Interview and text by Julia de Camillo
The Californian band Bad Wolves is experiencing a prosperous moment in their career. The group, formed by Tommy Vext on vocals, Doc Coyle and Chris Cain on guitars, Kyle Konkiel on bass, and John Boecklin on drums, is riding the wave of their latest release, NATION , the band's second studio album, released in October 2019.
It's all very new for them. Bad Wolves gained recognition in 2018 with the release of their debut album, Disobey , which included a cover of "Zombie," an iconic track by The Cranberries . This album propelled the band to worldwide fame, becoming the gateway for a legion of heavy metal fans who clamored for more Bad Wolves. NATION fulfilled that demand, being a true love letter to their fans. The album cover reveals everything: it's a photo by Haris Nukem of a tattoo of the band's most iconic symbol, the wolf.
Wikimetal vocalist , about Bad Wolves' current situation. Read the full interview:
Wikimetal: How would you summarize everything you lived and experienced between the release of Disobey and NATION ? What was that moment in your life like?
Tommy Vext: For sure, they were different experiences. When Disobey was released, I don't think any of us could have predicted the impact that “Zombie” would have. Out of nowhere, we went from guys in a band within a small metal scene to these hundreds of millions of YouTube views, and all this exposure on social media, Instagram, Facebook… You know, I think none of us were used to being recognized, and on top of that, there was a lot of work to be done. So a good part of 2018 went by in a flash. It was a lot of work, and I was still processing everything emotionally. A year ago, I could only think, “What happened in my life?” And then we kind of got used to it. I think when we started NATION , the band had already spent so much time together, living closely together, we had already played so many shows, that we kind of already knew what we wanted to do, so there wasn't much discussion and conflict between people's creative opinions. We just went straight to the studio. Actually, it was much easier than the first album. When we were making our first album, we didn't have a record deal and we didn't know what our sound would be. We were really searching for our identity, and by the second album, having already established that identity and a relationship with our fans and the public, we knew where we were going, which made everything easier.
WM: What was the biggest influence in the creation of NATION ?
TV: I think what impacted the production of NATION was our tour and concert schedule. It was the connection we created at that time. We spent a lot of 2018 doing meet and greets , interacting with our fans. We even went to the hospital to visit people who couldn't make it to the show. You know, we took that extra time to do cool things for people and, in the end, a lot happened, a lot happened. I think it all came down to the fact that, eventually, we knew who we were talking to, we knew who our audience was, and that had a huge influence on how we created our album. Each of us also has our own personal taste, and the band has a very varied musical influence, so we listen to everything from bands like Whitechapel and Metallica to Fiona Apple, Lana Del Rey, and Dr. Dre. It goes in all directions. I think that's partly why we seem like such an eclectic band. It's a combination of allowing different influences but, beyond that, prioritizing our audience and our understanding of them, and how what we do touches and affects them.
WM: When NATION was released, you mentioned the tribute to the fans on the cover. How was the album received by your audience?
TV: Everyone loved it. I didn't see any negative reactions; I think we gave everyone what they expected from us. We have these really heavy metal that are super intense and technical, and then we have songs like "Sober," "Better Off This Way," and "Killing Me Slowly," which are more focused on vocal melodies, the meaning of the lyrics, and telling a story. I think that's a good thing. For me and the other members, it's almost like a basketball, which we pass from one to another, giving everyone a chance to win. So they help me with the things that are important to me, and I help them with the things that are important to them. It seems to work that way, and that's how our sound is created. It's a collaboration.
WM: You recently released the music video for “Sober.” It’s a very personal and powerful song, but it also addresses a major problem in our society. How is it to translate these feelings and experiences into music?
TV: “Sober” is similar to “Remember When” in that it’s a true story. Every time I deal with translating experiences into music, it can be emotionally draining, but when the music is finished and, especially, the music video… You know, all the characters in the video represent real people I met while I was recovering, some who are sober now and others who are no longer alive. It was important not only to tell my story, their story, the story of alcoholics and addicts, but also the story of their families. For every person suffering because of drugs and alcohol, there are many other people connected to them, who love them and who can’t save them. I think it was a very powerful message, which seems to be connecting a lot of people.
WM: Last year, Slipknot's new album was well-received by critics, but it ended up not being included in most year-end lists. Do you feel that rock and metal are being left aside and, perhaps, not being taken seriously?
TV: I think hip-hop, predominantly, is oversaturated by consumerism. Every hip-hop song is a bad commercial. They tell you that you should buy cars and jewelry, that you should drink this champagne or this liquor, that you should have this watch… It’s materialistic things, so that attracts people in a certain way. But at the same time, for our fans and rock fans in general, these people want something more real. So I think the genre is still very strong, even because of our experience as a new band, emerging from nowhere and having all this success, selling millions of singles… In some territories, our first album is about to go gold, which is surreal for us. But I think people want something real, and it doesn’t matter if the mainstream accepts it or not, because people still show up, buy a t-shirt, a concert ticket, a record. Obviously, we don’t need to be at the MTV Video Music Awards or anything like that, and we continue to exist, it’s not a big deal for us.
WM: As a band formed in the digital age, what's your opinion on the use of social media in music lately? Is it something that can help new rock bands?
TV: I don't think social media is inherently bad when it comes to art and music. I use social media for many things; I enjoy watching nature videos, biology documentaries, and I follow photographers, painters, and other artists I like. I think social media can be both good and bad. It's a necessary evil if you want to promote your music, especially if you're not signed to a record label. It's an important tool, but it's also important not to spend too much time on it. Everyone has the potential to become addicted to their cell phones, even more so nowadays. I'd say that's increased in the last ten years. Sometimes it's strange to be at a show and look at the audience and see everyone filming on their phones. People are so obsessed with recording it to show others that they forget to enjoy the moment. So, as an artist, it takes the energy out of a live performance, but it also promotes the band: each person is essentially a promoter. If someone records the show and has 200 or 1,000 friends, they post it, and then more people see the band and can get to know the band. It's a strange situation, where some artists are very bothered by people filming, but for us, it doesn't matter, we work around it.