Sutras
Photo Credit 📷 : @_fabreeze
Sludgy and atmospheric-post-hardcore, sounds like a really beautiful mix doesn't it? I’m not making up new genres here by the way, I’m just trying to wrap my brain around the very eclectic range of influences that Washington D.C.’s new band Sutras is writing. It’s alluring and it’s innovative, and I’m absolutely infatuated with their sound. Today we’re honored to be debuting their new single Welcome, Kingdom Kids off their upcoming album The Crisis Of Existence.
Pageninetynine, Quicksand, My Bloody Valentine, Have Heart, Eyehategod and Drug Church. What do all these bands have in common besides being amazing? They’ve all influenced Sutras writing and sound in one way or another, and when you’re citing influences from such a vast array of bands like that, it’s no wonder their style is so distinctive and personally their very own. Sutras songs greet you like a (sludgy) warm breeze, and they extend thee invitation to feel that moment, to be present in that sound and their message. Sutras only urgency is that you truly allow yourself to detach from the inanimate objects that surround us all.
“I named the record 'The Crisis of Existence' because that's ultimately how I feel. I am pretty sure I am now alone in that. This is by no means a spiritual self-help program - but maybe if we can find comfort and solidarity in our struggle, in our crisis - and find the bigger picture and work towards it together. I'm fucking tired of being surrounded by people stuck in a material existence.”
Their guitarist and vocalist, Tristan Welch, tells us that The Crisis Of Existence addresses our karma, capitalism, our ego, and our struggles..
“Karma: What that is, why I have mine and what the fuck to do with it. Capitalism: Why? What more do we fucking need? No spiritual teachings advocate for this nonsense. Ego: Letting go of it and understanding the freedom from self. Materialism: Take it to your next life. Working class struggles... addiction, mental health, financial struggle.”
SO WHAT DID THE WRITING PROCESS CONSIST OF FOR THIS RECORD?
“Writing for me is a personal thing. I have to have something to work through. I don't create music just for the sake of creating music. I've never just thought ‘I'm going to play music for fun’.
When I sit down and write I might not know what my end result is going to be - but I know it's a relief (that sometimes creates more stress later on). Sometimes I'm stressed and anxious or depressed and pick up the guitar - and then ideas flow out, and a song is born. Other times I've written the lyrics and they need music which instigates me sitting down to form a song.”
WHAT CREATED THE URGENT MESSAGES OF US ALL NEEDING TO DETACH FROM OUR MATERIAL WORLD THAT HAS BECOME A THEME THROUGHOUT THIS RELEASE?
I know how much it hurts to work 60 hours a week - with a hurt back - and come up for air on payday to still be just to hope the rent or your mortgage is covered. I know how hard grocery shopping is - even after working overtime. I know what it's like to feel a need to be numb with alcohol and drugs just to deal with one more fucking day, get so depressed, hopeless and destitute from being treated like a punching bag that shooting up lethal drugs or pulling a trigger seems like the only option..
“THE MESSAGE? WE DON’T HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY FOREVER. WE WON’T FEEL THIS WAY FOREVER. WITHOUT LEANING TOO HARD INTO NIHILSTIC TENDENCIES - I’VE LEARNED IT’S OK TO BE LESS.
IT’S OK TO JUST BE ME. BEING THE BOSS, THE MANAGER, THE WINNER, THE LEADER. NONE OF THAT RELATES TO MY SPIRIT. I DON’T WANT TO BE TIED UP TO MATERIAL ITEMS WITHOUT A SPIRIT… IT’S CLUTTER.
SUCCESS IS IN MY MIND - AND I DON’T WANT IT POLLUTED. THERE’S A HIGHER TASTE THAN WHAT THIS WORLD OFFERS AND THAT’S WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR. FUCK THIS BULLSHIT.”
- TRISTAN @SUTRAS
ANY SHOWS OR TOURS COMING UP?
“With our lives and material shit we have holding us down a tour seems like wishful thinking. I won't write it off but it would take some kind souls to help me out with it. As of now we have a rare live performance scheduled with Nuvolascura and Ostraca at my favorite venue in the world, Rhizome, in D.C. on May 3rd. We'll play more shows as we're asked to play them and the timing works out.”
SO WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BAND NOW?
“Well the fact that this record is coming out and we're playing a single show is a fucking miracle. I'm personally hanging on by a fucking thread. I hope there's more but we'll see.”
ANY CLOSING WORDS FOR THE READERS?
“I hope these songs bridge the gap of our wide love of punk rock and underground music. I hope these songs are relatable to anyone suffering. We have a wide range of experience and while we are not professionals - maybe that would be helpful. Community is important. Don't fight alone.”
Truly none of us are ever alone. You’re reading this so please know that this world is better off with you in it. I don’t give a fuck how cheesy that sounds because it’s true. I’ve lost a lot, hell, we’ve all lost a lot, and some days it can feel like you’ll lose more than you’ll ever gain back but as Tristan mentioned earlier in this interview, we don’t have to feel that way forever.
Although our struggles may all be vastly different, I assure you that all these intrusive thoughts are very universal. It’s part of what makes us human, knowing that we all face our own mental hells and spiritual inquiries is a result of the capitalist world that we live in, and that collective chaos, well that, is what unites us all, so welcome to the kingdom kids.
The Crisis Of Existence will be streaming everywhere on April 16th and there will be a limited number of tapes available through Tomb Tree Records.
Welcome to the kingdom kids,
It’s beautiful and collecting dust
the material world hates us all
Welcome to the kingdom kids,
discipline has one taste,
the taste - of liberation
and the trouble is, you think you have some time
and the trouble is, you think you have some time
Welcome to the kingdom kids,
the rivers laugh at both you and me,
while we’re stuck under the desire tree
We see, we hear, we taste, we smell, we touch and we think
we take it for granted
unless we choke, unless we drown, or suffocate
we love the flowers here, and they always fall
we hate the weeds here, and they always grow
Sutras is Tristan Welch on guitar and vocals & Frederick Ashworth on the bass and drums.
