things I miss about Texas, but I am definitely loving it here, especially being in the mountains, and having such lush forests all around ends up being really inspiring.
As a North Carolina native, I’m always excited to meet other lovers of these obscure genres of metal who reside in the state. It’s a small community globally, much less locally, as you likely know.
You are releasing your first EP titled Tales of Treachery on July 12 of this year. After getting a sneak listen to the EP, I can say that I’m thoroughly pleased with what you’ve put together. What led to starting this project?
Me too! I always love meeting new people who are familiar with some of the same nerdy stuff as me.
Wow! Thank you for the kind words! I started writing material for what would become this project at some point in either 2020 or 2021, and it has evolved a lot since then! I have an old Tascam four track tape recorder, and a Roland drum machine from the 80s, so originally, I was really inspired by Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska, which was all done on a four-track. I was going to try to record everything using that equipment and do the raw black metal thing. As the project went on, I realized that wasn’t really the right type of production for the music, so that turned into just doing everything digitally.
At first this project was just going to be generically Tolkien themed. I hadn’t quite honed in on the “hobbit” theme yet. I’ve been a huge Tolkien fan since I first read The Hobbit when I was around eight years old, so with all the Tolkien influence in metal over the years, I knew I had to do something in that vein. At the same time I didn’t want to just recycle some of the same old ideas.
Throughout my life, I’ve often contemplated what race or culture I’d want to be a part of in middle-earth, and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that I am 100% a hobbit. I’ve also realized that a lot of my lifestyle choices tend to be in line with how I imagine a hobbit would choose to live. So, at some point I had the idea that I should just make all my music about hobbits, who I feel like are super unrepresented in the abundance of Tolkien themed metal. I also discovered that first Hole Dweller tape around the same time. So, seeing someone else make hobbit music in a really relatable way really sealed the deal for me. I started thinking a lot about what “hobbit black metal” would even mean. I remember a big epiphany I had was that I wanted to make music that hypothetically a hobbit metalhead would make or listen to, rather than try to incorporate folky hobbit sounding music into metal somehow. I felt like the latter idea was too gimmicky or on the nose and would just come across as cheesy. I started thinking about what kind of metal an edgelord hobbit would be into, and to me, being a hobbit is all about focusing on comfort, so I just started focusing on the elements of music and black metal that personally bring me comfort. Ultimately, I think it came down to maximizing comfort through the vessel of nostalgia. I'm hoping that the hobbit energy will translate with those specific intentions, combined with the lyrical themes and overall aesthetic.
‘Tales of Treachery’ by Lammoth - artwork by Ramza Illustration
Is this your first musical project, or are you like many others who have multiple projects going on at the same time?
This is definitely not my first musical project, but it is only the second project I’ve decided to release professionally, and the first I did by myself. The other release I’m a part of was with a folk-black metal band called Koviria which came out last year in March. Besides that, I’ve been in a bunch of garage bands over the years that never really went anywhere. I will say though, I have a lot more ideas for other projects that I really want to pursue. I think, like the many others who have multiple projects going on, it just comes from liking so many different kinds of music. I think eventually it becomes really hard to squeeze all your ideas into one project and still maintain authenticity, so you kind of have to draw the lines somewhere and decide that some ideas maybe are just better suited for something else.
What is the meaning of the name “Lammoth”? Any background there?
It comes from The Silmarillion, which I was reading at the time I started writing material for this project. Lammoth is technically a region in Middle-earth, roughly translated to “The Great Echo”, though it is named after a great cry of anguish given by Morgoth, the main antagonist of the book. In the story, right after Morgoth destroys the trees of Valinor and steals the Silmarils, it’s the region where Ungoliant (giant spider and mother to Shelob) tries to eat Morgoth in an attempt to steal the Silmarils for herself. In response, Morgoth gives out this great cry, Lammoth, which echoes throughout middle-earth, causing balrogs to be summoned to come and rescue their dark lord. I just remember reading that and thinking “Holy shit, this is so black metal. I have to use this!” It’s funny, I actually settled on the name before I went full hobbit-mode but decided to just stick with it. There are so many Tolkien bands out there. You would not believe how hard it is to find an unclaimed Tolkien themed artist name. Also, funny sidenote: there is an interlude track titled Lammoth on Blind Guardian’s Nightfall in Middle Earth. It’s only like thirty seconds, and it’s literally just a scream, which I think is great.
