Doomed Confessionary: Calvin Bauer (Skull Servant)
Skull Servant are a 3-piece psychedelic doom metal band based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band formed in 2022, and have since solidified into a trio of devoted musicians who work exceptionally well together. Bassist Noah Terrell and guitarist Calvin Bauer have collaborated on musical projects off-and-on since 2015. Each contributes a distinctive vocal style, yet they masterfully weave them together into a singularly compelling and effective sound. The exceptional drum work of Wes Carter, with whom Calvin has performed since 2021, completes the package.
With a smorgasbord of influences ranging from Electric Wizard, Sleep, and Sodom to Gandalf and The Sword, Skull Servant’s brand displays a faithful commitment to the genre staples of doom. Skull Servant’s quintessential stoner metal sludginess is deftly enhanced by the daring juxtaposition of haunting vocal melodies, their heaviness made unique by undeniably groovy psychedelic undercurrents.
Skull Servant released their latest EP »Summon Sorceress« on March 1st, 2024.
Can you say a few words about your band?
We are Skull Servant, and our goal is to approach proto/early metal with a modern mindset. Sort of an alternate reality of the late 70s/early 80s.
What was the biggest challenge for the band last year?
We were supposed to have an entire month to finish recording and mixing our live EP »Traditional Black Magicks 2«, but we all got covid and only had like 3 days.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Cracking the Doom Charts 3 times in 12 months is seriously cool!
What was your biggest regret?
Assuming you mean related to the band haha, probably just not spending enough time polishing the production on certain songs. We get so excited to release the songs we love we didn’t always give them the time they deserved.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
There’s been a ton of awesome ones, but anytime we get to play in Winston Salem, specifically the Monstercade, it’s always a blast.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
How friendly the doom scene is! The camaraderie is unmatched, when a lot of other scenes are stupidly competitive.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
I’ve been enjoying the new We Follow The Earth record, and I’ve gone back to the classic Slayer record »Show No Mercy«. Which is the best Slayer album, and I’ll die on that hill.
Can you say something more about the music scene in Chapel Hill / North Carolina?
North Carolina doom is bubbling up and preparing to be a massive metal scene, we’re extremely excited to be part of the forefront.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
We will of course be playing around North Carolina, but will be making our way to Europe this summer. Unfortunately that’s all the details I’m allowed to give right now!
What are your plans for the future as a band?
We’re currently recording our first full-length album, hoping to have it out this year! Anyone who’s familiar with how quickly we move should expect to see it soon…
How can people best support your band?
Besides buying merch and streaming our music, my favorite is when fans come to our shows and hang out with us! We’re pretty friendly so it’s always a good time.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Not really, just thank you for supporting us, and we have a lot more stuff coming we’re very excited about.
Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well