Green DruiD
Denver weed-worshipers enter a Lovecraft-ian portal
“For us, there is a sincere truth to phrases like ‘amplifier worship’ despite the slightly comedic intentions behind them,” reckons Graham Zander, guitarist with Denver doom neophytes Green Druid, of the ritualistic atmosphere behind the quartet’s stoned drones. “The music has a meditative quality that is then transformed into a very religious experience when it’s played at earthrumbling volumes.”
Although clearly suffused in eldritch Lovecraftian darkness, Green Druid’s discovery of Weird Tales’ master storyteller didn’t come through the well-worn route of dodgy horror flicks, borrowed paperbacks and old Metallica songs; the youthful quartet have a far more up-to-date medium to thank for inspiration.
“The album is directly inspired by fantasy videogames like the Dark Souls series and Bloodborne,” Graham explains. “Both games combine elements from the Cthulhu Mythos with classic fantasy and gothic horror, all of which are goldmines when it comes to suitable imagery for a metal album. We are collectively enraptured by the beauty and mystery that these games have created.”
Despite the modern technology that put them in tune with these vibes, Green Druid’s debut LP, Ashen Blood, is firmly rooted in the damp Earth of long ago. Asked if the Green Druid might one day travel into space or visit the future, Graham has an arch reply: “Anything is possible through our lord and saviour marijuana,” he intones.
“In all seriousness, we are also huge fans of sci-fi so it wouldn’t be a surprise at all. We love almost every form of fantastical escapism.”
Unusually, this appreciation of fantastical escapism does not equal a desire to escape their hometown. “Denver is awesome!” Graham enthuses of the Colorado state capital that Green Druid call home. “The metal scene here is truly amazing and it’s only getting better. Denver bands like Primitive Man, Khemmis and In The Company Of Serpents have set a very high standard for metal in the area.
Being able to play with and see bands of this quality on a regular basis has definitely helped younger bands like ourselves improve. We are very fortunate to be part of a scene like Denver’s.”
Another attraction to the area is clear from the band’s name and imagery: “When you grow up in a place like Colorado, it’s pretty difficult to not have at least some affinity for nature,” ponders the guitarist. “We did the promo photoshoot for our album in an isolated cemetery in Silverthorne. Most of the headstones were for children who had died of influenza about 200 years ago. It was tragic, very creepy, and set the tone for the shoot perfectly. We just went into the woods with some Halloween store robes, got high, and took some creepy photos.”
As if a shit-hot metal scene and vast stretches of outstanding natural beauty weren’t enough of a draw,
Denver is also the first US state to legalise marijuana.
“There’s a ton of really great things happening as a result,” affirms Graham. “There’s a shit-ton of money coming into the state right now that’s being used for infrastructure, which is awesome. But there are also a lot of people moving here to have access to it. Some people don’t seem to understand the responsibilities that come with having access to legal weed. While none of us are heavy drug users, we like anything that helps to enhance psychedelic experiences.”
“earthrumbling volume is a religious experience”
GRAHAM ZANDER