BURNING WITCH
PART I: THE BURNING OF THE WITCH
MINCEMOYER‘S WITCHING HOUR WITH GUITERRORIST HEXENMEISTER
STEPHEN O’MALLEY AT THE BEGINNING OF VI-VI-VI-I
‘At one performance, six people passed out when an actress, whose eyeball was just gouged out, re-entered the stage, revealing a gooey, blood-encrusted hole in her skull. Backstage, the actors themselves calculated their success according to the evening's faintings. During one play that ended with a realistic blood transfusion, a record was set: fifteen playgoers had lost consciousness. Between sketches, the cobble-stoned alley outside the theatre was frequented by hyperventilating couples and vomiting individuals.‘
--Mel Gordon, The Grand Guignol: Theatre of Fear and Terror
The above quote aptly captures the blood-soaked catharsis released by the infamous Parisian shock-drama known as the theatre du Grand Guignol and strangely parallels the sonic catharsis released by the ‘heavier than comprehension‘ Burning Witch.
The tiny theatre started, innocently enough, producing theatrical adaptations of the violent crimes reported in Parisian newspapers. As fate would have it, this soon mutated into realistic representations of sickening, unimaginable horror.
This band's story started, innocently enough, with a ‘doom‘ act called Thorr's Hammer that mutated into Burning Witch.
I had a chance to speak with Stephen O'Malley, guitarist of Burning Witch, about labels, genre-damning categories, proper doom bands, catharsis, sound as sculpture, graphic design and a few things in between. [ This interview was conducted roughly six months ago. - JM]
Stephen began, "There was a band called Thorr's Hammer, in Seattle. We played together for a while, but eventually broke up. Myself, the other guitar player and the drummer, from Thorr's Hammer, decided to keep playing together and it eventually metamorphosed into Burning Witch once we got our bass player. That was sometime in 1995. Then Edgy, our singer, joined in early 1996." He continued, "The other guitar player, Greg Anderson, left and formed a band called Goatsnake. Our original drummer Jamie Sykes left Seattle, so we found another drummer. He filled Jamie's place and even played drums on our second recording, but he left and Jamie has since rejoined the band."
The current line-up of Burning Witch consists of Stephen on guitars, Edgy 59 on vocals, Jami Sykes on battledrums and Stuart Dahlquist on bass. This whole scenario, of course, would not be proper without a unique twist. Stephen explains, "Stuart, our bass player, lives in Seattle, I live in Los Angeles and Jamie, our drummer, lives in England. Edgy is in his own world." [ Since this interview, Stephen has relocated to New York City. - JM]
This situation has to make for difficult working and creative conditions. Stephen agreed, "Yes, it is difficult, but that's how things are. I really cannot explain them in a logical way. As for now, I think we are working on material. At the present, we are negotiating with Candlelight Records to do another record, but that is all up in the air. We have already agreed on an advance recording budget, but on the other hand, we do not have a contract yet, so it could all be neither." [ With Stephen living in New York it remains to be seen if Burning Witch will record again. - JM]
To digress, is Candlelight Records not a Black Metal label?
Stephen stated, "I do not know if I would call Candlelight Records a "black metal" label. They have a few black metal bands, but they actually have a few atmospheric, Goth-oriented bands and that is what I generally associate with that label. I like the label."
The difficult, almost disjointed, working conditions are one thing. To further complicate matters, depending on how you view the situation, Edgy 59 sings in another band called Sinistar who are close to completing a deal with the major label Sony.
When asked if this scenario might create further problems Stephen said, "I'm sure it will. I'm sure he will have some sort of contract, or stipulation, with the label were he won't be able to record with any other bands as Edgy. Of course, we could have someone else record with us, that is not named Edgy, but sounds exactly like him - let us say another aspect of his personality. Honestly, Burning Witch would not have the same character at all without Edgy. Edgy's vocals are unusual, but they fit perfectly within the framework of our sound." Continuing he said, "Yes, I think it would create problems, but in Hollywood things like this happen every day. I don't know what to believe. If it happens that would be great, because that is what he wants, but, Hollywood... I don't know what's realistic. The fact that you don't live in this environment is good."
