Interview with Captain Graves of ADVENT VARIC

Alright, dear readers. This is it. So sorry we had to be the bearer of bad news...

...but in the end, will our vague affiliation with the harbinger of humanity's collective devastation even matter? I think not, and I hope you've ready to face the otherworldly visage of your impending demise. Advent Varic plays a unique brand of progressive blackened stoner metal, and Parts I and II of their Tumulus saga are both incredibly solid track in their own right, but, more importantly, Captain Graves and Co. are here to annihilate.

We slumbering Villagers would like to thank the Captain for taking the time to speak with us and answer our questions. And for better or worse, we wish him all the best. 

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Sleeping Village: Greetings, Captain Graves. Would you be so kind as to introduce yourself to the Village and our assorted readership?

Captain Graves: I am Doug Graves, Captain of Saturn 9, destroyer of worlds, the voice of Varic, and I do as they will. I've come before your puny kind to show you the power I have been granted. You will bow before me in the end. 

SV: Do you revel in the destruction of Tumulus? Was your act of war a necessary evil? Or both?

CG: Tumulus is my home world. She was a cold, and wretched place, not much different than this. I do Revel in the destruction because Varic willed it. I'm not sure if what I do is good or evil though. If Varic asks something of the crew, we do it without hesitation. I am their face, voice,  and executioner.

SV: In recounting your endeavors in battle, are you immortalizing the planets you destroy, or are you building your own image so that when it is the Earth's time to suffer a similar fate, we bow down in awe to your destructive capabilities?

CG: When I destroy planets, I gain their energy, and feed it to Varic. They give me more power for every planet I destroy.  There isn't much of a battle, as you are  all weak, and do not compare to my abilities. I would enjoy for your Terra to know the face of their executioner. See, I feed on fear, and dispair. I love to watch the screaming people of planets, and look them in the eyes as I destroy everything they once loved, as I have done to myself. There is nothing more satisfying than this, well, except for feeding the Mighty Varic, our GOD.

SV: Moving from your thematic underpinning to the music itself, you've made quite a splash with your unique brand of blackened stoner doom. What particular bands (human or otherwise) that have influenced your distinct sound? 

CG: We have listened to each planet destroyed, and the will of Varic. They guide us to create the sounds you hear. Nothing is more satisfying than the sound of a dying planet. The dissonance created is quite the epitaph. Varic is interested in Neurosis, Coheed and Cambria, Mastadon,  Lord Mantis, Hell, and music from other planets (some destroyed, some soon to be)

SV: As a followup to the last, do you have a background or interest in progressive rock? Maybe it's just us Villagers, but the manner in which you build your narrative and pass from movement to movement seems to recall the prog rock concept albums of yore. 

CG: Varic seems to enjoy progressive music, as it tells a story in and of itself. When Part III is finished, this will be meant to play as one song. We perform this as a piece, it is a heavy metal symphony unlike anything you've encountered.  

SV: Part II: The Ravaging is shorter than Part I: The Beginning by roughly 6 minutes--which isn't an insignificant amount of time in the world of songcraft. Do you feel that your approach to storytelling has become more concise or mature?

CG: Part II is the second movement in the symphony, it is shorter because the movement  is much more chaotic in nature, with little to no reprieve. It keeps you on the edge of your seat in suspense the whole time (as it should). I want the listeners to feel the madness inside of me while I destroy my own home. Imagine that, destroying everything you loved, for your new found love. The turmoil, and mania I experienced was nothing slight of a tragedy. A very beautiful one but, a traumatic experience  nonetheless.

SV: I'm intrigued by the episodic nature of your release schedule. Will we ever be subjected to an Advent Varic full length, or will it be single after single until the end of our quickly diminishing timeline? 
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CG: We will release each symphony in movements. They will be released on hard copys when the final movement is finished. When Tumulus is complete it will be put out as one song on a disk, and will only be called "Tumulus." The episodic manner is to merely show the movements of the symphony. Varic wills us to have fresh content at all times, and this is their vision.

SV: You mentioned previously that the forthcoming Part III will be the last of the Tumulus series. Beyond Part III, what's next for Advent Varic?

Varic has willed me to keep a log of planets destroyed, and the horrors I've set upon them. The log is very detailed and each planets log will be released with the disk. A story that will make the lyrics have a bit deeper of a meaning. What's next? The next chapter of course.

SV: Because I would be remiss not to ask: in light of recent events, are you aware of any extraterrestrial shenanigans occurring at Area 51 or other undisclosed research facilities, or is that outside your area of expertise? 

CG: I'm not sure of this "Area 51" you speak of, but if you'd like some extraterrestrial encounters, I'm pretty sure I know where you can find them.

SV: Thank you, Captain Graves, for taking the time to chat. Is there any last message(s) you'd like to leave us earthlings with? 

There's no preparation needed, the demise is always painful

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Advent Varic can be found chronicling the destruction of worlds at: 
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