WINTERFYLLETH

WINTERFYLLETH Back to their Black Metal Roots

INTERVIEW WITH SINGER / GUITARIST CHRIS NAUGHTON BY ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER

Black metal heavy“The acoustic album was defiComing back from the journey Studios in Wales. In addition to weights Winterfylleth nitely something that we'd althat led to their folk masterpiece, tapping into some of the heavier are back, and once ways wanted to do,” guitarist The Hallowing of Heirdom, to creelements the band have honed, again making crushing, meand vocalist Chris Naughate another metal album, they the album deals with even more lodic black metal instead of ton explains. “We've always used the lessons they learned modern, topical themes. the pagan folk they made done acoustic interludes on to incorporate new melodies on their last record. And the albums, so I didn't think and styles into the heavier re“We all live in this kind of crathey’re excited to be back it was out of the realms of cord. Despite lineup changzy, hectic world that's going on in the bowels of the metal possibility that we could do es, the band has always had a around us, and lots of things beast. an album like that, and it'd signature sound and consistent have happened over the last be good and credible, and themes about the pagan days of few years that have really Their new record, The Reckhave the atmosphere of the the U.K. This record looks at anbeen kind of game-changing,” oning Dawn, goes back to the other albums. But because it cient poems, writings, and histosays Naughton. “There have roots of their black metal, was such a different headry, and compares them to things been lots of culture wars going borrowing heavily from paspace, because we had to happening in the modern world. on. There are various different gan and folk, but not comwrite for instruments that we kinds of agendas, and I think pletely leaning into them. can't play, like violin or celThe Reckoning Dawn was rethat it’s interesting to see how While the band loved the exlo, it was a real trial by fire. I corded and produced by the these modern struggles reflect perience of making a purethink we definitely learned a legendary Chris Fielding (Priin the past. We just keep movly folk album, writing metal lot about ourselves as musimordial, Napalm Death, Conan, ing forward and making the definitely feels more natural. cians with that album.” Electric Wizard, Fen) at Foel same mistakes.” �� �� ��

ME AND

THAT MAN way of thinking, and actually one of the reasons why I choose to be an artist in life is that I still want to grow, and I still want to learn a lesson of who I am.” “So, by releasing this record, I'm learning, and I'm processing another leswhich is that we should come together over shared interests, whatever they may be – appreciating each other and the spirit of creation. “Absolutely,” he concurs. “It really fells liberating, and it feels that it's an amazing lesson in that for me to learn, INTERVIEW WITH NERGAL BY NICHOLAS SENIOR son of who I am,” he elaborates. “So, it really means a lot to me to talk to from others mostly, or I mean, come on, all of these people, they are better fans who take time and pay attention in what they do than myself.”

What exactly is metal? Is it a what's going to come out of me. I just to what's going on. They tell me, and collection of certain noises? know I need to shit it out. It's pretty much I can really see it as a reflection of In a way, Nergal went about redefinIs it a pernicious or dark the same with the music I create.” what the record might actually be, ing what outlaw country could mean, attitude? Is it the people that you know what I mean?” and it always comes back to the Man make it? Whatever metric you use, Me Reflecting on the ways he is inspired in Black. And That Man – the one-man project to create for Behemoth versus Me What this album might actually be from Behemoth main man Nergal – And That Man, he notes that it’s differis a lesson in the whole magically “I figured out why a lot of metal heads probably doesn’t fit. The Polish legend’s ent shit, different day. becoming more than the sum of for decades now are attracted by second effort, New Man, New Songs, its parts. With vocal talents coming guys like Johnny Cash, because Same Shit, Vol. 1, out now via Napalm “It's a different form of defecation,” he Records, doubles down on his love of dark folk and country western Amerilaughs. “It's a whole different animal really. Behemoth is just multi-layered “EVERY MORNING I NEED TO GO AND POO POO. cana. However, a closer inspection with your eyes, ears, and cold black heart reveals some blissful metal mayhem under the surface. and all about metaphors and probably way stronger and more serious content, while Me And That Man in a lot of cases was just treated with a wink and is approached with an emI'M NOT REALLY THINKING WHAT I ATE YESTERDAY, AND WHAT'S GOING TO COME OUT OF ME. I JUST KNOW I NEED TO SHIT IT OUT. IT'S PRETTY What was Nergal’s inspiration this time around? bellished sway, and that's also part of me. Behemoth is definitely more into MUCH THE SAME WITH THE MUSIC I CREATE.” a certain formula, and I don't really “I don't work according to some set of feel like I don't want to cross the line.” from Trivium, Slipknot, Mastodon, Johnny Cash was heavy metal in laws or rules or anything,” he says. “I While Behemoth is like some esoterShining (Norway), Grave Pleasome sense,” Nergal says. “He's fuckjust use my gut feelings, I use my expeic, dense doorstopper of a book, Me sures, and Emperor (among other ing singing about Jesus and the rerience. I just spit it out and form it on And That Man carries a quiet, calmgreat guests), New Man, New Songs... demption in almost every song. Why? the record, but I don't really want to ing sensation – like a cross-section shockingly comes across not only as There's some power in art that doesn't just sit down and analyze what's hapof a literary noir and an easy beach a cohesive narrative, but as one that really need to be explained, maybe, pened and why.” read. These Americana tales are embodies the same spirit. Echoes and there's some mutual common imbued with an old-school mindset of Americana, European dark folk, embellishment that just speaks to us There’s a pause and a chuckle before of letting existence happen and just and even soul come and go, but the on some metal language.” Nergal carries on. having fun going with the flow. Someessence of freedom from various times you don’t want to wrestle with all oppression is what’s most affecting. Long live metal no matter how it “I don't know why. Every morning I of the questions of the cosmos, right? sounds. This may be a new man, but need to go and poo poo. I'm not re“Yeah, yeah. I mean, probably not,” There's awesome power in the it ain’t shit. Let the outlaw metal wash ally thinking what I ate yesterday, and Nergal chuckles. “But I really like your mindset that Nergal embodies here, over your soul. �� �� ��