Email interview with David Sittig (bass) of Impending Doom
You guys seemingly came out of nowhere onto the national scene but there is always a story. Can you share a shortened version of it with us?
Yeah it all started once Facedown picked us up, we put out our first record and hit the road touring non stop for a little over a year on that album.
You released a demo on I Witness Media correct? From what I understand they are affiliated with the guys in xDeathstarx and other bands. Were they a help in connecting you with Facedown?
Yeah Eric Gregson of xDeathstarx talked to Jason about us and got him to come out to one of our live shows because Jason couldn’t decide just based on our e.p. because that thing is the most shot sounding record there is. haha, So he came out and loved the live show and signed us after that.
How did the Facedown signing come about? Were you surprised at all by them reaching out to you since they don’t often sign bands similar to your sound?
Eric just really pushed for us and I was really suprised because we have been the only band until recently that was like this style of music.
You guys are on the road constantly. Did you set out at the beginning to tour so much or have the tours just kept falling in your lap?
Um…a little of both. We wanted to tour a lot but once we got one tour we got more and more and haven’t really had many breaks yet until now.
Last summer you headlined the Scream The Prayer Tour. What was that experience like?
It was awesome, it was our first headlining tour and it went very well, we made some new friends that tour and got to hangout with our good friends in Sleeping Giant everyday.
Did you have a hand in planning that tour or were you approached with the offer to headline?
We were approached about it.
What’s the first story/event that comes to mind when you think of that tour?
Almost dying in the mountains during a really bad snow storm. We were driving 5 miles an hour it was so bad, and we started sliding, ended up doing a full 360 in the middle of the highway with our big van and trailer and smacked the guard rail which stopped us from falling over the cliff.
Alright, on to the new record, The Serpent Servant. You recorded this one with Tim Lambesis from As I Lay Dying. How was it working with him? Was it any different from recording your debut?
Yes it was a lot different, more planned out and professional. Tim actually didn’t work on the record with us we just used his studio, we worked with Daniel Castleman which was awesome. That dude rules and knows his stuff, thats all I can say.
The new songs sound different from Nailed. Dead. Risen., especially vocally. How do you feel that people will respond to The Serpent Servant as compared to your debut?
People seem to dig it a lot more, there are some people out there that like the old cd better but you are always going to have those, you can’t please everybody. We changed some things purely because that’s what we wanted to do, we wanted to make a record we were all proud of and stoked on, and we feel we accomplished that.
Ok, on to songwriting. How does Impending Doom write songs? Is there a main composer in the band or do you guys hammer out tracks as a team?
All members of our band writes songs. We write songs on our own which basically means everybody has their own little projects that form into songs, there aren’t too many songs on the album that were written by more than 1 person, so as far as me, Manny, and Cory we pretty much each wrote 1/3 of the record, then Chad wrote the drums for the songs and Brook wrote all the lyrics.
How many songs did you enter the studio with this time around?
15 songs, only 11 made it to the record. We wanted to be able to pick and choose the strongest songs, so whichever songs didn’t get everyone’s votes we cut!
Does Brook handle most of the lyrics? What kind of topics can we expect to hear about in the new songs?
Yes Brook writes all the lyrics. Topics on religion, evolution, etc…
What is your favorite lyric from the new album and why?
“Hell Must Fear Me” it sounds really mean and it has strong meaning behind it.
Christians are often looked down upon by the metal community, have you experienced any hostility to your band because of your outspoken lyrics & views?
Not so much, there are those people who will yell “hail satan” or something in between songs just to try and piss us off, but it doesn’t work haha.
Have you seen an unwillingness to give you positive reviews or coverage in the metal media outlets?
Not really
How about with the bands you’ve toured with? Some of them, whether in imagery or lyrics, seem hostile to Christianity. Has this been an issue ever or have things been pretty smooth on the road?
Never once been an issue, every secular band we have toured with has been respectful to our beliefs as we are to theirs, we have made some of the best of friends from some of these bands, such as Whitechapel, and Winds Of Plague
Speaking of touring, I noticed the tours you have lined up will be ending right before the release date. Can you share any upcoming touring plans or are they still being finalized?
After the album is released we will be touring Mexico for a week, we have plans of a headliner in June, as well as Europe during the summer. Nothing announced or finalized yet, that’s just the plan as of now.
How is your current tour with Bleeding Through going? Are the crowds responding well to your new material?
Yes the tour is going awesome, kids seem to be more into the new songs than the old ones, on this tour we are playing half new and half old.
Is there anything that we as fans and fellow Christians can pray about or do for you as people and as a band?
We can always use prayer, prayer for our safety especially going into Mexico soon. Prayer for our walk and prayer for these upcoming tours!
Anything you want to add before we wrap up?
The Serpent Servant is out now, go pick up your copy at your local Hot Topic!!!