BLISSKRIEG is the culmination of many stars aligning. Each with their own story to tell, Todd Whitener, Donald Carpenter, Matt Taul and Jesse Vest have the musical pedigree of several successful rock bands in their DNA including Tantric, Days of the New, Submersed and Eye Empire. The birth of this musical creation never would have taken place had it not been for the world as we know it being turned upside down in 2020. You need the downs to have the ups, and for us, this brotherhood has been the great redeemer.
BLISSKRIEG’s debut album, Remedy, is available for purchase and streaming on all digital platforms. The band hope to make an announcement soon regarding physical copies of the record, so stay tuned!
To be perfectly honest with everyone, when I saw Donald Carpenter’s name attached to this new group, it immediately had my attention. I say that with absolutely no disrespect towards the other guys. I first met and interviewed Donald before an Eye Empire show back in 2013 and was moved my his words and the passion he had for his craft. Then, I was blown away by watching him perform on-stage. Fast forward to 2016 and we talked again when he fronted Apollo Under Fire. That brings us to 2021 and this incredibly talented band called Blisskrieg which is made up of Carpenter, Todd Whitener, Matt Taul and Jesse Vest. As mentioned before, the band has recently released its debut album Remedy which is already a strong contender for our Best Albums of 2021 list. I was fortunate to be able to sit down with lead vocalist Donald Carpenter recently who schooled me on the origin band, what its name means and much more.
First off, what a loaded line up as far as a resume of experience you guys have. You have the DNA from so many bands in your DNA including Tantric, Days of the New, Submersed and Eye Empire. Every super hero or villain has an origin and a band is the same way minus the secret government experiments and radioactive spiders. How did the four of you come together to form this?
Donald Carpenter/Blisskrieg: I’m a big comic book and super hero fan from childhood and now it’s all coming back into style. So, I like the analogy and how you put that together. I think what really truly gives a superhero their depth of character is their experiences. Not just their triumphs, but some of their failures and some of the things that force you to learn a lesson. I think for us as a band, redemption has been a word that has always been in the conversation. This record and the songs and stories we’re able to share within that record really did a lot of healing. They were great redeemers as Todd likes to use that term. It wasn’t any one particular thing I think that brought us together other than the fact that God had a greater plan than we had even for ourselves. A couple of years ago, the stars aligned where Todd just stumbled upon “Hollow” from my first band, Submerged. I know it was one of those songs he had listened to back when it first came out and had made an impact on him. It sent him on a hunt to see what I was doing now. That kind of started the ball in motion that brought us all together.
When he reached out to me, it really woke me up that maybe I’m not done doing this yet. My path had taken me down a road where I was really second guessing what my next steps in life were gonna be in general. I didn’t have a lot of the desire to put myself back through this because it just takes everything you are if you know what I mean.
You have to put your whole self into it, but then it can also just tear you to the ground. I’ve experienced that, and I think we all have. I know they’ve been through a lot as well. So for the Lord to bring us together and give us the opportunity amidst all the chaos and confusion with the pandemic and just help give us clarity through our own particular lives. It was just such a beautiful experience.
Without a doubt. Being able to listen to the record, and take it in more because it’s been such a fast process. It really comes through. Just down to a simple detail, Todd didn’t want to use any auto-tune on this record. He just wanted to let it be what it was. I think that in itself adds to the sincerity of what we’re trying to put out there.
So when you said Todd reached out to you, did he already have this band in mind? Were they already working on things and he thought of you?
Jesse was working his day job, Matt was working his day job. Those three hadn’t really conversed too much other than just kind of checking in on each other through out this. Todd was working his way up through the Dierks Bentley crew and really peaking. He is a phenomenal human being. Not just as a player, but someone you can count on. He’s intelligent, very detail oriented. He’s successful in a lot of arenas, so when he reached out to me, it was really just to see what I was doing. And I was a huge Days of the New fan. They were playing the music that was coming from my heart, that was the music I wanted to make. And Tantric is really the same way, wherever they went I was gonna follow. Knowing that it was him reaching out to me, that was big for me. So, that just started a dialogue of two admirers talking about music.
How so?
He’s like ‘Hey maybe we can start writing some music and sending stuff back and forth.’ The first night that we actually met, I just said ‘Hey I am really down to just try anything’ and really it’s my journey back to faith hood. I had surrendered to the Lord and said I’m gonna go where you take me. I’m gonna trust wherever that is is where I’m intended to be.
