Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of Sonic Wolves

Introduction: Due to time constraints as regular individuals running Witching Buzz and focusing primarily on writing reviews, we are limited to publishing only one (occasionally two) review(s) per day. However, we strongly believe in providing greater exposure to deserving bands and musicians who have put in immense effort. As a result, we have launched a new section called “Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound.” In this section, we have crafted a series of intriguing questions that we pose to every band or musician who wishes to share more about their unique projects. While the questions remain the same for each participant, the diversity among bands ensures that the answers will be fascinating and diverse. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy this captivating journey as we delve into the minds and stories of these talented artists.

Sonic Wolves / Italy

What drew you to the immersive and hypnotic sounds? How do you aim to captivate your listeners with this genre?
KAYT: Listening to acid rock when I was a kid definitely started me off. I always enjoyed the trippier sounds and themes from Hendrix, The Strawberry Alarm Clock and The Doors, to Jefferson Airplane, The Beatles and many others. To me, the secret to captivating your audience is to first captivate yourself. Music MUST come from the heart and it has to be played like nobody and/or everybody is watching. Be vulnerable and raw in your emotions. If your music doesn’t do that for you, how can the listeners feel captivated?
VITA: Sonic Wolves was formed with the purpose to play with the same attitude and energy that early heavy rock bands had in late 60s and then for the whole decade of the 70’s. These bands not only had hard riffs with immersive beats but often, especially in late 60’s, hypnotic sounds or psychedelic atmospheres to take inspiration from. I’m talking about bands as such as Iron Butterfly, Atomic Rooster, Lucifer’s Friend or Uriah Heep. We play with our souls more than our gear, that is what we have to offer to our listeners, because we love that attitude.
FRANK: I aim to interpret the songs in the most effective way, in
order to make them solid and interesting to the listeners.
MAX: I was drawn in by the likes of Faith No More and CKY. I like to captivate by putting on intense concerts and writing new material/songs.

Can you share the story behind your band name? How does it reflect the essence of your music?
VITA: There were 4 bands that mostly inspired us when we started this project, Grand Funk Railroad, Steppenwolf, MC5 and Deep Purple. The name of the band was Tsutar, the god of Hell. At that time due to a line-up change, we thought about a different name with the aim of paying in some way tribute to one of those bands. After attempting and failing to find the perfect name, Kayt came up with Sonic Wolves. Every wolf is bonded by blood with its own pack and it would die defending it, it doesn’t matter if it’s an alfa female, a young one or the leader of the pack. Synergy and harmony are what we mostly love about these amazing animals who, thanks to stupid fairy tales or ancient folklore, are often seen as evil by one dimensional simple minded people.
KAYT: I just wanted something bold and simple. We love wolves and being loud and howling with riffs, grooves and good times. Basically going on heavy tripped out sonic escapades in rock’n’roll- so Sonic Wolves seemed the perfect fit.

What are some unconventional or unexpected influences that have shaped your unique blend?
KAYT: Betty Davis has way more influence on us than I realized. We listen to “They Say I’m Different” in the car on the way to rehearsals and it’s so groovy and hooky, that it rubs off on the vibe at practice, especially in writing sessions- even if our sound has no real discernable funk elements. I think we could do a lot worse than Betty- I’m good with it! There are also environmental factors too. Sonic Wolves has both darkness and light in our writing and a lot of the darker songs are a direct result of living where we do, with frequent cold, foggy, rainy, oppressive days in the fall through the spring. The summers are so hot and humid that even that contributes to our agitated sound. At least it does for me. High heat and humidity and I don’t mix well, but I try to use that to my advantage and funnel it into the writing.
VITA: Every musician, or artist in general, is shaped by things that surround their lives. If you live in New York City with millions of other people, you might be playing a heavier or aggressive music than someone else who lives in the desert, with wide spaces and a few people around. It’s not a rule of course, but it’s a completely different life. Personally, when I’m searching for new inspiration and I really need to “refresh” my mind, I love to listen to classical music, opera music and prog rock, because of the magnificent way that music was composed. Or Miles Davis with his psychedelic era (even his heroin era) resulting in two masterpieces as such as “In A Silent Way” and “Bitches Brew”.

How do you approach creating expansive and atmospheric soundscapes? What techniques or methods do you employ to achieve that signature vibe?
KAYT: I simply mess around with my pedalboard until I find a sound or frequency I like and riff on it from there. Most of what we write that has heavy psychedelic effects is created this way. Sometimes we’ll hear something small, even a tiny element in a song we like and try to emulate that sound and expand on it in our own way and write a riff based on that experiment.
VITA: Usually everything comes out on its own. It happens when the band is rehearsing and some jams are more creative than others. When we practice, we also like to share a beer, make a few jokes and spend time together instead of just playing. Connection on other levels besides music is also very important.
MAX: I bring out what’s inside me- an alternative version of palm muting, open parts and arpeggios.
FRANK: My approach is first and foremost instinctive and methodical
from the start, then expressive trying to make it engaging.

