Darren Cowan of Blistering.com recently conducted an interview with guitarist Robert Williams from the Heaven and Hell Records recording artist WITCHES MARK. The following is an excerpt:

Q: Witches Mark plays an eclectic brand of music inspired by heavy metal, power, doom, speed and thrash and even a little Nordic black metal. Considering the wide array of influences, was finding members willing to play so many styles difficult?

A: "Influences play such an integral part to our overall sound. Even if you aren't contributing to the writing, there are certain things that will just gel better when you're jamming with people who have heard all the right records.

When I left OF THE FALLEN, I wanted to do something different from black metal. I wanted a singer that could "sing" as opposed to screeching or growling. I was at this now defunct heavy metal bar here in Austin, back in 2005, just hanging out at the bar and shooting the shit with my friends, and this band from San Antonio called ANCIENT CROSS comes onstage. I didn't even turn my head until I heard that fuckin' voice, and then I went all the way to the front of the club like "Who the fuck are these guys?"

I immediately cornered Michael after the show and quizzed him on his influences, and he had all the right answers. The thing is, though, you don't quiz Michael Lance. He's been onstage singing duets with fucking James Rivera from HELSTAR, touring, and recording with David Wayne's old band REVEREND, but I didn't know all that. I was really drunk and just expected him to be like, 'Hey we listen to the same bands that no one else in this club has heard of. Of course, I'll be your fucking singer.' [laughs] No, it really didn't play out like that at first. However, I was persistent, and tracked him down online and emailed him demos until he agreed to sing.

Man, almost the same thing happened with our bass player, Andy. I saw his band HAMMERWHORE just scorch this stage on their debut performance in Austin. Everybody at that show - I mean everyone - even posers that listen to emo or core bands, were all fucking shouting "Hammerwhore! Hammerwhore!" in between songs. If you've ever seen this guy, you instantly know he is a cool fucker. He's got the denim vest with all of the patches of really cult heavy metal and thrash bands. He's an encyclopedia of metal wisdom. I always know that Andy will know what I'm talking about if I reference a band or album in conversation. Oh, and he's without a doubt the best bass player in Austin, and we're the live music capital of the world, so…

I used to know Robb way back in the early or mid nineties. As a teenager, we played in bands together so we had a good musical chemistry already established. We lost contact for maybe ten or twelve years and I got a phone call from a friend who had seen him and this being not too long after Steve left the band, I knew he would be the perfect fit for Witches Mark. Not surprisingly, he also shared the same musical influences all these years later. The thing about Robb is he's a modest guy. I personally think that technically he can play circles around me. Nevertheless, that's just technique; creatively he's incredibly gifted as well. Those "death drones" you hear at the end of 'A Grim Apparition' (sounds like droning sirens) was all his idea. He thought that up and brought it to the table. I think it adds so much dark atmosphere.

Sandra has brought a lot to our sound as well with her keys and synths. Journalists reviewing our disc are like 'The music sounds like traditional metal, but then there are these keys that present more of a modern approach. What the fuck?' Therefore, to afford the luxury of not being readily able to adhere to any preconceived 'They sound like this band or that band' is always a plus. Just like the rest of the band, try to quiz her. Just try to think of some of the most cult or underground metal you can think of. She listens to it. She knows it.

Yevgeniy or "Yevi" as we call him attended the same six-month recording program along with me at a recording arts institute. One day for class we were having this guy demonstrate these top shelf microphones and he needed a drummer to play so he could show off the low-end frequency response of these mics. When I heard Yevi beat the shit out of the drums, I knew I had found the right drummer. I say that because I have played drums for bands and I know how difficult it is to find people who can hang at his level."

Read the complete interview at the following links: Pt. 1, Pt. 2.

More on Witches Mark here.