80's Thrash, Cheap Beer, and NWOBHM:
About a month or so ago I managed to catch these guys at a show in Club Rockit in Toronto, right off the bat they completely blew me away, They have just released their debut album entitled "At One With The Shadows" which is easily one of the best albums of 2004, so I figured I'd have a little chat with them and find more about the band that so viciously kicked my ass that night.
NoC - Brent Lockman
SH - Scott Hedrick
NG - Nate Garnette
NoC: For those unfortunate souls who haven’t heard of Skeleton Witch would you care to give us some insight as to how you came to be?
SH: Nate (guitar) and Jimi (Bass) used to be in an Athens, (Ohio), metal band called Serkesoron. They became defunct when their singer Tom (an incredible front-man) met an untimely death. Nate recorded a four-song demo and was looking for new band members. Once I heard it he immediately had himself a guitar player. The rest of the members were easy to find. Chance is Nate's brother, Jimi was in Serkesorn, and Derek was friend of ours.
NoC: What would you say are Skeleton Witch's influences?
SH: 80's Thrash, cheap beer, and NWOBHM. Perhaps in that order. Also, some Black Metal and European Melodic Death Metal. Some of my personal favorites are Death, Iron Maiden, Kreator, Immortal, Motorhead, Coroner, Carcass, Slayer, etc.
NoC: How were the recording sessions for the debut? have you guys had any previous studio experience?
SH: The recording sessions kind of sucked because they were spread out over so much time, (due to us being broke as fuck), that it was difficult to remain consistent on a lot of levels. Nate and Chance are the only members who have had studio experience before.
NoC: Could you run us through Skeleton Witch's songwriting process?
SH: It definitely starts with Nate. He'll usually have a series of riffs or the skeletal structure of a song and the two of us will then put our heads together and fine tune it until we're happy with it. We then practice it with Jimi and our drummer (who right now does not exist). Once it is finished musically, Nate will record it on a four-track and give it to Chance so he can construct the vocals.
NoC: Is there a story behind the album title?
SH: Not really a concrete story, but the Skeletonwitch creature on the front cover will be a recurring character.
NoC: Do you prefer to be in the studio or out on the road?
SH: Definitely the road. Nothing beats playing live, traveling to new cities, and living on gas station hot dogs.
NoC: Describe Skeleton Witch's live show in one sentence.
SH: Two guitars, bass, drums, and a vocalist.
NoC: How is the tour going so far for your guys? or... how was the recent Tour as the case may be?
SH: It went incredibly well. It was our first time out on the road for an extended period of time and we definitely got a positive reception. It also gave us the experience of meeting some great people and traveling to a lot of interesting cities (and lots of shitty ones.)
NoC: If you could tour with any 4 bands, what would they be and why?
SH: For me personally... Iron Maiden because they are incredible, Motorhead- so I could drink whiskey with Lemmy, Overkill- to see the look on Nate and Chance's faces that we're actually playing with Overkill, and Slayer- because they are Slayer.
NoC: Are you satisfied with the reaction to the album from your fans?
SH: Beyond satisfied! Unfortunately we didn't have the time or money to do the album exactly like we wanted to. We're still a young band, and I think people understand that when they listen to the record and it doesn't deter them from enjoying the songs. I'm grateful to anyone who turns "At One with the Shadows" up to 11.
NoC: How about the media?
SH: Once again, I am thoroughly impressed and grateful for the response. There have been a few negative comments and reviews but the positive response has been overwhelming. I did not expect that at all.
NoC: Do you think who wins the upcoming election in the states will effect the American metal scene?
SH: Only if the rumors are true that if Kerry wins he'll be sworn in wearing corpse paint.
NoC: What did you think of our fair city? (Toronto), and will we see you again soon?
SH: We loved Toronto! Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to see a whole lot of the city, but the people and what we did see were incredible. I did not expect complete strangers to welcome five crusty metal dudes from Ohio like they did. We'd love to come back ASAP. But I’m really not sure when we're going to hit the road again. We'll let you know.
NoC: Are there any bands from Ohio that we should be taking notice of?
SH: Yes, Winds of Saturn (Stoner Thrash-Punk from Columbus) and Deadsea (an indescribable progressive metal threat also from Columbus). Also, D-beat crust masters The Dead Hate the Living from Cincinnati.
NoC: And what's it like being apart of the American metal scene?
SH: It's cool because there are some great bands and dedicated metal-heads, but lately, there are an abundance of Metal-core and Nu-metal bands that seem to be taking over, which is unfortunate.
NoC: What can we expect in the future from Skeleton Witch?
SH: More shows, more songs, more albums (hopefully), and more metal.
NoC: And. we're done, on behalf of everyone at No Official Capacity, just like to thank you for your time and turn the last words of this over to you guys, any final words?
NG: Heavy Metal IS the Law!
www.skeletonwitch.com
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