1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Divinity is a 5 piece metal band from Calgary, Canada. The band was formed in 1998, by Sean Jenkins, and we have gone through many different incarnations since then. Now we have two full length albums out, the latest being “The Singularity”, released by Candlelight/EMI on Aug 10 / 2010.
2. How would you describe your musical sound?
Everyone in the band comes from very different musical backgrounds. Some of us come from the Metallica / Slayer / Anthrax / Testament school and others come from more of a Death Metal background. We use that diversity to make our music more of a concoction of styles. It seems that no matter how brutal we try to be, the more the melody comes through and the more melodic we try to be, the more blast beats happen. On “The Singularity”, the songs really wrote themselves, where as our previous album, “Allegory”, was five years of constant attention and honing each note until we were happy. Our sound has been compared to later era Death with the brutality and atmosphere of Strapping Young Lad.
3. What is the meaning behind the band's name?
Divinity means a higher state of being or a higher power beyond human comprehension. When we adopted the name, it really just sounded cool, then we started to realize its true meaning and now I think we are proud of the name we have chosen. I think it’s helped us to rise above a lot of the strife and grief we have experienced and know that “Divinity” has given us a way to live better and happier lives. I mean, you wouldn’t want your band to be called “Sewage Stench”. No one would come to your shows. They would think you smelled bad.
4. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?
Our lyrics represent our vision of what we live in right now. It is the age of computers, the age of robots, and the age of science fiction. 95% of all people will never question their place in a system of slavery, because they would rather fight for the comfort that the system provides, rather than the truth and freedom that comes with being enlightened and shown a new way to live. I’m not pretending to know the answer to the world’s problems, but we do look a little deeper than a lot of people, simply because we know that humanity has a better chance of thriving and finding peace if we change our ways as a collective now. These are the thoughts that go into our lyrics. Metal music backs that and gives a real powerful platform to launch thought provoking ideas.
5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
We love to play live, even though we aren’t known as the “tour dogs.” We do have a very energetic and fun live show. Sean always says something that makes no sense, and usually someone has gas on stage. So usually we are laughing and having a lot of fun underneath our scary faces.
Summer Slaughter Canada was a trip for us, playing with some of our longtime band friends like Neuraxis and Into Eternity, as well as some real idols like Necrophagist and Dying Fetus.
6. What are the touring plans for the future?
As of right now we will be going to Quebec in October to play some shows with Beneath the Massacre. Then we play deh Trois Riviere Metalfest with Neuraxis, Martyr, and Cannibal Corpse.
After that we are talking about a European tour. Stay tuned in the next few weeks for updates on that.
7. You are currently signed to Candlelight Records, how would you describe the support that you have gotten from the label so far?
Its as good as it gets in this genre, you know. Every band would like to be flying around the country and having lunch on the label’s dime, but times have changed, a lot!!!!!!!! So there is not a lot of money for smaller, more specialized types of metal bands. Someone really has to figure this download thing out because we may see a few thousand more record sales, but we will probably not see one cent for the next ten years. It may seem like a cynical answer, but the truth is, the label doesn’t hand anything to any band for free.
8. What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
I would like to see our third album go more in the huge and epic direction. Some other guys in the band may think we would go more brutal or more melodic, but as we saw from the writing of the last album, the songs will probably write themselves and we will sound even more like Divinity. But since Sacha (guitars) does all of the engineering / production / mixing, he will be even better at it next time, and the third album will melt your gizzard.
9. Do you have any side projects besides this band, if so who are they and what kind of music do they play?
We all have some side stuff going on. Sacha just completed his Enditol album, which is his solo project that he has been working on for years. www.myspace.com/enditol Its finally done and its even more tech and over the top than Divinity. He has Jarrod Maxwell-Lyster doing the vox, which means total next generation vocal lines with everything from Meshuggah to Tool in there.
I also play guitar with “Marija.” www.myspace.com/rijamusic We went to Nashville to record with Michael Wagener (Skid row, Metallica, Ozzy) and got a phenomenal rock album done. That was awesome. It gives me the chance to rock out a bit.
10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your musical style and what are you listening to nowadays?
Our style is a blend of everything from Metallica and Iron Maiden to Meshuggah and Blotted Science. Death and Cynic have also helped us forge something unique and thought provoking. Dream Theater is a favorite of all of us, as well as Testament.
I am currently listening to Katatonia, the new Jorn Lande Dio tribute, and the new Thrice album. Sacha has been really into Revocation, Heathen, and the immortal and timeless Blotted Science album.
11. What are some of your interests outside of music?
We do as much hiking and mountain biking as we can, being a half hour from the beautiful and awe inspiring Rocky Mountains. Being in the mountains rejuvenates you and gives you the clarity to write from the heart.
Brett does martial arts and a lot of sports, Nick plays with himself and Sean makes up dumb shit to say on stage.
12. Any final words or thoughts?
We hope to reach as many fans as we can with our music, and we truly strive to give people something to think about when they listen to our music. I remember what it was like to hear Slayer’s Seasons in the Abyss or Master of Puppets and just read the lyrics and let your imagination go wild. Hopefully people who listen will do the same. We put as much effort into our lyrics, artwork, and message as we do the music. I think that is the true test of timeless music. Music should take you to a completely different place in your mind, so you can escape the struggles of life and make sense of what you can. I know for me, music has been one of the only real ways I was able to deal with life. Good or bad. Cheers!
