By Devious Dayna | This Day in Metal
The first episode of From the Underground is officially live, and it starts exactly where it should, in the underground with a band that refuses to stay in one lane. GraveWitch, a blackened thrash force from Bend, Oregon, have been carving out their sound since 2013, blending speed, aggression, and extreme metal influences into something that hits hard without feeling predictable.
The idea behind From the Underground is simple. Shine a light on heavy bands doing everything right, even if they are not getting the spotlight they deserve yet. GraveWitch set the tone perfectly for episode one, bringing honesty, energy, and a clear passion for the music that keeps the underground alive.
The lineup features Chris Fleming on vocals and guitar and Andrew Ingraham on drums, and their sound is something they describe as bigger than just one label.
“We call ourselves black and thrash metal, which we are, but we like to blend in pretty much any genre of extreme metal… we call ourselves extreme metal as well, just because there’s so many different genres within what we write that we feel like it’s kind of hard to put us into one category.”
That mindset shows up everywhere, fast, aggressive, technical, and influenced by a wide range of heavy music. When asked about what shaped their sound the most, the band didn’t hesitate.
“Right off the bat, Phantom Antichrist by Kreator is a huge one that influenced a lot of our speed and technical playing… along with bigger black metal bands like Dark Funeral and Necrophobic, and American thrash bands like Testament, Slayer, and Megadeth.”
Their influences stretch even further, pulling from different European styles, melodic metal, and death metal, with bands like Children of Bodom and Amon Amarth also playing a big role in shaping their identity.
During the conversation, we also talked dream tours, and while there were plenty of legendary names on the list, one stood out.
“If we could open for Narcotic Wasteland, like be direct tour support for two, three, four weeks, that would be a huge dream come true.”
GraveWitch have already shared stages with bands like Goatwhore, and now, working with Rock Sun Records, they continue building momentum while keeping their underground edge intact, exactly the kind of band From the Underground was created to highlight.
If you’re into extreme metal that blends blackened aggression with thrash speed and a mix of influences that refuses to stay in one lane, GraveWitch is absolutely a band to keep your eye on.
The February winner for From the Underground was also picked at the end of the interview, so keep your eyes on This Day in Metal for the next episode. Bands, keep entering and keep the underground strong.
Check out GraveWitch
Go stream their music, follow them online, and support the band. The underground stays alive because of bands like this.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gravewitchofficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gravewitch
Bandcamp: https://gravewitchofficial.bandcamp.com/album/gravewitch
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2YeNndNnnjC40KlROdma33
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gravewitch
Bands, keep entering for a chance to be featured in future episodes of From the Underground.
