Bands on Bands: Nathan Opposition (Ancient VVisdom) on Misfits' Walk Among Us

Walk Among Us


Annihilating the Austin, Texas underground rock scene, Ancient VVisdom use unusual instrumentation – including bowed stand-up bass, synths, machete/bamboo percussion, over their acoustic guitars to create an unconventional yet enticing macabre sound.  Their approach earned them nominations for “Best Underground Band” at Metal Hammer’s Golden Gods Awards, “Best New Band” nomination at Classic Rock’s annual awards, a support tour with Ghost on their inaugural U.S. headlining tour, and an invitation to participate in a live broadcast for BBC radio.
Again mixed and mastered by A Godlike Inferno engineer/co-producer Jason Buntz (Jet, The Darkness,…Trail of Dead), along with partner and Enormous Door founder Jack Control, Ancient VVisdom release Deathlike via Prosthetic Records on February 5.  The band is currently in the midst of a tour with Royal Thunder, Pallbearer, and Enslaved (dates below).  Despite his busy schedule, Ancient VVisdom vocalist Nathan Opposition found time to talk with Ghettoblaster about his favorite album,Misfits’ Walk Among Us.  This is what he said about it…    
 

What is your favorite album? 

I have quite a few favorite albums… This is a tough one. I’d say one of my favorite albums would have to be the Misfits’ Walk Among Us.
Do you remember when you received or purchased the album? 

I don’t think I owned this album when got into it but I remember hearing it for the first time age 11 and being blown away. I was hanging out with my brother and our buddy Jacob, who lived behind our house, he had it. We would attempt to skateboard and jam out to the Misfits. This was a great discovery for me.
What is your favorite song on the album?  

I’d say “Night of the Living Dead,” such a great song, such a great movie. Every time I hear it, it takes me back to that place.
What is it about the song that resonates with you? 

I love the sing along factor, of course, the lyrics rules too. I love the intensity of the mood of this song. I also enjoy the parallel to the reality humanity, in many ways we are a reflection of this.
Have you ever covered a song from the album?  

I’m sure I have in my younger years. Not with any band live or anything, but just for kicks in the basement or just jammin’ with friends.
What is it about the album that makes it stand out against the band’s other output?  

 A lot of their songs are great on this album but this song always stood out as a choice tune. The energy is there. Everything is in its place.
Have you ever given a copy of this record to anyone?  What were the circumstances? 

 I never have. As soon as I had a personal copy I never let it go.
Which of the records that you’ve performed on is your favorite? 
 
All of the recordings I have been on are special to me. One of my favorite songs is off of Deathlike. It’s one of our darkest and lightest albums to date. The mood is gloomy, heavy, and melodic.
What is your favorite song on the album and why?  

I like all of them. My favorite would have to be “Never Live Again,” one of our heaviest songs for sure. I like the chain percussion, the crunchy guitars, and the bright acoustics on this song. This song also has a particularly catchy hook at the end, some of my favorite lyrics on the album as well. 
(Catch Enslaved, Pallbearer, Royal Thunder and Ancient VVisdom on tour later this month.  Here are the dates:
Jan. 31 Baltimore, MD Ottobar
Feb. 1 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Small’s Theatre
Feb. 2 Detroit, MI The Magic Stick
Feb. 3 Chicago, IL Reggie’s Rock Club
Feb. 4 Minneapolis, MN Mill City Nights
Feb. 6 Denver, CO Marquis Theatre
Feb. 8 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
Feb. 9 San Francisco, CA Slim’s
Feb. 10 Portland, OR Branx
Feb. 11 Seattle, WA Highline Bar
Feb. 12 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret
Feb. 14 Edmonton, AB Pawn Shop
Feb. 15 Calgary, AB Dickens Pub
Feb. 16 Regina, SK The Exchange
Feb. 17 Winnipeg, MB The Osborne Village Inn
Feb. 19 Toronto, ON Opera House
Feb. 20 Montreal, QC Les Foufounes Electriques
Feb. 21 Boston, MA The Sinclair
Feb. 22 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom)