SEVIT

SEVIT is a four-piece darkwave band based in Dallas, Texas. According to their Bandcamp page, their "sound draws influences from genres such as post-punk and darkwave, as well as implementing elements of synth-pop, New Wave, and even glam rock to create a unique appeal to listeners". They've just released their new self-titled album and we're very pleased they decided to join us for this interview!

Hello and thanks for answering the interview for our blog today. We usually like to start off by asking for a brief background for the readers that might not be familiar with a particular band. Would you kindly do so?

MARIO: Sevit is comprised of 4 aliens who thought that playing music would be a good way to blend in. The players are:

Brian Weems: guitar/backing vocals

Cam B.: Keyboards/programing backing vocals

Maddie Fritz: Bass/2nd vocal and backing vocals

Mario Tremaine: Vocals/bleeps

Sevit has been together a little over 2 years with this current lineup. Brian and Cameron both played previously with a different lineup (before we stole their souls) and Maddie and I had just started a duet. We decided to join forces having no clue what we would sound like. One thing for sure, we sound NOTHING like the old lineup- which was important to me, personally. Although our music is lumped into the darkwave/post-punk thing, I like to think we’re breaking new ground.

The latest album is the self-titled, “SEVIT.” What kind of genesis did the songs have to go through before you were happy with the final product?

MARIO: It was a process, that’s for sure. A good majority of this music was recorded separately.

Brian and I worked together on some of the guitar tracks, but for the most part he recorded in his own studio. Maddie and I worked on and recorded our vocals at my studio, along with her bass parts. Cameron (Cam B.) works completely independent of the rest of us and sends us tracks to work with. Mad scientist, that one. We obviously work out the arrangements together, and I do some of the keys and programming, but Cam tends to tweak (or “replace” might be a better word) some of my sounds to better suit the overall sound and production. Long answer to a short question!

CAMERON: I feel all of us are very opinionated when it comes to the songs, we had several dream sets on how the order should go and the right feeling. What you hear on the album is where we felt the album best flowed.

Do you think that you’ll adopt a release plan that is perhaps less full-length albums and more singles, remixes and Eps?

BRIAN: We have singles that we recorded that are not on this album that we will release periodically until we release another full length.

MADDIE: The reason we waited so long to put out an actual album is because we were wanting to provide a physical vinyl release of music as well. It might've been more beneficial to release more singles than we did before the album actually dropped. We released “Jet Black Sommer” and “Drain To White” as singles before the album, and we were able to rack up a few thousand streams on “Jet Black Sommer” without support of the album. So, our next release will definitely be a single.

CAMERON: Since the new album just dropped, we are trying to give it some time to mature. We haven’t gotten to physically sell them yet in a live situation but I feel optimistic the album will do well once every one hears it in person and can buy it immediately at our shows.

Scenario: You are stranded on some island but you had the capability to put a flash drive with three of your most important songs into a sealed bottle and send it out to the world. These are songs that mean the most to you and best represent your legacy. What are they and why did you choose them?

BRIAN: I will say “Bleed” from the 1st record, “Jet Black Sommer” and “Shipwrecked” is appropriate since I’m stranded on an island.

MADDIE: Well firstly, I feel our song “Shipwrecked” would be the perfect song to represent being stranded on a deserted island ha ha. So, my first choice would be “Shipwrecked”. Then I think “Jet Black Sommer,” with it being our most successful song with this new lineup, would be my second choice. Lastly, I would choose “Ghost Like This” because it is one of our more upbeat songs musically, even if the lyrics do not express that.

CAMERON: I love “The Walls Are Closing In” and “Jet Black Sommer” (notice it’s not “Summer,” it’s “Sommer” which is on purpose) and “Drain To White”. It’s hard to say because our album is so in its early stages and we have sooooo much more music to release. We are just getting started.

Are your songs created in pretty much the same way in every case? Do you have to be in particular locations or moods to be inspired?

CAMERON: Yes, most definitely. I will have brain storms by seeing something and a lot of the time it’s me dinking around with patterns, loops, synths or a punchy drum loop.

MARIO: Usually, I do my best writing in my car. I use my phone to record ideas so I don’t lose them, then rush home to start developing the song. That’s how both “Drain to White” and “Witch’s Broom” were born.

BRIAN: Usually one member brings an idea and everyone else writes their parts.

Could you give us some insight into your studio, your “tools of the trade” so to speak? How much is hardware/physical instruments and how much is based on softsynths and the like?

BRIAN: Drums and Keyboards are software synths, everything else such as guitars, bass and vocals are all physical instruments.

CAMERON: We are a four-piece band and we all play multiple instruments. As far as my gear and studio goes, I do use VST and various Daws (Reason, Logic) and I do rip sounds from my vintage synths. I mean, in a dream world I probably would have a whole room dedicated to vintage and new synths, drum machines and anything I can poke or bang on in my recording process.

MARIO: ​​Cam B is a soft synth addict, but he has the whole Roland Library, Uhe Diva, etc., and they sound amazing. I mean, he still is a hands on player in the studio. We both use Logic and personally I record through a Universal Audio Apollo Twin. I tend to play the parts physically, and perhaps poorly, so it’s a lot of takes!! For the record, we both have actual hardware (keys) that we use for recording as well, but more often than not he or I will find a soft synth sound that is equal to or better than some of my hardware. C’est la vie! Brian records the guitars old school: live through amps. You can hear the difference. Maddie records direct.

Some artists often engage in certain rituals when composing in the studio or before performing. Ex: They may like to have certain items around, They may do certain pre-show preparation, They may do things like meditation. Are there any particular rituals you do before writing or performing?

CAMERON: Speaking for myself, I need things organized. I sometimes over prepare and have cords and back-up cords. I don’t really have any rituals other than throwing TV’s out the window of hotels, biting heads off bats and occasionally driving my BMW into swimming pools while conjuring up the Dark Lord himself in cemeteries. Other than that I am pretty low key.

MADDIE: I wouldn't say there's a specific ritual I perform before every show, but I do use the time of putting on my makeup to relax and get my head into a performance mindset. I don't think I could ever do a show without makeup on. It's like a uniform. I would just feel naked without it, even though most days I don't wear any make up at all. On stage is different. You have to look the part to feel the part.

What do you anticipate for the coming months? Side projects, shows, more releases?

CAMERON: More shows, definitely, tours, and putting out lots more material… Meeting new people, listeners and any success we may gain.

BRIAN: We have more singles that we have recorded that we are going to release as we work on our next full length.

MARIO: We all have side-projects, but our priority is Sevit. If one of us has time to cram something in, more power to them! But Krystal (Garcia, manager, and agent extraordinaire at Distorted Heartbeat) keeps us pretty busy.

William ZIMMERMAN
04/11/2024