Canadian mixed-race mixed-gender duo Mares of Thrace deal in a brand of heaviness that draws as much from noise rock and hardcore as it does from the doom metal they’re commonly grouped with. The band came roaring back to life in 2022 after a considerable hiatus; while 2012’s The Pilgrimage (released on Canada’s Sonic Unyon Records) catapulted them onto the world stage, garnering a premier on Pitchfork and praise in Decibel, Terrorizer, Metal Hammer, and countless other outlets, their current era is fast eclipsing it. Their relentless schedule in support of 2022’s The Exile saw them tour the USA, Canada, and Europe (including a tour with UK doom legends Conan, and stints with Bell Witch, Dopethrone, and KEN mode) and headline a showcase at new “North American Roadburn” festival Prepare the Ground.
The band’s new incarnation sees vocalist and guitarist Trez (hailed as “absolutely riveting, an unrivalled monster of a frontperson” by Exclaim! Magazine) joined by Casey on drums, a multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer whose bona fides include a stint drumming in the reunited Kylesa, and being tapped to replace Gene Hoglan in Zimmer’s Hole.
2025 looks to be their most ambitious year yet, as they prepare to release their fourth full-length album–The Loss– on illustrious label Artoffact Records (home of Kaelan Mikla and GGGOLDDD). Produced by Scott Evans (Sumac, Sleep, Thrice, Covet, Yautja), it is a personal journey through mortality, grief, and losses of various kinds, and a reflection on the universality thereof; its song titles are a nod to the famed stages of grieving coined by psychologist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.
Your fourth full-length album “The Loss” is to be out on May 16 via Artoffact Records,
Can you tell me about the songwriting and production behind the album?The Exile was written when we still lived on opposite sides of the country, when I wasn’t sure if this was ever going to be a live project again, so it was a bit of a weird, solitary affair. The Loss was actually written together! In person! Like a band! There is a lot more of Casey in it, and I feel it’s a much better, truer work in general. The production was done by Scott Evans of Kowloon Walled City, someone whose output both musically and as a person I enormously admire.
Was there a concept or a theme the album was focused on?
Yup! It’s about– wait for it!! Loss! (I know, truly I am a master of the subtle poetic allegory.) The songs are mostly named after the stages of grief as coined by psychoanalyst Elisabeth Kubler Ross, but in my readings on the topic, I learned about a few bonus kinds of grief, and those are in there too.
Had the pleasure to listen to the entire album, yet another great release from Mares,
been following the band from the start, I have to say this album speaks more mature
and much deeper with great songwriting and with mind-blowing vocals and great
musicianship, how as a band do you feel about the outcome?Thank you! I know everyone says “our latest thing is our best work”, but, objectively I do think our latest thing is our best work.
Are there any big plans on the day of the release?
Honestly, between this band unexpectedly popping off in its second chapter, running a business (I founded an indie video game studio; Casey’s our sound designer), and teaching college, I need a nap.
During the last conversation we had, you stated there is not much of a touring that
will happen, have this changed, are you guys having any plans on the touring?Ha, oh, how things have changed. Casey and I had never toured together and I had no idea if either of us would enjoy it, or if it’s still something I wanted to do. It turns out we both enjoyed it so much that we have toured Canada and the US three times and Europe once since we spoke last.
Are there any plans to come up with an official music video from this album?
I am honestly uncertain how I feel about music videos in our particular era of media. They were so enormously influential to me growing up watching MuchMusic (that’s Canadian MTV except way better). Now everything is compressed into these bite size fluffy empty little nuggets of “content”. TBD I guess!
What are the plans when it comes to CD, Vinyls and Deluxe Boxset, Do you have
any special fan specific release and merchandise?Oooh everyone should go get a test pressing from our label. Might fuck around and do vinyl variants and cassettes. I love handcrafting this stuff– I design all our merch, and the content creation era I spoke of earlier has made me really want to do the opposite of that and hand screenprint or paint or embroider (as I did the album cover) stuff.
Formed in 2009 with four full lengths, how do you feel about the road that you have
travelled?Hah, this band’s history is really a lesson in having expectations around your own work. This was the band that I had the lowest expectations for, the one that was just born out of pure love and me and my best friend wanting to be our weird selves, just for us, and of course it was the project that people reacted the most strongly to. Ultimately for creative people the act of creation is always between you and your gods, as it were. I think we’re on good terms these days.
What’s next for the band?
Just announced a 6 week US tour with UK doom behemoths Conan. We’re preeeeeetty stoked about that.
Would you like to share some highlights for the band in the last few years?
I mean, nothing will ever compare to coming back to playing live music after almost a decade and feeling like I was coming home. But touring Europe for the first time, which I so badly wanted to do in the first chapter and had kinda given up on, was pure magic.
Finally any message for the fans?
While the act of playing and creating music ultimately is between oneself and one’s gods, it also is the best avenue I’ve ever discovered for connecting with other human beings, and I appreciate every one of you, and I never take any of it for granted– every single hand in the crowd raised in rock-horns, every DM saying our music helped someone in a tough time, it all lives in my heart, always.
01-Anticipatory Grief
02-The First Stage_ Shock
03-The Second Stage_ Denial
04-The Third Stage_ Anger
05-Disenfranchised Grief
06-The Fourth Stage_ Bargaining
07-Complicated Grief
08-The Fifth Stage_ Depression
09-The Final Stage_ Acceptance
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