1. Describe your band in 13 words or less.
Our music exists as all music as art should exist. As therapy.

2. What are your main influences, both musically and otherwise?
Between the five members of this band there is an insanely large amount of influences. Black metal influences include Emperor, Agalloch, Ulver, Darkthrone, Judas Iscariot, Burzum, Dissection. We also collectively enjoy alot of old death metal like Immolation, Morbid Angel, Death, Asphyx. We also listen to alot of doom, noise, pop, prog, and indie/folk. We enjoy music and dont care what anyone thinks, including friends.

3. Tell us about the last record you released?
The only album that needs to be mentioned is our newly released "Dark Meditations in Monastic Seclusion." It is a concept album that concerns a defeated man who wanders into a cave to seek silence and to dwell on life. Inside the cave he is confronted with a mysterious floating orb that takes him into different sections of the cave where he experiences a variety of horrifying hallucinations involving notions put to rest by, so called, 'civilized' man. Topics Include the warlike nature of human beings, suicide, doomsday prophesies, delusions, communication with the dead,and despair despair despair. Musically the album has three acoustic tracks on it and 4 tracks that can best be described as black metal. We try to stay honest with how we like both styles of music, which means paying respect to our idols, but we are also not afraid to break rules if the urge should strike us. Musically our influences have been mentioned. Being that I wrote all the lyrics I feel I can speak philosophically for the album and say that its major non musical influences were Nietzsche, Carl Jung, and "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, and "Civilization and its Discontents" by Freud.

4. When are you next out on tour?
We have not toured. Despite the creation of this band taking place 10 years ago, I have not assembled a lineup I could rely on until now. I have insane confidence in our working relationship together and hope to one day get some shows that are 'bigger.' However for now, all shows are worthwhile and we enjoy being around fellow artists in a show environment.

5. Your home town aside, which is your favourite city to play?
Being from Upper Michigan I can say that Marquette MI will always be a favorite place for me to play even though Shroud of Despondency hasnt played there yet. I love the people and the landscapes.

6. If you could go out on tour with any two other bands, who would you pick?
King Crimson and Watain.

7. What has been the funniest / most horrific thing that’s ever happened to you whilst on stage / tour?
The first weekend Shroud of Despondency was able to score two shows in a row ended up being a total nightmare. First night in Madison my Head blew after busting a string on a guitar 1 song in. The guitarist in NY band Mutilation Rites was nice enough to lend me his head to finish the show. Next night, amp still blown, had to borrow a head from Kata Sarkas guitarist.

8. What’s the best thing about being in a band?
The feeling of power over oneself. We are 5 individual men who come together to gain power and knowledge over our individual self's through music. Which is why, even outside of Shroud of Despondency, we stay busy artistically.

9. What was the first record you ever bought?
Shit. No idea. Im assuming it was something by Elvis Presley or Tom Petty because both were incredible influences on me when I was like 6 years old or something and when given allowance from my parents I would spend it immediately on music even at that young age. The first CD I ever bought, when I was finally cool enough to own a cd player, was "Washing Machine" by Sonic Youth. Fucking gods.

10. What’s the most embarrassing CD in your collection?
I take pride in anything I listen to no matter the contrast it may have to other cds in my collection. Most people give me shit for loving "Hounds of Love" by Kate Bush though...Also take a lot of shit for liking Bruce Springsteen.. Everyones a fucking critic.

11. If you had to give up music and do a different job, what would your ideal job be?
I would never give up music and music is not associated with any job to me. I love creating and I need to create and Im fairly certain I can speak for my bandmates on that one. There is no such thing as an 'ideal' job.

12. Tell us something you’ve never told anyone else in an interview.
I love you.

13. Famous last words?
The tomb of the womb will be the womb of the tomb. Anything in between is meaningless. Vehicles for spirit or messengers for the grave, by hopelessness you will be saved.