A Dirty Dozen with WYRMHAVEN – May 2026

Photo credit: Trenton Woods

According to a recent press release: ““Unrelenting Storms” is the new single from Arizona death metal outfit WYRMHAVEN. Now playing at Decibel Magazine, the track comes off the band’s forthcoming full-length debut, Seasons Of Gloom, set for release on May 29th. With the release of Seasons Of Gloom, WYRMHAVEN is poised to expand their domain in the metal world, preparing a powerful live show to support the release, and making plans to conquer new territories through touring and festival appearances. Fans of melodic and heavy take note, after the Seasons Of Gloom will come, the seasons of triumph…” We get the band to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Nick: Our latest release, seasons of gloom, is our sound evolving into something more artistic and mature from our previous releases. With the band writing together, and making music we want to make. We put a lot of time and effort into the new material. There are a lot of emotions behind it. There is a deep rooted hardcore urgency behind this album, while maintaining our love of death metal and the melodic. We incorporate everything we love about heavy music and try to make it our own.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Keith: When I was a kid, I used to put on Motörhead songs and pretend I was Lemmy playing/performing. I would always try to coerce my younger brother into joining my air band but he was never as into it as I was. It was then that I started getting the idea that learning to play bass and perform was something I wanted to do.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Travis: There are far too many musical inspirations for me to answer this completely. Neal Schon and the music of Journey was my childhood obsession in elementary school. I liked a lot of classic rock and did not get into metal until later—my gateway drugs were Tourniquet, In Flames, and Lamb of God. Nowadays, I am inspired by great progressive metal acts like Cynic, Blood Incantation, and Beyond Creation. This doesn’t even touch my interest in jazz and fusion!

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Travis: Marty Friedman — because he’s the best guitar player in the world, and he does phenomenal collaborations!

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Nick: We all have different things we like to do from watching Wrestling, reading books, bike rides, playing warhammer, golf, video games, and everything in between. We will let you all guess who does what though!

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Travis: Melodic hardcore with a rock n’ roll spirit while somehow still having songs with 10 time signature changes. We have been compared to Carcass a few times—this is immensely complimentary, but I’m still not sure if the comparison is accurate.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Nick: When we hang out it’s pretty much me who cooks ( Nick ). I like to smoke food and have BBQ’s so I go all out. For drinks its mostly water and Dr. Peppers. Keith is Straight Edge so he keeps us grounded! in a good way, but you can’t go wrong with a Dos XXs every once in a while.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

Keith: The last time I was legit starstruck was in Las Vegas at last year’s Wrestlemania. I’m a long time wrestling fan and I got to meet a number of professional wrestlers that I have been watching since I was young. Specifically though, meeting AEW wrestler and vocalist of God’s Hate, Brody King had me pretty starstruck. He was incredibly kind and it was very cool.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Nick: The best part of being a musician to me, is creating. I am not a technical or trained guitarist, but I try to write music that makes me feel something. There is a certain beauty in creating something out of nothing. If I couldn’t write music anymore, and I was doing something else, I think I would like to be working in the music industry in one way or another.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Nick: This is a tough one, but it would probably be, Who do you compare yourself to or, what type of music you are. It’s not a bad question but I overthink it because we blend so many styles. What do you think we are?!

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Nick: We have been through a lot together. Both good and bad. There are a few things I would like to change, but in all honesty it all happened for a reason, and we made a beautiful record that we can’t wait to show everyone.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Nick: I wish I could see the Nirvana Nevermind sessions, but if I am being completely honest. It would have to be when The Black Dahlia Murder was recording Nocturnal. That is the record that made me fall in love with heavy music and metal. I love all kinds of music, but that record was THE record for me. I love that band for everything they have done for heavy music. Brian is a genius songwriter and guitarist, and always Trevor Forever.

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Category: Interviews