Prosthetic Records Artist Wormwitch Interview is up
1. Tell us a bit about how this Canadian Crusty Blackened Folky Deathcore band came to be?
Colby and I started out playing in a hardcore punk band together, I was just transitioning from a primarily punk listener to a metal listener, and diving into classics, and d-beat bands like disfear, speedwolf, latter era darkthrone, and tragedy were huge for me. Eventually our desire to play hardcore dried up, and I started getting into more straight faced black metal and death metal. We wanted to do a crusty band about generic D&D pulpy fantasy stuff and the name Wormwitch came out during a trip to TIm Hortons, where we made the observation that if a band had the word worm or witch in the name it’s probably a cool band (I now think the exact opposite). The band was destined to be one of the billions of band ideas we have, but then our hardcore band dissolved, and we decided to take a serious crack at a blackened crust band, sticking close to familiar territory with plenty of punk influence as a foundation. The punk influences have slowly faded from the project nearly entirely.
2. I love the mix of Hardcore and Swedish Death metal on "Strike Mortal Soil" is like At the gates , Dissection, Katatonia came to love His Hero is Gone.. What was the driving force of that album?
That album was us trying to turn an EP into a full length as soon as possible to satisfy a release schedule. The driving force was largely to try and make a metal album with a disparate cast of influences, which resulted in a weird inconsistent experience, and a lot of rushed song writing. It was the best we were able to do together at the time.
3 .If there were 5 words that would explain Wormwitch sound across both proper album what words would you use?
I wouldn’t include Strike Mortal Soil in any explanation of Wormwitch at this point. The Wormwitch that is and that shall be could be described with the words: Mysticism, Barbarism, Tragedy, Wisdom, and Ferocity.
4. Lets talk about new album " Heaven That Dwells Within" I would say more Melodic meets Grim Blackened tones come through with alot of Viking metal elements and on that back end that Crusty Hardcore never left. Was this a tough record to make?
This record was much easier to make than Strike Mortal Soil because we had learned exactly how not to make a record through that experience. And also how to write songs we wouldn’t hate mere months later. Overall we spent a lot more time on it, and the recording experience was a lot more relaxed. Especially because by that time we had a few significant tours under our belt, and had developed significantly as people. Clearer vision makes for a simpler experience. It was another stepping stone towards creating the kind of music we want to make, and is much nearer the mark than previous attempts.
5. The artwork for " Heaven That Dwells Within " gives me a Black/Viking metal feel how does the artwork tell the story to the songs inside it?
The artwork is a painting by Waterhouse entitled The Lady of Shalott. I chose it simply because I love the painting and I felt it communicated the emotions I wanted to be present in the music. I tend to design the artwork before or during the writing process, and we use it as a benchmark or a sieve to filter out emotional layers. Like a compass for musical direction. I’m heavily driven by aesthetics and visual art in general, and figuring out how to translate the emotions that paintings give me is one of the joys of writing music.
6. Two albums in with Prosthetic records how has it changed the label has grown for sure and what are you hoping for with future?
Just hoping to keep making the best music possible, no matter what label we’re with. We’re really grateful for the support that Prosthetic has given us thus far, and we’ve learned a lot through the experience.
7. Studio or Live which is were you feel most free and creative as Wormwitch?
Definitely in the studio. Live music is all fun, the experience is fulfilling and exhilarating, but I’m mostly interested in creating music itself, and I’d be happy doing it in a vacuum.
8. If you could make a proper video for any track off " Heaven that Dwells Within " which song and what would you want it to look like?
Would love to do a video for Vernal Womb. I’m less and less interested in videos showcasing the band. I’d like to do something more abstract and cinematic, another medium to communicate emotions. The less literal the better. I want to send feeling almost subliminally. I don’t like being told how to feel, and I don’t want to tell others what they should be seeing or getting from a song, or any piece of art.
9. Extreme underground music and the digital age. What are the Blessing and curses that you see with things like Bandcamp, Youtube, Podcast, Webzine and Bedroom band Aesthetic?
