“13 Arcane Hymns” Track List:
1. Move Forward Until You Are Dead
2. Becoming Chaos
3. Fire Breather
4. Open Skull
5. Last Rights Protest
6. Revived
7. Unscripted Disclosure
8. In The Safe House
9. Where Will It End?
10. Disconnect-Connect
11. My Resignation
12. Arjuna
13. Victory Song

It was a cold, gray afternoon in the fall of 2008 when the paths of two musicians crossed.

“It was one of my first experiences of this season in Calgary and I remember how enthralled I was with the energy in the air,” recalls The Unravelling’s founder and instrumentalist Gustavo De Beauville, who moved to the Canadian city from Barbados in 2006.

“Coming from such a hot, tropical climate, I had only read books on the elegance of fall. And there were such creative, unseen forces at work in those cold autumn days that I must admit it was the time of year where I felt most alive. Perfect timing for the start of a compelling musical project.”

“As for myself, I was not brimming with life at the time,” interjects vocalist Steve Moore, best known for his time fronting Calgary’s rock/hardcore act Inner Surge.

“I was in the middle of a death cycle that became a central theme of the album,” Moore continues, referring to the duo’s upcoming debut 13 Arcane Hymns, which was recorded over a six-month period at De Beauville’s apartment, putting to work the skills he picked up studying at the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology (O.I.A.R.T.), then mixed and mastered at Echo Base “under the watchful eye of Jedi master Casey Lewis,” according to De Beauville.

But before 13 Arcane Hymns – a 13-track emotional and industrial-infused metal masterpiece – became a reality, De Beauville and Moore joined creative forces “after Gus contacted me via one of my former band’s websites,” Moore explains. “He had a few early versions of the songs posted online and wanted to know if I thought I could write something to them. I wrote the lyrics and vocal parts to “Becoming Chaos,” and we ended up finishing the track the first day we met in person.”

Was writing and recording an album always the main goal?

Gustavo De Beauville: Definitely. I had probably written 90 per cent of the album and was mainly focused on finding the right vocalist to bring the canvasses to life. In those days I used to envision myself as an old hermit churning away in his dusty lab bringing these creations to life, but the truth was I couldn’t sing to save my life so I needed a vocalist with the right ideas to give the songs that final jolt to the heart.

Steve Moore: Creating art is what I’m generally compelled to do. If the project is worthwhile and the music is rewarding, I’m always ready to put the work into it.

Why just the two of you?

De Beauville: Less people always means less drama and conflict, leaving more time for progress and improvement. Cut out the fat to reveal a leaner beast, I say.

Moore: Gus had the music created and mapped out. He wanted a vocalist/lyricist. We accepted the fact that The Unravelling is a duo. I’ve found in the past that it doesn’t work when you try to go backwards and “cheat the Universe” – put an ad in Ffwd for musicians and once you find out they’re an acceptable person, immediately say “Come on. Jump in and get involved. You have full rights to the music! You’re part of the tribe!” I won’t embellish much, but this does not work. Many people aren’t as serious as they think they are.

What went into writing the songs for 13 Arcane Hymns?

De Beauville: I’m sure there’s a myriad of ways out there for writing good songs, but I tend to keep things simple and straightforward. Discipline and structure are key when you put yourself in that mode of creation. Set up the Pro Tools sessions, have your drum tracks or drum loops ready and hit play. Get into the groove and let the ideas emerge. Keep jamming on the section until you find something that really sounds inspired. Hit record and put the riff to tape, but be fair to your listeners and infuse the take with the right energy and conviction that the piece requires. You can’t record a heavy outro for the climax of a song about sacrifice and strength if you were thinking about what you had for lunch that day. Clear the mind and channel the right energies into the take. I’m convinced that on some level it will be a greater, purer experience for all involved – and the universe will reward you for it.

Moore: I would write all the time and the lyrics ended up having a wide range of themes, though particular ones (personal victory, perseverance, being buried alive and digging your way out, etc.) came up more often than others. I would study the tracks and map out my vocal lines, lyrics and harmonies. My goal is to make the vocals as original as possible, and when you can’t be fully original, make sure it’s effective. Do the unexpected, but make it work. It’s much easier to write when you’re only writing to inspire yourself and not thinking about anyone else’s opinion. I’ve learned recently that if you think you’re going to “get out there” to people, you’ll be communicating to no one. The only honest art is art written out of direct inspiration, and that needs no approval.

Which was your favourite song to write, to record? Which are you most looking forward to perform live?

De Beauville: I’d probably have to say “Unscripted Disclosure,” “Disconnect/Connect” or “Arjuna.” These particular tracks have an ethereal, mystical vibe about them that I strive to create. The type of stuff that invoke visions of shamans on peaks engaged in rituals or mystics enjoying absinthe before a conjuring. My type of atmosphere, I cannot wait till these songs are brought to life on the stage.

Moore: I especially enjoyed recording tracks like “Fire Breather” and “Last Rights Protest,” two tracks which surprised both Gus and myself. To say they were cathartic would be a gross understatement. I would use the word “vindicating.”

What inspires you?

De Beauville: Life, memories and nature inspire the music. Great music by other artists inspire the music as well.

Moore: The lyrics are all inspired by my state of being and the desire to be completely honest in this piece of work. Creation and destruction were both given equal voice, and demons were entertained in the same room as the angels. The important thing to note is that all the themes are absolutely real; they are parts of my reality. Nothing was conjured up to appeal to any groups of people, to tell a story, create an image or to fit into a particular genre. There are many references to being buried alive and left for dead, and this is an image I have battled with over the past  year and used to move forward. My motivation comes from the pure energy of revival and the truth that you can dig yourself out by force of will.

What does it mean for you and the band as a whole for the album to be complete and ready for release?

De Beauville: It means another chapter of the novel has been written and completed, thus heralding the onset of a meatier portion of the book yet to be enjoyed.

Moore: It means a lot to me. It took a lot of hard work and it conjured many, many spirits. To me, there is nothing better than being completely happy with something you’ve created, or that’s come through you in some way. I don’t subscribe to the musical idea that you should play whatever to make money. I want to be proud of what I’ve done and it must have meaning.

You’ve been working tirelessly to promote the project and the upcoming album, popping up in magazines, webzines, and on radio shows, etc. How else have you been spreading the word and work of The Unravelling?

Moore: We have a mailing list that has been steadily building at www.theunravellingmusic.com. In the future, members of the site will be able to get access to tracks the general public won’t. (Currently) there’s an exclusive download of “Last Rights Protest” up at Pure Grain Audio in the downloads section. Once the album hits stores, we’ll be doing a series of contests and giveaways through various music blogs, magazines, radio shows and websites who we’ve allied ourselves with. We’re also building the live project now, so we will be promoting this in a live setting.

When is the album officially being released?

De Beauville: Hopefully sometime in the fall, of course – only good omens could come of that. Oct. 13 if I had my way, but we shall see.

Moore: ASAP!

Where will music fans be able to get hold of it?

De Beauville: Probably within the guts of any slain fell-beast. Simply remember to writhe around inside until you feel the warm comforting touch of a black digipack with ancient, occult symbols inscribed on the cover.

Moore: The best place would be home base. As far as releasing this on iTunes or CD Baby, I’m not sure if we’ll be doing that at this point. We may start things off with the one simple ordering option. Full on DIY!