SOURCE – How did your approach to songwriting change on this album compared to your previous records? Were there any new techniques or creative processes you explored?
Jamie Gilchrist (Guitars) – I think, if anything, I was trying fewer techniques and processes! On this album, I just wanted the songs to be as powerful as possible and cut out anything that didn’t need to be there.
Laura Donnelly (Vocals) – From my perspective, my approach was similar to the previous albums, but I felt like my melody and lyric writing had improved. Having more time in the studio was great, too, as Jamie and I would come up with vocal ideas on the day of recording—something we hadn’t generally done before. I think it worked in our favour, as I’m really pleased with how the vocals turned out.
Rory Lee (Bass) – The songwriting was more about heaviness than anything else, from my point of view. We didn’t add anything unless it truly benefitted the song. No egos—just serving the music.
SOURCE – How did you decide which songs would serve as singles for the album, and what made them stand out to you? What are the advantages of releasing singles over full albums in today’s music industry?
Jamie Gilchrist (Guitars) – There weren’t really any decisions made about singles before we started recording. We just went with what we thought worked best once the songs were done. “Swarming Flies” seemed obvious as soon as it was finished—just a really strong song. “Sea of Lies” was more of a surprise, but once we recorded it, I really felt it was an extremely powerful track, with so many elements that work really well.
Rory Lee (Bass) – We chose the songs that we thought were instantly engaging and catchy. Attention spans are in high demand these days, and everyone’s always short on time. Singles are great for pulling listeners in without asking too much of them.
SOURCE – How significant is this new album in your career, and what does it represent for the band’s evolution?
Jamie Gilchrist (Guitars) – This is definitely the first time I’ve felt totally happy with an album after recording it. I think all of us are really proud of it. Obviously, I love our first two albums, but I think III came together more in line with how I had imagined it than anything else we’ve recorded. It represents us focusing more intentionally on the elements that make King Witch great.
Laura Donnelly (Vocals) – I personally feel this is our best album to date. The songs are better written, more concise, and the album has a really solid vibe. We still sound like ourselves, but this one probably has a more rocking feel than the previous albums.
Rory Lee (Bass) – III feels like a new beginning for me. We had a long break, parted ways with our longtime drummer, and life was happening outside of the band. This album shows our strength through change and our ability to grow, even when things weren’t exactly peachy. It feels grounded and confident.
SOURCE – The album cover is often the first thing fans see. What message or emotion did you want the artwork to convey to your audience?
Laura Donnelly (Vocals) – Lyrically, the album focuses on where the human race is right now—our apparent desire to destroy ourselves, and the mental struggle to deal with it and still live a positive life. I wanted the artwork to show light and dark, life and death. I wanted it to convey that for everything wrong in the world, there is something beautiful and fierce to oppose it. I gave all this info to Rosanne, aka @blastedheathen, and she absolutely nailed it! We love it.
Rory Lee (Bass) – Life and death. Being able to bounce back after being knocked down—in whatever way that resonates with the listener.
SOURCE – The producer plays a crucial role in shaping an album’s sound. How did you go about selecting the producer for this record?
Jamie Gilchrist (Guitars) – It just made sense for me to produce and mix the album myself this time. I had very specific ideas for the sound and performance, and it meant we could spend more time in the studio working on all the small details that make the songs work. I could also be sure that we got the exact mix we wanted.
Laura Donnelly (Vocals) – Jamie produced and mixed the album. He poured his soul into it from beginning to end. We think he’s done an amazing job!
Rory Lee (Bass) – Jamie produced this album. As the musical spearhead of the band, once he developed the skills to record and mix to the standard he envisioned, he was finally able to capture the essence of our sound like never before. It’s incredibly heavy, and the emotion and depth of the songs really come through.
SOURCE – How do you feel about the initial critical response to this album? Were there any surprises?
Laura Donnelly (Vocals) – We’ve had positive feedback so far, which is great. I don’t think we’ll fully know until the album has been released.
Rory Lee (Bass) – So far, it’s been great, and I think the time away has done us good. People are really excited to hear our new music, and there’s a genuine sense of anticipation surrounding the release.
SOURCE – Music videos have become a vital part of album promotion. How do you view their role in supporting this new release?
Laura Donnelly (Vocals) – I think music videos play an important role in releasing music, but more as a supporting asset. The music is the main focus. Videos can be really expensive, so we’ve often gone the DIY route—creating the storyboards, enlisting filmmakers for footage, and editing everything ourselves. If we had a huge budget, we’d happily hand over the reins, but our system works for now.
Rory Lee (Bass) – Music videos are always fun but a bit awkward. Trying to convey the energy of a live performance is challenging. But they get fans excited and create a visual connection between the music and the audience.
SOURCE – Social media has become a crucial tool for artists. How did you leverage these platforms to promote the album both before and after its release?
Jamie Gilchrist (Guitars) – I find social media difficult. Obviously, we try our best to use it to promote the band, but if it weren’t for the band, I wouldn’t use it at all… ever!
Laura Donnelly (Vocals) – None of us are big users of social media, so it’s been a tricky learning process—and the landscape has changed a lot over the past couple of years. We’re hoping to get help from a couple of agencies: we’d create the content, and they’d work their magic. Hopefully! To be 100% honest, I feel like social media kind of sucks the joy out of music. But as musicians, we have to use it. Marketing the band and managing platforms is basically a full-time job.
Rory Lee (Bass) – Social media is a good tool—it just depends how it’s used. Most bands use it as a promotional platform, and that works. I think the frustration comes from how essential it’s become and the level of skill required to use it effectively.
SOURCE – With the rise of streaming platforms, how have your digital marketing strategies evolved to promote this album?
Jamie Gilchrist (Guitars) – We’re really lucky to have Listenable helping with this side of things. They’ve been incredibly supportive over the course of the three albums we’ve done with them, and they always cover all the technical stuff!
Rory Lee (Bass) – Honestly, I’m not sure. Aside from our own promotion on social media, I believe most of the marketing is handled by Listenable.
SOURCE – Following the album’s release, what are the band’s next steps regarding live performances and touring?
Jamie Gilchrist (Guitars) – I just can’t wait to get out and play the new songs live. Rehearsals have been sounding great!
Laura Donnelly (Vocals) – We have a few shows booked and will probably book more. We can’t tour as extensively as before due to family commitments, but we’re really looking forward to playing the new material live.
Rory Lee (Bass) – We’ll be playing some shows and continuing to grow our profile like any other band. We’ve been lucky with our past gigs and have a lot of great memories. I just hope we can keep that going and play some amazing shows for both old and new fans.
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