by Chris Barnes
June 27, 2006

…And all along, we thought the tectonic shifts coming from the Pacific Northwest were coming from the friggin’ Puget Sound. At least some of the shaking going on up there can be linked directly to phenomenally creative and very f’ing heavy doom/psyche trio Paranaut. Imagine the best elements of Yob, High On Fire, Kyuss, Neurosis and Colour Haze all wrapped in a titanium jacket and shot of a big ol’ ass cannon… jigawatt riffs crush the skulls of the weak and then subside into subtle acoustic sonic explorations of peaks and valleys drenched in frequency and back again. More auricular journeys than songs, Paranaut combine uncompromising heaviness with almost jazz-like chops and suffocatingly bleak atmosphere. Sit back and read as Hellride talks with these magicians of musical mayhem.


Hellride Music: Hey fellas - how's the weather up in Oregon these days? I'm a big fan of your debut The Hills Fell Silent, which really came out of nowhere for me. You emailed me about carry the CD in the Hellride store, so I followed the link over to your MySpace site and got hit in the face with the amazing "War Mount". I guess MySpace is good for something besides pedophile hookups and data mining. Give us the history of the band... how did you three come together to form Paranaut?

William: We came together out of necessity. We needed to make soulful, fulfilling music. Paul (guitar) and I have done various projects and were in a practically unheard of band called Finster. Paul and I took some time off after the demise of Finster and were ready to for something new and meaningful. We put out a few ads and lucked out by finding “Noodles” (Kenny: drums, accordion). I met and jammed with him once and knew right away that he was very talented and knowledgeable. I knew that he could work out with Paul’s adaptive style and my improvisational savvy. We all three met for the first jam on my birthday and the magic happened. It is almost summer, and the rain lingers.

Hellride Music: Yeah? I’m stuck in a hotel in Cambridge, MA and it feels like a steamy day in Vietnam. I can tell you all about rain. The Hills Fell Silentis a perfect representation of the Pac Northwest sound... dense, almost claustrophobic at times, moody, brooding, usually epic in scope and length and seemingly infused with THC and psilocybin. And dark. Must be the shitty weather? Honestly, your sound is a hard one to pin down... there are elements of Yob, High on Fire, Kyuss, Colour Haze, Neurosis.. but in actuality you all don't really sound like any of those guys. You really have a unique vibe going on - how would you guys explain your sound and where does it come from? Do psychoactive drugs play a part or is that my romantic notion?

William: I’ve determined that our sound would probably fit the classification of Psychedelic/Noise/ Doom. Some of the bands you mentioned are influences to us personally. I can’t deny that influences do shine through in original work. We do try to divine our own sound from jam sessions. Paul and I write riffs individually, but we bring raw products to practice, everyone contributes, and the song evolves from there. Paul and Kenny (native Oregonians) are quite used to the weather here. I (native Texan transplant) don’t mind the rain, but I could say that the overcast winters (and falls and springs) are somewhat depressing. Here’s an interesting note for you: There was a hellacious rain storm and two earthquakes during the recording of THFS. It is a little ironic how occurrences like that are influences to the content of our album. We try to invoke the same elements of awe and dread into our sound.

We’ve all had our vices in the past, but being mature adults demands moderation and abstinence. Kenny is a drug counselor; so, he sticks to coffee and he fights with a tobacco addiction that probably has roots in his Native American heritage. I don’t know why he sniffs so much glue, though. Paul has a drink occasionally and has been known to tie one on, but we won’t show pictures of that. I would say that I have no comment on my condition.

Hellride Music: There are a couple of songs I'd like to ask you about - "War Mount" for one. It's heavy as hell yet retains this killer groove to it... how did that song come about and what is it about? The other would be "...And They Have Fallen". That is such an outstanding tune. What's the story behind this? Is it a jam you guys just decided to record? I love what sounds to be an oboe underneath all that heavy leaden doom groove... is it an oboe?? Also, "The Frog King" is outstanding... the middle trippy part that busts into that huge negative riff. Give us the background on that one, too.

William: “War Mount” was the very first Paranaut song, It was born almost completely out of a jam. It has always been a hit with the fans. What is it about/ inspired by? Well, all of our lyrics are kept secret. We feel that the vocal tones and emotional cries are more important than what is actually said. There is, however, a clue for the curious on the album cover, but we won’t tell you what it is.

