Diabolical Conquest (Nin Chan): Hello, folks! HUGE fan of the new record, it truly eclipsed any expectations I had of it! You are truly one of the few bands that can evoke melancholy and gloom without being pretentious or pseudo-intellectual about it, that can sketch loss without being self-indulgent and whiney. While Vicky's pipes do sometimes draw parallels to the likes of The 3 rd And The Mortal and The Gathering 's more worthwhile material, The River are undoubtedly a different beast altogether, in that you never, ever lose sight of the HEAVY aspect that is so crucial to music that is as emotionally-involved as doom. The riffing on the album is absolutely as hefty as the emotional content, and that makes all the difference for a doom band. Really, this is a special album, encapsulating anguish and despair in a fashion that I have not experienced in a very, very long time. Are you lot as sad as the album makes you out to be? What fills this seemingly inexhaustible well of sorrow and longing?

The River (Chris): Thank you very much for the compliments! I'm glad that you like the CD & I'm glad you've taken the time to immerse yourself fully into it, we're very flattered! We're really not as sad as maybe our music may sound to some people, we're quite easy going & affable. We'll buy a drink for & discuss the football with anyone!! But everyone has down moments & sometimes I guess it's easier to write a song about them then maybe talk about or even confront the root cause of them. I'm glad you've said we're not whiney at all as well as that is something we try to avoid at all costs, we're not some teenage goths pretending to be upset for the attention y'know?!

Diabolical Conquest: I very much appreciate the fact that I don't have to refer to the usual suspects ( Candlemass, Count Raven, Saint Vitus, Sabbath, Pentagram, Solitude Aeturnus) when I attempt to describe the sonic palette that The River seem to draw from. The band makes me think of Slowride, Spacemen 3, Swans, My Bloody Valentine, Melvins, early Cure and the like, but stunningly, unlike most bands that try their hand at echoing such influences, The River remain strikingly original and assertively heavy. Somehow, The River sound completely unlike any traditional doom band that I can name, yet are definitively DOOM and certainly METAL in every sense of the word. Am I citing a bunch of completely irrelevant, off-the-wall touchstones here? Who would you cite as your favorite sources of inspiration outside of the obvious metallic ones?

The River: See whilst I listen to Candlemass et al I don't actually listen to any of the others you mentioned!! Having said that though we do listen to more than just metal but I think a lot of people in this day & age do too, so how much relevance a non-metallic inspiration has on us is debatable. We're proud to be a doom metal band & we're always going to be a doom metal band but that doesn't mean we can't be ourselves at the same time. I find doom quite innovative anyway, you couldn't say Saint Vitus sound like Candlemass could you? It's a corner we're happy to be painted into, it makes it more challenging to keep the music fresh don't you think? Outside of metal I listen to southern rock, trip-hop, I like a bit of Motown soul too but as I said previously how much of an influence these types of music have on ours I really couldn't say.

Diabolical Conquest: Somehow, Vicky's voice has this detached, ironic, lackadaisical quality to it, yet it absolutely radiates with passion, heartache and conviction. Vocally, she really presents an emotional counterpoint to the often brutal, barbaric rhythm section and gutwrenching riffing. Together, it all makes for very fragile and honest music that walks the tightrope between angst and forlornness, a great juxtaposition between fury and resignation. I wanted to spare a few words for how much I love that aspect of your music, that duality between soft and hard, beauty and beast. Are there ever times, when Vicky is working up a vocal melody and approach, that she starts to sound a little too excited for The River's music, or when she comes up with something that is a tad too cheery sounding for your liking? If she were to leave the band, would there be any point in attempting to replace her?

The River: If Vicky for whatever reason left or was booted out the creative flow wouldn't change as she doesn't write the lyrics & has written precious few of the harmonies. Having said that obviously we hope that's not going to happen as sonically if not creatively she's as much a part of The River as my guitar sound! I would have no problem with anything that sounds cheery being put into the music as long as it fits in. Happiness is an emotion too, some people seem to think you can only be expressive if you're having a moan about something or feeling sorry for yourself. I'm not a particuarly happy-go-lucky fella but there's no harm in smiling every once in a while even if it's bad for the image!!

Diabolical Conquest: The songs on the record are very sparse, atmospheric yet oppressively heavy and claustrophobic, the sustain of the guitar never receding for a moment. Riffs are repeated and emphasized with much thrust, and I noticed, after a very concerted listen, that there is nary a solo to be found in the mix! Oddly enough, one does not lament, or even discern, a lack of solos, it really accentuates the visceral, primal nature of The River, music that really comes from the gut and the heart. A solo, I think, would make the music too affected, even artificial in The River's case. Is there a reason for there being no leads on this album, and is this something that will persist with coming recordings?

The River: The reason for the lack of solos is simply I'm not very good at playing them & obviously we want to play to our strengths!! Don't get me wrong I love guitar solos as much as anyone but it has to be the right solo in the right place otherwise it ruins a song rather than adding to it. You're right to think that a solo would possibly sound artificial at the moment as it's not something that comes naturally to me but if a future song cries out for one we would definitely put it in. I guess this is where our honesty comes in as we don't try & force anything into the music. Whatever comes out, comes out I guess!

