The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Leila Abdul-Rauf of Vastum, Cardinal Wyrm, Ionophore, and More

—

How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

I try not to define it too much. I attempt to recreate the sounds I either dream about or imagining in my head that satisfy my perpetual urge to craft something that is exquisitely beautiful while at the same time, incredibly disturbing. The path to my ever-evolving creative process came with a lot of struggle, an unfortunate amount of strife and gaslighting from others, painful self-discovery and the courage to never neglect my inner voice.

Describe your first musical memory.

It was probably the sound of my mother’s singing voice when I was in the womb, because the soothing sound of her voice is and will be forever embedded in my unconscious. And the sound of my father singing the call to prayer at home and in the mosque when I was a kid. And going through my mom’s record collection when I was 5 or 6 years old: Bee Gees, Beatles, Journey, David Bowie, etc.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

There are a lot that I would consider equally best. In my formative teen years, I saw a lot of amazing acts that shaped my musical path: Skinny Puppy, Peter Murphy, Einsturzende Neubauten, Lush, Cocteau Twins, Jesus and Mary Chain in the early ’90s. Seeing Slayer, Cannibal Corpse and Deicide in the late ’90s. Being exposed to fusion jazz in my 20s: Mahavishnu Orchestra/Shakti/John Maclaughlin, Return to Forever/Chick Corea/Al DiMeola, Weather Report, Allan Holdsworth, etc. Or any time I’ve seen Judas Priest, Bauhaus, Secret Chiefs 3, Harold Budd or Kitka live.

As a performer, there are many best memories as well. My trumpet teacher invited me to play an outdoor concert with the New Jersey Bergen Philharmonic when I was 12 years old. Opening for The Great Kat at CBGBs when I was in high school. Performing with Amber Asylum at Wave Gotik Treffen in 2010 and Wroclaw Industrial Fest in 2011; performing solo as main support for William Basinski at Hopscotch Fest; with Vastum at Heavy Montreal fest in 2016 and leveling the main stage at Killtown Death Fest in Copenhagen 2019 were all quite spectacular.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

There has never been a time in my life when they haven’t been tested; the world and commonly held beliefs are constantly changing and in some ways I feel like a lot of the world is finally catching up to where I was mentally 20 years ago; I relate more to the way younger people think and sometimes I feel like I was born a generation too early. It’s ok to talk about so many things now that weren’t acceptable back then. And still, the constant testing of my own beliefs is what leads me to continue to grow psychologically and spiritually.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

I can’t speak for others, but for me, it leads to a deeper understanding of myself and others throughout different phases of life, as well as the universe as we currently understand it; a thinning of the veil between “real” and “imagined,” earth vs. spirit worlds…

How do you define success?

I feel success is always something that should be self-defined yet unfortunately we often let others define it for us, driven by the economic realities of our world. If an idea is rolling around in your head and it becomes a reality, that sounds like success to me. In music, if you finish recording an album that gives you goosebumps when you listen to it, I’d say mission accomplished. And of equal importance is success in relationships: if you have inspiring, healthy and stimulating relationships with collaborators, hold onto them forever; they’re gold. I’m so fortunate to have several of them.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

So many things, but most of all, the effects of out-of-control economic disparity and climate change while civil rights are being perpetually stripped away from marginalized populations by brainwashed politicians.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

Entering the film soundtrack composition world would be a bit of a dream. I’ve also always fantasized about developing visual art skills. Perhaps it will happen someday.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

To reflect life in a way that is bigger than ourselves as individuals and will outlast our short lives. Specifically in music, understanding that humans and all living beings originate from sound vibration energy that is as old as time itself, which in my view, is the reason musicians are driven to compose; we first came from sound, in order for sound to come from us.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Traveling to parts of the world I still have yet to see and visiting with friends again.

https://leilaabdulrauf.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/therealleilaabdulrauf
https://www.facebook.com/leilaabdulrauf
https://www.cycliclaw.com
https://cycliclaw.bandcamp.com
http://www.cloisterrecordingsus.bigcartel.com
https://www.facebook.com/cloisterrecordings.us

Leila Abdul-Rauf, Phantasiai (2021)

Vastum, Official Purge (2019)

Something of an act of cruelty on the part of San Francisco’s Amber Asylum and German imprint Prophecy Productions to release the band’s new album, Sin Eater, so close to the darkest day of the year. Not saying I’ve heard it yet, or that I’m listening to it right now as I type this or anything like that, but it’s a beautiful, depressive wash of strings that offers classical poise with an underlying intensity of purpose that is undeniably heavy. They cover “Tot” from Candlemass‘ From the 13th Sun, transposing Leif Edling‘s riffs and Björn Flodkvist‘s vocals into a dirge opera, and march it to a tense and unexpected finish, and elsewhere proffer immersive ambience that will no doubt fit well with the colder months to come. Not saying I’ve heard it or anything, but I’m looking forward to getting to know it better.

Album announcement and info follow. Also take note of the part where Prophecy is releasing a box set for Amber Asylum‘s 20th anniversary, because that looks awesome.

Dig it:

AMBER ASYLUM to Release New Album ‘Sin Eater’ December 4

San Francisco Dark Ambient Group Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Critically acclaimed Bay Area post rock collective AMBER ASYLUM will release its new album, Sin Eater, on December 4 via Prophecy Productions. The band’s seventh studio album was recorded at Ear Hammer Studios (OM, Pallbearer, Vhol) in Oakland, CA and produced, mixed and mastered by frontwoman, multi-instrumentalist and soprano vocalist Kris T. Force. The subject matter that helped inspire the album is the cleansing ritual of “sin eating”. Sin Eater combines the ominous energies of AMBER ASYLUM’s drum and bass-heavy albums, Garden Of Love (2005) and Still Point (2007), with the lushest string arrangements in the band’s history.

“Sin Eating still exists as a death ritual where the Sin Eater consumes a meal or ‘corpse cake’ that is passed over the body of the deceased or laid on the chest,” Force explains. “The meal represents the sins of the deceased and once consumed by the Sin Eater the sins are released thereby allowing the soul to rest in peace. The album speaks of this process of taking on the pain of others to set them free.”

Celebrating 20 years of creative music making, AMBER ASYLUM possesses the rare gift of turning deep feelings into gorgeous music and gifts the listener with the opportunity to delve deep within and imagine or release the grip of obscure emotion. With classical strings, grounding rhythms and female voice as the nucleus of its sound, AMBER ASYLUM occupies the singular territory of chamber doom. Overflowing with palatial textures counterpoised by electronic disturbance, achingly beautiful melodies and lyrical prowess, AMBER ASYLUM consistently eludes predicable categorization yet remains distinctively female. During its two decade-long existence, AMBER ASYLUM has found favor with classical music fans and metalheads alike, releasing albums on respected labels such as Relapse Records and Profound Lore and collaborating with acts such as Neurosis and SWANS.

In honor of AMBER ASYLUM turning 20, Prophecy Productions will release a limited box set entitled Anthology, simultaneously with the release of Sin Eater. Anthology will include twelve CDs, containing the band’s entire catalog of work, as well as rare and unreleased bonus songs, topped off by an accompanying 80-page leather-bound lyric book. For full details, visit this location.

Track listing:

1.) Perfect Calm
2.) Beast Star
3.) TOT
4.) Harvester
5.) Paean
6.) Executioner
7.) Sin Eater

Sin Eater is available to pre-order now at this location.

https://www.facebook.com/AmberAsylum.official
http://www.amberasylum.com/
http://en.prophecy.de/shop/amber-asylum-sin-eater.html

Amber Asylum, “Bitter River”