CVLT NATION INTERVIEWS WOE – PART TWO

Here we go with the second part of our interview with the Philly-based Black Metal band WOE. If you missed the first part, see it here. Read about Chris Grigg’s (guitarist and singer of WOE) influences after the jump – CVLT Nation interviews WOE – Part Two!

Is there a certain record that has influenced your life in a special way? What was your “entry” record to Black Metal?

I could name crucial record after crucial record if we wanted to talk about influences in my life! Albums by Dystopia, Crass, Assück, Emperor, Nile… My entry to Black Metal? There would be two: Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk was my first real Black Metal album, purchased on a suggestion from a friend. Kvist‘s For Kunsten Maa Vi Evig Vike was the first really raw release that really clicked.

Actually I do want to talk about this! So you come from that whole DIY context and dig bands like Dystopia or Crass, do still feel yourself as a part of a DIY scene? And the bands you mentioned, in what way did they influence you?

I guess I’m somewhat in between the DIY scene and the… I dunno, the not-so-DIY scene. WOE books all our own shows in the US, we will play anywhere and really prefer warehouses and small venues. I run phillymetal.com, which exists primarily to support the Philadelphia DIY scene. At the same time, I can’t claim to be Mr. DIY. I don’t go to shows too often, I’m not up on all the bands coming through, and we are on a label that provides a lot of services. It’s a compromise.

I connected with Crass when I was really young. The idea of rejecting all authority and questioning everything, even those who would claim to be like you, really resonated strongly for me. The raw delivery of the music, the rejection of standards, the DIY spirit – it was very inspirational.

Assück was my first introduction to Death Metal vocals. I remember putting the CD on and being totally turned off by the vocals but I wanted to understand it so I stuck with it. I think I was like 14 or 15 at the time. People seem to get into the Anticapital collection more than Misery Index, but for me, the last full-length was really their strongest, most intense sounding material. I love the sound, the drumming, and that unrelenting intensity. It’s also unbelievably negative: “And if at any time it should fall I would rise and carry the banner of hopelessness and lead its war.” Yeah, I could get into that.

Dystopia spoke to my sense of despair. The pained vocals, the raw feeling, the intensity of the music, the purpose to the lyrics – very important. Dino’s drumming was very influential and his vocal style – shrieking, pained, furious – stuck with me. Their mixture of Punk and Metal was a stepping stone to greater things. When we were in California a few months ago, we used Dino’s drums for our tour and I got to hang out with him and Mauz a little bit. I felt like such a nerd, I was practically star struck! It’s hard to tell someone that their music changed your life without coming off as kind of weird, I think.

Like a lot of people my age, I kind of started with newer stuff and worked backwards. Nile was my introduction to real Death Metal. Black Seeds of Vengeance was the fastest thing I ever heard. These days, I don’t really listen to it – I don’t think I even know where it is – but that drumming, dude… wow.

Where do you get the influences for your lyrics? All those depressed, negative songs, does it happen that you write songs about other people’s lives or display your songs only subjective experiences?

Lyrics are all about what I see around me. It’s a lot of personal experiences delivered in a non-specific way so the listener can apply it to their own life.

Since you call yourself an “anxious mess”, I assume writing songs the way you do is also kind of an outlet for you?

It is. I guess you could say it’s also a bit of a problem because it doesn’t really let me put things behind me, I just keep reliving situations over and over again. It’s something that’s been on my mind a lot lately, in fact and I’m not sure of what to do with it.

Stay tuned for the third and last part of our interview with WOE, with Chris talking about his plans with WOE, his equipment and a bit more about influences and Black Metal.