As if all those factors were not enough, there seems to be an interesting reactions revolving around an advertising tactic used by Southern Lord Records to promote their release of Burning Witch's Crippled Lucifer [ Seven Psalms For Our Lord of Light] CD, which states something about the "slaying of false doom hippies."
"That statement, if you will, is the label's advertising ploy. Southern Lord is run by Greg Anderson, one of my best friends. Ironically, I'm also pretty involved in the label, but I did not write that, he did. I understand why he wrote that, but it sort of creates this artificial conflict, or opinion, because the band doesn't have really anything to do with that. It is not that I support hippies, but it has nothing to do with the band at all. It is kind of cheesy. I totally understand why that statement was made, let's say it was a provocative thing, and there's a bunch of bands now playing this watered-down rock style and still considering themselves doom, which is fine, but I think it was meant to provoke the fans that are into those kind of bands, or possibly create interest in people that are not satisfied with those ‘lighter‘ bands."
So it would be fair to say that Burning Witch is a doom band? I have seen the phrase 'total doom at a molasses pace' used to describe Burning Witch's devastating sonic sound.
"We are a doom band if you want to categorize us like that," he stated bluntly. Continuing, how can I say, with a little more acidity in his voice, "I think genres are something that shouldn't exist. Genres are something that journalists, no offense, have created to make their jobs easier. By categorizing bands, within genres, it gives the reader a closer idea of what the band sounds like, which is fine, but at the same time it also puts these barriers on their sound and I think that most good bands can be put in categories that are generally better then those categories. Take for example, Emperor. They are categorized as "the" black metal band - one of the ultimate black metal bands, which they are, but there are so many more elements to their sound. Consider their classical influences. As far as Burning Witch is concerned, and in regards to the doom scene... The proper doom scene is extremely small. Burning Witch has more in common with Grief, the Melvins or Eyehategod, then with the proper doom metal scene and bands like Pentagram or Solitude Aeturnus. Those doom metal bands are more dramatic, expressive and weeping."
So describe Burning Witch?
"Burning Witch is more primal..."
Or feral?
"...Or feral in a way..."
What about aggression?
"...Burning Witch is more powerful, than overtly aggressive. It has its own unique aggression. It is sort of a cleansing sound, especially in regards to the vocals. They are extremely penitent, and combine that with our sound, and what Edgy's actually saying, and it comes across as if he is trying to save himself somehow."
As for the song writing process, Stephen said, "Edgy 59 writes the lyrics. He shows up and goes for it. Whatever he wants to do... We might suggest something occasionally. In the band, everyone does everything in regards to their specific instrument. The only thing that is collaborated upon are the riffs between myself and Stuart."
Those riffs Stephen spoke about make an excellent starting point in regards to Burning Witch's recordings. Burning Witch worked with Steve Albini on the Towers LP in 1996 and recorded Rift.Canyon.Dreams with Aaron Evil in 1997.
As for working with Steve Albini of Rapeman/Big Black infamy Stephen stated, "He was amazing to work with. Steve Albini is an incredible engineer."
The Towers LP was released on Slap A Ham Records in 1998. The Crippled Lucifer CD, which combines both the Towers and the Rift Canyon Dreams recordings, was released by Southern Lord Records earlier in 1998?
Stephen explains, "We were trying to find someone to release our material. A couple of labels were interested, but they flaked out. One of the labels I sent a tape to was Slap A Ham. We didn't hear anything, then a year or so later, when I was living in England, I got a postcard from Slap A Ham's Chris Dodge that said, 'You know that tape you sent me? I've been listening to it every day.' And he said that he wanted to put out some of our material, especially the Steve Albini material. He really liked the music, so he pressed the Albini material and it is called Towers. And I am pretty happy about that because I had never had an LP of my own, come out, before." He continued, "Crippled Lucifer came out, because Greg Anderson, who runs Southern Lord and who played in Thorr's Hammer and Burning Witch in the beginning, wanted to put it out. The CD was actually released before the Towers LP, but the LP was arranged prior to the CD being arranged. I hope it doesn't confuse people. Towers is a proper LP, the Crippled Lucifer CD is more of a compilation."