From there we started throwing things back and forth via the Internet, but that’s a bit of a slow process. And things had not yet come to halt yet with the pandemic, so Todd was still very much busy. Nothing was really realistic at that point as far as being able to realistically make some music. So the beginning of the next year is when the pandemic started and that brought touring to a screeching halt. So that gave Todd a lot of time to really start to analyze where we could take this.
During that process he’d started talking with Jesse more, and they were discussing Matt. When he came back to me and asked in such a humble manner, as if I was gonna decline it, I was like ‘Absolutely!’ you know? For me getting back into music, I didn’t want to put myself into any type of box. I just wanted to go out and be able to find people who were creative and deserved a chance to be able to express themselves. So I never really thought it would manifest itself in this type of way. But it’s been such a beautiful experience to be welcomed into a synergy that has so much success. And in a lot of ways had the success that I’ve always wanted. To have that opportunity and to do it together, I don’t even know what to say about that.
Sounds like it was meant to be. It was part of His plan. Some people aren’t as open to realize things like this. They don’t happen on our time, they happen on His time.
Yeah. You know, it’s always a touchy subject. I never share those things trying to push my views or my agenda on anybody. I share those things to let people know that I’m an open book. And I don’t have all the answers, but I know that where I am now and where I will be in the future is like you said, all on His time. The more that I have surrendered to that, the more affirmation I get on a day to day basis.
It really sounds like things really fell right into place for you guys. I read somewhere that you guys recorded the album in just one week?
Well yeah if you put all the time together, it was a very quick process. Vocally, I’ve traditionally worked fairly quickly. The older I’ve gotten, I feel like you just get better at the process. So it makes you a bit more efficient. But with this process, we weren’t gonna auto tune it. It was about the sincerity of the performance. So we weren’t going to do a million and one takes. When we had the emotion we wanted, that was it.
Jesse is so underrated as a bass player. I know people know how incredible these guys are as musicians. He is hands down one of the most impressive bass players I’ve ever been around. Not just with his dexterity on the instrument, but his creative ability to find the right pocket. I can’t say enough things about him. So his process is really just a matter or two or three run throughs of something. He’s phenomenal.
Todd is the mastermind. The thing about Matt is he has so many great ideas, you have to find that lane and have him lock into it. He was locked in. And like I said, it was a sense of redemption. So there’s no frills, there’s no messing around. We’re all family men. We have balance in our lives. We’re not here to party and drink. We’re here to create music and be together. And that’s all we did. I think when you’re focused like that, it actually comes together quickly.
I will say I’ve always talked to the guys through this process. I’m a bit of a weirdo, I get metaphysical, I get a little hippy-ish and out there. I feel like we’ve made music before in a past life. It was one of those things where I just felt like we’ve found each other again. And we were here to…..I would like to think get it right this time. Maybe one of those previous lives, we got so far and didn’t quite make it. But here we are, we’ve found ourselves again and we’re ready to give it another go. Todd equates it to channeling and that’s naturally how I kinda try to write in general. But to be able to actually come together with other bandmates that really kind of get in their head the same way, it was pretty effortless.
My other music nerd question has to do with the name of the band. Sometimes there’s meaning and sometimes it’s just pulled out of a hat. What’s up with you guys?
It started out as a play on words. Jesse’s a very funny cerebral type of guy. For me, I absolutely hate the naming of the band process. I just don’t like it at all. I like to dive right into the music. We started the conversation and Jesse had some things he’d been pondering for a little while and one of those was “Blisskrieg” and it was a play on words because the tradition was “blitzkrieg,” which is of German origin and doesn’t have a lot of positive connotation to it. We felt like we could have kind of have a play on words and take some of the power back, some of that negativity and really twist it in a way. Blitz stands for lightning and krieg stands for war. So lightning war is kind of the where that root of that word comes from.
When you put bliss in there instead of blitz, it’s really like loving. Now you have a word that stands for loving war. Which would be that mindset and that attitude of being a little more aggressive with our positive nature. And not just only saving that for moments of unfortunate circumstance, we try to be a little more uplifting. We’re trying to go out there and really bring a little love and understanding and compassion and empathy to the world again. And have that as a part of your conscious intention. So over time, that’s what it’s become for me.
As we were debating the naming process, one of the points I always make is the name that makes the music, or the music that makes the name? When I look back at some of these bands that are just known as the greats and I look at some of the names out there. They’re just not very good names. But the music was so phenomenal that it just really made itself.
