INTERVIEW WITH WOVENWAR – JOSH GILBERT
«The mayority of AS I LAY DYING fans have supported us. However, is easy to have some negative reactions if your favourite band was AS I LAY DYING, just because we are on a different genre and style now, those fans of us might be upset that Tim can´t do the band now and they might take it on WOVENWAR, but most of them,once they give this album a chance they like it. «
After Tim Lambesis (AS I LAY DYING) was arrested in 2013, the remaining members of the band decided to start a new project with Shane Blay from OH, SLEEPER called WOVENWAR. Last summer they decided to published their first self-titled-record WOVENWAR and we have just started an European Tour co-headlining with the almighty SYLOSIS and fairly soon this tour will start in United Kingdom with AS LIONS. Josh Gilbert spent some time with Metalcry to talk about this new band, record, tour, AS I LAY DYING and other stuff that you should not miss!
For those who still don’t know you very well, I think is best we start by telling everyone who WOVENWAR are and what do they do:
WOVENWAR is a band where most of us are ex-members from AS I LAY DYING, and during to major complications, about two years ago we started to create this project. We found our friend Shane Blay who wanted to join us and we decided that we wanted to create music and that´s what we do.
You made your debut last year with self-titled about WOVENWAR, what can you tell us about it?
Is our newest album with Metalblade Records, they have been very supportive. Is a good representation of who we were in that time when we recorded this album, our music was a reaction of us being sort of limited by our last band in terms of melodies and what part we can write, with this new band we can do what we want. This first record is pushing at more melodic directions as we could.
What’s the story behind «Matter of time»?
That song was written before WOVENWAR was a though and we were still in AS I LAY DYING, was our first ever song.
Phil and I were writing, as we are sort of the same, we share same ideas, we were kind of disappointed when we found out that we could not use songs that we have written with AS I LAY DYING. That´s the reason why is the only song where I do Lead vocals on it. There was some conflict about that we should represent ourselves to the public.
What inspires WOVENWAR to write the music you do?
Our inspiration is the bands that we have been listen to while we grow up, it depends on the song who was behind the wheels so, they are songs about the music business, they are songs about ex-girlfriends is all about experiences. We like to balance negative with positive thoughts.
Colin Richardson is under the mixing of this record, he has been previously work for your previous band AS I LAY DYING, how was working with him in a different musical project?
It was awesome, we have been previously worked with him and we have a good relationship with him.
Communication with him is really good after all this records, we kind of know what are we going to do, he approaches mixes as a musician, he is like an artist to us. We were really pleased with his work.
Is there anything you would change in this album if you could?
I think everybody was very happy with the result, is a good portrait of what we were on that time. But I have to pick up on something it would be that we stayed in the same tempo range in the record. I would have liked to add faster songs.
WOVENWAR are mainly formed by members of AS I LAY DYING and and Shane Blay from OH, SLEEPER, How did you guys decided to start a band together?
We known Shane for a long long time, One day, we went through a list of people that we thought they might fit in our project , but most of them had other musical commitments. Shane used to do cleaning vocals for his band like me so It was really easy, to work with him. We were friends but with the composition side of the band we have been getting closer and we could not be happier to have him in the band.
How did your fans have taken the decision of you guys starting a new band with Shane Blay?
I have to say that the mayority of the fans, have supported us and are amazing. However, is easy to have some negative reactions if your favourite band was AS I LAY DYING, just because is a different genre and style by the same musicians, those fans of us might be upset that Tim can´t do the band now and they might take it on WOVENWAR, I think once they give this album a chance they like it. If you are not familiar with this music your first reaction is kind of mixed, you can really be objective, it´s been great with the reception we have been having so far.
Nowadays musicians seem to have multiple musical projects, does anyone of you have a solo project?
Well, Nick and Shane are doing something kind of electronic very different from WOVENWAR, Phil played in a Hardcore band with some friends of his.Over the years I had solo projects too, there is nothing like very official between us because or main focus is WOVENWAR. When the time is right maybe we will work on other stuff we like.
Your European Tour will start in a couple of weeks, What can we expect from this new tour?
Well is our first time doing headlining shows, our first headlining show was when our record was just released and we launch it at BarFly in London. What an epic night! We hope that people had enough time to listen to the record and hopefully they will enjoy our show. We want just to go on stage and play as many songs as we can, we are really excited about this tour, we will playing for fifty five minutes so.
Do you have any future plans after your European Tour?
We have some other shows planned which I can really reveal at the present time. We do have stuff planned that will take us to the end of the year. We will probably will do festivals next summer too.
Social Media is pretty much in our everyday lives, How does internet impact on WOVENWAR as a band in terms of promotions, interacting with followers of the band?
It is definitely a helpful tool. We came from a time that when we started playing none of this social media existed. We tried to be tasteful as we can, we try use it but not abuse it. Without Social Media we could not be on tour or promote our music.
Thank you so much for having us, any kind words to your fans in Europe and Metalcry readers?
Thank so much for your support and I hope to see you all in our headlining shows!
