Band Interview: Chris Naughton of Winterfylleth!

Ahead of the release of their new album ‘The Reckoning Dawn’, GBHBL had the chance to chat with lead vocalist and guitarist, Chris Naughton of Winterfylleth about the album. As well as their position in the black metal scene, how their history has helped define who they are today, their adaptability and much more.

Below is a transcript of some of the interview with the full thing available at the bottom for your listening pleasure. You can read our review of The Reckoning Dawn here or watch the video review below.

On releasing an album during such a turbulent period

It feels like one of our most triumphant album releases in a way because the press has been amazing and the reaction has been amazing but equally it comes at a time of enormous uncertainty in the world. So we’re having to navigate that like everybody else but we decided to keep on with the album being released and keep our commitment to the fans.

We’re fans of music and we want stuff to listen too and to have some hope during this period of time we’re all in. I guess we’re writing that story as we go along but let’s hope it works out for the best.

For many people music is almost their escape from the madness and their respite from it. So to be in the privileged position of having recorded something that many people are interested in, I want them to have it. I want them to have the time to spend with it, perhaps more then they would normally. Equally for it to kind of break up the monotony, I think a lot of us have been faced with. Almost living in Groundhog Day I think for many people. So to have new and interesting things to focus on and look forward too, I think is a good thing and I think hope is a good thing.

Regarding any potential adjustment phases that were needed for The Reckoning Dawn

I don’t think so…I mean maybe, in some ways in terms of approach but not really. I think Winterfylleth at its core is a black metal band and that’s what we will always be. Although we sort of deviated from that to do an acoustic folk album a few years ago, I don’t think that detracts from the identity of a black metal band. I think it only opens up other areas of music and performances you can explore.

It’s not unheard of for black metal bands to do acoustic albums, I don’t think and I certainly don’t think it hindered our ability to write stuff coming back into this record. If anything, I think it almost helped it in some ways.

Have Winterfylleth retained their position as story tellers rather then stance takers

I think as a band, yes. Obviously as an individual you have a perspective on it and I guess it’s sometimes hard to divorce those things from the band but despite obviously accusations we’ve had in the past I don’t think the band in of itself is a political entity. Even though it touches on the idea of observation and social interactions and critique of policy in the world at points, I don’t think it necessarily is coming from any particular standpoint. I think it’s more of a ‘this is going on and you kind of need to be aware of it’.

On Winterfylleth’s adaptability as a band

I hadn’t really considered it to be honest but I am a fan of trying to be on the right bills Nd not just doing everything for the sake of it. I think people want to see you in the best environment you can and for you to be able to being them the kind of show they would want to see. So there has to be some of that consideration that goes into it, I think.

On keeping themselves grounded and humble

It’s not within ourselves to be kind of rock stars about this stuff really. We’re all still grounded people who live in the real world and who’ve got to be part of this world as well. I think you can be guilty of sot of losing yourself and I don’t think we’re ever those people. We come from quite DIY roots, playing in punk bands when we were kids and still sending our own merchandise out when people buy it and things like that.

I don’t like the idea of bands being too distant from their fans and never coming out to say or hello or speaking to people and stuff. It’s not in my nature and I always appreciated that when I was going to shows when I was younger. So that’s the kind of artist I wanted to be and I hope that can continue.

Any advice for bands who may be struggling to get going due to the global pandemic

Don’t give up. Our agent once said to us that it’s the bands that stick around that do the best. I think one of the best bands to ever come out of the UK was Wodensthrone and unfortunately those guys folded because of distance and whatever between the guys in the band. It just happened that we’ve kept making records and kept moving forwards. I think that we always imagined those guys being around a doing it with us but people’s lives and circumstances change.

I think you can always make time for it and I see people giving these things up because of work or family but you know, we all have jobs and we all have families and I think you can still do if it is important enough to you. So keep pushing yourself to write better material, always self-edit; don’t just put out the first thing you write and just challenge yourselves to keep going and improve.

Check out the full thing below or via Soundcloud here.

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