Nightmarer opened things up for the Devastation on the Nation tour in support of their debut record Cacophony of Terror. I stopped by Lee’s Palace on May 29th, 2019 and took in an amazing show. I was able to interview Nightmarer’s guitarist Simon in the band’s van after their set….Interview Audio HERE
Nightmarer were succinct and effective in their role as opener. This comes from the band having a wealth of experience performing in past Metal acts. Former bands Simon has been in have filled out bills as the headliner, co-headliner, opener, etc. This reflected in the performance as the band transitioned fluidly between the atmospheric, abrasive soundscapes.
The debut record
The Toronto crowd was receptive to Nightmarer and surprisingly earlier in the tour was the first time the band had played live together. Nightmarer has members stationed in various places like Tampa and New York City. Nightmarer is listed in press releases as a Tampa, Florida band but the beginnings of the band are found in Germany.
“There’s some cool death metal history down there (Florida). Morbid Angel and stuff I can definitely associate with. Hate Eternal….all that good stuff. We personally don’t really claim a home base”
Simon on where Nightmarer is based
The debut record was quite DIY. Nightmarer did the bulk of the recordings at Simon’s Tampa, Florida studio. As much as it’s a convenience thing, its also a necessity for Nightmarer. Simon talked about how things weren’t getting cheaper when it comes to being a musician. So it pays off to learn multiple facets of the game and be a utility player.
The closing track “Death” talks about the experience Simon had where he saw someone close to him pass away. It was the final track to Cacophony of Terror but Simon didn’t really get a great deal of emotional catharsis from it. The catharsis more so came n a creative level which I found to be an interesting distinction.
The First tour
Nightmarer’s rehearsal space prior to touring was set up a room over from where Type O Negative rehearsed/ recorded their last record. The vibes were on point heading into this run on the road. It was an appropriate leveling up after 2016’s demo Chasm which is perceived as an altogether different experience than the debut LP.
Surprisingly there was no issues in transferring such a multifaceted, nuanced sound to a live show experience. The band has a layered sound with influences from Death metal, industrial, and black metal. The layering is quite organic according to Simon.
“Whenever I write a riff, I already hear a second guitar in my head….It just comes about naturally. It’s not very forced, luckily…..That’s kind of always my goal. To create an immediately thrilling, gripping atmosphere”
Simon on the writing process
To pull off a sound like this to full effect, one needs a killer guitar rig.
Simon’s Guitar Rig and Physical Distribution
A power conditioner and Line 6 G90 wireless system are staples of the set up. A Kemper profiling amp is also key for the rig for Simon. The profiles are largely ones that Simon has put together. A Matrix Solid State Power Amp also feeds into a cabinet to fully flesh out that Nightmarer guitar tone.
Nightmarer’s limited edition Bruised vinyl for Cacophony of Terror sold out quickly. The time and care that is put into creating a unique tactile experience is exciting. Simon described it as a visually coherent element that coincides with the band’s sound.
The nightmare that began the band
I playfully asked Simon about if he had any recurring nightmares, being that the band is called Nightmarer and all. Simon initially described nightmare where he tried to escape somewhere but an unyielding, powerful wind stopped him from that. Simon also described a particularly vivid nightmare that he said informed the band name the most.
“When I lived in Berlin, I lived in a small apartment on the 17th floor…..This one morning, I thought I heard a screeching sound….In my dream, I got out of bed and went on my balcony…I saw a plane crash on the horizon.
All of a sudden the entire sky was filled with thousands upon thousands of people that were basically just falling out of the sky and screaming at the top of their lungs…..
They just smashed on the ground…..You could hear bones break and blood splatter. Then the dream was over. It was a very very short dream and it kind of stuck with me….It was kind of a very weird and shocking yet inspiring nightmare to have”
Simon’s nightmare that inspired the Nightmarer band name
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