The Gates Of Slumber: Reawakening

Indiana doom metal legends, THE GATES OF SLUMBER, made their name with their stirring and enchanting take on the genre and a series of brilliant albums before splitting up but thankfully the reunited trio (that consist of longtime vocalist/guitarist Karl Simon, returning drummer Chuck Brown and new bassist Steve Janiak) have, following well received live shows, returned to recording after a long hiatus with their new self-titled album. To celebrate their return, we caught up with drummer Chuck Brown to get the lowdown on the band’s comeback and their new album. 

We start as Chuck explains how it feels for THE GATES OF SLUMBER to be back after all this time. “It feels like a new beginning because of all the time in between me leaving the band and Karl and I playing together again. Everybody has a very healthy outlook on how this is going to go.”

Chuck then tells about how it feels like unfinished business for THE GATES OF SLUMBER. “It did for me because of when I left so it is satisfying for me to be able to rejoin the band and for things to come full circle again.” 

As the new THE GATES OF SLUMBER album is their first new album in thirteen years, there may have been a touch of trepidation after returning after so long but Chuck explains how it was none of the sort when it comes to bringing the doom. “Honestly, it was more business as usual, not that we were arrogant about it, we felt confident in the songs and this music. If you liked THE GATES OF SLUMBER before, you should still like this. I think we all feel really confident about the music. It’s been a pleasant surprise that people have, for the most part, been very positive about it, and that is very touching, with the hard work we put into it.”

Chuck then details the experience was of being back in the studio with his bandmates. “Again, it was like a full circle moment. It was very cool and very gratifying. It went super fast, we did it over two long weekends. It was a really pleasant experience, and we’re all really happy with the outcome of it. I can’t wait to do it again.” 

Chuck then delves into the meaning of the John Carpenter indebted album track The Fog and the other material on the new album, with some classic doom influences thrown in for good measure. “Karl is a huge The Fog fan, and he’s a huge PENANCE fan, so he was trying to accomplish a tip of the hat to both the movie and to the band PENANCE. With THE GATES OF SLUMBER, you’ll notice most of the songs, with the exception of The Wretch record, are less personal and more about a creature or a place or a thing, a song about Frankenstein, or a song about this HP Lovecraft place, something like that. If you like THE GATES OF SLUMBER, then you’ll like things like this.” 

With the return of THE GATES OF SLUMBER, Chuck then reveals that the band won’t leave it as long with new material, and are hungry to get started again with new music.”We’ve definitely started writing new material already. Three songs, I think, for a split that’s coming out next year, and then there are a handful of other skeletons of songs. Riffs that will become songs, so we’re definitely in writing mode.”

Chuck then reveals the story about what led THE GATES OF SLUMBER to return after all these years. “Where it started was Karl was laid up at home, couldn’t go to work and things like that. I had dropped by a few times to check on him and he said he had been asked more than once by Wolf that does Hell Over Hammaburg if THE GATES OF SLUMBER wanted to do a show. He had told him no, because there is no GATES, I’m the only member left, kind of thing, but as we got talking, Karl and I said we could go over there and play a set. We’d just play a bunch of songs from the first couple records that I’m on and just have fun with it, if Wolf is down with that, and he was. We got Steve, who also plays in APOSTLE, my other band, he took on the role of bass player and and I knew that would go pretty seamlessly because he’s a good songwriter, good singer, good musician. That’s how it began, it was just to do that one fest, and then as we started practising, it turned into jamming and writing songs and here we are.” 

We finish our time with Chuck telling us how blessed he is to be still doing this and for THE GATES OF SLUMBER to be truly back. “I am so grateful every time we get to go play a show, and if one person shows up, and paid their hard earned money or took their night off from work or whatever, to come listen to shit that you made in your basement, playing with a bunch of friends. That’s pretty cool, so I’m very grateful to still be able to do it and to continue to do it in the future.”

The Gates Of Slumber is out now via Svart Records. 

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