Interviews About Albums: Through Mists - Branches (2024)

In this new interview, we sat down with the Canadian Death Metal/Black Metal/Sludge Metal/Progressive Metal project Through Mists to ask questions about his album, "Branches".

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

The new album, Branches, is about the growth my family and I experienced before the birth of my son, and how relationships change as time passes and other milestones are met. Everything is part of the greater whole when it comes to family, and the decisions we make impact those closest to us. As such, the family unit becomes even more unified and supportive of its members in order to be the best it can be.

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

The name Branches plays off the idea of a family tree growing larger and stretching upwards to the sky, and given my nature-inspired imagery, fits well with the themes Through Mists uses.

3. Which one is the composer of the CD/EP?

I, James Aniston, composed, played recorded, mixed, and mastered the whole album.

4. If you had to pick one song, which would you choose?

If I had to pick one song it would be the last song, Neophyte, which I wrote as a kind of poem to my song from my and my wife's perspectives, about how we will do our best to guide and protect him. It also was the first song I wrote lyrics for and therefore set the tone for the rest of the album's lyrics and themes.

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD? If there is what is it?

The biggest message this album is broadcasting is that life will change, and it will change you with it, whether you understand how you have changed in context to the world around you. That, and the message of love for family and a willingness to act in a selfless way for someone else's benefit, is what this album is really saying the most

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

Yes, I think that the lyrics of the chorus for Branches are pretty cool, and also meaningful for me

"branches growing to the sky

live long after I have died gives me hope that there's a place we exist with eternal grace" and the end chorus from the song Catharsis

"lifting the pain from our hearts

before we go insane, this is how it starts

heaviest thing that we lift

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, someone you'd love to thank especially?

My biggest inspirations for this album are my wife and son, who are my main inspirations for everything I do. The rest of my family contributed in small ways as well, but it is mostly my wife and kid. Musically I approached it from a varied pool of subgenres, using both melodious and dissonant aspects to create something unique. I do like to add some technical flair but I would not say I am a technical band. A lot of the influence came from bands like Dimmu Borgir, Fear Factory, Dark Tranquillity, older In Flames, and Fallujah

8. Something to add?

Something I would like to add is just a very big thank you to all the fans, labels, other bands, interview and review sites, etc who have taken the time to listen to Through Mists. This is a very deeply personal project for me, and sharing my life experiences through allegory can be a bit abstract at times, but I am thankful there are people out there enjoying it! thank you too!