The internet has afforded us easy access to lots of music we might not otherwise hear, but it also makes the barrier to entry much lower, and a lot of what you hear is bullshit, I know, I’m guilty of creating bullshit and spewing it out onto the web. I think if used correctly it allows for talented people to get their music out to a larger audience, but I honestly don’t think about this much anymore. The idea of being heard or people caring about what I’m doing grows less interesting by the day. I like the small communities that are enabled by the internet, but at the same time I’ve witnessed them get too big for their own good and lose all their soul, at which point I cease to care. I don’t know if it’s better or worse than the pre internet, just good and bad in different ways. I generally prefer a more personal connection, and physical media and local scenes over internet ones.
10. His there a strong local scene from your home area if so would you like to give some love to any bands from there that need the world to be exposed too?
There’s a burgeoning scene in Vancouver for sure. Covenant has been doing amazing work, bringing excellent bands into town, and a new era of underground extreme metal has been taking place. New cool bands are popping up all the time now, which is exciting, as it was a stagnant cesspool for a long time, with few notables to speak of. Reversed, Grave Infestation, Dregmartyr, Erosion, Auroch, Spell, and Seer are some that I know of.
11. What bands or albums are impressing you in 2019?
I’m not really the right guy to ask about this. I’m always late to the party on bands, off exploring old scenes or metal adjacent genres from their roots to the present. Some of my friends do great work though. Necrot are amazing people, and their associated projects (Vastum, Mortuous, etc.). In this current moment I can’t think of many bands that aren’t already media darlings. Looking forward to new Wayfarer material, also great people. Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of older black metal, dark ambient, and neofolk, I’m really out of the loop.
12. Is there one thing the world, press or fans get so wrong about the ideals and vision of the band you would like to clear up?
About this band? I have no idea what people think, I don’t care, they can think what they want.
13. If A Major label came and offered you 1 shot to take to the next level how would you respond the the offer?
Not really sure what you mean. I’d say as long as I have complete control over the art itself, and you’re gonna offer good tour support and get me on great packages regularly and fund my albums? Yeah let’s do it. But I’m not really interested in touring heavily, which is essentially a requirement in this world. Wormwitch regularly turns down tour offers with bands we don’t give a shit about or runs that don’t seem worth it. There’s a mid level where unless your band is blowing the fuck up, touring is either your whole life, or it makes itself your whole life. I’d much rather quietly pursue the creative process and my relationships with my local area and my friends and family, unless touring was sustainable and could serve as a job itself, which is rare, and even more rarely a permanent situation.
14. How does Visuals and Presentation come full circle for a band like Wormwitch?
I think I answered this one above.
15. Was there a focus or idea to add a more Folk/ Heathen Metal element to the latest records?
Definitely. Traditional music and traditional heritage and spirituality have become very important to both Colby and I, who primarily write all the material for the band. It was only natural that it would find its way into our various projects.
16. There seems to be a large split and opinion over both your album. Why to you think people have such differing thoughts on both to me at the heart the have the same passion and heart?
I don’t really pay attention to what people think about the records. Initially I’ll be reading reviews and stuff, but now? Haven’t a clue. I myself don’t even like the first one, not to discredit people who do, but it represents a shitty time in my life, and I wouldn’t consider it to be very competent in a lot of areas. The new one is better, but in a similar fashion imperfect. How everyone experiences art is up to them, and also depends on how much they might actually know about us or the process. I know there are tons of people out there who think we’re big posers. I just really don’t give a shit. Next album will be better, and that’s the way it’ll always be. Putting out an album is like molting for me. Like getting rid of dead weight. I always grow, and I nearly always leave it behind. Maybe because I just haven’t made something I’m really happy with yet.
17. Do the members of Wormwitch create or have other musical projects my readers should know more about?
Colby has a new project called Boreal Hymn, rising from the ashes of a past project by the name of Old Graves. I have a few dark ambient synth projects (Cowl and Morgoth’s Ring), and my own black metal band I’ve been slaving over for the past year called Turambar. Izzy has a band with a friend of his named Mortah, which he’s still working on, and our touring guitarist plays in a band called Seer, and has a new synthwave project he’s working on as well. There are 4-5 more musical projects in early stages of development that I won’t bother mentioning.
18. Thank you for the time any closing thoughts here.
Thanks for the interview and interesting questions.
Comments