Torche Started Where Floor Left Off and Now, Floor Is Starting Where Floor Left Off

To see Steve Brooks perform with either of his bands, be it the pop metal serenades of Torche or the recently reunited low and slow stoner doom of Floor, is to know the heart of the dude on the stage. The way both bands play with the kind of loose energy of a group of friends just hanging out in a garage somewhere in suburbia is a bit misleading. It briefly gives the illusion of carelessness, but behind the goofy grins and off-the-cuff jackassery is a hook savvy, riff soaked metal that’s seen both bands garner their own cult followings. Brooks is firmly rooted in the rock ‘n’ roll that he grew up with, given to shred à la Eddie Van Halen just as quickly as he is to drop the bottom out with a doom riff as heavy as any this side of an Electric Wizard record.

Floor’s upcoming full-length, Oblation, closes the twelve-year gap since their self-titled debut in 2002. The years have provided ample time for Brooks (vocals/guitar), Anthony Vialon (guitar), and Henry Wilson (drums) to layer those early Kyuss-nodding riffs with sonic textures just as steeped in doom and even drone as they are anything remotely thought of as “stoner.” Brooks has always had a penchant for melody with any project he’s been involved with and that trend continues here with a dynamic that’s at times brooding and dark. Both the title track and others like “The Key” and “Love Comes Crushing” show a characteristic that pairs a dire-like aesthetic against Brooks’ pop sensibilities. If it was just about anyone else behind the guitar and mic, that risk would likely end in disaster, but Brooks, Vialon, and Wilson all conjure up enough hook texture to never let a second drag.

While band reunions and the recent spate of them has no doubt raised the question of when to say “when,” it’s apparent within the first few tracks of Oblation that while the monetary lure was surely (and justifiably) a factor for Floor, these guys wanted to make something and do it differently than before. Rest assured that whatever venture Brooks undertakes, it will undoubtedly be free of any pandering bullshit and instead solely focused on whether or not he and the guys he’s playing with are having fun. It’s a simple notion more than welcome in a genre that often gets bogged down in taking itself far too seriously, and it’s precisely what seems to drive Brooks creatively and personally as well. Noisey recently talked to Steve about making a new record after so long, why High on Fire are the best metal band today, and more.

Noisey: You’ve been writing riffs since at least 1992, man. Looking back at those early Floor days (and Cavity as well) up to now, has much changed for you with regards to how you approach songwriting? Has there been a kind of creative maturation for you over the last 22 or so years, or do you still find yourself tapping into that original instinct so to speak?
Steve Brooks: I’ve been writing riffs since I picked up the guitar in 1985. That’s what I do, but with Floor and Torche, I now write riffs with the idea of having to come up with something vocally over them. So, it’s not as crazy riffing as I did in the late 80s and early 90s before Floor. I laid back more when I started Floor and played slower, lower, and noisier. With Torche, it’s more “punk” and 80s/90s pop/indie rock influenced. If I didn’t have to sing over things, I’d probably go a little nuts with riffing and trying to write ten-minute medleys that my other band members would cringe at. Less is more for what I do with these two bands. [Laughs]

Is there a different creative process for you with Floor than there is with Torche, or is it simply a matter of you working with two different sets of musicians and coming up with two different styles of music?
That’s exactly it. Two different sets of musicians working together. There are similarities because I’m fronting both bands and Torche started where Floor left off. Now Floor is starting where Floor left off, but after I really developed in all the years I spent with Torche. Crazy, eh?

Floor, reunion show.

The last year has seen some pretty huge changes for both your bands with Torche signing to Relapse and Floor releasing Oblation later this month on Season of Mist. You’re pretty prolific, man. There’s rarely a dry spell where one of the two bands isn’t releasing something new or doing a tour or just out there making shit happen. What drives that motivation for you, and is that kind of ambition something that just comes naturally or is it a pretty constant struggle?
It’s mostly the drive everyone has in both bands. We all live in different cities now (I’m in San Francisco and both bands are in Florida and Georgia). If we didn’t have a bond musically and a supportive audience, I think this could easily fall apart due to how far apart we are. We worked our asses off to get to do this for a living, so as long as we’re inspired, we’ll keep moving forward.

It seems like band reunions are the name-of-the-game in music right now with groups like Slowdive, Outkast, or hell, even Christine’s back in Fleetwood Mac. Was there always a sort of plan with Floor to eventually get back together, or was it a more recent or sudden realization for you guys to start making music again?
There was no plan at all in getting back together. It took awhile to even consider doing shows. We thought the fourth “reunion” shows we did back in 2010 were all we’d do. Then came good offers to play more shows that we couldn’t refuse. Plus, we love playing together. The last couple years, Floor just got tired of playing the same old tunes at every show, so we decided to write a new record and it’s the best stuff we’ve ever done.

Listening to Oblation, the music is a bit darker and even heavier than most of your other material with either Torche or Floor. What was the mindset you guys had coming into this record?
Anthony and I love sad songs, but we also love to party.

Was there a distinct difference in that process after the twelve-year gap since the band recorded the self-titled?
Yes, Anthony and Henry got together to write parts more on this record, since they were closer in Central Florida. I was living in Atlanta at the time and busy with Torche. Anthony had been writing riffs and ideas for the last ten years without a band, so the process had a head start. Then, I’d show up and bring in my tunes/ideas, and we’d all collaborate to complete everything. We’d all grown as musicians and because of what we accomplished with the self-titled record, we had a much better vision of what the new material would sound like.

Torche in Brooklyn.

Speaking of the past, what got you into metal? Was there a specific moment for you when you knew this was not just what you wanted to do but you had to do?
My first record was KISS ALIVE II in 1978. My older cousin introduced me to some cool bands when I was young. In the early 80s, I listened to a lot of radio and MTV, so I started discovering bands on my own. I didn’t have any real “metal” friends until the eighth grade, so it was pretty lonely trying to get my parents and their friends to listen to a W.A.S.P. or RATT record. [Laughs]

Obviously you’ve been a metal/rock fan for most of your life. How have you personally seen the perspective of heavy and extreme music change or maybe not change at all in that time period?
High On Fire is one of the only real “metal” bands I get excited about. They’re the best in my opinion! If there was a Slayer/Venom/Motörhead of today, it would be High On Fire! As for most metal bands from the mid-90s to today? With the super clean production, clicky drums, no hooks, shitty processed guitar tones, and endless wanking solos and makeup, I’d say “metal” has pretty much sucked the past 20 years.

Noisey is presenting Floor on The Oblation Tour which starts next week. Check out the dates here.

Jonathan Dick is on Twitter – @steelforbrains