Clearly, your music is inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of The Rings. Tell us a little bit about how that fictional masterpiece has inspired you as an artist.
Oh man, great question. I could probably talk for hours about that. As I mentioned before, The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien in general has been a huge part of my life ever since reading The Hobbit as a child. The Lord of the Rings just has such a unique sort of hopeful “earth-tone” aesthetic that differs from a lot of fantasy, and there's something about that feeling I always try to chase in the music I write and listen to. I think there are a couple of main themes in Lord of the Rings that really carry over into my music, the first being that most of the main characters are so selfless compared to other fantasy. There's no big hero puffing their chest up trying to save the day or win over a love interest. Instead, it feels more like genuine people just trying to do the right thing, even if there is nothing really to gain. I think that sort of soft wholesomeness is something I actively try to bring out in what I write, in contrast to the sort of macho tough guy attitude which you sometimes find in metal.
The other major theme that comes up throughout The Lord of the Rings is that no matter how dark things are, there is always hope. I'm not sure how obvious this comes across, but I think in most of my songs I really try to contrast a lot of the more diabolical evil black metal moments with more hopeful uplifting parts. Like, for example, in the first track on the EP, it starts out very melancholy, and builds into a typical Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir type of thing, but then at the end, I bring in some major chords, which for me is super uplifting, with the closing lyric saying, “Yet still the phial of Galadriel glows on.” My goal is to take the music to the most dark and evil place I can take it, but then always provide a way out. I think those are the biggest ways The Lord of the Rings inspires me as an artist, but the list really goes on and on!
Photo provided by Lammoth
Other than Tolkienism, are you inspired by philosophy or spirituality at all?
Not really, in particular. I will say escapism is generally something I really appreciate in the art and media I end up enjoying the most. There is so much crazy stuff happening in the world, on top of most of us coping with just figuring out how to live and survive. So, for me, I am always looking for something that is going to take my mind somewhere else and give myself a break from the burdens of life. So, because of that, I definitely try to craft my songs in a way that will be immersive and hopefully provide that kind of escapism for others. Plus, I think that's a very hobbit way of looking at things, so it helps tie into my theme!
Who are you outside of your love for music? What are some of the things you love and enjoy?
I'm a pretty boring typical nerd, honestly. I have a wife and dog who I love a lot. I love nature and animals, which is a big part of what has led me to be vegan. Fiadh Productions, who is doing the tapes, is also a vegan run label and does a lot to support animal welfare, which has been really cool to work with someone who shares similar values. Speaking of hobbits and being vegan, I also really love food! It is such a simple comfort in life, but a good meal can really shape your emotions and memories in a wonderful way. When I'm not making or listening to music, I'm usually either playing video games, building Gundam models, or outside hiking somewhere. Usually, my weekends involve a mixture of all of that, combined with music stuff. As far as games go, I've been playing a lot of Stardew Valley, Guild Wars 2, and various Kirby titles lately.
What can new fans expect from Lammoth in the coming months as the new EP’s release draws nigh?
I'm releasing two singles leading up to the EP release day on July 12th. The first, “Lunar Tales of Fire and Magic”, just came out on May 17th. The second will be dropping mid to late June. Outside of that, I'll probably just be hanging out on social media trying to build community, engage with fans, and promote the EP. As of now, I know there is going to be a premiere on the Antifascist Black Metal Network Youtube channel the day before the release on July 11th. I am also planning on putting together a live stream listening party the day of the release for fans to come hang out in the chat, talk about music, and ask questions.
Last question: When are you writing a song about Samwise eating lembas bread on a mountaintop? It’s one of the most riveting scenes in the entire film trilogy.
Haha! Filthy fat hobbitses. Ashamedly, I can't say that idea has crossed my mind, but now that you've asked, I think I have to make a song that samples Frodo saying “Go home, Sam” right before the most heart wrenching blastbeat+breakcore section imaginable. Sometimes you just have to give the people what they want, I guess!