Divinity is a 5 piece metal band from Calgary, Canada. The band was formed in 1998, by Sean Jenkins, and we have gone through many different incarnations since then. Now we have two full length albums out, the latest being “The Singularity”, released by Candlelight/EMI on Aug 10 / 2010.
2. How would you describe your musical sound?
Everyone in the band comes from very different musical backgrounds. Some of us come from the Metallica / Slayer / Anthrax / Testament school and others come from more of a Death Metal background. We use that diversity to make our music more of a concoction of styles. It seems that no matter how brutal we try to be, the more the melody comes through and the more melodic we try to be, the more blast beats happen. On “The Singularity”, the songs really wrote themselves, where as our previous album, “Allegory”, was five years of constant attention and honing each note until we were happy. Our sound has been compared to later era Death with the brutality and atmosphere of Strapping Young Lad.
3. What is the meaning behind the band's name?
Divinity means a higher state of being or a higher power beyond human comprehension. When we adopted the name, it really just sounded cool, then we started to realize its true meaning and now I think we are proud of the name we have chosen. I think it’s helped us to rise above a lot of the strife and grief we have experienced and know that “Divinity” has given us a way to live better and happier lives. I mean, you wouldn’t want your band to be called “Sewage Stench”. No one would come to your shows. They would think you smelled bad.
4. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?
Our lyrics represent our vision of what we live in right now. It is the age of computers, the age of robots, and the age of science fiction. 95% of all people will never question their place in a system of slavery, because they would rather fight for the comfort that the system provides, rather than the truth and freedom that comes with being enlightened and shown a new way to live. I’m not pretending to know the answer to the world’s problems, but we do look a little deeper than a lot of people, simply because we know that humanity has a better chance of thriving and finding peace if we change our ways as a collective now. These are the thoughts that go into our lyrics. Metal music backs that and gives a real powerful platform to launch thought provoking ideas.
5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
We love to play live, even though we aren’t known as the “tour dogs.” We do have a very energetic and fun live show. Sean always says something that makes no sense, and usually someone has gas on stage. So usually we are laughing and having a lot of fun underneath our scary faces.
Summer Slaughter Canada was a trip for us, playing with some of our longtime band friends like Neuraxis and Into Eternity, as well as some real idols like Necrophagist and Dying Fetus.
6. What are the touring plans for the future?
As of right now we will be going to Quebec in October to play some shows with Beneath the Massacre. Then we play deh Trois Riviere Metalfest with Neuraxis, Martyr, and Cannibal Corpse.
After that we are talking about a European tour. Stay tuned in the next few weeks for updates on that.
7. You are currently signed to Candlelight Records, how would you describe the support that you have gotten from the label so far?
Its as good as it gets in this genre, you know. Every band would like to be flying around the country and having lunch on the label’s dime, but times have changed, a lot!!!!!!!! So there is not a lot of money for smaller, more specialized types of metal bands. Someone really has to figure this download thing out because we may see a few thousand more record sales, but we will probably not see one cent for the next ten years. It may seem like a cynical answer, but the truth is, the label doesn’t hand anything to any band for free.
8. What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
I would like to see our third album go more in the huge and epic direction. Some other guys in the band may think we would go more brutal or more melodic, but as we saw from the writing of the last album, the songs will probably write themselves and we will sound even more like Divinity. But since Sacha (guitars) does all of the engineering / production / mixing, he will be even better at it next time, and the third album will melt your gizzard.
9. Do you have any side projects besides this band, if so who are they and what kind of music do they play?
We all have some side stuff going on. Sacha just completed his Enditol album, which is his solo project that he has been working on for years. www.myspace.com/enditol Its finally done and its even more tech and over the top than Divinity. He has Jarrod Maxwell-Lyster doing the vox, which means total next generation vocal lines with everything from Meshuggah to Tool in there.
I also play guitar with “Marija.” www.myspace.com/rijamusic We went to Nashville to record with Michael Wagener (Skid row, Metallica, Ozzy) and got a phenomenal rock album done. That was awesome. It gives me the chance to rock out a bit.
10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your musical style and what are you listening to nowadays?
Our style is a blend of everything from Metallica and Iron Maiden to Meshuggah and Blotted Science. Death and Cynic have also helped us forge something unique and thought provoking. Dream Theater is a favorite of all of us, as well as Testament.
I am currently listening to Katatonia, the new Jorn Lande Dio tribute, and the new Thrice album. Sacha has been really into Revocation, Heathen, and the immortal and timeless Blotted Science album.
11. What are some of your interests outside of music?
We do as much hiking and mountain biking as we can, being a half hour from the beautiful and awe inspiring Rocky Mountains. Being in the mountains rejuvenates you and gives you the clarity to write from the heart.
Brett does martial arts and a lot of sports, Nick plays with himself and Sean makes up dumb shit to say on stage.
12. Any final words or thoughts?
We hope to reach as many fans as we can with our music, and we truly strive to give people something to think about when they listen to our music. I remember what it was like to hear Slayer’s Seasons in the Abyss or Master of Puppets and just read the lyrics and let your imagination go wild. Hopefully people who listen will do the same. We put as much effort into our lyrics, artwork, and message as we do the music. I think that is the true test of timeless music. Music should take you to a completely different place in your mind, so you can escape the struggles of life and make sense of what you can. I know for me, music has been one of the only real ways I was able to deal with life. Good or bad. Cheers!
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