Interview with spirit Adrift: 'I have become more and more selective the longer I do this. Only my absolute best riffs will ever see the light of day'
This coming Friday 16 the expected fourth album by Spirit Adrift "Enlightened In Eternity" is released via Century Media Records.
Spirit Adrift began as a studio project by multi-instrumentalist Nate Garrett, who, thanks to his love for hard rock and classic heavy metal, led to a duet with drummer Marcus Bryant. This project gained strength in 2017 when they began to play live, attracting the attention of new fans and specialized press.
Now, thanks to the label, we had the opportunity to speak with its founder Nate who kindly told us everything about the new album and the immediate future of Spirit Adrift.
Hello, thank you very much for your time. I hope that you are well.
My pleasure, and thank you! Hope you are well also.
How is the reception of your singles being? I think you are already on the third.
So far the response is overwhelmingly positive, even more than previous albums. Everyone who’s heard the entire album agrees with us that it is our best.
So far the response is overwhelmingly positive, even more than previous albums. Everyone who’s heard the entire album agrees with us that it is our best.
It is your fourth album, first with Century Media, which means for Spirit Adrift to sign for a label like Century Media Records?
We want to help as many people as possible with our music, and Century Media has certainly helped spread our music even further. So that’s great.
We want to help as many people as possible with our music, and Century Media has certainly helped spread our music even further. So that’s great.
For those of you who don't know the band, how and when was Spirit Adrift formed?
I started Spirit Adrift as a solo project. The first EP was written in March of 2015 and recorded in May of 2015. I recorded the first album in October of that year, and both were released the next year. Then we became a live band in 2017.
I started Spirit Adrift as a solo project. The first EP was written in March of 2015 and recorded in May of 2015. I recorded the first album in October of that year, and both were released the next year. Then we became a live band in 2017.
I see that the band started as a one-man band project and that as of 2017 the drummer stayed as a permanent member of the band. Are you still the main composer?
Yeah, I write and demo all the songs. Our previous guitar player Jeff wrote a couple of riffs, and now Marcus provides some input as well. But I write all the songs.
Yeah, I write and demo all the songs. Our previous guitar player Jeff wrote a couple of riffs, and now Marcus provides some input as well. But I write all the songs.
Can you tell us a bit about the writing and recording process for "Enlightened In Eternity"?
When I started writing the album, I wanted to make sure I enjoyed the process. Our previous album, "Divided By Darkness", was a difficult, painful album to make. So this time I wanted to have fun. The album took on a powerful, triumphant vibe.
When I started writing the album, I wanted to make sure I enjoyed the process. Our previous album, "Divided By Darkness", was a difficult, painful album to make. So this time I wanted to have fun. The album took on a powerful, triumphant vibe.
The album really has a classic sound but it is not the typical classic 80s heavy metal sound, to me it sounds more like the proto metal era, which for my taste is fantastic, it sounds very organic and anachronistic. How did you get that balanced mix?
Our mantra in the studio was “classic sound, modern fidelity.” We put a lot of work into making something that sounds classic, while utilizing all the modern tools at our disposal.
Our mantra in the studio was “classic sound, modern fidelity.” We put a lot of work into making something that sounds classic, while utilizing all the modern tools at our disposal.
What is your inspiration when writing the lyrics? It seems that they have an epic component, at least on this album,
My inspiration is life, death, and the meaning of everything. I frame those discussions in different ways, but every Spirit Adrift song is trying to make sense of this reality we live in. How do we survive, how do we find joy in suffering, how do we deal with pain and struggle?
My inspiration is life, death, and the meaning of everything. I frame those discussions in different ways, but every Spirit Adrift song is trying to make sense of this reality we live in. How do we survive, how do we find joy in suffering, how do we deal with pain and struggle?
Those are the ultimate questions. I like using outer space, psychedelic concepts, and spiritual philosophies as metaphors to explore those questions.
The truth is that there are great songs, with different nuances of various styles. What are your main influences?
Thank you very much! Creedence Clearwater Revival and Lynyrd Skynyrd are the first bands I remember resonating with me as a child. Jimi Hendrix made me pick up the guitar. Black Sabbath became my favorite band the first time I ever heard them, and they still are.
Thank you very much! Creedence Clearwater Revival and Lynyrd Skynyrd are the first bands I remember resonating with me as a child. Jimi Hendrix made me pick up the guitar. Black Sabbath became my favorite band the first time I ever heard them, and they still are.
Beyond that, my influences are too many to name. I love country music and rock. Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, John Prine, Tom Petty, and stuff like that. I love metal, obviously.
For this album I was listening to a lot of AC/DC, early Def Leppard, Savatage, Trouble, Solitude Aeternus, Metallica, Pantera, Crowbar, Motörhead, Ozzy, Dio, and that sort of thing. I listen to all styles of music, but I’m very picky within each genre, and I only really listen to classic stuff that has withstood the test of time.
It is true that there are certain features in the themes that bring us closer to doom, but the themes become quite dynamic, it is something premeditated in the compositions or it tends to come naturally. I love songs such as "Astral Levitation" which reminded me of Black Sabbath and saving the distances to today's bands like the Swedish Witchcraft for example.
I write whatever I’m feeling at the time. If I write a great riff, I keep it. If I write a shitty riff, I forget it. I never stop to think what style of metal it is. It’s either good or shitty! I have become more and more selective the longer I do this. Only my absolute best riffs will ever see the light of day.
I write whatever I’m feeling at the time. If I write a great riff, I keep it. If I write a shitty riff, I forget it. I never stop to think what style of metal it is. It’s either good or shitty! I have become more and more selective the longer I do this. Only my absolute best riffs will ever see the light of day.
Did you initially think of the project as something personal and focused only as a studio band, or from the beginning the idea was to make a live band and not a studio band?
I had no intentions whatsoever in the beginning. My only goal was to record the two songs I had written. I never dreamed it would become a real band, nor did I want it to. Again, I just wanted to record the songs that were coming out, because they marked a significant period in my life. Everything else that’s happened has been totally unexpected.
I had no intentions whatsoever in the beginning. My only goal was to record the two songs I had written. I never dreamed it would become a real band, nor did I want it to. Again, I just wanted to record the songs that were coming out, because they marked a significant period in my life. Everything else that’s happened has been totally unexpected.
How is this whole issue of the pandemic affecting you right now in terms of concerts? I see that you have closed dates for 2021.
We had a lot of cool stuff canceled or rescheduled. But I’ve been staying busy from home. We have dates booked in Europe/UK with Corrosion Of Conformity in the spring and Orange Goblin in the winter. I have no idea if any of it will happen but I certainly hope so.
We had a lot of cool stuff canceled or rescheduled. But I’ve been staying busy from home. We have dates booked in Europe/UK with Corrosion Of Conformity in the spring and Orange Goblin in the winter. I have no idea if any of it will happen but I certainly hope so.
In your case, and it is a question that I usually ask most musicians, can you live exclusively from music? It's funny because many musicians get frustrated because they can't live exclusively on music, while for others, it's a relief.
Yeah I’ve got it figured out finally. Music is my purpose on this earth, so I don’t see myself ever going back to having a day job. I’ve figured out how to make it work.
Have you had the opportunity to play in Spain?
Not yet but we really want to!
Not yet but we really want to!
For our part that's all, good luck with the album, we hope to see you soon in Spain and feel free to talk to your fans.
Thank you for the interview, we hope everyone is staying safe and positive. Hopefully we can play for you guys very soon! Take care of yourselves!
Thank you for the interview, we hope everyone is staying safe and positive. Hopefully we can play for you guys very soon! Take care of yourselves!
Thank you very much!!
