Please tell us a few words about the new release, about the music on it as a whole or a few words on each track in part. How are you happy with the final release?
Overall, the album is our take on classic heavy/doom metal. I’m really happy with the final product and I’m particularly pleased as it’s a completely DIY effort. Frank and I produced it, I mixed it, etc.
Track-by-track:
“In the Hands of the Betrayer” - I love when doom bands pick up the tempo and just rock the fuck out. That’s what this song is. It’s got a great hook and a big chorus. I still get chills when the first chorus comes in. The groove is so perfect and Frank nails the emotion. The bridge section with the bells and phasey guitar is another favorite of mine as well. Sally’s solo is the stuff of metal legends. 
“A Perfectly Realized Torment” - This song is my doom blueprint. Long, circular structure, lurching riffs, powerful vocals. The lyrics are very over-the-top and Frank sells it perfectly. Randy plays some amazing bass lines that add a ton to the riffs. 
“Crystal Ball” - One of my favorite tracks by one of my favorite bands. I didn’t want to stray from the original, but we made this our own...and that’s on Frank. He did his own thing with the vocals...and he plays the solos as well. I cannot wait to play this live. 
“Approaching, Encroaching Storm” - This serves as an intro to the final track. If you pay attention to my narration and then the vocals in Orchid, you’ll figure out how they relate. 
“To Thee I Give an Orchid” - It’s hard to express what this song means to me, so I won’t try in this space. Once again, Frank’s performance is spot on. The emotion, build, everything tells the story I want to tell. I’m very proud of my solo in this track as well. This song is an odyssey unto itself...my words aren’t going to do it justice. 

How would you describe/label the music on it? Does it sounds like anything we might have heard before?
We’re Epic Doom Metal...it’s a style that will be immediately familar to any metalhead...but we sound like Northern Crown. The closest comparison to us in Candlemass.

Where was it recorded and how much time did it take you to record it? Any interesting stories from the recording/producing the material?
I was working on demos for several months, starting back in October 2013. The mixing finished in July. Guitars, Bass and Keys were recorded at my studio, Shadowlit. Drums and Vocals were recorded at Frank’s studio, Free Man. While I was working on it for 10 months or so, the bulk of the work happened May-July of this year. 

What can you tell us about the cover artwork? Is there a link between the artwork and the lyrics? What are the topics of your lyrics?
The cover art is done by a really talented gentleman by the name of Jan Yrlund. I gave him very general directions and he came up with the cover art. I don’t know if there’s a direct link...but the art certainly fits the music.
The songs on this record are all very personal to me. Betrayer, Torment & Orchid each tell the story of a single day in my life...3 particularly awful days, or at least they were at the time. 

What do you expect to gain through this release? What are the band's aims at the moment?
This release is to get our name and our music out to the public. I certainly have some long term goals in mind...but the next few months will determine what path we take. 

Is there a special format the material is released in? Or is it released in multiple formats? How many copies were pressed?
The release will be available as a CD digipak and digital from all the usual locations. The initial run of CDs will be fairly small. No more than 250. 

Where and how will you promote this new release?
We have an excellent PR team, Clawhammer, who have done and will continue to do an amazing job of getting our music out to the world.

Where can we order it from?
Both the CD and digital download will be available at http://music.northerncrownband.com/. The EP is out on 2014/10/14 and the digital version can be preordered. 
Thanks for your time!

September 2014