Thy Art Is Murder. Pic by Jake Owens
With longtime vocalist CJ McMahon’s return, Thy Art Is Murder guitarist Andy Marsh spoke to Power of Metal about the process of recording their latest album Dear Desolation.
Hi Andy, thanks for the time! I’ve read a few interviews CJ has done, and they either brought up some other questions I had, or I wanted to expand upon some of his answers. So here we go!
How much of the music/lyrics were done before CJ came back, and how much input did he have in it/them when he did?
All the music and lyrics get written before he comes to the studio, then he comes in and delivers his vocal performance. He’s like an insane voice actor that takes the script and invents the character that you need for the role, and his talents there are quite unmatched.
What sense of freedom did you have making this album compared to previous and why?
The same as always, we just had more time to work on this record as we spread it up over three months, so we had the added comfort of not rushing our decision making, and being able to see the record as a whole for a lot longer before finishing it. In the past its like we were painting the idea in our head without ever taking a few steps back to look at how it was coming together, this time we did.
It sounds like you are usually pretty guarded with your song ideas going into any writing process, what made you more open and comfortable in sharing everything this time around?
I guess so, sometimes it takes a lot for me to dig out the idea and then create a metaphor or the right words to give power to the thought, and in a way that is not too specific to my experience. I think when I wrote They Will Know Another we finally realized the true potential of Sean’s music and my lyrics.
What kind of impact do you think NOT having Shawn and Kevin around during the final recording process have on the eventual output?
I can’t be quite sure, it just made for a lonely recording experience, but it was very focused. Sometimes you doubt certain ideas and not being able to get immediate feedback was an issue but it all worked out in the end.
Lastly, do you have anything to say to the fans that stuck with you during CJ’s departure/hiatus?
Thanks for your support and loyalty, enjoy Dear Desolation.
Thy Art Is Murder are currently on tour with Fallujah, Ghost Bath, and A Scar For The Wicked. They also have recently announced a tour of their home country Australia in support of Dear Desolation. Check out the video below, and thyartismurder.net for all the latest dates.
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