With their new album Acolythus set for release on November 7, A Scar for the Wicked dives into the sinister allure of the nine sins of hell, crafting a musical journey that’s both punishingly brutal and meticulously structured. In our conversation, they shared how the ambitious concept album emerged from the band’s fascination with death, horror, and the occult, while weaving their signature technicality with newfound symphonic elements and space. The result? An intricate and genre-blurring metal experience that showcases their growth and positions them for a powerful return to the stage.
ATN: What inspired the decision to structure the album around the nine sins of hell, and how did the band choose which sins would correspond with each track?
A Scar for the Wicked (ASFTW): We tend to write our music about death, horror and the occult. We decided to release 9 songs on Acolythus, and the 9 sins of hell seemed like a good theme to segway into. We figured out the order that the songs would go on the album in, and then wrote the lyrics to them. It was a team effort, and a lot of fun to research and create.
ATN: “Seven Wraiths” sets the tone for the album. How did the band approach creating the atmosphere in this track, and what role does it play in the overall narrative of Acolythus?
ASFTW: When deciding on what direction we wanted to take the album, we discussed including and increasing the symphonic elements throughout the entire album, while also focusing more on melody and spacing in songs. This fostered the sound you hear in “Seven Wraiths”. The technical aspects are still there, but the songs breathe now. In and out, push and pull, as they take you through a labyrinth of brutal, technical, melodic metal. This concept was then implemented in the creation of the entire album. As you listen to the entire album, you feel its grip on you tighten, and loosen throughout, giving you a feeling of what is about to hit me next.
ATN: The lyrics explore dark themes of self-hatred and treachery. Can you discuss the writing process for these themes and how personal experiences or societal observations have influenced the band’s work?
ASFTW: We used inspiration from both personal and societal issues. While researching the sins in depth, it wasn’t hard to come across similarities within our own lives. We drew from personal experiences within every song, while also being able to shape the song around events occurring around us. We shared a lot of personal information, some more than others, but it helped us grow together. I think the process brought us closer together and was probably the most difficult thing we had to do during the whole process.
ATN: Among the nine tracks, do you have a personal favourite or one that stands out for you? Is there a specific reason why it resonates with you?
ASFTW: We all agreed that “Sacrificial Genocide” was our favorite track on Acolythus. The intro is huge, the melodic elements sit in the mix eloquently, and you feel the song throughout your body. This is the only song we have ever written with 2 guitar solos in it. Lead Guitarist, Adam Semler, created this amazing solo, in the middle of the song, that feels like you’re drinking a fine wine, and Rhythm Guitarist, Joe Moon’s solo at the end of the song, is like drinking a straight shot of 60 proof bourbon. The whole song resonates with all of us. It is fun to play, it is a great listen, and if we were to show someone new what our band is about, this is the song we would show them.
ATN: It’s been mentioned that every song contains a solo. Can you talk about the role of guitar solos in the music and how they enhance the emotional impact of each track?
ASFTW: Technically, there are 10 solos on our 9 song album 😉. We are lucky enough to have 2 talented guitarists, who dedicate too much of their free time to working on their craft. The solos in the song are meant to be a reflection of the feel of each sin. Some solos are more melodic and slower, while some are technical wizardry based on the feel of the song and the sin. The solos were not so much written with an emotional idea. Imagine each emotion or sin is a color. Take the color and use that as a basis to paint your tapestry. This is how each solo was viewed and interpreted, and then executed. It’s quite the process and was very rewarding.
ATN: The last track “Son of Dawn”, hints at future directions for the band. Can you elaborate on what you envision for the band’s musical evolution after this album?
ASFTW: The band matured musically, an incredible amount during the writing of the album, most of which occurred during the Covid lockdowns. “Son of Dawn”, is the second favorite song on Acolythus for most of us. It’s brutal, it’s fast, our Drummer, Nick Rodgers, loses weight playing it. “Son of Dawn” holds true to the ethos that we set out to create. Big symphonic elements, brutal and technical aspects, solid melodic undertones, while feeling the beating heart of the music. We already have quite a bit of the new Scar stuff written and the feel of “Son of Dawn” is definitely an indicator of what is on the horizon.
ATN: Given the album’s heavy themes, how do you hope audiences will connect with Acolythus, both musically and lyrically?
ASFTW: We hope that they enjoy what we have poured our hearts and souls into. Musically, this is definitely the best work we have produced to date. It shows the growth in the band, both musically and technically. We hope that the audiences vibe with our melodic elements and themes. That the depth of the lyrics questions their own experiences, where they can relate to a situation, or a feeling.
ATN: How do you collaborate as a band during the songwriting process? Is there a particular dynamic that helps in creating the complex soundscapes you guys aim for?
