Interview with Nihilo Machina

Hi James! What inspired the title “The Black River”? Is there a story behind it?
Well, there are a few things interesting around the title. First off, I like to use a lot of metaphorical symbolism to express my thoughts. In this case I used the concept of a river to symbolize the notions and preconceptions we are born into. The idea is that you are born into the rapid waters that are near impossible to escape, these waters are the very ideas, morals and preconceptions of society, consciousness and the nature of the universe.

There is also an area near my home town called Black River, which made it all seem extra appropriate.

What’s the main theme or message you want to share with this album?
I specially want to give an example of having new and different views of society and the universe. To question everything and to think deeply about things.

How is “The Black River” different from your first album, “The Last Messiah,” both in sound and lyrics?
The first record, The Last Messiah, was a lot more raw and with a lower quality production. Musically it’s a bit more typical of a black metal record. Lyrically it’s deeply routed in nihilist thoughts and concerns. The title track is drawn from an essay by the philosopher Peter Zapffe, of the same name.

This new record has a much more polished production. The guitars are tuned down a step so it sounds overall heavier. There are orchestral elements as well, which didn’t exist on the first record. Lyrically it tackles bigger concepts like the very nature of the universe, the limitations of human language, etc.

Did you face any specific challenges while making “The Black River” during the break?
To be honest there was never any intention to create more music past the first record. After I came out I put it to rest for a while. After a year or two I decided I would make a follow up record. After that I had a child, move to a new home, got married, experienced the global pandemic, started a business, etc etc. Various life events got in the way of this project. The music had been written over the about 7 years. The track “The Black River: Part II” was actually a song that was supposed to be on the first record but I just couldn’t get it worked out at the time.

Can you walk us through how you write your songs? Do you have any special routines?
I tend to write around a good guitar riff. I start with a good hook and build around it. Once I have a basic structure of a song I start adding extra guitar parts, synths, orchestration, etc. I always make sure my song stands on its own as an instrumental before I add the lyrics and vocals.

How have your musical influences changed since you started Nihilo Machina in 2014?
My musical influence is about the same. I drew from a few extra bands for the latest record.

Which bands or musicians have had the biggest impact on your music?
The most influential bands for me have actually been a lot of one man black metal bands like Old Man’s Child and Diabolical Masquerade. I draw a lot from the melodic stuff like Dissection as well.

Your lyrics cover deep themes like human existence and our place in the universe. What draws you to these topics?
A lot of black metal uses things like anger and religious hatred for there themes. Although those themes appeal to me as a listener I don’t have a passion for those topics. I am extremely anti-religious but not in a way that I find myself speaking out about it. I spend a lot of time thinking about the universe and the human experience of it. I find it interesting, thought provoking and easy to talk about.

Do you get inspiration from any particular books or philosophies when writing your lyrics?
On my earlier record I pulled from Peter Zappfe as I mentioned. I also made direct references to Nietzsche’s Beyond Good & Evil.

On my most recent record I don’t think I was directly inspired by any particular book. It was more things I was wondering about, things bouncing around in my head for the past decade.

As a solo artist, you handle everything yourself. How do you manage writing, recording, and producing your music?
I do all the writing, recording and production. I wouldn’t say I handle it very well. It was an extremely difficult task to do all of those things. I came very close to dropping the whole project a few times. Mixing your own music is also particularly difficult since you can only reference your own opinions. You have no one to bounce ideas off of or ask if it sounds any good.

How has living on the east coast of Canada influenced your music and creativity?
The area of Canada has humid summers and harsh winters. It’s very community driven, also very religious. It’s the type of place that every home has an acoustic guitar you can ask to play. It’s very musical. It has a pretty decent metal scene as well. I’ve been part of that scene since the early 2000s with other bands. The musical affluence of this area has had a great deal of influence on me becoming a musician in the first place.

What do you think about the current Canadian black metal scene? Are there any local bands you think deserve more attention?
Canadian Black Metal varies from some of the best to some of the worst. I would say like anywhere. However we have that “northern” quality that comes with cold winters. Woods of Ypres was a great Canadian Black Metal band, long broken up though. Some active Canadian black metal I currently dig are Burden of Ymir and Funeral Fog.

How does the unique environment of your location affect your music compared to other black metal scenes?
As I mentioned, this area has humid summers and harsh winters. You really get to appreciate the harsh desolation of winters when you only see them 4 or 5 months a year. Everyone is thoroughly depressed by the time spring comes around.

Now that “The Black River” is out, what’s next for Nihilo Machina?
Working on some new material. An EP is in the works with some tracks that never made this last record as well as a couple new songs and a cover. Not sure when it will come out but it won’t be another 9 years, I know that much!

Looking back from 2014 to now, what do you consider your biggest achievement with Nihilo Machina, and what have you learned along the way? Thank you!
I’ve learned that you don’t need to be an active touring band to put out music. I have a very modest following and that’s fine. I write the music mostly for myself and I put it out to see if anyone else is interested.

I think the most recent record was the biggest achievement because of how many moving parts there were with the amount of recording and writing involved. As I mentioned, I wasn’t sure if it would ever see the light of day. I am extremely proud of what I was able to pull off in the end and I hope others appreciate it at some level.

Thanks for talking to me!

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