Al Cinseros of OM
Interviewed by Dave Fonseca on 10/10/2007
Transcribed by Dave Fonseca
In 2004, six years after the demise of stoner rock legends Sleep, Al Cinseros and Chris Hakius reunited to form OM. Since then they've released three albums of elemental doom metal. Their latest release, Pilgrimage, documents the band's continued press of the sonic boundaries of drum and bass. Pilgrimage isn't necessarily a display of growth from Cinseros and Hakius from their previous albums, rather it's a statement of their intent to continually plum the depths of their spacious form of doom.
“All of our albums are different reports on the same thing,” says Cinseros. However, he's reluctant to discuss exactly what OM is trying to convey with those reports. “That's for the reader to decide. That's why we have lyric sheets.” In general, Cinseros would rather let the music of OM speak for itself and is hesitant to send any messages that might muddy listeners' perception of their music. “We didn't even want a band name. It's really just a verbal address. So we picked something primal and at the core of what we do.” Clearly Cinseros doesn't want to make anything easy for fans. Questions about influences, themes, and especially the goals of OM's music are either summarily dismissed or side-stepped.
Unsurprisingly, the man responsible for two of the most esoteric doom projects or our time isn't quick to dole out instant gratification. Even less surprising is Cinseros' unwillingness to connect the dots between his own methodical and introspective nature and the music he makes. “I don't think music is really a reflection of who you are,” he says. “It's just a place, not a physical place, but a place where I feel sustainability. It's essential.”
Context clues are key in discerning Cinseros' muse. He offers a brief glimpse when responding to his current relationship with heavy metal. “I listen to it, but you can reach a point of cellular saturation,” he says. “I've listened to the first four Black Sabbath albums so many times that I don't need to listen to them to hear them.” The crowded metal scene in San Francisco, where Cinseros' makes his home, may also be a source of inspiration. “It's kind of competitive, and I think a lot of people go to shows and join bands just to be seen,” he says. “I think it leads to mediocrity. But there is a lot of energy and we have a responsibility not to be annihilated by it. It brings out the best in the music, but not in a way you would expect. Mike and I have kind of been there and done that, and we didn't really want to get back into it unless we really felt it.”
Perhaps the resurgence of Cinseros, who hadn't released any music publicly for over five years prior to the formation of OM, occurred to provide a potion for those vulnerable to vast, crashing waves of energy in the crowded metal scene.“When we play it's an event of sharing. There's no stage or audience,” he says. “When we play we wash ourselves totally.”
OM will be play pockets of shows across the US throughout 2008.