Interviews: Witch Mountain

Witch Mountain's newest LP, Mobile of Angels, is heavy as hell, baby. It lumbers, it twists, it rumbles. In fact, a lot of people think it's the doom metal band's best release to date, aided in part by the band's more existential musings and how they just completely submerge themselves in the tenets of doom metal. But, there's more here than just riffage -- though there is a lot of that. There's psychedelic wandering, experimental production and hella bad ass solos. Also, vocalist Uta Plotkin wails like a banshee. Think Ozzy meets Janis.

But just before the band released what might be their crowning achievement (so far), Plotkin informed the band that she was leaving soon after the album's touring cycle. The result is Plotkin's swan song and the last chance to observe the band in this incarnation.

But founding members Nathan Carson and Rob Wrong are going forward, evolving the band once again. To get the scoop about the new album, Plotkin's departure and how far out Hawkwind's Nik Turner really is, Features Editor John Gentile called up the band and talked about all things heavy.

What prompted Uta's leaving the band?

Nathan Carson: I don't like to put words in her mouth, but my general feeling is that Uta had invested five great years with us, helped us to make three amazing albums, played hundreds of shows and all of this was taking time away from her personal life, other artistic endeavors and her ability to make a living wage.

Are you all still on good terms?

NC: Yes. I see her out, around town at concerts. We last bumped into each other at the Arch Enemy/Kreator show. We both agreed that the new singer for Arch Enemy isn't cutting it. That was a very good example to me that we need to be very choosy about our replacement as well.

Tell me about why you decided to open the vocalist slot to auditions.

NC: I'm not sure how else we would find a singer without having auditions? I guess we could have just sold lottery tickets…

You've stated that Mobile of Angels has a more “honest emotion” to it. What did you mean by that?

NC: Uta wrote lyrics for two of our albums. Much of her work on Cauldron of the Wild is storytelling. Most of her words on Mobile are expressions of her personal frustrations and intentions. This is my perspective, anyway.

Mobile of Angels' is, in my opinion, the band's slowest and heaviest release to date. What are the virtues of the slow, low and heavy riffage? What are we to take from it?

Rob Wrong: Well I write the riffs depending on what's happening in my life. I was going through a real challenging period when I wrote those songs, so yes, maybe some of them seemed heavier and slower but I think that's a natural progression. Overall, I felt they were a bit more sad and ballad-y compared to the last effort, however they are Witch Mountain songs and the next set will be different as well. They are always Witch Mountain songs through and through so I am proud of that. What to take from it? I treated this last album like the two before it, like it's the last stuff I will write, so I put my best foot forward. I think if you were to take anything from it, that would be it. Live your life to the fullest and always try and outdo the last challenge.

When I listen to bands like Witch Mountain, Sleep, Om, Sabbath, the especially slow and heavy songs seem to take me to another head space. Do you think the slow and heavy stimulates the creative part of one's brain?

NC: Every brain is different. Clearly this style works for yours and mine. When the beats are that far apart, it gives you mind the chance to connect the dots, and travel between. Faster music is exhilarating, but can also leave you breathless. It can be overwhelming. There's something a bit more spiritually participatory to me about the elemental slow stuff.

The album deals with religious imagery. Doom metal has always had a unique relationship with religion/spirituality. Some metal bands are explicitly anti-Christianity. Others write almost devotional songs. Why do you think metal tends to push people to the poles of with this issue?

RW: I grew up in a mostly Christian family. I've always tried to understand my family's beliefs and also my own. Either you have the fear or not. I lost my mostly religious beliefs when I was about 12. Science intervened. 

What is your stance on spirituality?

RW: As humans and as people we are natural power plants emitting energy so it's hard not to believe that the energy when we die goes somewhere. Being one with others on this ball we call a planet to me is being spiritual. As long as we are in touch with our energy we can do so much more than we are now. I am spiritual, but that doesn't mean that it has the same meaning as others perceive it. I guess it's what you want to call spirituality that makes it real. I believe that humans are inherently good, but that has been challenged especially lately with what's going on in the news.

Weed and other psychedelic drugs are very heavily tied to doom metal. Is the connection brought up too often? How significant are substances for Witch Mountain?

NC: It depends on who is in the band at the time. Rob and I have always been pro-weed, but that's a decision for the individual. If you had to be stoned to appreciate our music, We'd lose at least… ten percent of our fan base, haha. I do believe the psychedelic experience is important and liberating. But again, that's a personal choice, and not something to be meddled with lightly. I never have been one to get fucked up for the sake of escape. But a well-planned exploration… that I can get into, though these days that tends to be about once every couple of years.

Rob, four years ago, you quit your job to devote full time to the band. Was it a difficult decision?
RW: The decision for me to quit my job and pursue the last few years of WM's progression was totally something I felt if I didn't do I would regret. It's not for everyone, however if you are in a position to go back to what you were doing as far as a full-time job is concerned like I was, I say why not? The Butthole Surfers on their '87 LP Locust Abortion Technician said in the opening song: “It's better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't done…” there's more, but you get it. 

You recently toured with Nik Turner. It was an amazing tour all around. How has touring with Turner influenced the band?

NC: I don't know if it influenced our band, but Rob's father passed away while we were on tour, and Nik adopted him. So that's rather heavy and beautiful.

Behind the scenes, is Nik Turner really the far out creature he appears to be on stage?

NC: Oh god, yes. Absolutely. He's a beautiful space maniac. Love him to death. Just make sure you stand up wind!

 
What is next for Witch Mountain?

 
NC: We recorded a song recently with Billy Anderson. We are taking our time, and carefully moving forward. There is no rush, but at the same time, we move at the pace that the music and the energy of life takes us. We are too old to go against the grain, so we try to surf on forward and do what makes us happy. Witch Mountain is a huge part of our lives and we have no intention to quit.