Retraversing The Void: An interview with Jake Superchi of Uada

From the raw melodic elements that synergise with harmonies, which seem to create a dark alluring atmosphere, UADA has been shrouded within the shadows. As they display a strong tie to the natural world of nature, while crossing into the unnatural through various lyrical concepts. Starting in 2014, within the upper midwest of the USBM scene, UADA has quickly risen to popularity with their haunting melodic black metal. With no signs of slowing down and having shared the stage with many prominent bands, touring multiple countries and performing a multitude of large festivals, UADA has become a staple name within the black metal scene. we were able to sit down with Jake Superchi of UADA, where we talked about the band's beginning, their influences and future plans. We even take a look at some other projects as well.

FMP: Looking back, how did UADA form and where did the name come from?

Jake Superchi: UADA started in the halt of a project to which I had dedicated 18 years of my life. During this time, I felt a big shift in my life and a much-needed change. There was an urge to go and do something different, and yet I was still struggling to put the other project on hold to do so. During this struggle, there was a very profound moment in which I received an answer to a question that I had spoken out loud. After receiving such a message, I picked up my guitar and started writing immediately. What was to become the opening riff to the song "Black Autumn White Spring" was being played over and over while sitting in my office, and then my vision had started to disappear, and I found myself in another state of consciousness where I had a vision of myself and the band in the future. While all of this was happening, the word "haunted" kept coming to me, but it wasn't spoken nor seen; it was just a feeling or perhaps a knowing. After the vision had exceeded and my mental state was brought back to the physical state of reality, I knew that this word was important, especially concerning my own experiences throughout life. Since there was already a prominent band with this name, i.e.; The Haunted, as cliche as it is, I decided to look up what "haunted" translated to in Latin. That is where I learned that "UADA" would be the name of this new project.

After writing more music that night and writing down a lot of ideas for song titles, upon waking the next day, I wrote to some people from the local Portland scene to see if they'd be interested and everything began to take form.

FMP: A lot of black metal bands are coming out with the look of anonymity. From bands like Mgła, Gaerea and various other groups concealing their identity within a shroud of theatrical mystery, What inspired you to immerse yourselves within the fog of the unknown?

Jake Superchi: I cannot speak for any other band as to why they chose to align in the shroud look, although many have done so for quite some time. Especially before it seemed to have become a trend in the black metal world, but my inspiration came from the vision that I mentioned in the last question. What the audience will see when attending our live shows, which is exactly what I had been shown.

It was also solidified during our first rehearsal during a break where we witnessed a blood moon eclipse outside of the rehearsal space. The place I was in mentally at the time was a place where I just wanted to be a void, unseen, away from attention, and in the shadows to create the work that needed to be done. So, there was a philosophical connection to the eclipse and why that became a bigger part of the visual aspects of myself and the presentation of the band.

FMP: When looking at musical themes and concepts, what inspired you the most and why is that?

Jake Superchi: In 2014, it seemed that the majority of the sound in black metal had taken a more dissonant approach. While I still love this sound, I was curious why the more melodic style was no longer really present. As a fan of the 90s Swedish scene via bands like Dissection, Vinterland, Dawn, Unanimated, Gates of Ishtar, etc... I wanted to play a style in this vein while still being able to make it my own to some extent. No one else at the time was creating anything that sounded remotely like this, and although it had always been a huge influence on my musical writing, in 2014, I really wanted to take a deeper step into the style while combining other musical, visual, and natural influences.

FMP: During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic, you reformed your previous band Ceremonial Castings and released two re-recordings of classic songs (Our Journey Through Forever) and an album (Salem 1692 MMXX). What made you and the band decide to reunite? Is there new music in the Future?

Jake Superchi: In 2019 I was approached by the record label that has released all of the UADA material. They were interested in re-pressing some of the early Ceremonial Castings works. I was not interested in re-pressing any old material as I was never happy with the productions and thought it would be better to re-record some material to introduce our back catalogue to a younger generation who perhaps wouldn't necessarily dig to find the past. Although there were a lot of struggles in the production department, I am glad to have rekindled the roots. Although a lot of things were failing around me during the pandemic, revisiting those old albums have sparked up more influence and we are indeed working on new material now.

FMP: You did launch in 2020 Obsidian Spells, your own label. Are there any bands you have signed or an update on any upcoming releases?