Crippled Lucifer, for recorded sound, breathes with a leaden, preternatural life almost beyond the thresholds of tolerance. At the risk of draining someone's ire, "total doom at a molasses pace" is not that far from the mark. The oppressively heavy, monolithic, feedback-laden riffs build each dirge slowly, enveloping and then constricting, ultimately leading towards complete sense paralyzation. The penitent, shrieking vocal style of Edgy 59, that Stephen mentioned before, cuts through the dense tapestries with a unimaginable, inhuman immediacy. This merciless barrage of punishing sound seems to offer an omnipresent "god's eye view" of sound quite beyond normal, mortal comprehension.
He explained, "Burning Witch is about sculpture and the tempo is very definitive as certain textures that come across through the riffs."
What about the speed, I use that term loosely, at which the songs are played?
Laughing he stated, "Burning Witch is really slow. But, with the music it is more of a release than anything."
Would calling Burning Witch punishing through repetition be fair?
"You could say that the music is meant to punish you. The songs are composed in mirror images of themselves and the riffs...It is more like architecture then proper pop songs, with chorus, verse, chorus, solo. We are creating this monument out of sound and in order to do that, in some of the songs, we have to build a pretty big foundation and create certain moods in the listener and ourselves. Sometimes it takes a long repetition of riffs, or punishment if you will, to get to that level. As for myself, I don't know about the others, the fact that by repeating the riffs so many times...It puts you in this trance mode, which is one of the reasons for playing in Burning Witch. I would like the fans to become entranced..."
Mind control? One of my favorite topics of conversation...
"...It may sound like mind control. Burning Witch is not a malevolent form of mind control, but we like to create a certain mood, possibly contemplative, in people. Edgy's whole perspective on what he is doing in the band is very mind control oriented."
Switching subjects abruptly, I had read somewhere that you founded the well respected Descent Magazine.
"Yes, I created the magazine. I guess I am the editor, the designer and do some of the writing. There is a new issue coming out as soon as I finish the layout. I didn't do very much of the writing in this new issue..." His tone seemed rather blase for someone who has complete control over a project like that. He continued, "Descent used to be a release, but now it has become...I think this might be the last issue coming up, because I think it is time to bury it. [Volume Five, the Death Issue, hit the stores this past June. I have no further word on Descent's future. - JM] I do not get the same satisfaction out of it anymore. I would rather do other things, like play music and design albums. I would like Burning Witch to take up more of my time."
That is completely understandable. Are you involved in any other projects at the moment?
"Yes. There is another band that I am in with Xan Hammack who played in Divine Eve and Crimson Relic. The bass player and drummer from Morgion are also members. Actually, the guitars on Morgion's new album Solinari were played through my amps so that's why the guitars sound so heavy," he stated with a hint of pride. "By the way, their new album is really good."
Stephen also designs albums for Misanthropy Records. [Realize that since this interview was conducted Misanthropy Records is no more. The last release on Misanthropy was Burzum's Hlidskjalf album, which Stephen happened to design. - JM]
"Yes, I have designed every Misanthropy release for the last two years: Burzum, In The Woods, Mayhem, Solstice and the Presumed Guilty compilation CD. I also designed Emperor's Anthems To the Welkin At Dusk and their latest album, IX-Equilibrium."
Speaking of design, the cover image for Crippled Lucifer is a rather striking piece. "The cover image was done by a Surrealist painter named Max Ernst. I found that in a book about dreaming. Of course, I altered it a bit. There is a second edition of Crippled Lucifer coming out with different artwork that I think is more appropriate. I am not happy with the original cover. Designing albums is not easy to do, but for some reason, designing my own band's album was extremely hard. I never thought about the music in such visual terms before, so finding the best design concept was difficult."
Can we expect any new material in the near future?
"The new Crippled Lucifer CD should be released in April. [ The new version is out and the artwork is somber, yet stunning. - JM] We are supposed to have a split 10" with Goatsnake coming out on HydraHead Records, but I do not know when, and if, it will happen.
John Mincemoyer
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
