Witch Of The Waste Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new 7 inch?

We've gotten right back to writing ever since we finished tracking this EP. In the history of this band the current line up is actually pretty new but writing has gone smoothly ever since we came together. So we have been looking forward past this EP for a while now.

2.Recently you have released a new 7 inch, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the ep you had released 2 years ago?

I feel like Made of Teeth is the same aesthetic from All Other Voices, but boiled down to more of a base element. We also wanted to write songs that were more dynamic when played one after another. We pushed ourselves to write weirder stuff that was maybe less predictable.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

I don't feel like giving up too much as to what the lyrics are about or what messages or intentions were behind them. Once music is written and released the intention is less responsible for meaning than the interpretation and I want listeners to have a personal relationship with the lyrics and the songs. I will say that I take a lot of inspiration from ghost stories, horror movies, and all around creepy shit. The Novel "John Dies at the End" by David Wong was a big inspiration for this one in the sense that a lot of the more disturbing material came from leaving just enough ambiguity to let the weirder corners of your brain take over and fill in the gaps. It's really about coping with loss and discussing mental illness, but I don't want to spoil too much.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Witch Of the Waste'?

It's lifted from the Hayao Miyazaki movie Howl's Moving Castle.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Our first show in Prince George BC was an absolute blast. It was our first show on the road and they kicked our asses. I ruined my back and was forced to take a decent amount of pain killers to make it through the next show. Other than that we really like any show on the floor or in a smaller venue. We try to fill whatever sized stage we are on but we prefer tight spaces. I would describe it as a sweaty mess from my point of view. We play loud and fast. Our gear usually falls apart  and I regularly ruin my ankle.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

We are booking. Stay tuned, we will announce soon. If you are on the West Coast you will probably get a chance to see us by the end of the year.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

Nothing concrete. But we are able to get by on our own for now. If we continue in this vein and no one throws anything our way we will just take it as a challenge to work harder.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of extreme metal and hardcore?

We have gotten a lot of positive response but it feels like the neither the Metal crowd or the Hardcore crowd want to take responsibility for us. Vancouver has a very open minded metal and hardcore scene so it is easy for us to forget that we are doing things a little different. For example: we played a metal festival just outside of Edmonton Alberta and no one gave a shit we played. Everyone played quest metal and a review described us as "grinding hardcore punk". It'll either take us a while to find where we belong or we will have to continue working to convince everyone that we are doing something of value. Or we will fail miserably and be doomed to obscurity. We'll see.

9.When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We are working on another batch of songs right now. We are trying to be weirder, faster, and scarier once again. It's a little early to give a timeline because we still all have day jobs and it's tough sometimes.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

We're actually really deep in our own scene here in Vancouver. Anchoress, Burning Ghats, Baptists have all had huge impacts on our writing. Other than that there is a lot of Dillinger Escape Plan, Intronaut, Gorguts, Sigar Ros and too many others to name.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Cats, butts, cars, zelda games, hockey, movies. We all keep busy somehow.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

All I can say is that if you aren't familiar with Vancouver music right now than seriously dive in. There are a lot of bands that are totally worth your time and money. The ones I've already mentioned as well as Neck of the Woods, Skullvultures, Astrakhan, Seer(!!!!!!!) Of Modern Architecture, Hallowed Catharsis, Leveler... and way too many others to name. It's a dense scene and I feel like it doesn't have the reputation in north america that it deserves. I'm super proud to be from here and there is cool shit going on all the time.