Diabolical Conquest: I very much enjoy the fact that you are a band that does not shy away from melody, nor are you averse to the lyrical fragility and vulnerability that would repulse many bands in today's chest-thumping, testosterone-fuelled metal landscape. Why is honesty and frankness so important to The River, that has spawned a courage to flout unwritten conventions that stifle today's true metal community?

The River: Honesty is the best policy I guess! I don't know really, it's just what comes out again! I personally try to write things down as I see them & as I speak them just because it's the natural thing to do. I don't think they're any more honest then someone writing about barbarians or medieval battles or whatever because whoever writes that sort of lyric might well be honestly & genuinely interested in that sort of topic which would make their words equally as sincere as mine if you see what I mean!! I think it's just that the easiest thing for me to research for inspiration is myself & my life experiences & if someone thinks they're shit at least I can take pride in them being my shit! Honesty & frankness are important as they are qualities I try to possess & as the lyrics are extensions of my opinions & thoughts anyway there's no reason why they shouldn't be honest & frank too!

Diabolical Conquest: Everybody I have played the record has loved it- I would not at all be surprised if The River experienced a breakthrough year and found themselves knocking on the door of international doom stardom, winning the Terrorizer plaudits that Witchcraft and Electric Wizard have secured. Does the prospect of this popularity daunt you? How do you think you would receive it all, and how does one go about winning acclaim in the UK's doom landscape without being regarded as a farce in the British doom community (Orange Goblin )? There seems to be very firmly stratified camps of ‘'true'' and ‘'false'' doom in the UK, you lot do seem to take it quite seriously, so where does The River stand in all this posturing, and how might the band be affected if it were swept on a wave of popular acclaim? Oddly enough, the new album is on Retribute, which previously put out a bunch of sludgecore stuff (kryptonite to most doom folks).

The River: We are quite happy being The River & that is that! We're also proud of being doom but if someone's perceptive of doom is growled vocals or happy clappy pot smoking hippy tosh then we'll quite happily not be doom y'know?! Obviously I have my own views on what is & what isn't doom as I'm sure you do, as do many people it's just that some people are more vocal about them than others! There are rules & I don't think we break them but if someone's opinion is different I don't care! We'll just be The River & have done with it! Whilst genres are a necessary evil & a convenient term of reference some people are put off by them as well & the fact is there really is only 2 types of music in the world; the stuff you like & the stuff you don't!

It's good being on Retribute too, as you pointed out we stick out a bit which means a) we won't be lost in the mire as might be the case if we were on a 'specialist' doom label & b) it proves that Chris the owner is 100% into us which is what you need. He's got us an awful lot of publicity & I really wouldn't mind continuing with them in the future. Hopefully we'll sell enough to make it happen! It would be nice to have some sort of breakthrough year but I guess time will tell. Most people who have heard it have liked it & all criticism has been constructive which is as it should be. We've had 2 live reviews in Terrorizer & that's it!! We sent them the previous 2 demos for review which couldn't have been that bad as we sold 1000 copies of both combined but they never bothered writing about them. Who knows what they'll do for us in the future? As for international stardom if I can pay the bills with it I will not be daunted at all!!

Diabolical Conquest: The United Kingdom is renowned for spawning fantastic underground doom, Cambian Dawn, Iron Hearse, Warning, Centurion's Ghost, Indesinence are among the young breed of upstart doom bands spearheading and preserving a rich British tradition. Is England really as dismal and dire as my television suggests? It seems as though your people are more prone to extensive, Byronic spells of desolation and melancholy. Are there any more notable English bands that the doom public needs to become acquainted with?

The River: You didn't watch England's world cup effort did you, because that was quite dire!! Only joking. England is much the same as other western countries, the same crime, bad government and social problems but on the whole it's not a bad place to live. I think the only main difference is our our look on life, it tends to be quite pessimistic and cynical. We always seem to expect the worst, it's probably the weather!!

I think that's why our music, comedies and literature tend to be more gritty and realistic. I think it tends to be the environment and upbringing of that particular individual which makes them more melancholic if you know what I mean. The British bands we tend to listen to you've already mentioned. Otherwise we mostly listen to bands like Solstice & Pagan Altar but I think Unsilence is an excellent band but often over looked whish is a great shame.

Diabolical Conquest: Is there some sort of statement being made with the stark black and white photography (apparently depicting a forsaken apartment suite)? It does add immeasurably to the feeling of desolation that permeates the entire recording.

The River: It's actually an abandoned hospital in London but the idea is the same. I just like the look of old houses & disused buildings, I find them really interesting. Some people have said they find the artwork bland but the album's called Drawing Down the Sun for pity's sake! How colorful & bright would the world be if the sun was drawn from the sky? It just fits the title I guess & again it's something that fits us as a band rather than us as a part of a scene.

Diabolical Conquest: Thank you very much for your time, guys. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've played the new record since I received it in the mail, and I am assured that I will be singing your praises for years to come. Thanks for a brilliant record, it has accompanied me on many walks around the dystopian, cyclopean concrete wastes of urban Toronto. Please use this space to plug any upcoming projects or events we can expect from The River.

The River: Thank you Nin, for the chance of an interview and understanding us. We're glad you enjoyed the album so much. As for any forthcoming projects, we are looking to record Broken window on 10" viynl with a few new songs thrown in for good measure.We are already writing and rehearsing songs for the next album, but our main attentions is focused on playing live again. As soon as we can get back gigging the better.