Pittsburgh's sludgiest doom dealers Horehound are on the road in support of their new EP, Weight. I conducted this interview with Horehounds's vocalist Shy Kennedy, who also runs Blackseed Records and the Descendents Of Crom music festival.
HELL-O Shy! How do you describe your music in Horehound in your own words?
I’d describe Horehound as a heavy underground four-piece group that focuses on channeling all of the negative and dark nature we encounter into an expression of music. It has moments of psych rock and stoner rock but its pretty doom/sludge heavy to someone who’s into heavier music. When someone who clearly doesn’t explore those sort of depths of music I just say we’re like a modern day Black Sabbath.
What do you think the heaviest riff of all time is?
An impossible question! I am hoping I still haven’t heard it and it is yet to come because nothing crushes your heart and then pumps it full of blood again like a heavy delicious riff. I feel like bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and King Crimson were the archetypes of setting the bar high and have influenced bands that took that and went heavier. I was always impressed with Sepultura, Napalm Death, Crowbar, Machine Head, and Pantera’s ability to rip out some high energy but pulverizing riffage decades ago, but the ultimate heavy riffs are slow and punishing.
I am sure I haven’t identified it yet but I am going to say that the riff of "I, The Witchfinder" on Electric Wizard’s Dopethrone album is the first one that comes to mind as just “the heaviest”. I love how the it comes in strong as an intro and then weens off into the song slowing tempo and just does what it needs to throughout most the song until they have a Acid Bath like break down toward the end of the song and then they meld that part back into the riff with solos and droning adaptations until the song finally ends.
Now I need to ask, which riff do you think is the heaviest?
My vote goes to the breakdown in "Angel Of Death" by Slayer. Or "Into The Void" by Sabbath for old school innovation.
What is the first metal song or album to blow your mind?
My first introduction to metal was exciting in general and the classic bands, I hadn’t heard the good stuff yet but there were the popular radio songs that clued me into what their full albums would sound like. You know, of course, going back to Sabbath. So while I was memorized by the likes of their first albums and say Metallica and other things that had started when I was just a kitten, the first song to show me the potential of metal music was probably when I was about 15 and picked up Morbid Angel’s Blessed Are the Sick at a flea market, slightly used. The entire album was mind blowing to me. It was so intense, so heavy, dark, and bright at the same time. I don’t even know how many instruments they used on the recording but they really leaned into it. When the sixth track, Doomsday Celebration came on I was holy shit these guys are freaks.
What aren’t they going to do? It just kept building and building. The title track is right in the middle and it contained the most sick guitar string bending, growling vocals, doubled
over sometimes, it fucking ends in a flute. The entire record was a masterpiece, still one of my top favorite records of all time and completely changed me. It was empowering. I didn’t know other metalheads at the time so this was a self-find and it drove me to be a music adventurer the rest of my life. I am sure most of your readers will understand that impulse or motivation.
Who are your heavy metal heartthrobs? (Or heroes)
This is juicy! I have always had a crush on Nathan Explosion. Yes! He’s a cartoon. He might be my perfect man, though. The man behind his character is Brendon Small, I don’t even know what the hell he looks like or is like so maybe it’s an essence of him.
Unless I know the musician personally, I don’t much look into their actual characters. I just focus on records and albums. When I was a kid I’d totally had married Max Cavalera.
Heroes of metal would be Geezer Butler, Ronnie James Dio, and Runhild Gammelsæter.
You also run Blackseed Records. Tell me how this creation came to be?
Blackseed Records started as a noise label. I focused on odd stuff, cassettes (before they made a comeback) that’d I’d hand dub for artists all around the world. I did it all DIY from my home, including the packaging. It was a creative outlet as I was finishing my art degree. There were some mini-discs, split 7” and some other weird things I played with. When I started with Horehound about 4 years back I started working with heavy underground bands that I really enjoyed. It’s a passion. It’s turned into booking, design, PR, and anything else I can service bands with. I’ve taken it slow but I like to keep it to things I really love. It’s to help bands but it is also satisfying.
You also stay busy with running Descendants of Crom festival. As a festival runner and label head, what do
you look for in the bands you join forces with?
Descendants of Crom is my current pet project. I look for heavy talent that is original and that is backed by hardworking musicians. I look for stuff I dig that I think needs attention but also, I want the bands to be as excited to be a part of Blackseed or the event as I am. I can only work with so many per year but I do book year long and the same holds true for the shows I book outside of DOC.
What advice do you have for bands who want to stand out more?
Make music you absolutely love. Never settle for your sound, always think of how you could love it more. Don’t worry about what labels or bands you can appease or what crowds or sound to go for. Do what you want and the rest will follow. Someone will like that. Aside from that but also important is don’t be lazy. If you can’t take the time to put your band as a priority, then you shouldn’t expect to play festivals and have people put their effort into you. Not everyone should be or is cut out to be in a band. Don’t take up space with mediocrity – if you love it, really work on it.
Chances are, even if you are “successful” you won’t make money, so if it’s not your passion, you will burn out.
What underground bands are you excited about, at the moment?
Ooof. So many, too many. I don’t have enough time for it all. It’s a great dilemma to have. First to come to mind is Enhailer, Forming the Void, Horseburner, Clouds Taste Satanic, Ruby the Hatchet, Monolord, Rebreather, Un, Cavern. Going to live shows on a constant basis I run into a great amount of new and exciting.
What can fans expect when Horehound hits the road?
We’re supporting our latest release which is a two song EP called, Weight. You can expect to hear those songs compiled with songs off our first two LPs. We are heading up to Ode to Doom so that show will be definitely our most doom-filled songs by theme, but the audience can expect what we are growing to be with each performance which is an emotional and heavy experience fueled by the passion of the almighty riff.
Thanks for taking the time to get to know me and I hope what you find here inspires you to check out Horehound if you haven’t before. We’ve grown with each record and I think we’re maturing well so I’d recommend checking out the latest recordings to see if we’re something you dig. Thanks in advance! Cheers and Positive Hails!
Listen to Horehound here.
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