by Michael Ballue
October 4, 2004

The DC scene's house band, Internal Void, have been cranking out quality 70's influenced doom for 17 years now. Starting with the seminal Voyage demo which led to their Hellhound debut Standing on the Sun to '99's Unearthed opus and their split 7" with Paul Chain to their recently released Matricide, IV have proven themselves one of Doom Metal's all-time legends. Hellride Music's Mike Ballue talks with IV's Kelly Carmicheal, JD Williams and Adam Heinzmann about their new album and their storied past.


Hellride Music: You've got a great new album out Matricide. It's been a long wait, but the end result is stellar in quality. Can you share the history and creative process of this record?

Kelly Carmicheal: Well, we all certainly put our heads together on this record. I feel we were gelling at that moment in the band, we all contributed a great deal to the album, as for the writing and arranging goes. Ronnie's style really worked good for the material we were writing at the time, and he too contributed some music as well. Most of the album was written between 2000 and 2001 and we added a few old ones to the list "All Smoke and Mirrors" and "Window to Hell", they really needed to be on CD. Some of the songs were hatched at rehearsal while other written at home and brought to practice to be added with a bridge here and there. We did have the opportunity to play those songs for a few years, so we were able to fine tune them and really work off each others playing.

JD Williams: As far as the creative process, there are songs specifically written for this record and a couple of older tunes that we wanted to record as well.

Hellride Music: Matricide is out on your own label Dogstreet Records, who is also doing distro for the new Pentagram stateside. When did you first start to consider forming the label and what's coming up for Dogstreet?

Kelly: I started to have the idea in 2003 when I began recording my roots/blues solo CD and wanted to have a label to release it on, along with a couple other artists of that genre as well. In the midst of recording the Pentagram and Internal Void CD's, I decided to make it open for heavier styles as well, so the band agreed to have Dogstreet put it out, so it was. We were really ready to get the music out and to plan our next move.

I do have plans of future releases on Dogstreet, next is my blues CD Old
Stock later this year, Ben Andrews (Delta Blues) in 2005, along with a couple more of my solo CD's are all ready in motion. Depending on what's in the future for I.V. like signing with to another label, well at least that option is there, you know? It seems like a good time to be free, and have a current CD we can pitch to labels, managers, agents and not be locked in to a certain bracket of bands.

We are planning to put out the Voyage demo on CD with some bonus tracks and a possible live CD next year as well.

Hellride Music: Matricide's predecessor Unearthed was also an amazing album, however a lot of sections of the country didn't get a chance to see a live show after that one. Any chances of Internal Void hitting the road to support Matricide?

Kelly: Yes, we do plan to get on the road this time around. We are so eager to play out, especially across the country and get out West. We are currently setting up a European tour for 2005.

Hellride Music: Internal Void has been a long time staple of the DC area heavy rock scene. That scene is justifiably legendary amongst doom fans. What's your take on why that area has been so prolific in producing great bands in that genre; and what's it been like to be part of that seen?

JD: The DC music scene has been both active and influential for a long time, producing great talent of the Doom/Stoner thing, punk, metal and more. Aside from a few breakout bands and artists that hit the “jackpot”, it has never gotten the huge attention that places like LA and Seattle received. I think that fact alone kept the scene from getting watered down and kept the scene more tight knit with each generation passing down something I can’t quite put my finger on, but it makes for some damn good music.

Hellride Music: For a very prolific scene, I've heard that the DC area is actually very difficult to get gigs in these days. Is this true, and was it different in the old days?

JD: Actually it seems to be looking like the old days around here lately.

Adam Heinzmann: Things seem to be getting a little better. There just aren't as many places that support original hard rock bands anymore. In the past, there seemed to be a few more hole-in-the-wall type places that would welcome you in. Most of those places have disappeared. Warehouse Nextdoor in DC and Sidebar in Baltimore a currently the most heavy rock friendly places.

Hellride Music: Going back in history a bit, how did Internal Void first get together?

Kelly: Well, we were all good friends throughout high school and partied together all the time. We would go see each others bands play at parties, or shows, but at this point it was more parties and rehearsals though. Eric, Adam and myself had previously played in a band called Damnation, covering various styles of metal, nothing really came of that. Greg Clark from King Valley was the other guitar player in that band. So, we split up, Greg went to hardcore punk. Then Eric, Sherman (Earthride/Spirit Caravan) and Myself formed a band called Judgment Hammer and started writing originals, in which “LSD (Low Shudder Doom)” and “Born Free (Die a Prisoner)” sprouted from.

Adam and JD had also been playing in separate bands at the time too. Judgement Hammer split up and Eric and I knew we were gonna get something going that was in the vein of heavy doom, so one night Eric, Adam and I went to see St. Vitus in DC in '87, after that evening Adam was on board with us again!! We started jamming immediately, and by that Nov/Dec we asked JD to join us.

Adam: Damnation was the first band I was in. Basically, Kelly, Eric and Greg came to me and said, 'Sell your guitar shit and buy a bass!' I think we had five songs that we did. 'Sign of the Wolf', 'Relentless', 'Dethroned Emperor', 'Die By The Sword' and our one original 'Soldier'. I think that exists on tape somewhere! After Damnation broke up, Greg and I formed the short lived Dr. Sinister. After that, Greg moved on to Balance of Power. JD had been playing bass in a hardcore band called No Exit.

Hellride Music: The "Smokestack" demo from the late 80's is extremely raw and heavy and well loved by the doom underground (myself included). What are your feelings about that one 16 years later?

