Whythre

Interview with Pete Devine of Pete’s Rock News and Views (http://petesrocknewsandviews.com)

PD: How would you describe yourself or your band as an artist?

W: Whether it’s writhing with wailing solos, slithering with sinuous synth lines, or awash with waves of riptide riffs, Whythre’s upcoming album ‘Impregnate My Hate’ is without remorse. We came to lay waste and write solid album titles — and we’re all out of album titles. Consequently, Impregnate My Hate opens with single Scorchbreath, an onslaught of solos, slamming breakdowns, subtle orchestration, and a sing-along chorus that embodies Whythre’s deft formulation of melodic death metal singed with a blackened edge. Having been fixtures in the Seattle metal scene since 2016, band members Shon Petrey, Adam Chambers, Eric Close and Steve Fournier know their way around both riffcraft and laying down a tight performance. But Whythre’s latest expulsion of fury seethes like a band that’s only getting started, from the first violent lick to the final double-bass kick. Follow along to standout tracks like Immanence, which thunders along with the certainty of a slow death and offers little in the way of forgiveness, or to Scorpions of Sinai, which has a groove guaranteed to move any circle pit. The fury of Whythre’s writing is real, but fury is rarely this much fun: expect to get your ass kicked, and to enjoy it.

PD: Can you tell us briefly about your background – i.e. where you’re from, how you came to make music, etc.

W: Shon Petrey (guitar) – I started picking up the guitar in junior high, loved thrash metal and kept up with it. Eventually, I started writing, then got sucked into the mixing/audio realm so that I could make my creations come to life the exact way I imagine them.

Adam Chambers (guitar/ vox) – As a kid, I started on piano, then moved onto guitar. I grew up in Chicago and had both metal and electronic music playing in the house from a young age. There’s a lot of Midwest history in both those genres and that was my starting point for creativity. When I took guitar lessons I got extremely lucky in that a Berklee school of music professor was spending the summer in Chicago and just so happened to be teaching lessons at the little corner music store near my house. That helped immensely.

PD: Who and what inspires you to make music, both in terms of musical and other influences? What do you like to write about in your songs?

W: Shon Petrey- This one is hard to describe…an idea sparks from somewhere. There’s no rhyme or reason for how or when it happens, but when it does I chase it as far as I can. I love movie scores, new wave and dark wave…those all give me inspiration outside of metal.

Adam Chambers- For the music it always starts with some kind of emotion, then I just write something that makes me feel said emotion or makes it ‘extra’. Every time I try to bring theory into the equation the song ends up sucking, so I really just write by ear. The lyrical stuff comes from living an active life…going out in nature, reading books, listening to people’s stories…Shon and I have partied and traveled together for a few years and some songs on this album chronicle those adventures.

PD: What are your aspirations as an artist?

W: The goal is always to have a distinct sound with fantastic storytelling elements. We don’t really want to be ‘experimental’…it’s more like having a unique approach…kinda like when someone adds a secret ingredient to your favorite dish. It’s familiar but totally new at the same time. As far as what that secret ingredient is on this album….we know & we ain’t telling!!

PD: What is the proudest moment in your music career so far?

W: Making this album! Everything that went into ‘Impregnate My Hate’ is a new level of ambition for the project. The songwriting is a different approach…we used a lot more synths and weren’t shy about putting them into a death metal context. The addition of Steve (drums) and Eric (bass) totally amped this album up….those two have been playing with the legends of the Seattle metal scene for 20+ years…the way they keep evolving is unreal!

PD: Promoting one’s music is such a challenge these days, especially with so many new artists emerging from bedrooms in the day of the home studio. How is that going?

W: For this album we got everything ready up front. We’re launching the album with 3 music videos and some kickass album art! We have a strong vision for the project. People are sensing that it’s not ‘bedroom’ level and reacting appropriately

PD: And how do you book and promote your live shows and tours? Any performances coming up?

W: We’re still lining up the details, but we’ll be performing a few shows after the release of the album. Follow us on social media to hear more about that.

facebook.com/whythre

instagram.com/whythreofficial

https://www.youtube.com/@WHYTHREofficial/videos

PD: What do you think about downloading music online? What about streaming sites like Spotify?

W: As long as there are talentless disconnected suits controlling the industry this is going to be a thing. We don’t really like these sites but at this point what else are you gonna do? When our fans ask what they can do to support us, our main response is SPREAD THE WORD. Seriously, tell a friend or jam it at work and see what people think. That’s the way.

PD: What song do you wish you’d written and why?

W: Shon Petrey- Time by Hans Zimmer. Three chords and the whole song timeless. Ha!

Adam Chambers – Norma Jean Riley by Diamond Rio. A couple chords and sick harmonies. If you can’t do a lot with a little you aint got it.

PD: Is there anything you don’t like about the music industry, which you would change if you could?

W: We aren’t even in the industry! We’re local jackasses trying to get on the map. We appreciate anyone who supports our tunes.

PD: So, what are you working on at the moment?

W: We’re full steam ahead on releasing ‘Impregnate My hate’. Everything this past year has been leading up to this moment…from filming a live music video (Scorchbreath) to working with artists on two animated lyric videos.

Check out the videos here: