1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
We’ve taken a bit of time to bask in finally having the album out, but we’ve pretty quickly moved onto the process of making plans for our next releases and writing and revising songs. The album release and the reception from friends, peers, and fans has been really invigorating and inspiring for us, and has us eager to continue our journey and see what's next.
2.A couple of months back you released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that is presented on the recording?
We’ve been referring to the style as “Epic Folk Metal” since it seems to get across the general sense of what we sound like. On a more granular level, our sound is a combination of elements of Power Metal, Folk Metal, Symphonic Metal, Melodic Death Metal, and Progressive Metal, but there's also bits of Black metal, Gothic Metal, and Doom Metal in there if you dig into our sound. Ultimately, while genres are useful as a point of reference, we really just make Mythbegotten: the music we want to hear and which comes naturally through our collaboration.
3.A lot of your lyrics cover the mythology and legends of the British Isles, can you tell us a little bit more about the stories you have covered from this topic so far?
Mythology and folklore (especially that of the British Isles) has always been a point of interest for us and a source of musical and lyrical inspiration. Specifically, the Dullahan, the Welsh iteration of the wild hunt, the legend of Sawney Bean, and the story of Merlin and the dragons were each picked due to fitting the vibe of the music for the songs they were used for in addition to being topics that inspired us. The Welsh wild hunt was also the source for our original band name, Hounds of Annwn, so it was nice to be able to include an allusion to that as a sort of easter egg. The story of Merlin and the Dragons was also a favorite of mine and Connor’s as kids so it was delightful to bring it to life musically.
4.You also have some lyrics inspired by the writings of H.P Lovecraft, John Milton and J.R.R Tolkien, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in their work?
Dan - All three of us are big Tolkein fans, and as Tolkein intended the Lord of the Rings to be a sort of origin story or new mythology for Britain, it seemed fitting to include. As a big Blind Guardian fan I had also always been disappointed they never got around to doing a grand LOTR concept album or a followup to Nightfall in Middle Earth, so this felt like us taking a bit of that task into our own hands. Lovecraft has also been a point of interest for us all at various points; Joe and I have been in campaigns of the TTRPG “Call of Cthulhu”, and for myself at least he was a big gateway for me getting interested in horror and weird fiction. While taking a Milton class back in college, I wrote the original acoustic version of “The Fall” after being particularly struck by the beginning of Book 4 of “Paradise Lost”. It's such a mournful and bittersweet depiction of Lucifer and his conflicting motivations, and it really resonated with me. Connor and Joe dug it and did a truly fantastic arrangement of it that does the story and song justice as a melancholy yet fiery power ballad, and I couldn't be more pleased with how it came out.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mythbegotten'?
After deciding we wanted to change our name from “Hounds of Annwn”, we compiled a huge list of possible band names and ran them by each other and our friends before finally landing on Mythbegotten. We felt it was memorable and rolled off the tongue well, while also really representing our thematic ethos of being shaped and inspired by myths, legends, fantasy and history, and bringing them to life with our music.
5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The artwork was done by the wonderful and immensely talented Nathan Kwon of Haeun Creative, who also did our band logo. It’s meant to invoke the idea of sitting around the fire with a manifestation of the Unseelie Court and listening to the stories told there, as referenced in “The Heedless Horseman”. Figures from several of the songs are around the fire, as well as two central figures who are meant to be a sort of inverse or Unseelie version of Oberon and Titania, the king and queen of the fairies in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
6.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?
We are definitely open to the idea and it is something we would like to do when the time is right. Currently it's just the three of us, so in addition to recruiting live members, we’d also have to figure out the logistics of rehearsing when we live in different parts of the Northeast. But its definitely something we all want to get to eventually, so stay tuned!
7.On the new album you also have a few guests, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and their contributions to the recording?
We’re lucky to have some immensely talented friends whom we were able to bring in for this album. Dan’s bandmate Peter from Goblin Hovel is an awesome folk musician, and provided banjo on “Of Wrath and Ruin” and mandolin and banjo on “Twa Corbies” to help create that perfect spooky Celtic campfire song vibe. Andy “Hellskald” McGirr is a veteran of the Buffalo NY metal scene who shreds the violin on several songs on the album. While he is best known for his blistering guitar playing in the awesome black metal bands Hubris, Ferus Din, and Helianthus, we first met him lending his fiddling skills to Throne of Wilderness at the same show where Hounds of Annwn performed our one and only set. That’s where we also met the multitalented nameless goblin who fronts Goblin Hovel, another band Dan is in, and who lends his cello chops to “Beneath Exham Priory”. Rob Pollard, guitar wizard and frontman of the mighty Wandering Oak (and also of Helianthus and Goblin Hovel), engineered Dan’s vocals for the album. He also provides some guest harshes and gang vocals on the track “Mallt-y-Nos”, along with bassist Justin Martelo Montione of WNY prog outfit Haishen. In addition to the rogues’ gallery of colleagues from the Western New York metal scene, Joe brought in friend and trained opera singer Corinne Cotta to lend her powerful vocals throughout the album. Ultimately this all served to make the album the best it could be while also allowing us to showcase the myriad skills of the friends the band has made over the years.
8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
We haven't been approached so far but are certainly open to the idea. That said, we’ve done this all so far with nothing but our wits and the support of our families, friends, and community, so carrying on as we have been is far from a tragic outcome!
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of folk metal?
Dan - So far the reaction has been great! In addition to a healthy North American listenership, we've been getting lot of listeners in Europe and China, so we're thrilled our music is resonating with a global audience. One of my favorite things about metal is its ability to serve as a bridge and point of unification across cultures and continents, and it’s lovely to be part of that.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Dan - Were all excited to forge ahead and see whats next musically. We have a few more songs “in the tank”, so to speak, that have already been written and will be part of an EP we plan on releasing next, but for our second album we will be breaking entirely new ground. Our sense of collaboration and musical identity really came together over the process of this recording so it will be great to see what an album of all-brand-new material looks like for us. Sound-wise I think the influences we’ve previously mentioned will continue to be our primary touchstones, but the three of us all have eclectic musical palettes and interests so I don't see things getting stale.
11.What are some of the bands ort musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Dan - For me personally I think my most relevant influences are Blind Guardian (my favorite band), the folk metal boom of the mid-2000s and the many bands who played on the Pagan Fest tours between 2007 and 2014, Cradle of Filth and Dani’s harsh vocal virtuosity and originality, Stan Rogers and his beautiful baritone vocals and expressive folk songwriting, and the wealth of traditional folk music that we draw from (particularly from Ireland and Scotland). Lately I’ve been listening to a few more experimental bands, including Tropical Fuckstorm, Troldhaugen, and Flummox in heavy rotation. I’ve been really digging the latest Ensiferum album, and like pretty much every power metal fan I adore Fellowship and have been listening to their new record quite a bit.
Connor - In terms of guitar arrangements I draw a lot of inspiration from classic melodeath and power metal, as well as a range of progressive acts such as The Ocean, Ne Obliviscaris, and Haken. Lately I've been listening a lot to the recent releases by MakeMake, The Warning, Kenshi Yonezu, Poppy, Fourth Dominion, and unpeople.
Joe - For me, acts like Equilibrium, Nightwish, and Eluveitie will always have a dominant role in my playlist, and I think one needn’t look too hard to see their influence in our release. But coming from a more classically-oriented background, greats like Chopin, Beethoven, and JS Bach have also played a huge role in shaping my tastes, and more modern idols would certainly include John Williams, Howard Shore, and Danny Elfman. Which makes for a hard pivot when I say that recently, I’ve mostly been listening to Dua Lipa, Charli XCX, and Chappell Roan. But hey, if variety is the spice of life, I guess I’m just a spicy lad.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Dan - The era of Mythbegotten is only beginning. The chaotic state of the world has redoubled our drive to create art and share old tales to provide inspiration, catharsis, and comfort as best we can. We’ll be continuing to post and share updates as things progress, and can't wait to regale our listeners with more tales.
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