Black skies are raining down the dark sounds of the mighty Wolvhammer. This Midwest band has reshaped the sonics of dark music over the course of some super rad releases. Their last album, Black Marketeers of World War III, is totally epic to another degree, but I’m happy that this is a new year. That’s because Wolvhammer are now in the studio with Sanford Parker working on their new album for the awesome label Profound Lore. Meanwhile, CVLT Nation is proud to bring you a killer interview with this incredibly sick band!
What were the shared interests that formed Wolvhammer?
I guess for me it was just the desire to do something fast again. Micah and I had been doing a very slow, doomish type band called Vernal Pool, and I just wanted to do something where I got to fly a bit more. I came up with the name, we threw some ideas around, Motorhead, Bathory, that type of stuff. It was essentially just a vehicle to do something raw, pissed and honestly fun to play.
One of the first things that strikes me about your songs is that they all have a rad groove to them, where does this come from? Is it something that just happens organically?
It’s definitely an organic thing for sure. We just jam the riffs and it seems to flow naturally in the writing process. If anything feels forced we just move on from it. It has to have a certain feel, or we won’t bother with it. Andy is a helluva riff writer. We’ve been working on our follow up, which we’ll be recording in June for Profound Lore, and the stuff he’s bringing to the table is just flooring me. And with the addition of Jeff Wilson now, who’s been adding so much flavor to what we already have, the stuff that’s coming out is just amazing to me. It’s definitely an enjoyable process and we’re all really excited.
Another thing that comes to mind when listening to Wolvhammer is that it seems like you guys put the music first, without trying to fit into box like sludge, black metal etc. What made you guys take this path?
I think it goes back to the whole organic thing. We’re not a black metal band, or a sludge band, or a punk band or whatever anyone’s deal is this week. The attitude and content is definitely from a black metal stance, but if a riff is fucking good, a riff is fucking good, regardless of what it may sound like. We definitely play what we like to hear, but I wouldn’t call it self indulgent. I think we write as fans of metal, so we’re playing the stuff we’ve always wanted to play and hear.
I find myself heading way into my imagination when I listen to Wolvhammer. Do you guys intend for your music to have very emotive parts that take the listener off to other planes of thought?
I don’t think we’re that smart to think of things like that. It’s just playing what feels right to us. That’s cool that it does that for you, I’m honored to hear that.
How does the creative process work for you guys & what are some of the things that inspire you?
Well lately, with the lineup shifts and such, it’s been Andy and I getting together jamming on stuff and arranging then Jeff will come up and add on and give suggestions. Adam our new singer takes the demos and writes at home and has been coming back with great things. We’re inspired by a lot of things. Black metal stuff, tons of more rock based things, older music. A bit of hatred and self-loathing helps too.
Is writing lyrics a collective effort, or does one person take the lead?
It was definitely a collective effort on Black Marketeers, but with Adam in the fold now, I’m leaving it in his hands. Expect great things from this kid.
Does the fucked up state of this world play a part in what you create?
Definitely on Marketeers it did. Now it’s definitely more of personal thing on the new stuff we are writing.
Why did you choose Black Marketeers of WWIII as the title for your album?
It was a take on the idea of what would come after the apocalypse, and who would be running the show. Those who’ve spent there lives on the fringe already and do business in seedier things, those who know already how to survive.
When creating Black Marketeers of WWIII, was there anything you wanted to bring to the table that you didn’t on your first two releases?
We brought to the table what was brought to the table. I don’t think there was any plan to “step it up” or anything like that. It was the songs we wrote.
Who are some of your peers that you really love performing with & why?
Straight up, KEN Mode. Those are some of our best friends and the best kind of jerks you’ll ever meet, we thoroughly enjoy any time we can spend together. The Atlas Moth are wonderful people, they’ve helped us and been big supporters of us since our inception. I can’t thank them enough for their help, especially Stavros.
When will you guys be heading over to Europe to kill shit?
We’re hoping to get there sometime next year for sure. It’s just a matter of getting the right offer. We have no money. Give us yours.
Thanks to Wolvhammer for an epic interview!
Header photo Samantha Marble.
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