ASFTW: Our Lead Guitarist, Adam Semler, does the majority of the writing for songs. He creates the structures in the songs by building a pace, rhythm, and feel in the song and then shares them with the band. When he shares them, the rest of us adjust/change parts or sections of the songs, sometimes scrapping large sections and recreating a new feel/tone. We are always open to adjusting parts of a new song. Everyone has input and is open to feedback. We also had to step away from some of the songs for a few days to reset how we were thinking about them and work on other stuff. Sometimes that is the best thing to do. Just not work or listen to a song for a bit and then come back to it with a fresh mindset. Also, patience, patience, and even more patience. Working this way and taking everyone’s viewpoint into consideration has allowed us to construct the complex soundscapes that we were able to conceive with Acolythus.
ATN: The band’s music blends various genres. How does the band approach integrating elements of metal, melodic components, and aggressive vocals into a cohesive sound?
ASFTW: Our approach to creating a cohesive sound is built from our individual experiences. We all have different tastes in music and bands. What we listen to, strongly affects what we all want our final product to sound like. We never sought a specific genre we wanted to be part of. So, when we were creating Acolythus, we really wanted to generate a flow between sections of songs. Our goals at the beginning of the writing process was to focus on spacing and flow while not losing the brutalness. We feel that we were able to stick to those goals while writing Acolythus, which is why every song sounds and feels different, while including different genre elements seamlessly together.
ATN: How did having guitarist Joe Moon in the producer and engineer seat with Christian Donaldson shape the final sound of Acolythus?
ASFTW: First off, working with Christian was one hell of an experience. His professionalism and bedside manner were amazing. Joe was an absolute beast. He spent countless hours recording, editing, changing, and building the songs, and sometimes we had to re-record. His focus on detail was frustrating at times, but what we got, exceeded our expectations. We asked Christian to mix and master. We knew Joe could and would have done an excellent job but we wanted an outside influence on how our final sound. Christian turned out to be a great fit. With his experience and ear, he helped create a monstrous sounding album. The little details, the overall sound, he helped create the best album we have to date. A huge thank you to Christian and Joe for the work they put in on Acolythus.
ATN: How do you translate the intense energy of Acolythus into a live performance setting, and what can fans expect from your shows in support of the album?
ASFTW: When we play a show, we come to slay. Each of us has spent countless hours creating and learning our parts, so when we play live, we play clean. And what you hear is a brutal assault on your senses. We bring energy and confidence and when it hits, it hits hard. We run into situations where we play a show and we haven’t played a city before, so we have to “win the crowd”, and we do. Our vocalist, Andre Dubien, has crazy charisma. He’s in your face the entire show. He just throws it at you for the entire set and you just can’t not be into it. We do this because it is a lot of fun, and you feel that at every show. We are very excited to play this album live in its entirety.
ATN: How do you see your music fitting within the larger landscape of metal today, especially in terms of themes and sounds that challenge conventional norms?
ASFTW: The landscape in metal is huge. We don’t really fit into any one thing. Sometimes a song focuses on black metal, or tech death, or melodic death, or brutal death metal. Most of our songs incorporate different elements from different genres. This makes our music very approachable for people focused on more specific genres. We have never been able to figure out what genre we are set in. That is part of our charm and what sets us apart. When you hear any one of our songs, you will know it’s us, but it is a different audible adventure for each song. We don’t do this intentionally, it’s organic. Our themes and sounds challenge the conventional norm by not being set in a specific genre and encapsulating various styles and approaches from non metal genres and making them metal. Sometimes, we start with a hip hop riff, a jazz riff, or a flamenco riff, then we make our style of metal. We write what feels right and it might be a completely different genre than the song we wrote before or even after.
ATN: What do you hope listeners will take away from this album? Is there a particular message you want to convey through these tracks?
ASFTW: We hope they love the album. That, if they listen to the lyrics, they understand the lessons and undertones we should learn to abide as a society. We hope that the experience of listening to the album in its entirety brings them a headbanging experience that will leave them wanting more.
SAME 3 QUESTIONS WE ALWAYS ASK
ATN: What artist/band do you feel is the most underrated?
ASFTW: Carnosus. They are very hard working and frequently releasing new material. Plus they’re good.
ATN: What artist/band would you like to collaborate with and why?
ASFTW: Black Dahlia Murder. Love what they bring to every album, every show, they’re fans. They’re all around great guys and musicians. Would love to work with them.
ATN: What artist/band would you like to tour with and why.
ASFTW: Archspire. They’re really funny guys, easy to get along with, and play great music. Plus they’re Canadian like us. So they understand ketchup chips and all their glory.