“…And They Have Fallen” was, indeed, a sound check for one of our DIY recording sessions. It fell together in an instant and has always maintained a loose structure. Paul and I use (and overuse) Ebows (electronic bows made by Heet Corporation) on our guitars; which, they are like a poor man’s orchestra. Sorry, no oboes were used. During the session at the legendary Smegma Studio (Earth, Poison Idea, Witch Mountain, etc.), Kenny came up with a piano part to go along with the last half of the song. We lacked the studio time and money, at the time. We recorded electric piano later,on our own.

I wrote and arranged most of “The Frog King”. We started playing it. We ran out of song, but the feeling was definitely still there. Paul and I busted out our Ebows and did a little improv that sounded great. It just worked out.

Hellride Music: You guys don't seem to write music using traditional structure. Was there a clear cut decision to write in a certain way? There is a lot of tension and release in your songs, many crescendos and texture changes. Give us the low down on how you guys approach the writing process.

William: There is a conscious effort to make the music speak for itself. The vocals/ lyrics shouldn’t take the spotlight away from the music but become part of it.

Kenny: Old drumbeats have been done to death. This is a band where I can break all of the rules. I have the freedom to do anything.

Paul: It’s like controlled chaos.

William: The basic structures are rather simple. The riffs themselves are more important than how many times you play them. Our songs incorporate so much space jam element, though; improv parts make each performance unique. It rides on a fluctuating cushion of emotion. We play what we feel.

Hellride Music: Well, it seems to work, so don’t change anything. I’m a big fan of Kenny the drummer. That guy rips. He's chock full of creative fills, knows subtle from sublime and has seemed to have mastered both. What's Kenny's background?

Kenny: I’ve played drums at pow wows since I was about 7. I learned drum set style when I was 12. Since then I’ve played in bands ranging from Big Band Jazz to Hardcore Punk. My style is a mixture of all of my musical tastes put together. My main influence is James Brown and old school hip hop—with a little Napalm Death thrown in to mix it up.

Hellride Music: I'm also a fan of your guy's DIY ethic. It seems to me a lot of bands are full of shit, sorry to say. The wait around to be discovered or want someone else to do it for them. You guys are all about getting your stuff out there and doing it efficiently and effectively. I noticed you guys also had a large hand in the mixing and recording, which is superb by the way. Tell me about the DIY ethic and also about your recording experience... how do you guys do all that shit yourselves?

William: If you can’t demonstrate something, who will care what you can do. Seize the day. Nothing sells itself.

Paul: I’ve been recording since I was 15. Everything ranging from boom boxes to high quality digital recording equipment.

William: We recorded at Smegma Studio with Mike Lastra. 99% of the recording was done there. Mike was great. He’s been recording for many years and is quite competent. When it came to mixing, he could only guess how it’s supposed to sound. With his assistance, we all had a hand in mixing.

I am still very new to booking, promoting, and being in a band in general. After having tested different approaches, researched, and observed successful promoters while I was in Finster, I learned a lot about presentation. I’ve plotted a strategy since Paranaut was a mere notion. We’ve had a great response to our music, and the strategy now, is to find the people who can appreciate it and provide. Until we get more financial backing, we have to take things slow. We suffer for our art.

Hellride Music: How about on the live front? How are the shows out going?

William: Promoting does not usually payoff immediately. We are winning fans by the handfuls, right now. At the beginning of our set the audience may be completely hidden in the shadows. Paul and I have noted how the audience tends to scoot up to the stage with wonder as the set goes on. We’ve even been accused of evoking “acid flashbacks”. We haven’t played any road shows yet, but we should be able to hit the road by the end of the year.

Hellride Music: Thanks for the interview and once again, many thanks for turning me on to The Hills.... Just an outstanding heavy music recording. Can you leave us with some parting words?

Kenny: Listen to Don Rickles’ records backwards; you’ll find the meaning of life. Listen to your parents. Worship the Jack Lord. Speed limits are merely suggestions.

William: Support music you believe in. Make music that moves YOU.


Purchase The Hills Fell Silent at the Hellride Music Superstore

Read the Hellride review of The Hills Fell Silent

Download an MP3 of War Monger

Visit the Paranaut website at www.myspace.com/paranaut