Once we had the music down, I think it made a lot of sense. Analyzing the word started to come into a little more clarity on what that subconscious intent on that name that was coming through Jesse meant. And then now, the trifecta on that process is having the music out there now and watching the response. It feels like the response we’ve gotten is the blisskrieg. We have in turn been overwhelmed with this love and this acceptance. For me, that’s really what it is. It’s a loving war. It’s the ability to come together and just find that common ground.
You guys did this indie. I’m listening to this album and it is so solid. I don’t know how the process is that you used to pick pick the first single. How tough was it for you guys or was it a no-brainer?
It’s part of the process and I think with a lot of albums it is clear cut what those one, two or three songs are and you kind of build the record around that. Once again, we didn’t go into this with any expectations. So we weren’t trying to sit down and write singles or anything of that nature. So when it came time in that process and we’re looking at the record, it’s so subjective. Everybody’s gonna have a favorite and then each time you listen to it, depending on what mood you’re in. The stories going to speak to you differently so that’s going to change. So we started looking at the dynamics of the album and from there we start just trying to simplify our process. What kind of showcases somewhat the variety of the record? And also what kind of sets up the progression of the album? And I think that naturally came to “Inside Me” which is the first track on the album.
We wrote ten songs and there’s ten songs on the album. This wasn’t a process where we came in and created 30 ideas and picked our favorite ten. What we wrote is what’s there. It was the most efficient process I think you could ever ask for as an artist. Through that process the songs kind of ended up telling a story. It’s not really conceptual, but it’s intended to be listened to in succession. So starting off with “Inside Me” it just kind of ended up winning. It was the start of the journey for us all. The harmonies opening up, there’s just so many elements about it that just kind of catch your attention.
We discussed that too. Not all first singles out the gate are the best songs necessarily. They’re really kind of intended to get your attention. That’s one of those songs that I think really showcase the range and the ability of the band. From there I think it just keeps getting better and better.
Well if that was the choice for the opener, I think “Remedy” was definitely a great choice to close it up with. That’s definitely one of my favorite tracks on the album.
“Inside Me” is really showcasing the frustration and confusion and the agitation of the process of addiction and mental illness and depravity. Whatever it is, driven by ego. In my contribution I tried to tell stories that we could all relate to. And for those guys, they had such amazing success early on and that’s hard to handle. That was kind of where my mind was at setting up that first verse in the song. So to really kind of start with that confusion and that angst and that frustration. You kind of start through this healing process as the story goes along. Then “Remedy” most definitely feels like a place of healing. It’s one of those songs that we put together in a particular way that kind of left you wanting to start it over again.
Nice. So I know it’s been out for a few weeks now. With the feedback that you’re getting back from people, are you noticing people gravitating toward a particular song?
Well, everyone’s just as confused as we are. They like them all. (laughing) which is a good problem to have. I know we all have our personal favorites. I know for Todd it’s like “Wherever You Go” and I’ve seen a lot of people gravitating to that. And that makes me feel good for him. This whole process has been so affirming, that’s great to make that connection.
For me, I’ve been seeing a lot of “She Cries” and that’s a song that’s really close to my heart. It was an emotional experience going through the process and recording it. I really like seeing people gravitate to that.
There’s so much intention to impact the listener behind what we’re creating. And there’s so much heart and soul that goes into wanting to make a connection. So when you really truly put that into it and then you see people making a connection and you know you’re making an impact and you know that these songs can make a difference. There’s just no better feeling.
An indie album debuting at #7 on itunes. You guys had to have been blown away by that. That’s pretty amazing!
Well, once again going into it with no expectations. I think it makes you grateful and appreciate every little thing that comes your way. It’s unexpected and so welcomed. So appreciated. It actually gets you pumped up, it gets you hungry for more. Makes you want to do a little more and there’s so much uncertainty in the business right now as far as how we’re going to be able to move forward. But the outlet of getting able to get music to people and make that connection is still there. It just feels so good to be a part of it.
And I did read that you’re still working on a vinyl and cd release? Are you still working all of those details out?
Yeah, it’s all out of pocket. When it comes to any type of merchandise, t-shirts or cd’s or anything. You learn over that process that the savings are in bulk. So if you’re out there touring and you have the ability to get in front of people and get to move some cd’s and things of that nature it makes it so much more flexible to put some strategies together to make that possible. We’re so limited with our ability to create a balance. We just have to be really patient and take our time with it.
