Interview 02 - Lyrthas

"Lyrthas is Lane Milburn’s fault."



[Q]What is Lyrthas?

Lyrthas is a music project I began in 2002, when I was 15 or 16, in high school. I had started listening to underground metal two or three years earlier on a college radio show in Lexington, KY called "Hemorrhaging Abscess" which would play at midnight on Fridays I think (still plays?). Before Lyrthas I was in a couple of other non-bands with other Lexington losers. A friend helped me record one Lyrthas demo tape, "In Shadows Imbued", which was released via Diabolus of Vrolok's Demonic Possession label. The demo is pretty run-of-the-mill I think but maybe it has its moments... In 2008 I put out "Drink the Blood" which has more of a Heavy/Thrash sound.

[Q] What are your other creative outlets?

I am primarily a painter and cartoonist. Around the time I released "In Shadows Imbued" I was doing pen-and-ink drawings for a few bands and publications around the world: Vrolok, Front Beast of Deathstrike Records in Germany, Hellish Massacre, a zine created by Erik of Watain. I play guitar when I take breaks from drawing: that pretty well sums up my musical activity. From 2005-2009 I played in the Baltimore rock band Witch Hat. We went on two brief tours through New England and the Midwest.



Lyrthas - Drink the Blood (cassette)


[Q] What are you doing to confront the endless waves of mediocrity in music?

I will not play Stoner Bike Crust Sludge-Grind or Eco-Feminist Fret-tapped Videogame Covers. I have no interest in "metal" as a set of ideals, as a lifestyle or a 'fashion statement'. I only care about riffs that penetrate.

[Q] Any forthcoming Lyrthas works?

Obsess demo tape now available. Other things coming soon. http://www.myspace.com/lyrthas

More of Lane’s work can be found here:
http://closedcaptioncomics.blogspot.com