#ROADTOBOA Interview: Cybernetic Witch Cult

Bloodstock 2016 logoHere we go again… Last year we covered every band on the Hobgoblin New Blood and Jagermeister stages in the run-up to Bloodstock 2015. This year, we’re going one better and aim to have interviews from all the bands on those two stages as well as all of those on the SOPHIE stage prior to the event kicking off on August 11th. That’s almost 100 interviews to get online for you lucky people over the course of the next couple of weeks. I bloody love this job, but you lot owe me a beer at Catton Hall, right?

Thanks to all the bands who’ve taken the time to respond!

Cybernetic Witch Cult – Jagermeister stage, Saturday

Singer and guitarist Alex rattled off these answers…

Simple things first – where are you guys from?

Cornwall.

How did you meet?

Kale and I have been playing in bands together for the last 7 years. We started out on folk metal, which led to black metal, which then led to an unhealthy obsession with doom & stoner.

How long have you been playing together as a band?

The band has been together for two and a half years now, and 43 performances to date. Me and Kale have been the only constant members – I think Lewis is the sixth drummer we’ve played with so far; very spinal tap!

Where does the name of the band come from?

We wanted something that would illustrate our love for horror, magic and science fiction, and mix all that into a very clear description of the type of music we play.

What are your influences – individually or as a band?

Well the lyrics and themes of the music are all horror and sci-fi, so lots of space and cult movie references. Musically there’s a lot that we take inspiration from; 1970s prog rock and proto doom, all the 60s era folk and hippie scene and then of course all the modern stoner rock and doom pioneers, we try and fit it all in! If I had to name a few: The Doors, Sabbath, Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, Hawkwind, St Vitus, Sleep, Monster Magnet, Hendrix…

Describe your music. What makes you unique?

I think we’ve got the right ratio of seriousness and tongue in cheek humour; we try and blend Doom/Stoner/Psych/Prog/Sludge with science fiction and horror lyrics and then pack it full of riffs and sing along choruses. I suppose it’s the way we mix all that together that makes it sound unique, we try and make the music and the lyrics feel like it’s telling a story, usually something dark and magical.

What’s your live show like – why should the baying hordes troop over to the stage you’re playing on to watch you?

Well we’ve got a projector show that we’re going to try and set up on the Jagermeister stage. That plays a tonne of trippy visuals/sci-fi movie footage while we play so it’s much more of a show. The whole thing is just a fun, riffy experience. If you like Star Wars, Dinosaurs, Wizards or Nuclear War and fancy stomping to massive riffs come check us out!

When/how did you find out you’d been selected to play at Bloodstock?

At the Bournemouth M2tM finals, it was unreal.

What sort of setlist can we expect?

We’ve just released our second album so a lot of new material, some of the more ‘party doom’ anthems, packing a lot of riffs into our 30 minute set! Our aim is to get the crowd in a party mood. We’re on the Jager stage so hair of the dog with some big fuzzy riffs, should be the perfect start to Bloodstock Saturday.

Which main stage band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?

Mastodon. If you opened the question up to the other stages, Boss Keloid – cant wait to see those guys!

What are you working on at the moment?

Well we’ve just released the second album (Spaceous Cretaceous – available on Bandcamp / Spotify/ etc), so we ought to be taking a break from writing but there are plans for an EP early next year, and a third album in Autumn 2017, and we’re starting to plan for some tours later this year and into 2017.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done on tour?

Most of our wild stories tend to happen when we’re at festivals rather than tour as we can relax a bit more. Ask us again on the Monday morning after Bloodstock…

What advice would you give to a young band just starting out today?

Play music you love, write it for yourselves and your passion & drive will make shit happen. If you don’t love what you do you’ll never push it as hard as it needs to be pushed.

If you could be part of any 3-band line-up who else would you have on the bill? One band above you and one below – a chance to plug a smaller unsigned act!

I’m sure the other guys would pick vastly different line-ups but I’d have to say:

Top of the bill: Cathedral

Then us (with Hawkwind’s lighting and video crew –that’s allowed right?)

Then: Greenhorn/Lacertilia/Skraeckoedlan (I can’t pick between them and you can’t make me!) We’ve had the pleasure of supporting all these guys in the last year and hope we get to share many more stages with them! They’re all bashing out amazing riffs and reshaping the doom/sludge/psych/stoner genre in their own tasty ways so if you don’t know them go and listen!

What stage / time are you playing at Bloodstock (if you have your slot yet!)

Saturday (morning), Jagermeister stage

 

 

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