Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members:

The band’s name is inspired by Ellen Sandweiss, the actress who portrayed Cheryl in the original Evil Dead movie. We happened to have a poster of the film in our jam space, and while searching for a band name, one of the guys suggested it. We slightly modified it, and it became Sandveiss. The band started out in 2011, and since then, we have released two full-length albums, a 7″ single, and an EP tribute to Black Sabbath. The lineup now consists of Shawn Rice (guitar), Maxime Moisan (bass), Dominic Gaumond (drums), and myself, Luc Bourgeois (vocals, guitar).

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

We all come from different places but now live in the Québec City area. The band started out with a different lineup, with me being the only founding member still in the band. Shawn (guitar) joined while we were recording the first album in 2013, and Maxime Moisan (bass) and Dominic (drums) joined in 2017 and 2018, respectively, following the departure of some original members. We knew Max through mutual friends and asked him to join the band, while Dominic came on board after an audition we held to find a new drummer.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

I have so many favorite bands for different reasons, so it’s impossible to pick just one. From Black Sabbath’s riffs to the vocal harmonies and lyrics of Bad Religion, and from King Crimson to Jethro Tull to Kyuss, they all influence my writing in one way or another.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Since I was a kid, the concept of being in a band always appealed to me, even before I started playing an instrument. It just seemed like the coolest thing on earth. So not long after I began playing guitar, I was already in bands, doing shows with friends, and I never looked back. I’ve been making a living from playing music for 25 years now.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Pallbearer- Mind Burns Alive

Sons of Arrakis- Vol.II

Greenleaf- The Head and the Habbit

A Swarm of the Sun- An Empire

Dozer- Drifting in the endless void

Russian Circles- Gnosis

Do you sing in the shower? 

I actually write and arrange a lot of vocal melodies while I’m in the shower. It’s a great time for creativity for me, haha.

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

We’re releasing a new album called Standing in the Fire on October 11th, and then we’ll go on a small tour in Quebec with our good friends Sons of Arrakis for five shows. For 2025, we plan to tour as much as we can. We’d like to tour more in Europe and the U.S., so we might work on this for next year.

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

Yeah, we have two new singles out now, “I’ll Be Rising” and “No Love Here,” and a third single is coming in September. As I mentioned before, our new album is coming out on October 11th.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

Possibly at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. What a beautiful and impressive place!

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

That’s a very hard question. It’s impossible to name just one, so I’ll list six:

• Black Sabbath – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

• Bad Religion – Stranger Than Fiction

• Jethro Tull – Stand Up

• Voivod – Nothingface

• Rush – 2112

• King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Not really. I’m pretty comfortable with all my musical tastes and stand behind them. I enjoy a lot of different genres.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Oh, that’s a hard one. If I can include bands that don’t exist anymore, I’d pick: The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Mountain, King Crimson, and Gentle Giant. That would be an awesome lineup!

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

Yeah, that was Kill ‘Em All by Metallica on cassette tape. I was 8 or 9. Unfortunately, the tape was destroyed along with others in the same box when the cable guy came for an installation and accidentally drilled into a closet full of my stuff many years ago. I didn’t realize what had happened until months later.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

I would simply like to thank them for listening to our music. I see it as a privilege to have people relate to what we do.

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

https://sandveiss.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/Sandveiss/

https://www.instagram.com/sandveissband/

https://m.youtube.com/user/SandveissRock

We, at Metal Planet Media, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

Thank you for the opportunity, and don’t forget to check out our new album, which came out on October 11th last year!

This interview is the property of Metal Planet Media