Ελληνικά
Last Updated on 10:53 AM by Lilliana Tseka
It has been a long time since Suma have released a full length album, more than ever before. Was there any particular reason for that or the band just takes its time?
There has been alot going on since Ashes was released that has made the road to it’s follow up quite longer, personal evolving endeavors, our singer departure, two new kids in the family… and yeah we do take our time.
How was it to work again with Billy Anderson, this time in the US, and what should we expect from the new album? The new song you have been playing live a couple of years sets the bar of intensity really high.
It was as great as ever working with Billy again, and it was a sweet decision to record it in Portland. This time he had the opportunity to choose the studio that he’d thought would do us and him right. We tracked it at The Hallowed Halls and did the rest at Billy’s place, where we also stayed. We had a really good time and are stoked at how Billy captured and presents us on The Order Of Things. Intense might be a good word for the album… and it’s heavy, very heavy they say. We’ve heard of people who have experienced themselves at a point questioning their continued listening because of the psychic stress the music inflicted. We think that’s a good review.
Is the title “The Order of Things” inspired by the homonymous book by Michel Foucault? Is there any other meaning behind it and what is its connection with the title song “The Disorder of Things”?
No relations in the choice of title no, but it’s contents are relative to the thoughts we’re evoking through our expressions. The title actually came about in the haze of the week we recorded Ashes, defining the state of the world and the insignificant existence of our species in releation to the forces of nature through time and evolution. Living on the brink of destruction and the imminent threats to the delicate enviroment present to our world as we know it.
Everything is striving for chaos and if it wasn’t for the certain laws of nature applied to the blue dot we inhabit at this point in the universe’s and it’s own evolution, things would look very different. The human race is disturbing it’s fine balance and of course doesn’t want this to change for apparent reasons, but at the same time it seem the human race isn’t willing to make the changes necessary, so… what will give?
Why is Suma being depicted as a cockroach? Are you considering your music or the message it gets across as an infestation?
There are millions of species on earth that have perfected their ability for survival through millions of years of evolution and that will still be here when our species eventually is wiped out in one way or another. The roach is one of them, one of the most hated and feared for it’s uncleanliness by the human race, who in spite of this is the reason for the species vast numbers and wide-spread habitats across the globe. Adaption and survival. Infestation of the mind.
What exactly does Suma mean? What was the inspiration for the band’s name?
SUMA is a word of many meanings : put a small v over the u and it means forest, it’s a vine with health beneficial roots, it’s a town or two, they were a native american people, it’s a workers’ co-operative, it’s a common name, it means sum, it’s the name of a god and it might just be a female sumo wrestler…
Are the drums the driving force of Suma? Is that why they are always up front on stage? How is a typical songwriting process for the band, if there is one?
There is a riff, a beat or a bassline brought in, jammed and evolved into structure. That’s usually how it goes.
Us having the drums in front is the visual to our sound and if you decide to bereave yourself of an inner journey he’s really something to feast your eyes on. But… close your eyes and let that highly evolved brain of yours guide you through this trip.
What do the band members do when they are not busy with the band? We know Erik is a yoga athlete, how does the everyday life affect the band and its obligations?
Yeah we’re not all yoga masters… the rest of us are regular guys with regular lives and regular jobs, a janitor, a warehouse worker and a personal assistant to a disabled guy. We have three kids in the family and of course this has put limitations on our touring for a few years and as they grow older we see more opportunities open up for the future.
But we’re still at our practice space every wednesday and friday and has for years and will for many more!
Judging from what the band is posting and stating through the years it is clear that you advocate a “Question authority – Think for yourselves” stance. How is that reflected in Suma’s music, song titles or lyrics? Could you say Suma is a band with a certain ideology or politics?
It is what we are. SUMA is the concequence of too many people not thinking for themselves allowing their so-called leaders to rape and pillage, the downward spiral of humanity. The disgust of the behavior the homo sapien, the species with the most evolved brain on this tiny dot, show with it’s negligence and desecration toward it’s mother, each other and it’s fellow animals. We need a new word for humanitarianism.
When all the churches are burnt what would Suma build upon their ashes?
Those ashes will be long washed away when mother earth has rid herself of the cancer and is healing her wounds it left her. Whatever was built on there will only be a trace of another extinct species in the history of the name it gave her, Tellus. There is no hope. But a kindergarden would be nice there, by the graveyard. The facts of life.
What do you remember from your two shows in Greece and what are you expecting from Fall of Doom Festival? Are you going to tour for the new album?
Not much… haha. No we have a lot of fond memories from Athens, we love it there!! Elina is the best and now she’s bringing us down for a third time and this time to her first festival. And what a festival… the bands!! She’s outdone everyone on this one. The ground will shake. We know we’re in for a great weekend with old and new friends… and no one treats us as good as Elina and her awesome posse. We can’t wait!!
Thank you very much, see you in September in Athens.
