We’re all familiar with the awesome death metal coming out of Arizona, right? Right?!? Well, add another to that list. One of our many late May releases (most of which we still need to get to – my baaaad), death metal crew Wyrmhaven just dropped their debut full-length album Seasons of Gloom. I’ll be straightforward here… Based on the above, I’m confident it’s exactly what you want. A concise, massive sound through and through with just the right melodic touch. The entire crew stepped up to share a few thoughts on the project, touring ambition, and much more. Give this one a listen while you give this Profile a read, and we’ll see ya on the other side.

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How and when did you first get into playing music, or metal more specifically, and how did your band get its start? Any pushback from family/those close to you?

Nick: I first started playing music in my later teens. I had a guitar and could play some chords, nothing crazy. Mostly Nirvana, Green day, pop punk songs. I was big into punk and emo when I was younger, and I didn’t really start to get into metal until maybe my early 20s. I heard some In Flames, At the Gates, The Black Dahlia Murder and I was hooked. I really got into guitar in my 20s and started from there. I started Wyrmhaven as a way to reconnect with my friends. We just wanted to write some riffs. We wrote “Delirium” super quick and it all went from there. I have the full support of my lovely wife. I know she isn’t the biggest fan of metal but she tolerates it for me lol.

How would you describe your band and what you play to someone who is completely in the dark?

Stephen: I would probably describe us as normal working guys coming together to create some massive sounds. It’s the type of chemistry that is honed and not forced.

Is there anything about your latest album or about your band that no one will find in any interview or review that you care to divulge?

Stephen: I think one of the things about our upcoming album is that we have probably played and changed these songs about 20 times each to get them to where they are. We demo at my house and over the course of a year and a half I have about a dozen versions of each song. 

Any funny stories from playing shows / tours / festivals, etc?

Stephen: I definitely can spend all day talking about touring with other bands I’ve been in and Wyrmhaven has yet to do any long term touring. Come back to me in about a year and I’ll have a book of funny stories with these guys on the road.

What do you see as some of the great things happening in and around the metal scene (yours or just in general) and what are some of the worst things happening right now?

Keith: The heavy music scene is stepping up and meeting the moment in some big ways which is one of the greatest things happening right now. All over the world people in the heavy music scene people are creating community spaces where our LGBTQ+ friends and our unhoused friends are taken care of by establishing mutual aid programs and creating physical spaces where our at-risk homies are safe.

Most folks have passions for a cause or causes that are close to them. What, if any, are some of the most important issues (social/political/humorous/etc.) for you / your band and how do you insert those issues into your music?

Keith: This album is centered on the struggles we face both collectively and individually. Dealing with loss and mental health issues are often lonely struggles. This album speaks to be open about those struggles and how important it is to be there for each other.

Do you have day jobs or hobbies you want to share?

Steve: We all have day jobs that we go to. We do our shredding at night. We all have different hobbies from collecting vinyl, going camping, making youtube videos, collecting warhammer, going to shows, reading books, and a few other things in between. We are going to let you guess who does what though lol.

What advice do you have for music critics and outlets out there? How can we all better serve the genre in the eyes of a hard-working musician?

Stephen: I think my biggest advice to critics and outlets would be to report on more underground artists. People would be surprised at the diamonds in some of these scenes. When I was on the road 6 months out of the year I heard bands I never heard of that caught my ear and made me wonder how they weren’t getting written up by AP/Decibel or Lamb Goat or any other outlet for that matter. I think it’s time for critics and outlets to roll up their sleeves and really check out some rad unsigned bands out there.

Any specific long term goal(s) in mind?

Travis: Our long-term goals are to get out and play more and keep writing music. In terms of live goals, we’d love to hit the European festival scene eventually. In the short term, we’ll be planning regional US shows. Our thirst to keep writing our brand of heavy music is nowhere near quenched, and we’ll get back to writing by the end of this year.

When you’re not obsessing over your own material, what are some of your favorite albums to listen to currently?

We all listen to a bunch of different styles of music, and this is what we are all jamming lately. Travis is jamming “Bath” by Maudlin of the Well. Keith is blasting “Synergy” by Extol. Steve has “St. Anger” by Metallica. Stephen has been listening to Hrvrd “The Inevitable and I”. Nick has been blasting Jimmy Eat World “Clarity” a whole bunch lately.

What is the near future outlook for you or your band? Any specific events on the horizon that the masses should be aware of?

Keith: On the immediate horizon we are greatly looking forward to the release of this new album on May 29th, which is our first full length. We worked really hard to put this album together and we are incredibly excited to share it with the world. Beyond that, we’re just looking forward to getting out there and playing live.

Summarize your band in one word.

Travis: Driven

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Many thanks to Wyrmhaven for the time!

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Seasons Of Gloom is out now. Head over to Instagram to keep up with Wymhaven.