Heavy dark wave goth synths SAINT CURE got their start as a whole other project that would then later develop into who they are these days.... With that said, they have released three singles so far, with an EP and even an album coming soon. The band talks with us about their content and future plans.
1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or did it come out just like that?
Our band name comes from misreading a sign in a catholic church. Our lead singer thought that the “Saint Luke” painting said “Saint Lure”, which was eventually mangled into “Saint Cure”. We decided that it would be a sick band name, and so it became the title of our music project.
2. Why did you want to play this genre?
Originally we started as a melodic black metal inspired project. We wanted to sound like haunting, ethereal noise. With Scottie’s past of playing guitars in metal bands and Salem’s background in pop music, we found a common ground in 80’s new wave and post-punk. With all of these genres as inspiration, we landed in a gothic, synth heavy, darkwave sound. We believe that this genre chose us.
3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?
We knew each other for around 2 months before starting to write music together. We met at one of Salem’s shows through mutual friends, finding common interest in being in the music industry, the 80’s goth scene, and a love for creepy things.
4. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Saint Cure originated in Atlanta, Georgia, and has recently relocated to Asheville, NC. The ATL music scene has a focus on indie rock and metal, and the Athens goth scene was too far, which left us feeling out of place.
Asheville has a thriving alternative music scene with hundreds of underground DIY groups. We have a strong Goth scene, but since we are new to the city, we are still finding our way into it. Although we haven’t met too many other musicians, we are excited to meet more local bands and start playing shows.
5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?
We initially were inspired to write at young ages, due to our families coming from musical backgrounds. As die hard music nerds, we draw tons of inspiration from our mentors, as well as our favorite artists.
(including but not limited to: Sixousie and the Banshees, Metallica, Motionless in White, Iron Maiden, Fall Out Boy, Elliot Smith, Joy Division, and Weezer)
From a composition stand point, musical drive keeps us afloat. We have a desire to create. Scottie always says they “just like playing guitar, dude.”(which is totally valid)
Salem uses writing as an outlet to put all of their daydreams into words. It’s all a measure of story telling, whether it's through a synthstack, or simply lyrics.
6. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
We are influenced by horror movies and a shared love for the macabre. As non-religious people, the aesthetic and themes of catholicism are prevalent in our lyricism. We write about death, morbid romance, sapphism, creatures of sin, and spiritualism.
7. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)
WE WRITE EVERYTHING! We pride ourselves on being a two person DIY band with minimal equipment and no budget. A typical session starts with Scottie laying down the guitar and bass tracks. They create the bones of the song, and Salem adds all the flesh (and glitter).
Once we have a solid base, Salem finalizes the guitar arrangements and starts building up the electronic layers. Salem layers arpeggiated chords, over sparkly bells, reverby violins, heavy saws, and crunchy drums for the soundscape for the track. All the moving parts work together to give the song depth.
After the track is completed, it's time to add lyrics and vocals. Sometimes, we compose the music around already written lyrics; but most of the time Salem writes the lyrics after the track is completed. They listen over and over again till the track evokes its proper theme. There is always a specific image that the music fabricates. Putting words to that image and telling its story is incredibly important to us.
Once the lyrics are ready, Salem records the vocals. We strive to get each part in one take to maintain a somewhat raw, evocative sound. Salem finds that there is more authenticity in the first few vocal takes.
Adding lush layers of harmonies with LOTS of reverb creates a spacey, almost drowned out sound that we love.
We mix and master everything ourselves (usually on the couch trying not to lose our minds), and listen in our cars to make sure it sounds ok.
8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
So far, we have released 3 singles, our newest being “Tastes Like Doll Hair”, which is a morbid love song about waking up and thinking your partner is dead. Listeners can expect atmospheric synths, heavily layered vocal harmonies, and guitar riffs that evoke a sense of nostalgia. Our lyrics are image driven and paint mystical tales of the past. As a so-called “Darkwave” band, we are often compared to the likes of Cocteau Twins, Sisters of Mercy, and Twin Tribes.
9. Do you have any new music in the works?
We are wrapping up a 5 song EP for the coming months that we are going to announce soon. We are hoping to have a finished album within the next year.
10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
While we have yet to play any shows, we have been networking in our local scene and plan on playing live shows following the release of the EP.
11. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
As for immediate plans, our main focus is to release our album this year and spread our name through our local circuit. We plan on doing small tours of the southeast U.S. sometime within the next year. We are always looking for similar bands in our genre to collaborate with as well.
12. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Saint Cure’s music can be found on all streaming platforms and we are working on getting some merch set up, although it is not available at the moment since we are such a small band. We also have a Soundcloud, where we hope to release demos, covers, and unreleased tracks in the near future.
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