Blackwater Holylight on the Conception of "Silence/Motion" (Interview)

Blackwater Holylight snuck up on me, in the best sense of the word. I had heard the name floating around, and when I finally got around to checking them out and their new album Silence/Motion, I wondered why I’d waited so long. Their pure, unfiltered take on doom metal and bringing femme energy to metal with zero compromise to heaviness and aggression is not something I’ve experienced with any other band.

They’ve specifically crafted and honed their sound so that it hits like a ton of bricks while also singing you to sleep like a gentle lullaby. I can’t get enough, and according to vocalist and bassist Allison “Sunny” Faris, the record holds space for heartache, pain, and healing. Here’s what she had to say about the latest release.

-Addison Herron-Wheeler

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What was the writing and recording process like for the new record, and did COVID interfere in any way with getting it done and released?

COVID definitely played a role in this album. We were supposed to be on tour for a lot of 2020, so when everything went into lockdown and our touring test was canceled, we decided to write an album. A lot of bands weren’t getting together, but we decided if we wore masks and stayed in a bubble together, we felt comfortable meeting up. Right before we went to record, we had a scare where one of us tested positive but was totally asymptomatic, so we all quarantined and pushed our recording date back a few weeks. Now that it’s out, I think everyone is just experiencing massive delays from press houses where vinyl is very backed up for everyone.

You talked about this record being emotionally hard. What are some of the big lyrical and emotional themes?

I wrote mostly about parting, heartbreak, loneliness, and depression. I think to some, it’s pretty cryptic, but those were the major themes.

In your bio, you talk about spreading out and expanding the heavy elements of a song. What does that process look like to you, when it comes to translating heaviness?

I think there are multiple ways to be “heavy” in writing. You can be instrumentally heavy with thicker tones, guttural vocals, and strong riffs, but you can be emotionally heavy as well and sing honestly about the darkness you’re facing. We tried to expand on all of these things with this record and try some things that haven’t shown up in our music until now.

What do you want people to take away from your music?

I want our music to provide a space for people that helps guide them through whatever it is in their life that’s causing pain. I think music is one of the biggest reminders that everyone out in the world is experiencing emotional turmoil, whether it be happy or heavy, and using the songs to connect and guide each other through is very powerful. If someone can listen to our music, and it helps them get through the hour or day or helps them feel less alone, that makes me feel very fulfilled.

How is the tour going, and do you have any other plans to announce after the fact, like more touring, music, etc.?

Tour is going great! We’ve definitely had some hurdles to jump over because of COVID and just normal bumps in the road, but for it being our first tour back, we are doing pretty good! We’ve got some US tour dates that are already released and will be announcing more US and Mexico dates in the coming months.

Are there any other projects of band members that you want to plug or promote?

Erika [Osterhout] is in a handful of bands including but not limited to: Chthonic Deity, Scolex, Abysmal Dimensions, and Necrosic. Mikayla plays in Dirty Princess and just started a new side project with Eliese called Rapid Response. Sarah has a synth project called Dan Dan, and I just finished and EP with my friend for a pop-doom project called PM226.

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Follow Blackwater Holylight on Bandcamp.

Silence/Motion is out now on RidingEasy Records.

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