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After a storming review of their album, Craig managed catch up with Brimstone Coven’s John Williams to ask a few questions…
Hello guys, hope you are all well. Thanks for the opportunity to review the album which was a pleasure to listen to. Have a few questions for you, so thanks for your time, and here we go..
You’ve just completed and released the album Black Magic which you call ‘occult rock’. What was your inspiration (music etc) that sent you in that direction?
It was about 5 years ago that Corey came up to me and asked “Hey. Would you like to be in a stoner rock band?”. At that time Corey Justin Andrew myself we’re in Entropy. He said that we would be playing some tunes along the lines of Black Sabbath and Zeppelin deep purple. We were all influenced by those bands anyways so we thought this could be cool. We got together and started jamming, and the chemistry was phenomenal. Better than any of the other bands that we played in with each other. The music felt right. So, a lot of the influence would have to come from Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Cream. The list goes on and on.
Given that you come from one of the more relaxed parts of the US, whats the inspiration to write the songs that you do. I’m thinking about the ‘Plague’ in particular…too much Walking Dead on Netflix?
Every bit of this world has a light side. Which means it also has a dark one. The majority of the world is afraid of the dark, mysterious, and unknown. In a way, I feel that we just show the beauty in it. Our inspiration comes from what we are interested in. Corey is highly interested in the occult, aliens, Black Magic, witchcraft. So that’s where he pulls a lot of his lyrical inspiration from. He spends a lot of time researching that stuff. And no I do not watch The Walking Dead haha.
The were a few standout tracks on the album for me, Black Magic and Black Unicorn get regular air time. What songs do you look back on from the album and think of as stand outs?
“Slow Death”. We traveled outside of our normal lyrical standpoint for this song. Although it still holds some of the darkness from our others. The music is a little more upbeat. This track is about a woman who hurt you any possible way she can. Mentally and emotionally. But, you just can’t leave. Something about that pain keeps you around. Musically, I feel it’s the catchiest track off the album. Lyrically, I feel that it can hit a wide range of fans and they can relate to it.
When you are recording the album do you think – ‘thats one I want to play live’. Anything here that you just want to pump out live asap?
“The Eldest Tree” This track has a section that is a straight headbanger. I can just see an entire crowd of people breaking their necks to that part. Hell. The entire album I’m pumped to play live. We just played our CD release party here at home. It was the best crowd response we’ve received so far in all these years. I want to pass that on to more and more fans.
The album cover is a blast from the past. How did that come about?
The “Three Witches” were introduced on the first album released on Metal Blade. They became sort of mascots over a couple years. On that album it’s as if they are just breaking into witchcraft, or the Dark Arts. On this album, it’s as if they have mastered it. Tangled in a mess of wind and fire. Casting their spells of black magic. Our friend Creighton Hill stepped up to the plate, for this album as well. He did an amazing job and giving it a retro look. Such an amazing artist.
Signing to the big boys at Metal Blade is a good move. After releasing your own stuff in the past, how does it feel to get the first albums re-released and to have a label behind you?
Re releasing the first two albums on metal blade expanded our fan base tremendously. They really helped us reach worldwide. Still, to this day, I am in shock knowing that we are affiliated with an amazing label. Everybody that we’ve interacted with through the label has been nothing but cool with us. Has been willing to help. Answer any questions we have. Knowing that the label feels we are worthy enough to be signed with them, is humbling in itself.
Do you have any current plans to tour the album at this stage?
100%. We’re going to start in the States. Hopefully we can make enough money to where we can get overseas and do a tour there as well.
The Black Magic video is getting a few hits on You Tube. Too early to talk Oscars….. but is this the first ‘Official’ video for the band and how was that as an experience?
“Black Magic” was the first music video that I’ve ever been in. We tossed around a few ideas and Tom Fitzgerald did an amazing job presenting them. It fits our sound. It has that 60s 70s cheesy horror flick look to it. From start to finish, it was an amazing experience. I wouldn’t say that it is Oscar worthy haha.
So, when you look around the music scene right now, who gives you the inspiration or does it all come for a different era?
Mainly we pull inspiration from a different era. But currently in the scene, we are influenced by bands. Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Witchcraft, Graveyard, Pentagram, Mount Salem. There are a good bit right now that influence us.
And last one guys, when we publish the interview, I’ll tell the readers that you should buy Black Magic by Brimstone Coven because….
Our Dark Lord and Master would want you to.
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