Wolf has a new CD- Ravenous!

It's been fantastic because generally speaking those who write for the rock magazines are extreme music enthusiasts. So while we never initially set out to make music for critics, per se, once you put your art out there for public consumption, it's going to be dissected one way or the other. We have always gone against the grain since day one, so to read that others are appreciating that departure from the pack means that we're not just making this music for ourselves anymore, now there are others who are counting on us to stay true and lead by example. At least that's how I perceive it in my twisted brain.

Q2) What can fans expect with your new release- Draw Down the Moon- how is it the same from earlier releases- how does it differ?

You can expect to hear a band who are finally learning to write professional songs. There is still a strong emphasis on the hook and structure. The rhythms are tighter, there is less filler and layering and more direct guitar/bass/drum driven traditional metal anthemry. Those who like the earlier work of the band will not be disappointed. There are no radical departures of any sort, just more focus and less fluff. It's been described as darker too, which I may tend to agree with. This was definitely written from a dark place.

Q3) How is the CD doing in the early days of the release? How are the downloads doing in this new digital age?

From what I've heard from the label, the sales are pretty strong so far. I know we moved a respectable amount of them at the merch booth each night along the tour. The downloads are picking up. It's certainly a good way to bolster the overall bottom line and the label obviously likes it because they've got less tied up in manufacturing, shipping and storage.

Q4) How has the road been in support of Paul Dianno- what has the tour been like- how has the fan reaction been?

The tour just wrapped a week ago and it was out of control. Something like 28 shows in 32 days, so no rest, tons of travel and a lot of hard work but the most amazing time was had by all. I wasn't sure how the DiAnno fans would react to Icarus Witch, mainly because I figured a lot of them would be unfamiliar with us and since they'd waited 17 years to see Paul, the last thing they'd want to do is sit through 45 minutes of some other band. But I was proven wrong, the reaction was really warm and enthusiastic toward us in each city, bordering on downright fanatical in a few markets that seemed to have a larger number of people out there wearing Witch shirts. We talked to a few in each market who said they came to see us, drove X number of hours, have been into us since the EP. Things like that make it all worth it, especially when you've just driven 14 hours to get somewhere that you've never even heard of. We definitely laid ground work for returning to a lot of these markets on our own in the future.

Q5) What can you saw about the state of Metal music in 2010- is it stronger or weaker than 3-5 years ago- is there a metal music resurgence?

I think people have generally become more accepting of our style of metal here in the states, partially because they now realize it's not a shtick, that we're 100% sincere and also that we're not going away. When we first started playing shows there were a lot of folks thinking that we were some kind of throwback or novelty..."oh, they sound and look '80s," but we were merely playing metal the way we heard it and felt it. At that time groups like Twisted Tower Dire and Dofka had been around for awhile and I give those guys all the credit in the world for keeping the faith here in America throughout the dark days of nu metal. They and some of the veteran '80s bands like Attacker and Deadly Blessing that were reforming, all decided to help each other out and we were a catalyst for this uniting of genres. You now had a 3rd wave. Wolf was breaking through in Europe. Widow, Goat Horn, us and a just a handful of younger American bands were keeping the traditional flame burning here, so we all kind of bonded back then and still play together. This loose "True Metal America" alliance was formed that had as much to do with drinking beer and cranking vintage Cinderella and Fates Warning albums in the hotel after party as it did with finding venues that would let us crank our Marshalls. Metal has always transcended music and been more of a lifestyle. That's why it will never die.

I would have to say the scene is stronger now. The labels and press have acknowledged the next wave of traditional metal and found that there is an entirely new way to market and promote this previously taboo genre. With Goat Horn morphing into Cauldron, our friends in White Wizzard and Holy Grail getting sweet deals, bands like Enforcer, Bullet, Airbourne and even Black Tide blowing up the mainstream and the whole retro thrash youth movement paving the way for a tolerance of the metal of yore, things are looking up for the future of traditional heavy metal.

6) What is your comment about the Metal business side of things- is it better or more challenging than you thought when you started out?

It's exactly how I knew it would be. My philosophy has always been to learn and integrate yourself into all facets of the business you are attempting to conquer. So I never blindly went into this thinking, "okay, we're signed, now make us stars." I have been building a background within the industry for years, learning the ins and outs of booking, promoting, publicity, art direction, producing...Icarus Witch has excelled by adhering to a strict DIY approach and we've always attacked the business side of things with as much ferocity as we deliver on stage. Ultimately, I would like to shed some of these industry shackles and focus on just being a bassist/song writer/performer, but honestly, I'm too much of a control freak to turn over the keys to my hot rod to some new driver, even if they're more qualified. I need to work on that.

7) What else do you want metal fans to know about Icarus Witch- what things have not been asked but should be asked about your band?

That we are first and foremost metal fans ourselves and only strive to produce the kind of music that we would be excited to hear. It's an ongoing endeavor and we always strive to expand and improve while sticking to our basic principal of creating timeless heavy rock / metal that will hopefully transcend all of these genre tags and get through to people on a personal and lasting level.

8) What are your future plans- how much touring do you all want to do in support of the new CD?

We need to shoot the video that we were about to do before leaving for the last tour. We will play live and tour as much as we can. If we had it our way, we'd still be on the road now. Most of us didn't want to come home. You start getting addicted to playing in a new city every night and living out of a suitcase becomes the norm. I still haven't unpacked! We're in talks for some future shows and tours at the moment. In the meantime, I've taken to writing more music and have resumed compiling ideas and demos for new songs.

9) Feel free to add any final or closing thoughts or comments-or any plugs you want for anything your trying to promote as a band or individually-

IcarusWitch.com is undergoing a massive overhaul and will soon relaunch with a store making it easier to get Witch merch and navigate through the band's itinerary and press. In the meantime, add yourself to our myspace, facebook, reverbnation and other official pages that our lovely, hard working Witchling so adamantly updates for us every day. If you like what you hear at these pages or on the plethora of torrent sites, don't forget to actually buy the disc or downloads. Who knows, if we sell enough of these old fashioned Draw Down The Moon albums, we might just be able to stick around for another 1/2 decade and continue bringing the traveling Witch metal freak show to a theater near you!