

You’ve mentioned in the past that Curse of Conception and Divided by Darkness are sort of a duology of albums. Oftentimes that magic comes from a place of great suffering, unfortunately. I think that’s the type of stuff that results in classic albums. It resulted in something special that could have never been planned or rehearsed. The songs are really exciting and triumphant, but the performances are raw and incredibly emotional. So there’s a pretty unique dichotomy there. But when it came time to go into the studio, things around me had come crashing down. So the material was taking shape as this triumphant, powerful, psychedelic, joyful, classic-sounding metal.

Things were really starting to take off, I felt inspired, fulfilled, free, and at peace. I had finally let the Gatecreeper guys know I was done, and was fully committing to Spirit Adrift. Thank you! Yeah, it’s an interesting situation, because when I wrote these songs I was at a high point in my life. Without asking you to delve into your personal life, do you think it’s something that listeners who aren’t aware of that aspect of this album’s creation can hear in the record itself? Is that turmoil reflected in your performances? See below for the result!įirst of all, congratulations on the new album! You’ve mentioned that Enlightened in Eternity is an album that was recorded during an extremely tough time for both you and Marcus. I conversed with Nate over email recently to pick his brain on the formation of Enlightened and to see how exactly Spirit Adrift have come by releasing an album like that at a time like this. It’s also, at least in my eyes, their best album to date in how it mixes their influences into a sound that’s both so instantly recognizable while also being unique to them, and it’s been shortlisted several times over for my personal top ten. It’s as bracing and heavy as anything they’ve done, but with a stalwart and effulgent positivity that radiates throughout. Their newest effort, the upcoming Enlightened in Eternity, is a shocking jolt of stability and power in a year that’s provided anything but. The triumphant harmonized leads of Thin Lizzy, the anthemic vocals of Iron Maiden, and the heartfelt emotions of Crowbar mix into a sound that sits comfortably in the midpoint of classic heavy metal and doom. Across three albums in four years – 2016’s Chained to Oblivion, 2017’s Curse of Conception, and 2019’s Divided by Darkness, the duo of Nate Garrett and Marcus Byrant (on guitar/bass/vocals and drums, respectively) have spun a timeless metal sound from a wide-ranging pool of rock and metal influences. Spirit Adrift are one of the leaders of a cadre of bands currently pushing the sound of American heavy metal back to the forefront of the headbanger’s consciousness.