Jake Superchi: Obsidian Spells was never meant to become an actual label, but more of a production tag and a distribution for all the projects I am involved in. It has been slow in some departments, and with a lot happening behind the scenes, I haven't had much time to complete some necessary things to launch at a full scale. This is something I am hoping to fix this year while taking some time off from the road.

FMP: UADA has shared the stage with acts like Possessed, Rotting Christ, Morbid Angel and Suffocation. Is there any band you would like to tour with that UADA hasn’t toured with yet?

Jake Superchi: We have been fortunate to tour with many great acts, and there are so many that we would love to tour with. This coming May, we have been recruited to support Cradle of Filth directly for six shows in the greater Pacific Northwest region of the United States. We are excited to be a part of this and believe our styles will complement each other very well.

While I could list many bands that would be exceptional to tour with, all we can do is continue to create and allow what is meant to be to come our way.

FMP: Having recently fulfilled a long-term goal of yours to play Wacken Open Air, can you talk a bit about that and how that may have felt?

Jake Superchi: Surreal. The entire experience almost didn't feel real. I've never been the type of person who stops to smell the roses, but there are a few moments in my life where I could feel that sentiment in real time, and Wacken was one of those moments.

FMP: Having toured across Latin America recently and played some pretty big festivals throughout Europe, do you have your sights on any other festivals in the future?

Jake Superchi: I cannot say that I do. There will always be festivals that we would love to partake in, but right now, we are coming out of a much-needed break from touring and are focused on writing a new album as well as many other things behind the scenes. At the stage where I am as a human and where the band is "career" wise, I believe it is important to take a step back and allow all things to breathe. There will be a time to strike relentlessly again, but right now, we must enjoy the calm before the storm.

FMP: You speak a lot about manifestations of goals and desires, would you care to elaborate on that for us?

Jake Superchi: If you can think it, speak it, and see it, then it can become reality. The only action needed is one's ability and willingness to match that belief with the physical applications to achieve such.

FMP: Coming from the upper midwest of North America, which is a well-known hub for metal talent that gave way to such acts as Wolves In The Throne Room, Bell Witch, The Accüsed and so many others, do you think that this had any influence or impact on your writing or even an influence on the band?

Jake Superchi: Although the bands listed are great and bands that we like and have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with, I cannot say that they are a part of our musical writing influences. I imagine that all of these bands, including us, have some parallel influences, but I would have to credit our Pacific Northwest sound influence to bands like Alice in Chains, Nirvana, and Queensryche, along with the atmosphere and feeling this land provides.

FMP: Having recently spent time celebrating and reflecting on an important milestone for the band with haunting for ten years, back in October, Do you have anything you would like to share about that experience and maybe talk a bit about looking back over the past ten years?

Jake Superchi: On the exact day of our 10th anniversary, we were out in nature working. That entire week, we were creating something for the future that should hopefully be unleashed to the world soon. Following that week, we were rehearsing for a decade anniversary show before preparing for 2 months of touring. So, my ability to reflect on the last 10 years didn't come until later after returning home from tour and having some time to rest and recover.

I can say that the last 10 years of my life have been a constant whirlwind of emotion. It has been absolute chaos, and I have learned a lot about myself and others. This path has always been spiritual, and the spiritual path is not an easy one. Although I am not a religious person, I would reference the quote, "No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell."

I think that is one way that I can expand on the enlightenment and growth I've achieved and the outlook for what the future holds.

FMP: Based on Black Metal today, what are your overall thoughts on the genre and what does black metal mean to you personally?

Jake Superchi: To be honest, I'm not paying attention to what is happening in the black metal realm these days, and I find myself listening to anything but metal in my own time away from touring, recording, and mixing. I suppose at some point we fall back on our initial discoveries without interest in the recreations that follow them. I am always seeking out new music and artists, just within different genres than metal. With that said, black metal has always been a part of my life and changed it drastically when I discovered the music in the 90s. It will always be a part of me and a part of my way of living and most likely something I will be creating until I am physically unable to.

Black metal, to me, is the equivalent freedom I find from living in the woods, consciously and subconsciously practicing shamanism, experiencing ancient lifeforms, and living as a pagan. It is a sonic representation of the natural world, our true spirit among the raw elements, and the gift of life in nature. It is our findings and understandings of the esoteric. It is the magic we unlock from within ourselves, and it is the fire that burns in my soul.