Interviews: Lindsay Schoolcraft

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Gothic Metal/Symphonic Metal artist Lindsay Schoolcraft from Canada. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. The title Harrowing suggests a difficult emotional journey. Looking back at the period between 2022 and 2024, when you wrote the album, what was the most challenging truth you had to confront through these songs?

“The hardest part of all of this was realizing that no one is coming to save you. That’s such a tough trauma to overcome and not sink back into the bad habit of fooling yourself. You get this destination happiness of “it’ll get better when ____” but it never does until you take autonomy of you life and take responsibility for your role in everything.”

2. You’ve cited artists as diverse as Evanescence, Spiritbox, Björk, Purity Ring, and The Birthday Massacre as influences. Was there a moment during the writing process when you consciously stepped outside your comfort zone and surprised yourself creatively?

“Out of all the tracks we made, 'So Alive' was one I was not expecting everyone to resonate so much with since the album came out. That song goes all over the place. It has such a light, uplifting chorus, but such a dark and heavy bridge, and then some rather trip-hop sounding verses. That song took a village, no, literally, everyone took part in it. And I think that’s what makes this song so special. I wasn’t sure what people would think of it, just glad to see it’s being received well.”

3. As a classically trained harpist, pianist, and vocalist, how do you balance technical musicianship with raw emotion when creating music that feels deeply personal?

“Emotion is always the first thing; the feelings have to come out first. The technically “thinky, thinky” aspect always comes later if help is needed.”

4. Both “Crucified” and “I Wait For You To Fall” have connected strongly with listeners. What do you think people are hearing in those songs that resonates so deeply right now?

“After reading the DMs and comments, it looks like everyone has a crummy ex they had to deal with. Whole Crucified is angry, and I Wait is petty; it looks like it’s a mutual feeling among many people who’ve been through that type of relationship dynamic and breakup.”

5. You co-wrote and co-produced Harrowing with Justin deBlieck. What did he challenge you to do differently on this record that you might not have attempted on your own?

“There was a lot of fast execution when it came to making the song and not dwelling too long on feelings around making major changes. He really helped me embrace my love of nu metal on this record, which I may not have had the confidence to do otherwise.”

6. The album features orchestration from Spencer Creaghan alongside contributions from Rocky Gray. How did those collaborations help shape the atmosphere and cinematic scope of the record?

“Rocky really helped bring those heavy melodic riffs we needed, along with the help of our friend Brian Cook. And Spencer also brought his best when it came to the orchestrations. They are a big part of why this album sounds the way it does.”

7. You’ve worked with artists ranging from Motionless in White to Myrkur and Cancer Bats. How have those collaborations influenced your identity as a solo artist rather than pulling you away from it?

“I’m beyond grateful these acts brought me in, and I wanted to make something together. They all taught me something new or made me more confident in the new ideas I wanted to try, or gave me the courage to step forward and do what I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always been really lucky to be in the presence of different forms of musical excellence, and each time a little bit of that rubs off on me.”

8. In 2019, you became the inspiration for the character “Skvllcraft” in the Belzebubs universe. Has seeing yourself reflected through someone else’s artistic lens changed the way you think about your own public persona?

“Yes and no. The creator of the Bubz, JP, really wrote a lot of my true self and personality into that character. The only real turning point for my character is in the animated series, but that’s a surprise for later.”

9. You’ve won awards both as an artist and as a producer. Do you approach a song differently when you're wearing the producer hat versus the songwriter or performer hat?

“It all starts as a writer. I get out the emotion, I do what’s best for the song, but it’s also sloppy and vulnerable and doesn’t have a lot of cohesiveness in the beginning. Then I put on the producer hat, and that’s where things really come to life with sound design and collaboration. The live show is the last and final step. I find here sometimes there is a bit of compromise based on what was done in the studio, and does it even translate live? But we always find a way and get it past the finish line.”

10. You’ve shared the stage with Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling, artists known for blending heaviness with strong visual and theatrical elements. If you could design the ideal live presentation for Harrowing with no budget limits, what would the show look like, and what kind of experience would you want the audience to leave with?

“I’m a full orchestra and choir kinda girlie. The show would be in a church with all the bells and whistles for sound and visuals. One day, this will happen. Until then, I’ll keep dreaming.”

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