We knew it was important. Even though we have a pedigree, we’re still a new band. We knew it was important to get it out there at least digitally. This grass roots movement can begin while the industry is catching up. While we’re trying to find out the most feasible and best way of getting some physical copies out there without jeopardizing or putting ourselves in a position to not be able to take advantage of other opportunities that come our way. As far as management, labels, things of that nature. There’s just so many conversations we haven’t even been able to try to have because the communication is just not there. It’s not a plausible path at the moment. Patience is the virtue. It’s been great to get to at least get something out there for people to start sharing and feeling and hopefully get out there and actually promote at some point. And get physical copies out there and sign some copies and do all those fun things that I know the fans enjoy and that we enjoy. It’s that deeper connection that just makes all of this worthwhile.
With all that being said, are there are any other upcoming further plans for this release or for the band you want to throw out there and mention?
Yeah. Absolutely. One of the things I enjoy about this band too. I’ve always been around amazing musicians, but at this particular point in time I’m working with a group of high level mature and intelligent people. They are very very smart with how they want to do things. And they’re also very smart with keeping things moving and keeping things fresh. We’ve already started discussing what our next steps are.
One of those is some type of webcast or some type of live performance that we can broadcast via the Internet. That’s a popular thing that’s happening in the industry right now. But there’s logistical things we have to figure out because of the distance. That’s how that goes, but it’s one thing that we’re talking about.
Another thing we’re talking about is some more video content. We have a couple of tracks we’re going to start working on whether it be a lyric video or stock footage content type of video. Whether it be full production or performance video. We have a couple of tracks that we are planning right now. To get together and get that content to help promote the album. So that will be a lot of fun.
Thirdly, I’m going on a limb here, I may be pulling a big no-no. I’ll give you the inside track. We can’t make new music fast enough. Like I said, we came together and it happened so quickly. We only wrote 10 songs, have 10 songs on the album. Well we want to get 30 or 40, you know. We want to keep going because we really just feel like we’ve scratched the surface on what we could offer. So we’re looking at putting together an acoustic EP as soon as possible.
I don’t know if I’d say that we have a vision, but one of the things that we talked about is like the Jar Of Flies EP and how Alice In Chains did that and the whole energy behind it. So something along those lines. Here pretty soon, we’re gonna get together. We’re going to work on the video content, we’re gonna start writing for this next offering, and just kind of keep moving. It’s kind of looking like it maybe take until the end of the year or so to find out how the touring situation goes. That’ll give Todd more time and give us another chance to strike while the iron is hot.
Man, I can hear it in your voice how excited you are about all of this.
Yeah. Sometimes I have to stop myself in my head on just how honest I am and how I feel because I don’t want to sound cuckoo. I definitely don’t want to sound like I’m coming from an ungrateful or unhumble position. I feel so miniscule and so small, you know? But this is a situation where I feel the spirit moving through me. I see the spirit moving through my band mates and honestly, one of the things that warms my heart more than anything is seeing how excited my family is. My kids were fairly young when Eye Empire was going on, my daughter was not even born. I want them to know this aspect of their father. I think it would be great. It’s just such a redeeming experience, like we said.
Donald, we like to end interviews with is something called 3 For The Road. 3 fun questions that we do that gets a little more to know about the artist, a little more about their personal side.
I love it.
Do you have… sometimes they call it a desert island album? If you were stuck on a desert island what one album would you want?
Oh my gosh, that’s such a hard question. When I’m really thinking about it and put myself in the setting of a desert isle. One of the records that makes me feel the most nostalgic as far as life and my connection to music and feeling like an old soul is Creedance Clearwater Revival’s Greatest Hits. If I had to sit back and have one record to put on repeat in the sand, eating the same damn coconuts every day, that album might be able to pull me through.
Do you remember what the very first album you bought with your own money was?
It’s a grunge album cause I was always kind of gifted stuff. I remember Alice In Chains Dirt came out and I remember saving up for that one and buying it at the local Walmart.
If you could have anybody be your inner voice, anybody. Who would it be?
That’s interesting. It could go different ways, but I think I’m gonna go with Clint Eastwood. I’ve always gravitated towards that grumpy sense of humor. That Bill Burr type of stand up comedy because I do kind of have that smart-aleck kind of agitated sense of humor.
No way man, no you!
Yeah (laughs), a lot of that I save for myself in my head. If I could think of anyone that could translate that in a way that would most convey my thoughts, Clint Eastwood is a riot.
The interview ended with me fanboying a bit about how much Donald has made an impact on me. Seriously though, I highly recommend their debut album. In an era where so many bands are fixated on singles, it’s rare to find an album so solid from beginning to end. He was right; this album should be listened to from beginning to end to fully get it. I think it’s time well invested if you do.
By I’m Music Magazine Owner/Editor Johnny Price
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