Team LOUD WOMEN have been invited to cover Supersonic Festival this year, and we can’t wait!
Starting in 2003 as a one-day event in Birmingham, Supersonic Festival is curated and produced by Capsule, and has gained international attention for it’s diverse line-up of experimental music and art. Among the many amazing bands/artists playing are Norwegian feminist black metal band, Witch Club Satan.
Known for their provocative and theatrical shows, the trio formed in 2021, and identify as witches. Read our interview below, and find out how that plays into their music, as well as what we can expect from their set at Supersonic Festival…
Firstly, how did you all meet and when was Witch Club Satan formed?
We have all met through different art educations and projects. Both Nikoline and Victoria have studied and worked with theater, while Johanna has her background in literature and writing, but we have all carried a passion and curiosity for music in our life and work.
During the pandemic we met and started talking about our urge to create something together again. We had a feeling that the three of us shared an energy that we needed to dive deeper into. At that time all of us could feel the stillness of the world as an excuse for apathy. We felt stuck and careless – as the rest of the world. It was time to wake up, learn to play these instruments and scream.
For anyone not familiar with your music, how would you describe your sound?
We play black metal as people did in the 80s. At that time there were no rules for the sound of black metal, as the genre did not exist yet. Young, experimental bands kept challenging themselves and the rock scene to find the most brutal, disturbing sounds. This is the core to us; the energy and the willingness to experiment. Our sound is raw and primitive, and our way of playing metal is strongly rooted in the genre’s big sister: punk. But our sonic universe is dynamic, unpredictable, and in the middle of the most chaotic noise, you’ll suddenly find a moment of calm in a sacral prayer.
If you had to recommend one of your songs to a new listener, which one would you choose?
Our songs strongly relate and reflect the world as we experience it, and for that reason we would say that our latest release is a footprint of now. ‘You Wildflower’ is a battlesong, a call to action, to remind us to unite, care and keep fighting.
You all identify as witches – how do you tie this in to your music and performances?
We look at music as a way of practicing magic. Music has a transformative power that should not be underestimated. We write and perform our songs as spells. As practitioners of performance art for many years, rituals at display feels normal. The whole gig can be watched as one big ritual together with the audience, but we also do smaller ritualistic acts on stage, changing from time to time and the world situation.
What can we expect from your set at Supersonic Festival?
We will bring our all to Supersonic. As we have understood the festival, the audience are open minded towards the alternative and dark. That makes us feel welcome with the weird and good stuff. We will make sure to take care of the energy, and to create a memorable night.
Are there any other bands/artists on the line-up you’re particularly looking forward to seeing?
Backxwash has been a huge source of inspiration to us from the very beginning. Her song “Spell” was actually shown to us by Jørn Stubbrud (aka Necrobutcher) from Mayhem, and the three of us instantly fell in love with it. Her newest album is a masterpiece, and the way Backxwash puts politics and the personal side by side is just straight out sexy, and super powerful. Also, Penelope Trappes is a fellow witch that makes music magical.
What else are you up to this year – any tours/festivals/releases you want to tell us about?
It has been an amazing summer festival season with highlights such as Roadburn, Hellfest, Mystic Fest, Fusion Fest, Roskilde and finally Supersonic. We are looking forward to our small headline EU tour this fall. It’s gonna be an adventure to get on the road and do 11 gigs in a row with no break. Let’s see how our voices manage! We are also working hard on our next album. It is exciting times, and we will soon have more news to tell about.
And finally, is there anything else you’d like to add?
A fun fact is that Supersonic will be our first ever gig in England. We have listened to so much British punk and pop in our teens – it feels about time to bring our music into that emotional context.