Are there specific themes or emotions you seek to convey through your music? How do alternative music help you express those concepts effectively?
VITA: Good question. Personally I like to spread rock’n’roll music to help listeners to fall in love with this genre and perhaps inspire the younger generations to start playing real instruments in person with friends, making real music- instead of relying solely on technology to make songs alone in their bedroom. That’s the same feeling that I got from the bands I love. Alternative or underground music helps because it’s not tied too much to famous artist stereotypes, like major labels or radio networks imposed on artists. Nowadays releasing a great album is not crucial anymore. Good music, concepts and lyrics went out of style. All a band or artist needs is followers on social media- this is the new recipe for success. On the other side, lately even the underground scene started to become a kind of cult where the same grown spoiled kids are trying to take control of the whole movement by pulling strings as they please.
KAYT: I like to uplift through heaviness. Sometimes the vibe we lay down is joyfully kick ass and other times we like to convey the complexity of a full range of emotions, but in a way that projects empowerment. Alternative music as a concept means that we are able to write and say what we want. We can be brutally honest and we don’t have to worry about sugar coating our message, theme or style. We do it for us. And when we do it for us, we do it for the listeners.
FRANK: Music is my dearest friend, evoking the emotions of being my most seductive lover, my support and my heart. It is my go-between in a world that doesn’t want to listen.
MAX: I’d say our music should convey amazement. Alternative music gives us the freedom to truly taking pleasure in expressing our ideas and sound.

Share a remarkable moment or incident from your journey as a band that exemplifies the spirit of your music.
VITA: It was back in 2016, this proves our tenacity. We were in our vehicle ready to leave to an open air festival we were supposed to play, close to Garda Lake, in Italy. The engine was already on when my friend, and organizer of the festival, calls me saying to not go there because a huge Summer storm hit the town and it was still raining. A year later, he invited us again and this time everything was ok. It was a beautiful and hot day till the supporting band started to play. We saw these dark clouds coming and 15 minutes later another storm hit the town. We had to cover our gears on the stage, PA and lights as well. So finally in 2018, after two attempts, we could play at that festival.
KAYT: I’d say doing our first European tour in a cramped car instead of a van was pretty remarkable, in that we endured a bunch of very long and uncomfortable rides in order to play the music we love live. Any artist who has been on the road can surely appreciate the difficulty this can present. The tour was great overall, we were very happy to do it, but that part of it wasn’t easy. To me it proves that our spirit and enthusiasm is unshakeable and cannot ever be derailed by some unpleasant inconvenience like that. That our love of rock’n’roll trumps all notions of what a “perfect” tour should be. That getting out on the road and being on stage in front of the fans we love is the most important thing.
FRANK: When in a hospital bed, the pain does not disappear, but it
transforms and offers you a solution to get yourself back. I wrote
and played lying down in a wheelchair on one leg, leaning with my pelvis on the radiator or on the floor… I made it for metal!! Ah Ah!!

In what ways do you envision your music progressing or evolving in the future? Are there any new elements or experimental approaches you’d like to incorporate?
VITA: It’s very difficult to answer to this question because the only thing we know about the future is that our “punk” attitude as a band won’t ever change. Perhaps we will add to our music something more but we didn’t really think seriously about that. Who knows, we’ll see.
KAYT: Our influences are numerous, so I could envision us coming up with something a bit different than “III”, such as a more metal route for example, or possibly expanding even further on the psychedelic elements. It just depends on what we’re feeling in the moment. As Vita said, it is difficult to say. I can say that we’d definitely get bored easily doing the same kind of album over and over, but we also aren’t going to turn into a blues or jazz band overnight either. Incorporating different types of elements from the same styles we’ve been working with over the years is likely what can be expected. Trying to keep things as fresh and original as possible.

Is there a particular song in your discography that perfectly encapsulates the essence of your music? Please elaborate on its creation and significance.
VITA: The Ten Doors from our last album III might be the one. When we first composed it, we used to call it Pinky Floydy because of the psych atmosphere it had. During the process we changed the guitarist and we were inspired lyrically by a jailbreak that happened in South Africa back in the 70s but we have first heard the story when Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990. So, we needed to make the song more rock’n’roll because the story is about three white activists that got arrested because they were fighting against apartheid and their government. They never stopped fighting even when they were locked in prison, building wood keys to open the ten doors that were in between their cells and freedom. We wanted to celebrate them with a song because, obviously, they were not criminals who deserved to stay in the joint.
KAYT: I’m going to go with Shapeshifter. It was written in 2018, and like us, it has evolved a LOT over the years. It ended up being the one song that inspired the whole jailbreak idea theme for the album “III”. It’s got all the best and basic elements of a Sonic Wolves song- from heavy hard rock to metal to a bit of stoner groove to a touch of psychedelic. I remember vividly coming up with the lyrics as I was writing the riff, which for me is unusual as I normally come up with lyrics well after the instrumental parts are written. It all seemed like it was the next step in our evolution. Even though it was written and played by different lineups before it ended up recorded and on a record, I always felt it was a song that was with us from the beginning of the band. It’s tough to explain. It’s like it was waiting to be written, to be perfectly crafted and worked out over years and recorded at just the right time so it could be its best. I love the song, I love how we played it and recorded it. It’s tough to beat it in my opinion.

