This is Namtaru Axarcuth reporting from Philadelphia PA, today we are speaking with Jay from the band The Witch hailing from Colombia.
1.) Hails brother! Can you give us a description of how you came up with the bands name and what it's meaning is to you?
Hey namtar, hails man and thanks for inviting me for this interview…
The Witch sums up the essence of our music, witchcraft through music. It was the first name that came to mind, we agreed it was right.
2.) What is the concept of your lyrical writings? Do you follow the same concepts? Or is there a different theme to each song?
I write about many different themes … the darker the better… we have songs about witchcraft, magic, rituals… I also love history, so many tracks tell stories of dark historical characters or of darker bygone times….. we recently released Tortured Tales and Psychotic Symphonies on 12”, which deals more with mental illness, dark psychiatry and suicide.
3.) How is the scene in Colombia, I know there's some good bands down there but how would you describe it as a whole?
Colombia is a rich melting pot of some of the very best bands and many different styles of Black Metal, death Metal and Grindcore…. Here, the scene is very old, active since the late 80s … so we have a combination of established giants like Esbbat, Mysteriis, Espectrum, Nastrond, Infernal,Typhon, Tzelmoth, too many to mention…. And upcoming bands, like Unholy Dart, Perventor, Desolacion Nocturna, Legion Wicca…
4.) How many members do you have in the band?
2 core members, myself on guitars, vocals bass and synth and sometimes drums, and the unholy Carlo Quiceno, who does synth, drums, production and sometimes guitar… We have various diabolical female vocalists who record with us depending on their availability at the time of recording….
5.) Do you think you would ever consider playing out live?
No, I hate it. I really detest large groups of people.and also small groups of people. And people in general hahaha.
6.)Can you tell the readers how many releases you currently have and the names of each release?
We’ve been pretty active with recording since 2020, and the pandemic really helped with that, solitude is truly teh most productive médium. We’ve also been very foryunate in having great support from amny labels and other abnds around the world and been fortunate enough to participate with bands from europe, Asia, africa , europe and the americas…. According to metal archives, thsi i sour full discography, but I’m sure they’ve missed a couple.. I’ve probably forgotten a couple too to be honest haha
The Work of the Devil Demo 2021
A Sick Foetus Torn from the Rotten Womb of History EP 2021
Endless Summer Collaboration 2021
Blood Fire Magick Collaboration 2021
I See Demons Single 2021
Tortured Tales & Psychotic Symphonies EP 2021
Uchawi Split 2021
Black Blood Collaboration 2021
Vampyre Single 2021
Incendunt Ecclesias Collaboration 2021
...and Darkness Prevails Split 2021
Unholy Prophecy Split 2021
The Blackest Magick Split 2022
Spellbound Single 2022
Satanic Panic EP 2022
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Split 2022
Blasphemic Doctrine Full-length 2022
Demons Unleashed Split 2022
A Darker Shade of Black Full-length 2022
Desires After Dark EP 2022
The Demo Recordings Compilation 2022
A Sick Foetus Torn from the Rotten Womb of History Full-length 2022
Born ov Fire Split 2022
A Pact Between Demons Collaboration 2022
The Unholy Trinity Split 2022
Unlocking the Gates of Hell Split 2022
Awakenings I: Vampyre Single 2023
Awakenings II: Ouija 7” 2023
Also, tortured Tales & Psychotic Symphonies 12”, they missed it
7.) I know you have your own label Masters Of Kaos Productions and we release many things together with my label Plague Demon Records, would you like to tell the readers what is in store for the upcoming releases on your label? Or are you keeping it secret until it gets closer to each release?
We have some great releases in store for 2023… first, we’ve just released Namtaru’s first anthology with your label and Chuck’s… and we’re looking forward to the second installment….
We’re releasing the new Abused Majesty(Poland) álbum in June, a special vinyl and tape reléase, no CD….
We have some great 7”s coming too, most notably a double 7” collector’s edition for Norwegian Bm legends Vulture Lord.. also a very special reléase for Heathen Deity from UK….
We’ve also just released our first collection of 12”s and some 12” pic discs..
We’re going grind too this year, with some sickness coming from Forense, Agathocles and Blood….
Expect the unexpected…
8.) Give me your top 10 metal influences of all time
Oooo thats a bastard to answer….. I’ll have to take5mins , drink a beer and think about that one….
Ok.. 1 Black Sabbath… i grew up in the Uk and ozzy was an ever present blackened shroud in my early days….
3 the doors(not metal i know, but relevant) My father was a massive fan and i think i knew all the lyrics by heart at 10 years old… the raw darkness and passion in his words and the music has never been matched
4 slayer show no mercy, 12”, also one of my first récords… opened my eyes and ears to a darker realm
5 Paradise Lost i was big on doom early 90s, and PL was perhaps the first one, Gothic… nice and depressing
6 My Dying Bride Again, early 90s doom.. I love the violins in the early stuff.. I guess that’s where the strings come from in our music
7 Bathory same as Slayer, opened my eyes and ears to a darker realm
8 Cradle Of Filth As I said, I grew up in Uk and as a 13 year old kid Cradle was something new… I used to bango ut the demo and teh first álbum 24 / 7at full volumen, and i still do
9 Carcass As i said, I grew up in Uk and grind was a staple in my youth…. Bill Steer, along with Jesse pintado, was one of my guitar heros as a kid
10 I honestly can’t think of anymore hahaa I’d be lying
9.) What is your opinion of today's scene compared to our mighty scene of the 80's and 90's?
I think today’s scene is rich in new talent and new ideas… I can’t really compare it with the bands of the 80s/90s, althoough the influence of early bands like Bathory, Venom, hellhammer is certainly more clearly evident in influences, more so than maybe 5 years ago, and especially in very Young bands… we have a great young band called Necronimic, from puerto Rico, that pays homage to Bathory…the 80s /90s was new, a spawningan awakening , those moments Will never be recaptured, that energy, innocence, the hatred, the church burnings…Good times…..
Obviously the diversity in genre is much bigger now, it has of course evolved over time into many different branches of the same original solid trunk…. Evolution is natural, the genre must evolve or it will die. Judging by the wealth of talent in today’s new bands.. I can confidently say that the future is in safe hands
10.) If there was one band you could collaborate with who would it be and why?
That’s another tricky one Namtar….
Ha.. yes… you and your band hahaha we’ve been talking about for sooo long and never got shit done hahaha… Let’s get that sorted asap
10.) Do you have anything else you would like to say to your fans and supporters, any words of wisdom, or anyone else you would like to mention here?
Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to listen to our music and written us and bought our music, and to everyone that has supported us. Literally, no words. Thanks and hail to the hordes!
I would like to add that I'm glad we do so much together, we've built a pretty concrete friendship and I value that greatly, I have the utmost respect for you and all of your dealings with your band and label. Hails brother
Likewise my friend… To unholy alliances!!666 The Witch Links https://thewitch1.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Witch/100063821385055/ https://www.youtube.com/@thewitch5135/videos Masters Of Kaos Prod. https://theblackwitch056.wixsite.com/mastersofkaos/shop https://mastersofkaos.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Masters-Of-Kaos-Productions/100083264766354/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ5mrPBaMgDuGn71cyYWpbw
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