INTERVIEW WITH TOM SUTTON -THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL
“Unfortunately, CATHEDRAL are gone, CANDLEMASS are not making any new albums, REVEREND BIZARRE broken up…all my favourite bands are gone. So I hope people that listen to THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL can see in us some compensation.”
During our three days of joy in DESERT FEST, London, We could spend some time with Tom Sutton (Ex CHURCH OF MISERY, HORISONT) to talk about his fairly new band, THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL, production of their debut album “Wisdom”, our favourites songs from it, future of the band, sides proyects and much more! Do NOT MISS IT!
For those who still don’t know you very well, I think is best we start by telling everyone who are THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL and what do they do:
My name is Tom Sutton I am the singer and guitarist, we also have Staffan plays guitar, Winberg on drums and Patrick playing bass. The order of Israfel is band that play classic doom metal influenced by CATHEDRAL and CANDLEMASS.
You made your debut last year with “Wisdom”, what can you tell us about it?
Is the product of loads of years, I was in a band called CHURCH OF MISERY from Japan and during my time in this band I was already writing songs for THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL.
I had a dream actually, I thought like I really had to move to Europe to do this band, I got the feeling that Gothenburg in Sweden was the right place and I moved there I met the right people.
I guess the album is a product of loads of years writing songs and meeting this amazing people. Is an album fully influenced by classic Doom Metal bands like CATHEDRAL and BLACK SABBATH.
You decided to start the album with the self-titled track “Wisdom”, a nine and a half minute long song. Not a very common choice and one that can even be perceived as somehow pretentious. Why did you choose this song as starter?
Originally I thought it would be a good song, but not to be included in this album.
Patrick thought this song should stay in this album and be the first track, actually It was the first song we ever have and make me think that we have something special as a band… I think in normal heavy metal is kind of strange to start an album of with a ten minutes length song but in the Doom Metal scene is not that weird. This song describes what THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL is.
It’s hard not to think of “Promises Made To The Earth” as the main star in the album, with it’s more than 15 minutes. Can you give us any insight on how was this song made and what is it about?
I am glad you like that song, some people love it, others hate it. Firstly, this song is about my belief of each person has some kind of seed in them, so when we are born, there is something special that we can do, like a gift, this comes from a really deep place, like a soul level, and almost before you born you made this promise to the earth that you are going to do something special.
What really causes people pain and suffer in their life is when they ignore that voice that tell them where to go and what to do, because they are too scared, is too hard or people around them tell say they can´t do it and for me there was a point in my life where I just have to be honest with myself and say…I just want to play music, that is the only thing I care about. I was just lying to myself…I knew that is not easy to be a full time musician.
This song is about this idea and myself, about how many people had troubles to be a musician, the all heavy part of this song was heavily influenced by Reverend Bizarre like is no hope but then you get to the final part and it breaks into a whole beautiful and melodic stuff, that is the light of the end of the tunnel, If you believe in what you are doing that´s all you need.
“Wisdom” was released through NAPALM RECORDS – a big label for a debut album, how did you ended up signing with them?
Before we had any demos or anything like that, our bass player Patrick decided to send our first ever song played live video to record labels and we got a call from them, we didn’t have much material on that time, just a recorded a rehearsal and they were interested in signing with us…so all I can say is that we have been really lucky.
Are you already working in new material? Is so, can you tell us anything about it?
I have in my head all the songs for the new album, we have been playing some of them live, so we are just hoping to start recording a new album at the end of this year.
Some people see in you a filling for the void CATHEDRAL have left in the Doom scene, what do you think about it?
Seriously? Well, for me is a compliment. Is funny that you say that cos CATHEDRAL is one of my favourite bands and I always wanted to do a band of the stuff that I like.
Unfortunately, CATHEDRAL are gone, CANDLEMASS are not making any new albums, REVEREND BIZARRE broken up…all my favourite bands are gone. So I hope people that listen to THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL can see in us some compensation.
You’ve been busy touring, what has been the best and the worst so far?
One of the happiest moments for me in this tour, is when we play “Promises made to the earth” and see that everyone is enjoying the tune as much as we do.
I haven’t had any bad moment with this band so far, some people hate touring but we love touring.
How is a show from THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL?
It is an atmosphere of heaviness but elegant, with riffs that brings you to classic heavy metal I would define it as the elegant bit and our bass bring heaviness. We are quiet energetic live compare to other doom metal bands. Expect energy!
How do you see the band in 5 years?
I would like to see the band reach that point where CATHEDRAL or REVEREND BIZARRE are for people to listens to doom metal. We hope that every heavy metal listener will enjoy the band too and in five years ´time I would like to have two more albums done. Feel stablish and comfortable with who we are.
Finally, here I let you this space to say whatever you feel to your fans:
Thank for your support , hopefully THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL will be back touring soon in other countries like Spain, I will be in Spain soon with my other band horisont so please come to the show and say hello.