Kelly: HHmmmmmm? I'm glad people like it and appreciate the heaviness of it. I really don't like the recording of it and wish that it could have been a lot cleaner, then I might have a bit more fondness for it, but we were still cutting our teeth in the studio and playing/writing as well. Some of the material is good though, and some of which is still played today.

JD: Adam recently recorded a lot of the older sessions like “Smokestack” for me, as I had lost most of them over the years. It has made me want to re-record some of the material and see what stands out.

Adam: The way that demo was recorded is quite humorous compared to what we do now. The equipment mostly. It was very stripped down. Mostly combo amps. 16 track 1/4 inch analog studio. I remember Chris (Kozlowski, IV producer) was extremely ill during that session. We dragged him out of the house and stuck him behind the board. We really didn't know what we were doing. The only reason it sounds as good as it does is because of Chris being there.

Hellride Music: I understand that the Voyage demo may get released on Dogstreet. Tell us about that.

Kelly: Yes, that's on the horizon to do. That's always been one of our best releases and I think we should have made a full length out of that. I'm trying to dig up some good bonus tracks in order to make it a full CD, maybe a DVD too with some live performances. It will portray the history of the band and might also extend into other time periods as well.

Hellride Music: Hellhound was definitely a legendary doom label, what was your experience doing Standing on the Sun with them like? Any chance of retrieving the rights to that?

Kelly: Well, it was a very exciting time for Internal Void, signing a deal and recording a full length to go out worldwide. They did however make promises to the band they didn't keep. It was a big learning experience for me personally. As for the rights of Standing… well, technically we do own it, the contract we signed is so full of loop holes that it's a piece of Swiss cheese. I had a 2nd lawyer look it over years after and they said that it wasn't binding at all. Hellhound did want us to sign again after Standing on the Sun and even sent us the contracts, in which further review we decided not to sign. Also, at the time, we were doing a lineup change so it was for our best interest to not sign with HellHound again. Glad we didn't because they folded a year later.

Adam: I was pretty bitter about the whole situation for a long time. Just too many disappointments to list. But, you've got to move on and learn form your experiences. Take that knowledge and hopefully never let it happen to you again. We were thankful for the chance to put out Standing... We had really worked hard as a band up to that point.

Hellride Music: What was the tour with Saint Vitus like?

Kelly: 16-18 hangovers in a row!! It was really cool, we had a great time on the road, and getting to watch S.V. every night was awesome. I wish I had kept a diary of the whole adventure with all of the band antics, it would be a "Best Seller" in the doom scene, (Ha Ha) We got to meet C.O.C. and stayed at Phil's (Pantera) house, and hooked up with Jimmy Bowers too, so we certainly got to meet up with some important people along the tour.

JD: Some of the best times we’ve ever had. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. We got to see Vitus every night in a new town and I think we drank a couple of beers too.

Adam: By the time we got to New Orleans it was just a beer fueled carnival ride. My only regret is that I didn't carry a camera the whole time. So much funny shit happened. Sitting in a Waffle House at 3am, Eric has me laughing so hard I can't even order my food. Playing Athens GA and it's 90 degrees at 11pm, while it's even hotter inside the club. There's too many stories to tell. We'll have to write a book one day.

Hellride Music: Mike Smail did an awesome job pounding the skins for you at Templars of Doom. Is he fully in the band?

Kelly: Yes, Mike is in the "Void" now, and we are looking to do a new full length in 2005 and get some touring done too! I'm really glad we were able to come across Mike at the right time.

Hellride Music: The last two releases have seen a stronger 70's hard rock and blues elements introduced (without losing any heaviness at all, I might note). Can we expect more of that?

Kelly: I don't think we'll ever shake off those 70's & blues influences and I'm sure you can expect more, but it's more safe to say that the next album will be far more heavier and lots better.

Adam: Everything we've ever done has always been just about what feels right. We've never aimed for a certain style or sound. Only when a song is done do we realize what kind of feel it has. The minute you start thinking stuff like, 'we need a doomy part, or a sludge part, or a thrashy part', you're going to come up with something lame and weak. Just let it flow. You'll know what sounds and feels right.

Hellride Music: Internal Void has done some great covers (Stray, Death SS, Blue Cheer); any sneak peeks at what the next cover may be?

JD: I never know with these guys. It could be anything from Motorhead to Merle Haggard.

Adam: All of our cover choices have always come out of left field. Somebody will just name a song and if the rest of us go 'yeah, let's fucking do that!' It ends up happening. We talked about this subject this past weekend. We may have a surprise in store in the near future.

Hellride Music: Anything else you'd like the fans to know?

Kelly: I'm so glad that we have the dedicated fans we do, they're what keep us going, so for a change I want to say "You all ROCK"! thanks!

JD: Thanks a million for this interview. We appreciate it.

Adam: I just want to thank everyone who's stuck with us. We do this for the love of the music.


Purchase Matricide and Unearthed at the Hellride Music Superstore

Read the Hellride Music review of Matricide

Visit the Internal Void website at www.internalvoid.com

Reverend Odd

This reads much easier as the first version that was put here! Great interview, Mike!

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ARCHETYPICAL HEAVINESS, ARSCHLOCH!!

Doomquake

I enjoyed the read!

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The Scribe of all things Doom

winoguy

Yes, very nice. I haven't really gotten to read to much about these guys over the years and found some info I hadn't read before. Keep up the good work.

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PETE

http://www.myspace.com/doommetalpatches

Anyone interested in trading cdrs email me at peterlugo6@comcast.net I have around 3100 titles of doom, NWOBHM, thrash, hardcore, grindcore, black, death, 70's, classic, sludge, stoner etc.