Seeing Through Time…
CVLT Nation Interviews Dark Castle

Dark Castle has changed the shape of sound to come with their most recent Profound Lore release, Surrender To All Life Beyond Form. This album is a journey into a universe of pure radness, where space & time melt your speakers. Dark Castle flipped the script with this release, & created an album that is all their own. CVLT Nation had chance to interview Dark Castle’s Stevie Floyd about the band’s creative process etc., & she broke everything down to the nitty gritty. So after the jump, check out this mind-altering read, so tune in & do not tune out!

Photo By Samantha Marble

Yes yes Dark Castle, how are things in your universe?

Our universe is always overflowing with life loving!

Congrats on creating an epic album, Surrender To All Life Beyond Form…was the creative process different for this album than for Spirited Migration?

The creative process is constantly growing for us…but at the same time has a certain consistency. We write music, riffs, lyrics etc around the clock, whether were outside laying in the grass, on a plane or in a dirty garage practicing somewhere. When it comes time to compose an album…we bring all of these ideas together and see how they blend. Some flow well together and some are left behind. Our individual influences and writing processes are always growing and evolving, but they seem to have always moved in a similar direction…no matter how weird they get. It is so important to truly feel every riff and every note that is being played, recording and especially live. As far as recording, it is a collection of music that has been written in lots of different moments, movements and environments since our last album was recorded. That’s probably why we have so many different things going on our albums. Transitioning it all together in a smooth consistent way is always the most important thing to us. And no matter how different one part is from another part… tying it together with an underlying rhythm and vibe.

In what way do your life experiences shape the music you create?

The atmosphere in which you create determines the outcome more than anything. The amount of stillness and focus in your mind as well. Life experiences are the space from which the music flows from, the foundation. Some of our most influential musicians have the craziest lives! Rob and I have very different upbringings/ family situations, etc….but I would say that traveling as much as we have is probably the biggest factor for our music. Traveling has changed my life more than anything, I’m sure I could speak for Rob on this as well. It just has opened our minds so far to where you can’t look back. I can’t imagine writing music before it, or wanting to go back to any past moment…although there were good ones. Only moving forward in growth.

Photo By Richard Ostrom

Did you have an event or emotion that drove the lyrical direction of this album?

There are so many enlightening events and emotions that happen every day for me. The more in tune I am with them…the more synchronicity that happens, and the more aware of these moments I become. Just working towards creating more space in my life, breathing and becoming more and more minimal. Needing less and having less expectations. Not wanting more than just pulling in inspiration and channeling it through music and art. Surrendering to all life beyond form. The more that we detach from form, the more we can truly feel life, music, anything for that matter.

How do you think that collaborating with your friends impacts the sound of the music that you create with them? What joys do get from collaborating?

I love collaborating with as many others as possible. I wanted so many more on this album as well. Mike Scheidt, Nate Hall, Blake Judd and Sanford Parker are such talented, influential and special people to me/us. I also wanted Ct from Rwake, Kirk Weinstein, Bruce Lamont and others on this album. Its so hard to bring everyone together with our busy lives. I have tons of other collaborations that I am working on. There are just so many talented musicians that I would be honored to write music with…and not enough time in the day. Wish we didn’t have to sleep.


Photo by Samantha Marble

How did your upbringing lead you to the path of creating music?

Wow, where do I begin…for me, I had a pretty rough childhood, but who didn’t? That part I will leave out, it is in the past and my parents and I have a killer relationship at this point. I played piano from the time I was 5 years old. Was playing Beethoven and Bach by the time I was 10, ha! Also had art shows young. My dad is an amazing artist, and had a killer record collection. My mother sang opera and played piano as well. They bought me my first guitar after I begged them and begged them when I was 11, I think. They were super supportive until I shaved my head, started playing punk and metal and tattooing! I think it shocked them a little at first, thinking it was a phase. Although they may not totally understand what it is that I do…they are very proud of me and supportive. Can’t speak much for Rob about his upbringing, but I can say that he was shredding sweeps on guitar by the time he was 12. I’ve seen videos. I think he was writing his own scales and shredding from the womb. Never seen anything like it.

How important is it for your songs to have a sense of space & melody?

I think that the space between the music is just as important as the music being played. As far as melody…we used only Hungarian and Japanese scales for this album which naturally create beautifully decrepit melodies on there own.

I really dig the song “To Hide Is To Die,” everything about it is on a different plane…what was the inspiration for this rad creation?

The song “To Hide Is To Die” did not exist pre-recording. Rob came up with this weird off time, repetitive drum beat. Then Sanford and I connected all of these Moog and synth samples to a foot pedal. It was insane, the floor was covered with cris-crossed cables. I thought that the song was complete… Then Sanford wanted me to do spoken word through a vo-coder?? I had these lyrics that kind of rhymed about being buried alive and looking toward the light. They went perfectly over the music. Then Rob wound up doing bass under it all. It was surreal how that song came together in a few hours. I think its our weirdest song by far. Just such a magical experience.


Photo by Isaac Trevino

Would you say that you have an open mind to the music that you listen to, & does this have any bearing on the way you create?

We have an open mind toward all music. It doesn’t mean that we don’t gravitate toward certain bands more than others, but we are always taking in all music that has soul, truth and honesty. It doesn’t matter what kind of music it is, just the place that it comes from.

I have seen you live & you two really give your all…what is like for you on stage? Do you feel the huge exchange of energy between you & your audience?

Man, we feel the connection between us and other people listening and watching, through the music. We feel it deep. It is such a spiritual ritual for the both of us. Probably when we feel the most alive and real. We are both just so passionate about playing. It is not a hobby or a side thing, music is our life, all of the way. Expressing yourself through the 5 senses…visually and through audio is the most important I feel…but using an equal amount of feeling as well.

Your album covers are very striking. What is the connection between art & Dark Castle?

Art and music is all interwoven for me. Sometimes my art is more fine tuned and sometimes its raw and intense…Like I said before about the 5 senses, just filtering all of your creation through them however it happens and translates in the moment. Sort of allowing it to flow naturally and then putting it within a structure. The contrast of the 2 in balance with each other. Its a beautiful thing.


Photo By CVLT Nation

What’s one question that you have never been asked, that you wish people would ask?

Heh…This question….and now I don’t know how to answer it.

The song “Learning To Unlearn” has this rad dark hip hop vibe to it…are you two hip hop fans?

Hahaha! Wow umm….yes. That is so funny that you think that. Totally was feeling Portishead a little on “Learning to Unlearn.” Never admitted that until now. My brother is not only one of the coolest most talented artists alive, but he is also a semi pro break dancer. He performs/ battles at hip hop jams all over the place. I’ve been listening to hip hop and gangster rap since I was a kid. Rob and I listened to so much Immortal Technique and Cunning Linguists its not even funny. Ask Rob about his obsession with Bootie music too! haha! He’s gonna kill me for that one.

You are about to go on a massive tour with YOB…what are some of the cities that you can’t wait to hit? What’s a classic day off when you are on the road?

Yeah, This tour with Yob is just going to be so exciting in a billion ways. Rob is playing drums for Dark Castle and Yob. It is just such an honor. We’ve been huge Yob fans since their first album Elaborations of Carbon. Not to mention us just all being such good friends and so passionate about our music. We both have albums newly out that we are so excited to play live and together every night and inspire one another. Magic!

Big thanks to Stevie of Dark Castle for the rad interview!