Interview: Bleeding Raven

Recently, DutchMetalManiac’s Tim van Velthuysen interviewed Bleeding Raven’s Dean Mason.

Hey, how are you?

I’m doing the best I can under these weird circumstances with the pandemic etc.

Can you tell us something about the history of Bleeding Raven?

Bleeding Raven is a very recent project. I have been involved in another project, Gnostic Gorilla, which has released material that is gothic and industrial and generally dark alternative electronic music. I wanted to do an album that is specifically aggrotech and so I started Bleeding Raven as an experiment in this genre. It’s actually been receiving a lot of positive response. Way back, I got involved in music and did a single, Dark Hallway/Golgotha, and it was released just as Dean Mason and the so called indie label was Lonely Ghost Productions. In 2012 I decided to revisit doing music as a hobby more or less and began recording electronic music, more of an industrial bent. In 2016 I released my first album (after having released many singles) called St. Basil’s Asylum. I originally went with the project name of The Lonely Ghost Project but when I found out there was an American band called The Lonely Ghost Parade I decided to rename the project Gnostic Gorilla. I released a few albums as Gnostic Gorilla and in 2018 Cleopatra released St. Basil’s Asylum anew and that was a very special highlight for me as Cleopatra is a classic label with a great roster of artists, many of the more alternative type. In May of 2019, I started the Bleeding Raven project as an experiment in more aggressive and creepy industrial music that some call aggrotech. (I call it dungeon trash).

For people not knowing Bleeding Raven (yet), how would you describe your music yourself?

It’s creepy, dark, abrasive and bizarre. Some of my more recent releases are more in the black metal ambient style (without the philosophical mindset). The music would be perfect for horror flick soundtracks.

When someone doesn’t know Bleeding Raven yet and you can choose one of your songs to present yourself, which song would that be?

Hmmmm. Right now I would say VERRTRANDT-SUTURE MIX because it’s close to my heart.

What makes Bleeding Raven unique?

I don’t subscribe to the notion of unique. No one is unique these days. Unique stopped being a ‘thing’ in the ’90s. It’s all been done. I believe each human being is unique, but that’s an existential proclamation but as far as music goes…it’s all been done.

Any upcoming gigs for Bleeding Raven? Maybe coming to The Netherlands?

Sadly, Bleeding Raven is not a live act.

How do you think your life would be without music?

Music is very important.

What advice would you give to young and starting bands?

Well, if you’re an artist yourself, do it ONLY for the sake of the art itself—as an expression of your inner struggles. If you do it because you hope to be famous, you will not be doing art but something else and your creativity will be stifled. Believe in yourself but not in anticipation of approval from others. Just believe in yourself.

Thanks for your answers! Is there anything you want to say to DutchMetalManiac’s readers?

It’s a strange world out there. There are a lot of demented people who are just motivated by hate…for whatever reason. FUCK EM! Here’s the thing, anyone that has to belittle someone else for whatever reason (racism, homophobia, bigotry, whatever) is saying more about who they are than anything else. And trust me, bullies never succeed in the end. Either they get help themselves or they lose in a big way. And, well, to quote Gene Simmons, “Don’t take shit from anyone…ever.”

Bleeding Raven Official Website
Bleeding Raven Facebook
Bleeding Raven Bandcamp
Bleeding Raven Spotify