Directly from Canada, Mark R gave us this interview, talking about one of his projects, Ov Hollowness, with 3 releases, Diminished (2010), Drawn to Descend (2011) and The World Ends (2013), Mark shows us that gave a step forth in your musical career. For the fans of good music and black metal. Spread the word dudes.
GroundCast – First of all, tell us, how everything began? Your career as musician and the idea to create the “Ov Hollowness”
Mark: It can be a lot of work or at least take a lot of motivation to go from playing guitar and coming up with riffs and just jamming to actually arranging songs and recording them. The desire to make music helps with that; it is just there, the inspiration. Late in my life I finally got around to putting some of these ideas together. I am interested in so many styles of metal but once I saw the existence of more and more music, especially in black metal, done by one person, it sort of showed that it could be done. It was a combination of seeing that, and also learning more about recording and music production happening at one time which lead to putting together the demo.
GroundCast – What are your influences?
Mark: My musical roots are based in thrash metal. Like many guitar players around my age I began with the big four bands, playing that style and picking up song arrangement styles from those bands. I think what influences Ov Hollowness is what I later came exposed to with what was happening with black metal, Emperor, Dark Funeral, Burzum, Mayhem, etc., all that is really big with me, then to the more modern day world of what is happening with the genre that we call depressive black metal. That style really is not suited for a typical band set up, songs like that really are much more individual creations, created and recorded and not really intended to be reproduced like live or whatever. That being said, I take much from that genre yet Ov Hollowness isn’t quite a depressive black metal band.
GroundCast – You have 3 releases, doing everything alone, why make an one-man band?
Mark: Part of the reason is in the previous answer. To me the question is why make a band, working alone is easier, more convenient. I should say making music is easier; recording is maybe not easier since I have to work on all the parts, more workload I guess, but writing its better. To facilitate running a band and finding players that share such an individual vision, well honestly it sounds like quite a task, I am not sure where I would begin with that.
GroundCast – This year you released “The World Ends”, how was the acceptance of the album?
Mark: It was good, I am really happy with how it turned out, I think the music is very different from what is out there, not so much for being overly unique, but if you like this style it’s easy to get into I think. Some things caught me off guard like the length of the album, I really thought it was a positive by putting more on it, I guess I was wrong. But that also leads to something else; the music is meant for those that like this style and are use to it. Most of the music within what we call atmospheric are long songs, it is to those people Ov Hollowness is more suited for. For shorter faster black metal go to my Arkodaemik project which I hope to finish the next album soon.
GroundCast – Exist some concept behind the album “The World Ends”? Something do you want to tell?
Mark: Well it is not really an apocalyptic type of theme although it may seem that way. I am more of a riff maker and songwriter as
opposed to a lyric writer, but the ideas come just from whatever is going on with me at the time. In this case I think what came out shows that, personal changes I have been making, and becoming aware of more things, and that lead to the concepts in the album. The World Ends actually refers to the end of the world that we perceive, a false world that we as people create, thoughts images and ideas that rule our lives that really are in fact nothing. It has to do with becoming in-line with one’s self, really exploring what that is, and living by it. Society, parents, media, whatever, all very deeply make us think we have to live and do things a certain way, question it all, listen to your intuition, what are your true drives, and do them. These realizations that I have come to know and have been part of the lyrical content this time around have been huge for me, a real personal awakening, it’s the evolution of yourself. Some of the other lyrical themes touch on this as well. I guess I have become quite passionate about some of these things.
GroundCast – Do you have some project that would you like to share with us?
Mark: Do you mean other projects? I have 3 other things I have worked on, more just for fun. Lost Resolve, Arkodaemik, and Dethdrawn. Some of this is just meant to serve as an outlet for just guitar ideas and things I have done in the past. It is a lot of work to do all these and I would let some of these project die but I currently have ideas already in the works for all of them. It’s a matter of making an effort to get these things done.
GroundCast – We are in internet era, where everything can be download for free and in an easy way. What do you think about it? What is the band’s positions?
Mark: There is something wrong happening out there, there is a feeling by some, that music SHOULD be free, and there are some that think they are entitled to getting the music for free. I think if you get music for free, you can find it, then okay, good; keep it, that’s just the reality of it all today. The problem is that attitude that many have thinking they SHOULD get it. I have no problem with uploading songs to YouTube or making songs here and there available, or samples, that’s fine, but some people who are not even fans will just upload full albums so they get more traffic to their site, that I don’t really agree with. It’s a tough spot because of course anyone that really enjoys this music I want them to have it. In the past I have sent out many CDs at my own expense to those that just want it, no problem there. I guess since recording and making CDs costs money it would be cool to see some of that get paid for, but making music at this level, at least for me, costs money. All that being said if you or anyone has got my music by a free download, that’s fine, enjoy it, in the end I could not complain about that. It’s more that entitled attitude that is out there that is disturbing. Hey if anyone really wants my music and cannot get it anyway, contact me and I will make sure you get it.
GroundCast – What are the future plans to Ov Hollowness?
Mark: Another album somewhere down the road. I have some small ideas recorded but still much work to do. I would like to grow the project a little bit, perhaps taking some steps to make for a more professional release next time around. My producing is okay but my engineering and knowledge of really good recording is not so great, but again finding the right people to work with will be a bit of a challenge. The next time around I hope to bring on some help in the recording, and who knows, maybe some other musicians.
GroundCast – Do you work with music or is it just something you make for fun?
Mark: It is just for fun, but it is also much more than that. I certainly don’t make money from any of this, but the personal value of having this creative outlet is huge and very important for my well-being. That drive to create anything is important, and if it’s there, one must not ignore it.
GroundCast – Thanks for the interview, now the space is yours, to say something to the fans and GroundCast readers. Best regards.
Mark: Thanks a lot for the interview. All the albums are out there in many forms for those who are interested. Thanks to you for reading. If anyone would like to contact for any reason, feel free to do so. Thanks.