A Dirty Dozen with LARIYAH PERRIN from DIEVENOIRE – July 2026

Photo credit: Darrelle Esquitin

According to a recent press release: “Fans attending Rock Fest can expect a performance that goes far beyond simply recreating their album. DieveNoire’s live show is theatrical, high‑energy, and emotionally charged, with Lariyah (Havron, Hessler, Khaotika) delivering vocals with more grit, harshness, and intensity than on the studio recordings. The band’s stage presence transforms each song into a full‑body experience. Demonstrating this emotion, the track “IDGAF” erupts unfiltered, born from a night of insomnia, overwhelming stress, and a moment of stark clarity as Lariyah lay in morning grass heavy with petrichor, reflecting on life, humanity, and the weight of her own history. It channels the rawest parts of the human experience, unapologetic, unfiltered, and fiercely honest, standing in sharp contrast to the album’s western narrative and highlighting the band’s ability to shift from cinematic storytelling to deeply personal expression. DieveNoire began as a solitary creative spark in Lariyah’s mind: simple beats, tribal textures, and haunting blues‑rock vocals. Over time, the project evolved into a full band featuring world‑touring musicians, guitarists Josh Perrin (Akhlys, Havron) and Lothar Keller (The Skull / Legions of Doom), along with drummer Aaron Esquitin, and the recent addition of Paul McBride (The Reticent) joining post-album release.” We get Lariyah to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Very interesting question to start with! Yes, in fact, there is quite a plot twist. The album, just as the name suggests – The Story of a Gunslinger– tells a tale of an outlaw, if you will. It is a sequence of songs, each of which speaks about the journey of this faceless man from the eyes of a woman who chases after him. Problems with the government, escaping his death row, riding on his horse and motorcycle in some songs, being himself, not caring for the world’s standards. Seems pretty simple and predictable. Of course, each song is not necessarily about his travels and encounters, but more of spoken-in-between-the-lines problems of nowadays with a bit of actual personal experience. Is the song “Morning Star”, which to the listener it would be a sad ballad, if you break down the lyrics, and know a little bit about my own past, you will see that it really is not an ending of a love story, but seeking an escape, sort of a peace of mind after a perpetual emotional struggle with embracing and accepting death of my fallen brethren during an accident 11 years ago on tour… There are a lot of hidden thoughts in this album, which were not meant to be very obvious.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I think every alternative or metal kid at some point grabbed that broom and either sang to it or air-played to some songs. To me personally, I did not have a perfect start. My parents had no money to send me for guitar lessons or vocal practices, so I was a self-taught kid. In kindergarten and grammar school we had performances with singing and dancing which I really loved and wanted to continue, but I was also that ugly duckling, bullied by peers, so I was in the shadows of the “cool kids” and did not want to show any skills, up until high school, where I left my hometown, met new friends and was asked at the age of 15-16 to join an industrial gothic project with one of local musicians. We released a demo. When I moved to the USA after the first year of university and continued my education here, I was asked to join a heavy metal project called Hessler. So for me everything truly started in my early 20s. I’m touring and recording, and it continues through more mature projects and ideas.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Another great question, since most of my idols are dead. If I could resurrect a band, it would be the Devil’s Blood or Type O Negative; hell, I would have loved to share the stage with Dio, or Johnny Cash. But from nowadays bands, especially those we would fit with, I truly do not know because what we do is not really inspired by anything modern. Maybe I’ll say Colter Wall or Whiskey Myers.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Just as hard to answer. Maybe I’ll take it from a vocal perspective; it would be Farida Lemouchi.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Probably not many people can say that, but I truly love my job as a tattoo artist, and whenever I’m not involved with music, I love to be devoured by art.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Haha, well, what I say is that DieveNoire’s background sits in metal, and most of the musicians in this band come from the extreme scene, even though our sound definitely does not indicate it. Nothing really would make me cringe, per se, but I sure feel that as we write music, the future of it will push us into harder stages. Since it is a relatively new project and I still don’t have enough research done into the modern scene, some comparisons make me open my eyes because I don’t hear any resemblance, but this is what music is for. It is for everyone to pick and choose what they like and choose to listen to. We are too old to be ever offended or cringe over comparisons.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

The chef’s award will definitely go to Josh (rhythm guitars). Hands down best food on every occasion. As far as drinks, that might be a title for Aaron (drums), who always makes sure to bring white a good amount of booze to share with everyone. Lothar (lead guitar), Josh, and I are definitely the tasters as well, while Paul (bass) strains from alcohol, but is just as great of company. The first one to start jamming is always Paul, including throughout the breaks, when the rest has conversations; he often stays in the practice room and gets into his bass world, then, as typically for most bands, before we continue, everyone joins his jam for quite a while.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

Seeing Lemmy at the Rainbow Bar playing his arcade was the only time I really got starstruck to the point that I could not come to him, say a word, or just pass by.  It had to be 2013 or so while I was on tour. Motörhead was for the longest time one of my favorite bands, and as much as I wanted to just face him, my voice escaped me. I wish I had the courage to ask him if he needed another whiskey Coke. What else would I say? I love your music? Pretty sure he heard that 24/7 😉

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

I would continue with the job I have. Tattooing is really something I love doing. If I could not tattoo, I honestly do not even know what else I could do, and I prefer not to think of anything else unless I will be forced to. For now, music and tattooing are what I hope to continue till the rest of my days.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

I suppose what was never asked is something I hope will still come, so I will leave that for the future to dictate. Now, on the opposite side, as a former interviewer myself, I always hated seeing bands being asked about talking about what they sound like. I believe this is a mission for the interviewers to first listen to and ask questions according to what they already should have known, instead of doing interviews as “copy-paste” to whoever it is sent to, whether they know them or not. I feel like that is just a job then, not a passion for journalism.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I’ve made many mistakes, wrong choices in my life, but if I were to think of them as something to regret, I would not be where I am. I sure would have been further into my career in many ways if not for certain steps I took, but that is what was planned for me, and might have potentially prevented something that would be regretful then. I believe the universe has its plans for each of us.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Hard decision here. I would probably choose Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow to see the true, old school ways of recording. This is one of the albums I will never get tired of.

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Category: Interviews