Are there any emerging or lesser-known artists within your music genre realm that you find inspiring or deserving of more recognition? Feel free to share their names and what you appreciate about their work.
KAYT: I really like Veuve, 9 Pils, Astral Kompakt, Turbo Bobcat, Temple of Deimos and a ton more bands! We’ve had the good fortune of playing with each of these bands, so got to feel their vibe up close and personal. They all play from the heart, are “hungry” and you can feel it in their writing. All talented musicians. If I might veer off subject a bit, there have been a lot of changes in the music scene in the last couple of years. Things are more difficult for lesser known bands. A lot of clubs have shut down and those that remain are loaded up with shows- doing the best they can a far as I can tell. Unfortunately there are a lot of great bands out there who certainly aren’t getting a fair shake at bigger shows and festivals anymore. We keep seeing the exact same bands at almost all the festivals, especially in the underground rock scene. Obviously, it’s not the fault of the bands who play these shows, but those making this situation so. So, I say there are a lot of bands to mention, and almost all of them aren’t getting the attention they deserve. So, keep digging for new stuff people! Those great bands are out there and they have a lot to offer!
VITA: There are many underground artists that I took inspiration from and would deserve more than what they have actually achieved so far. However, I’m not going to say any names because I couldn’t mention all of them. I’d like to say instead that lesser-known artists and underground music in general deserves more attention from listeners. With all due respect, the metal scene nowadays is dealing with cover bands disguised as “reunion” bands, the never ending “farewell tour/show”, reunions of historic bands with not even one original member, bands who’ve been playing the same set list for 30 plus years who should have retired long ago, etc. It’s pathetic. It seems to me just a way to bewitch people and then siphoning their money, considering the cost for those events. It seems to me to be very disrespectful. 30-40 years ago the average cost of a metal show was about the cost of a vinyl, now if you have two kids and a wife, you’d need to ask for a loan to go to the concert. People don’t find money on trees. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that no one should go to those shows, just don’t be fooled and give other artists a chance. You can see great shows even when the tickets are 5, 10 or 15€, because there are great bands buried in the underground music scene that can’t emerge. In the same way the music world survived after The Beatles and Pink Floyd split up, or Elvis, Cliff Burton and Lemmy passed away, we have to do the same; moving on and supporting the new generation of bands and artists. Every band, even the bigger ones, were once composed of unknown musicians and we should always remember that. To all of those old musicians who often say “rock’n’roll is dead”, I’d like to send a kiss and saying, with all due respect of course, it doesn’t matter if the best rock musician passes away, a huge band splits up or has no catchy ideas anymore. Rock’n’roll will never, ever die because it lives thanks to the people who support the scene by still buying albums and show tickets. Remember, no money from fans, no party for parasites.

What do you hope listeners experience or feel when they immerse themselves in your compositions? Is there a specific mood or sensation you aim to evoke?
VITA: I hope they can feel at peace spreading out rock’n’roll around the world. If Sonic Wolves listeners would do that, then we win.
KAYT: I hope our listeners find a profound and powerful sense of empowerment, heavy joy and enjoyment of the heavy! I’d like our music to take every set of ears on a ride that makes them look into their own essences, to look across the abyss, not down in it- to know that rock’n’roll is always there for them to understand them even when no one and nothing else does.

11. Turbo Regime:
– Fuzz or distortion?
VITA: I love both.
KAYT: FUZZZZZZZ
FRANK and MAX: Distortion.
– Analog or digital effects?
KAYT: I’m old school, so analogue!
FRANK: Digital and analog.
VITA and MAX: Analog sounds better!
– Sabbath or Zeppelin?
KAYT: Apples and oranges. Love them both. I prefer Steppenwolf over both.
VITA: I always preferred Deep Purple.
FRANK and MAX: Black Sabbath.
– Heavy riff or mind-bending solo?
VITA: Heavy riffs with mind-bending solos.
KAYT: Mind bending solos. But a heavy riff sure doesn’t hurt!
FRANK: Heavy Riff.
MAX: Both.
– Vintage gear or modern equipment?
KAYT and FRANK: Vintage.
MAX: Both.
VITA: Mostly vintage gear.