Interviews: NightWraith
On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Melodic Death Metal band NightWraith from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.
1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, did you plan it or come out just like that?
Our drummer Spy came up with the name a few months after we formed in 2016. He's a fan of The Witcher and Nightwraith is a character from the game/novels. It doesn't have much to do with the concept of the band though, it was just a cool-sounding name that wasn't already taken.
2. Why did you want to play this genre?
All of us had been playing fast & technical death metal for a long time and were ready to write songs that were more rock-influenced and musically advanced. We didn’t want to have any preconceived notions about what our genre should be, and we just wrote music that was original and unique. We had already been in bands trying to be as heavy, fast, technical, etc. - so we wanted to do a project that was more focused on musicality. We definitely have heavy parts and are still a heavy band in general, but it's just not as brutal as other projects we've done in the past.
3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?
Yes totally - Spy, Igor, and I formed the band in 2016 because we were all good friends who had been active together in the Denver music scene for a long time. Igor and Ben previously played in a band called Vimana, Spy and Igor had played in a band called Kitezh, and Ben and Spy had toured together with a death/grind band called Rottenness. After we wrote a few songs together, we recruited our long-time friend JJ to play bass and then put out our first album in 2019. Fun fact, me and Spy also played together in a Detklok tribute band called Corpsetimer. It was super fun because we had Brian Hopp (Cephalic Carnage) and Joey Truscelli (Wayfarer) on guitars, and those guys played all the parts/leads note for note - which was so sick!
4. Each band member's favorite band?
It's always hard (if not impossible) to choose a favorite band, but these are top of mind:
Ben - Propagandhi
Igor - Sepultura
Caleb - Cave In
Jacob - Death
Spy - "Weird Al" Yankovic
5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?
I've always loved writing songs and have been doing it for about 25 years now! Being able to conceptualize a group of riffs, and then track the evolution of a song over multiple iterations until it's a fully formed song, is one of the coolest feelings. In other words, I believe an idea that manifests into a physical reality is truly special and remarkable. And if anyone listens to it and enjoys it, that's a huge bonus too.
6. Where was your last gig?
Our last show was at The Marquis (Denver, CO) on 5/18/24 with Vale of Pnath, Abigail Williams, and Symmonig the Lich. It was such a badass show and felt special because Spy and I both worked at The Marquis together, for almost 10 years! So it was cool to be on the other side of things, and we played really well too. We actually posted a video of our song 'Beguiler' from that show that can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA7cqLZgttk
7. Where would you like to act?
I would love to get NightWraith to Europe someday, that would be the dream! Plus our sound is probably more European than American, so I think people would really enjoy our performances over there. No specific venues come to mind, but if we could play some shows in some Scandinavian countries that would be fantastic!
8. Whom would you like to feature with?
I really like the band Tribulation, especially their last 3 LP If we could do a show with them someday, that would be a bucket list item crossed off for sure! I also think we could pair pretty well with Opeth if ever given the opportunity.
9. Whom not?
Hmm do I answer this diplomatically or throw some shade haha. I guess any bands that promote a hateful agenda would be off the table for us. We would never knowingly play with a band if they were abusers or had any NSBM or racist ties. Members of our band have already experienced racism in the metal scene so we don't need any additional nonsense - no one needs that shit.
10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?
I don't think any of us really get any stage fright. Maybe in our earlier years but never in recent years. I do get 'excited' before shows that feel similar to anxiety but like good anxiety. It's not nervousness or anything though, because we always go into live situations 100% prepared, so the only thing we need to do is make sure we have fun and deliver a fun and authentic performance.
11. What bands have inspired you the most?
We all range in age and cultural backgrounds - so are influences have a wide range as well. We draw inspiration from bands like Judas Priest, Carcass, and Enslaved, but we are influenced by classic rock, jazz, and film score compositions as well. I guess the biggest influence on my songwriting style would be Swedish metal and rock. I've always loved the sounds that come from that part of the world, mainly because it's usually very melodic and pulls in neo-classical elements sometimes. It seems like all the best bands come from Sweden, case and point - Meshuggah!
12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?
We had a company reach out to us and request that we write a custom piece of music that they could use. We actually did it and I believe it is their 'holding' music when you call them. The company is called Flow Right and they do general contracting/plumbing services in southern Colorado. Caleb composed and recorded most of it, and I did the lead section - it was a pretty fun project!
13. What do you think of your fans?
I am truly grateful for our fans and supporters. Anyone who gives our band a chance listens to our recordings, comes out to a show, and buys merch - for any band - is a true ally. When we started NightWraith, the last thing on our mind was the fact that someday we would have an actual fanbase, but 8 years and 3 albums later here we are. And I couldn't be more appreciative of the people who support us and listen to our music.
14. What do you think of our site?
I love how supportive you are of so many underground bands. It's really cool that you offer free music and also link to artists' Spotify and Bandcamp profiles. It also looks like the site is hosted on Go Daddy which is a cool platform that I've used in the past as well.
15. Something to add?
We are incredibly excited for people to hear our new album "Divergence" which releases worldwide on 9/13/24. We worked very hard on this album, and it's definitely our strongest material and best production to date. It seriously came out so good and we really hope people like it as much as we do! Thanks for taking the time to interview me about NightWraith and keep up the great work. We need more people and platforms like yours that spread love and positivity through music, cheers!
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