Karl Sanders
Death metal aficionados know Karl Sanders as the driving force behind South Carolina’s Egyptian-themed death metal titans Nile. But there’s more to Sanders than ripping electric guitar solos, death growls and blast beats—the multi-instrumentalist released his first solo album, ‘Saurian Meditation,’ through Relapse Records in 2004, which was perhaps best described by Lambgoat’s Kirby Unrest: “Sanders throws off any extreme music constraints and transports listeners to a world of dark, mystic soundscapes filled with ancient spirits, mind altering visions, and catacombs complex, all of which make for one hell of a debut.”
Sanders, who has been playing guitar for the better part of four decades, certainly knows his way around the instrument. But for his solo work, Sanders opts for more diverse instrumentation. “I love the baglama saz, for example,” he admits. “It’s a really cool instrument because there are half step frets. If you put the quarter tone in the right place you can add a lot of dark mystery to a melody,” he explains.
“While I do have a natural ease of technique with just about any stringed instrument, which could easily lend itself to miles and miles of would-be saz spaghetti shredfest, I use the instrument in a more compositional and thematic way—playing evocative melodies and song-oriented riffs.
“I have immense respect for the Eastern musicians who are accomplished in playing the instrument in its traditional style. Most of my musical training, however, is Western-oriented, so no matter what I do I’m not going to sound completely authentic with the saz. So rather than get caught up in merely attempting to emulate the great Turkish players like Orhan Gencebay, which would never be realistically achievable anyway, I get more enjoyment out of approaching the saz in a non-traditional, uniquely musical, and personal way.”
The baglama saz, a traditional Turkish lute, is just one of many instruments Sanders employs to create lush imagery and stirring emotion in his solo work... Full Bio
