Vital Vinyl: Enabler's Jeff Lohrber Talks New Album + More

Celebrating the release of their second studio album, Enabler have a lot to be proud of when it comes to 'La Fin Absolue Du Monde.' With an epic album title -- translated from French to mean "the absolute end of the world" -- and an even more epic sound, 'La Fin Absolue Du Monde' is full of 14 blistering catchy tracks. Elevating the listening experience, the album features artwork from acclaimed Pittsburgh-based illustrator Chris Smith and is available as two different vinyl editions: a split orange/gray pressing via Creator-Destructor Records and a black/white/orange splatter version via The Compound.

While on the road with Ringworm and Eyehategod, the band's guitarist-vocalist Jeff Lohrber took some time to chat with Loudwire about 'La Fin Absolue Du Monde' and the impact of vinyl in the metal community. Check out our interview with Jeff Lohrber below:

Congrats on 'La Fin Absolue Du Monde.' The record is solid from front to back. Enabler could still be considered a fairly new band -- what has the response been like for this LP?

Overall, people seem to really like it. I've definitely seen a number of new fans popping up all over the place. I haven't heard any complaints or anything negative thus far, so it seems like we are doing something right!

What sort of inspiration do you feel from horror movies in order to write an entire album honoring those themes?

Honestly, none at all. If anything, it's the other way around. I write music and lyrics 110% from the heart and being the fan of science fiction and horror that I am, I often find movies or literature that I can relate certain feelings and lyrics in songs to.

The album is an expertly blended concoction of several different types of metal. With so many different sects in metal, how important do you think labels are in the music community?

For genre labels, I try not to pay attention to it. There are way too many specific niche genres and it's just kind of out of control. For me, there is music that I like and music that I don't like.

As powerful as the album is, it's taken to another level when you hold the vinyl edition. Between the two killer pressings and the gorgeous artwork, the vinyl release definitely enhances the experience. But, this isn't your first venture with vinyl. Why is it important to you to offer your music on vinyl?

We offer our music on every format available to be able to give people what they want. I do love the sound of vinyl and of course the artwork that comes with vinyl. The downside is that you can't listen to vinyl while you drive, and recently that's all I've been doing. I actually prefer to listen to our albums on cassette. There is a tape player in the van, and I love the way that a brand new cassette sounds. To me there is no wrong medium of music, it's all just personal preference. What really matters is the enjoyment you get out of it.

You mentioned that you love the artwork that comes with vinyl. What was it like working with Chris Smith on the cover art?

Chris was a mutual friend of ours and has done art for two of our friends' bands, Neon Warship and By Way of Sunstorm. I fell in love with his art the first time I saw it. Then we met in Pittsburgh about a year ago and just hit it off. I just asked him to watch the movie 'Cigarette Burns' and come up with a few ideas based on that. Very simple, easy and fast. I think he came up with the initial cover within two weeks. He is a great artist and person.

The cover art is captivating. What does the connection of the art and music mean to you?

Cover art for an album is how people visualize it. It's almost as equal to me in the making of the music. The art creates the theme and vibe of the music and is how listeners connect to the record before actually listening to it. Everyone is guilty of judging a book by it's cover, so you better make the cover good.

How important is vinyl to you personally?

Vinyl is important to me in the sense that the first album I remember listening to was The Beatles' 'White Album' out of my dad's record collection, and then Def Leppard's 'Pyromania' and 'Hysteria.' It is the first medium that I heard and first that I held in my hand.

How important do you think vinyl is to the entire metal community?

Anything that will help keep the music alive is essential. I think that vinyl has given the fans a lot more of a reason to give a s--t. It's harder to craft and it costs more, so generally people care more about their purchases and listen to it front to back, where as digital just seems to be a real "in one ear and out the other" kind of format.

Originally hailing from Milwaukee, how does -- or did -- Enabler fit into that community?

When we started in Milwaukee there was definitely a kinship between us, Northless, Protestant and Get Rad. Expire also started around the same time as us and we shared a practice space with Misery Signals for a while. We aren't based in Milwaukee anymore, but I am still a fan of all of the bands mentioned and I do miss seeing my friends in those bands on a regular basis.

After wrapping up your tour with Ringworm and Eyehategod, what's next for the band? Have you already started working on album number three?

More touring, more records. Of course there is a new LP in the works already. I have a ton of new material that I've been secretly plotting to destroy the world with amplification and drums. Just wait.

Get your hands on Enabler's second album, 'La Fin Absolue Du Monde,' today. Get details on the Creator-Destructor vinyl here and the Compound edition here.

Enabler, 'La Fin Absolue Du Monde' (The Compound Vinyl Edition)