Interview with Nawak Possee webzine - November 2009

1 - YOU MAY SUBMIT TO THE GROUP

The band first formed in 1989 after the demise of our previous group Polaris (who were more Metal Church/early Overkill style in nature) with the intention of fusing together many different forms of heavy, serious music – from doom to prog to thrash, but also classical, space, dark jazz even. We went through a series of monikers before finally settling upon While Heaven Wept in 1991, and we’ve cycled through more band members in the last 20 years than I can even remember ! Our sole ambition is to peform music that is sincere, coming from the heart and soul, never succumbing to trends or doing anything for the sake of merely doing so.

2 - YOUR ALBUMS?

Despite having existed for 20 years, and having quite a bit of material in our archives, since we are 100% self-financed it takes us a lot longer than most bands to complete albums (as we’re not at all wealthy and exist from paycheck-to-paycheck just like anyone else), not to mention the aforementioned line-up changes. So far we’ve released the following : « Lovesongs Of The Forsaken » (MCD, 1994), « Sorrow Of The Angels » (CD, 1998), « Of Empires Forlorn » (CD, 2003), and the new album «Vast Oceans Lachrymose » in November, 2009. Additionally, there was a 2LP Anthology called « Chapter One : 1989-1999 » released in 2002.

3 - YOUR INFLUENCES?

We have so many influences that it would take an entire book to list them all ! Really, almost everything we hear exerts some amount of influence upon us...if it is something inspiring, then it’s obvious while something that we dislike encourages us to compose as far as possible in the opposite direction ! Some of our earliest influences (that still remain as such to this day) included : Fates Warning, Candlemass, Kitaro, Rush, Black Sabbath, Witchfinder General, Queensryche, Crimson Glory, Voivod, Coroner, Slayer, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, Autopsy, Entombed, Kansas, Bach, Chopin, Wagner, Beethoven, Gorecki, Arvo Part, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Return To Forever. More recent inspirations have come from everything from Mono (Japan) to Arcturus to Devin Townsend.

4 - EXPLAIN YOUR PROCESS OF COMPOSITION?

All of our music develops first from events in our real lives...relationships, experiences, changes...the subsequent emotions then spawn the initial melodies, lyrics, chord progressions...it’s not ever a case of « writing » music per se, rather it is revealed ; we’re nothing but channels for the expression of these feelings. Only then, after the music comes naturally do I sit down and compose the arrangements, but that is simply a matter of organization really. It MUST come from the heart first, or it is meaningless to me.

5 - STUDIO OR CONCERT RATHER?

Honestly, I love both recording and performing live ; they’re two very different experiences, requiring different levels of thought, emotion, and different energies as well. The way I think about it is that an album is something that many people all over the world can hear, where the expression must be very clear for it represents us forever...whereas a concert is a special communion with a smaller group of people, and that experience should remain special, dedicated to that moment in time only (which is why we strive to improvise in live settings rather than merely playing the albums note-for-note).

6 - YOU HAVE ALREADY TOURING IN FRANCE? AND IN THE FUTURE?

While we’ve toured in Europe previously, we have yet to make it to France unfortunately, but this is something we hope to rectify now that « Vast Oceans Lachrymose » has been released.

7 - YOU PRACTICE AN EPIC DOOM SPECIAL IS THIS ENOUGH OR JUST WANTED THE STRENGTH OF THINGS?

While Heaven Wept really doesn’t conform to any specific style or genre of music considering its so strongly rooted in genuine emotions, and further, there are so many different elements/influences that we’re constantly experimenting with different ratios of these as well as incorporating some new ideas as well. I prefer to consider the music of While Heaven Wept just that : « WHW Music » - something more universal in terms of all things metal...where there really is something for everyone.

8 - I HAVE FOUND THE COVER OF YOUR LAST CD BEAUTIFUL, WHO IS OCCUPIED OF GRAPHIC ASPECT?

I first encountered this painting in a BBC article, and immediately became attached to it...it was instantly clear to me that it was perfect for « Vast Oceans Lachrymose. » - it is called « Christ Stilleth The Tempest » by the UK painter John Martin (1789-1854). Every aspect of our albums is integral to the whole, and in this particular case is even more personal than any of our previous efforts because I took all of the internal pictures myself.

9 - HAVE YOU HAD FAVORITE MUSIC RECENTLY film and literature?

The biggest impact musically for me in 2009 was the new Mono album, but I’ve also been surveying the latest batch of new releases from the likes of Slayer, Katatonia, Immortal (etc.). There are quite a few astounding releases from newer bands in the underground as well, for example Argus, Sinister Realm, Battle Ram, and The Lamp Of Thoth. Unfortunately, I’ve been so busy this year completing the album that I’ve not had much time for films or books, but I was quite pleased to see « Watchmen » finally realized – as I’d been waiting 22 years for that to come out !

10 - WHAT YOU THINK OF THE INTERNATIONAL METAL SCENE?

For many, many years we’ve been very closely connected with bands all over the world and we’ve always remained in regular contact – especially within the doom metal, classic metal, and progressive metal realms....even more extreme genres such as black metal or death metal. That said, we’re very much up to date on music coming out from all over the planet, and I think it is important for people to step outside of what they know or hear everyday to explore the great sounds coming from every corner of the planet !

11 - GROUPS YOU HAVE FRIENDS?

We’re close to so many bands, it’s again almost an endless list. Some of our closest friends include Solstice, Reverend Bizarre (R.I.P.), Griftegard, Penance (R.I.P.), Orodruin, Argus, Pale Divine, Slough Feg, Twisted Tower Dire, Orne, Lord Vicar, Spiritus Mortis, Revelation, Iron Man, Hammers Of Misfortune, Battle Ram, Battleroar, Gates Of Slumber, Pentagram, Viper, Widow, Dawn Of Winter, Mirror Of Deception....really I could go on for days and days !

12 - THE PROBLEM OF THE CURRENT CRISIS OF DISC TOUCH YOU?

I think it affects bands like While Heaven Wept more than anyone else because of the fact we pay for our recordings out of our own pockets ; for example it was really important to us to accurately realize what we heard in our heads on the final recording (for ourselves), but equally important to offer our audience the absolute best possible sound as well...this costs a lot of money, and we’re very much in debt to the studio. While we cannot combat downloading effectively, we do ask that if people like what they hear that they buy a CD or at least a shirt to support the cause...literally, these sales will enable us to continue as a band and produce the next album in a much shorter amount of time.

13 - HAVE YOU PROJECTS ?

In the past I’d been involved with several other bands over the years, but right now, WHW remains my sole focus ; I feel more comfortable than ever now that I’m truly free to express whatever I want through this band and thus, there’s really no reason to involve myself with anything else – though I’m always up for a one-off project or guest scenario. The other members of the WHW are currently also involved with the bands Brave and Twisted Tower Dire (among others).

14 - CONCERT IN SUV?

There will be many concerts to come indeed....and hopefully some concert recordings too !

15 - A FINAL WORD FOR THE END ..........

Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk about WHW and the album. Also to our fans in France who’ve waited so patiently for this album all these years....Merci Beaucoup ! We hope to finally see you soon !