From GWAR to Nekrogoblikon, concept bands can be some of the most unique and interesting projects to listen to. Belarus Beaver is absolutely no expectation to that rule and we had the chance to chat with LG from the Scandinavian duo grindcore project ahead of the release of their new album, Planet of the Beavers coming soon from Grind To Death Records.
MS - First of all... where did the name and concept for the band come from? It's very unique.... and why beavers?
LG - Well it all started a couple of years ago. If I remember correctly it was back in August 2018. Me and Pos had a couple of beers and started spinning a huge web of different ideas. We had not known each other for more than a few months but we were both eager to start a new band project together. So at first, we discussed various serious ideas, but that quickly escalated...
He came up with this idea of a band called "Otter Instinct" with otter related lyrics. After a couple of hours, me and him both had come up with some incredibly stupid (but awesome) parodic and satirical variations of old rock and metal songs, just replacing one word in a song title with the word "Beaver". It was then I recalled a news-article from a few years back where a fisherman in Belarus was bitten by a beaver and died from his wounds. He had a few really fast and well-written riffs stored on his hard drive just waiting to be recorded and there we were with an album's worth of stupid lyrics. So about two-three months later, we headed for a studio and recorded the vocals for our debut EP "DAMnation", and thus: Belarus Beaver was born.
MS - Was the intention always to have a concept band?
LG - I think the concept just came naturally after the first album and with our own ideas and conspiracies about beaver world domination being real, it is kind of snowballing out of control. I mean, as long as we are having fun doing this, and as long as some people are either enjoying the music or the lyrics we see no reason to stop doing our thing. And for as long as beavers keep being amazing creatures, we will keep spreading the word.
MS - It can be hard to balance making good music and not taking things too seriously at the same time, how do you do it?
LG - I think you just have to kind of look past the fact that beavers are terrifying and destroyers of entire eco-systems and focus on the music first of all. I don't write the riffs or track the drums myself, but we focus on making quality, fast and heavy music first of all. The lyrics always come naturally afterward. And the lyrics are, nine out of ten times, written on the go. Like a simple flash of a song-title or a concept for a song is often just quickly turned into a lyrical beaver masterpiece within minutes, and then gently molded and carved last minute into perfection. For us, at least, that balance is very easy to keep.
MS - How would you describe your sound to someone who hasn't heard your band before?
LG - Like Rotten Sound and Napalm Death being violently attacked by hundreds of rabid amphibious rodents.
MS - What can we expect from the new release?
LG - A lower tuned sound. More depth and crisp than the last record. More thought through overall. Songs about lumberjacks, spirituality, our prediction of the future of Denmark and bloodshed."
Like Rotten Sound and Napalm Death being violently attacked by hundreds of rabid amphibious rodents.
MS - Did you face any challenges writing and recording due to the Pandemic?
LG - Not really due to the pandemic, since we are only a duo. The hardest challenge we've had is me living in Norway and Pos living in Sweden. But it has worked out fine nonetheless.
MS - What's been the highlight of the band's career so far?
LG - I have to say that us signing with Grind to Death Records is our highlight so far. We are extremely honored to work with them.
MS - What plans do you have to promote the record?
LG - Because of the current pandemic, I guess we have no choice but to rely heavily on various social media, blogs, videos, and our label.
MS - What are the future plans for the band?
LG - Our plan has always been the same: To spread awareness about the upcoming beaver uprising and to prepare the people for the absolutely cataclysmic events that are to come. Other than that, we are also planning our third album, merchandise, and other beaver-related projects!
Check Belarus Beaver out for yourself and dive into the madness:
A huge thank you to Belarus Beaver and Metal Devastation Radio!
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