1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?
1. My project Witches Forest has been through many changes in the start it was really romantic and medieval then it became something wizard and magical like and now it’s more to do with my Native American heritage and I plan to keep it that way
2.Since 2022 you have released a great amount of material, can you tell us a little bit more about your musical progression from the first to current release?
2. When I first started recording for Witches Forest I did not even know where I wanted to take it and barely even knew anything about anything I went in blind. My “albums” Beauty of Silence, Cycles and Illusions, Hardship I see them as demos you can also hear a lot of progression in them to if you listen in order. Now what I call my real debut Haunting the Woodlands was something I wanted Witches Forest to really sound like and Under the Snow Covered Branches amplified that sound and I also dabbled a bit in vocals trying to find the best fit for me on Under the Snow Covered Branches
3.A lot of your lyrics cover Witchcraft and nature themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
3. If you also noticed my lyrics are hidden only I know them sometimes it’s not even witchcraft or nature but most of the times it is. I’ve always been interested in the occult since I was like 7 I was exposed to a lot of things a young mind and I’ve study a lot on the occult and have a lot of knowledge about it and many books and I sing about nature a lot because nature is like a sanctuary to me it’s what I worship the land.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Witches Forest"?
4. I was in 9 or 12 projects before Witches Forest started all different genres ranging from post punk to death metal but black metal has always been my favorite and what I’m better at in making. When creating Witches Forest I wanted something I could stick to so I made an oath to myself I will never get rid of this project and continue to write till I die even if that means it’s not black metal anymore and the name Witches Forest is something I came up with to have the themes of the music right infront of you magic, nature, rituals, native, and anti Christian or else it wouldn’t really be black metal.
5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the last full length cover?
5. Well it’s a picture of me by my favorite tree in my favorite park during the winter that tree has much importance to me everytime I go there I always have to stop by it and rest and the art work done by e.nvll.arts is something he helped make come alive on the cover because I’m terrible at drawing having trees on the cover would fit and the blue color gave it a chill it just matched the vibe of it all cold, grim, and spellbound
6.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
6. I’ve work with other musicians before it’s a bitch unless it’s with my good friend from Vampyrskog in fact I did do a song with him on are split we both made it me on bass and vocals and Vamp on the rest and also vocals and I helped produce the sound but that’s the last time I will work on something with someone it’s hard you don’t think the same or not at the same level musically or both have very different atmospheres.
7.In the last year you have released a great amount of material, do you spend a great amount of your time writing and creating music?
7. Yes I do and the crazy thing about it is that I multitask almost everything in my life because of it weather it’s time with friends and family work or school but the majority of my time is spent in my bedroom writing music and is the only time I feel at peace with myself and I think writing music helps me achieve inner peace I’m a born musician it runs in my family. But the musical side of me isn’t complete without Moonwisp a name I made for my hate and everything negative when I record that’s Moonwisp nothing would be possible without that side storming and pushing out never ending material. When I’m not recording I’m reading or in the woods or with my friends and family or I am meditating gaining knowledge being me
8.Recently you have been a part of splits with 'Vampyrskog' and 'Daedric Chamber', what are your thoughts on the other projects that have participated on those recordings?
8. Vampyrskog is a very old friend of mine I met him freshman year in high school ever since we’ve been close pals I even showed him black metal and now he make’s awesome stuff. Daedric Chamber is band i fanboyed over I love the elder scrolls games and when I saw he was making black metal of it it was a must listen two of my favorite things in one and when he asked me to do a split with no hesitation I said yes and it was also an awesome way to kill the medieval magical black metal music you see everywhere now. And just other projects in general I really don’t pay to much attention to unless I know they are something special. So if anyone wants to make a split with me they have to be something I really like and enjoy and something I can make work with my music and art Illiniwek black metal.
9.So far you have worked with 'Ancient Meadow Records' and 'Fiadh Productions', are you happy with the support these labels have given you so far?
9. Yes I’m happy with the support with the labels have given me Ancient Meadow really just gave me that boost I really needed and Fiadh is Awesome she’s like my black metal mom if I need help on anything with shipping or stuff like that she’s happy to help out but also all the supporters I have are amazing and my father is probably the biggest supporter he’s inspired me as a musician ever since I was born.
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
10. I think the reaction has been very positive my supporters message me and tell me how much they like my stuff sometimes I message them back and others have became friends although I love it more if people made reviews and critiqued more I could use some feedback on things.
11.Where do you see yourself heading into musically during the future?
11. More towards my inner self and working on myself and inner self along with embracing my ancestors and really just feeling the energy of the forest and making my music for the land and spirits but also trying to make it as badass and atmospheric as possible.
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
12. I really try not to let other band’s influence my sounds I like to be original and different I say the newest sound I’m working on is filled with rage, and this sense of trying to find peace in this now disgusting world. My older sound when Witches Forest was more about magic and medieval stuff was a little more hopeless and romantic in its own way but also very angry. Music I have been listening to at the moment is some jazz and polka maybe some traditional Mexican but if we where talking metal just the usual stuff because I can’t get enough of it like Ulver, Forgotten Woods, Gorgoroth, Marduk, Enslaved, Horna, Rotting Christ, Trelldom all that stuff you know but I also like new bands to like ifernach, Till, Felvum, Kold and I also like tons of burtal death metal, goregrind and old school death and when I mean old school I mean real old school not them new bands that say they are old school.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
13. Witches Forest is finally gonna settle on a main sound a sound I call Illiniwek Black Metal a form of Native American Black Metal but more towards where I’m coming from and where I am from so be ready to hear the new sound.
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