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Sequester is a one-man Metal project founded by Ryan Boc in 2005. All of the music thus far has been written and performed by Boc, having drawn inspiration from various genres of music including heavy and thrash metal, progressive and psychedelic rock, traditional English and Scottish folk, grunge, blues, jazz, and classical.
Sequester’s sound has been described as being both expressive and melodic, with frequent use of counterpoint and harmonized layering in both the guitar and vocal sections. The songs are usually long in duration due to progressive structuring and arrangement, utilizing numerous sectional changes throughout each piece. The lyrics range anywhere from personal topics to fantasy literature, history, folklore and mythology; generally they are sung with a clean voice–- oftentimes with thrashy, more aggressive overtones.
Studying for a combined degree in Music and Computer Science at the University Of Victoria, Ryan Boc has been writing and recording music both in his classes and his spare time. Boc obtained initial exposure after recording a number of Blind Guardian covers and posting them on the band's official forums. Met with positive feedback in regards to his guitar playing and unique vocals, Boc moved on to writing original songs under the name Sequester, and has since created his own sound by combining elements from a vast array of different musical styles.
What are the challenges and upsides of being a one man band?
The upside about being a solo act is that I have complete control on how everything will turn out, and as such, everything is very well organized. It is particularly helpful when it comes to any changes that I'd like to make in a song, especially when the recording process has already begun. Since I'm able to do everything, I don't have to wait on anybody or ask for opinions on the matter; if I think something needs to be adjusted or a section needs to go in a completely different direction, I can just sit down and do it without any hassle. There's also a strong sense of accomplishment once a track is finally finished.
The disadvantages are obviously centered around two things: no live performances, and the amount of time it takes to record each song. Most bands can have the drummer go do his takes while the guitarist is in another room recording some riffs or whatever, and it is that shared workload that comes with being in a band that I envy at times. Once I've recorded all the instruments for a song, which takes countless hours, I always get overwhelmed knowing that I'm only halfway done... as I'll still need to write lyrics, record vocals, and mix the tracks. Most of the time I'm having fun though, which makes it much more bearable!
Have you thought of putting together a complete band?
This is one of the more frequent questions I'm asked, especially by fans outside of North America who have shown interest in seeing a 'live' Sequester. The truth is, I've grown so use to this being a recording project that, lately, not much effort has gone towards getting a band going; however, this is mostly because of how busy everything has been (juggling regular life, recording, and my studies at UVIC.) I've had a notice up on livevictoria.com since 2007 requesting members, and I've gotten a number of responses from guitarists, but I'm holding out until I can secure a solid drummer. Those guys seem to be rare as hell around here, let alone drummers that are into this less-than-hardcore style of heavy metal.
It is also important to me that I manage to maintain my artistic freedom when it comes to writing and recording songs; I'm all for collaborations and hearing suggestions, but I don't ever want to have to feel pressured to include or do something a certain way when writing music for Sequester.
You released your new EP "Nameless One" earlier this year. Tell us about it?
Well after the first album, Winter Shadows, I already had hundreds of guitar riffs and ideas for some more songs. Being in my final year at UVIC though, I knew I wouldn't have the time to crank out another full length album at least until 2010, but I also didn't want to just put these songs I had arranged on the back burner for another year. One of the classes I was taking at the time was in advanced recording techniques too, so it gave me an excuse to further work on the music and my production chops. I was incredibly pleased with the end result. I got to experiment further with some interesting song structures, and each track is quite different from the next. The influences are all across the board as well: progressive rock, jazz, various metal genres, and even some folk (one of the tracks, Three Ravens, is actually a rendition of a traditional English / Scottish ballad). The songs themselves are available for free to download on my website.
What was you inspiration with "Nameless One"?
The opening track, Nameless One, is inspired by the protagonist from Planescape Torment. The nameless one made some deal for immortality, but unfortunately one of the side effects was that upon each 'rebirth' he would lose all of his memories. The big question of the story is "what can change the nature of a man?", and thus, it is about witnessing how someones life will unfold and what shape their beliefs and personality will take on given that they have a clean slate to start over from. Are we the way we are inherently? Or do certain events alter our character? Which of these events can completely change us, and for better or for worse? So the song I wrote deals with these questions and the journey that the nameless one goes on to find himself. It is one of my favourite stories-- great theme, great characters, and definitely thought provoking.
You're studying for a combined degree in Music and Computer Science at the University in Victoria; what are your future goals?
I'll be graduating in the Spring, and from there I'll hopefully have a brief break to work on the next Sequester album. Afterwards, I'll try and put my degree to good use by working as a sound designer or audio engineer for either television, film, or video games. Long term goals: keep writing and playing the kind of music that I love, and of course, get some live performances going!
Sequester Music:
Nameless One
Witcher
Sequester
Victoria, British Columbia
www.sequester.ca
Myspace page
www.soundclick.com/ryanbocsequester
Interview by Avril Savoie
RockStar Weekly
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