New Orleans metal band Cane Hill have recently released a killer debut album and will soon be touring Australia alongside Bullet For My Valentine and Atreyu. We caught up with vocalist Elijah Witt ahead of their first Australian tour.
SCENEzine
Congrats on your new album Smile are you stoked with how it all turned out?
Elijah Witt
Yeah I think everything has gone incredibly well considering it’s our first full length.
SCENEzine
Is it a relief to finally have the album out and see the crowds sing the words back at you live?
Elijah Witt
I think the awareness of us as a band has gone up drastically since it’s been out. Lots of kids knowing the lyrics is pretty wild. When we put out our first stuff it took a while for anybody to even know who the fuck we were.
SCENEzine
While on Warped tour this year did you have any buddies in similar genre bands?
Elijah Witt
As far as similar genre bands all of the super heavy bands are in the same world as us like Wage War and this band Silent Planet that is really cool. We hang out with bands that mostly don’t play heavy music though. I don’t really know why.
SCENEzine
Do you have a favourite stop from the Warped Tour?
Elijah Witt
In Minneapolis was probably the best show we played on Warped the entire summer. It was fucking absolutely awesome. First slot of the day, got it over with but it was really sick.
SCENEzine
Is there a story behind your decision of the album cover art?
Elijah Witt
It’s just the average vomiting of all of your material possessions everywhere.
SCENEzine
The album Smile kicks off with “MGGDA”. Was that a hard decision choosing which track to start the album?
Elijah Witt
We basically chose the most intense track possible.
SCENEzine
There’s a lot of aggression through your music. Is it good to be able to let out all of your anger through your music and on stage?
Elijah Witt
I’m not really an angry person otherwise. I might smoke too much to be angry. But on stage I’m furious so yeah it’s a good outlet.
SCENEzine
With the track ‘Fountain of Youth” it reflects on mortality. Would that mean that you don’t fear death?
Elijah Witt
I fear being old. You’re body gives out, everything goes to shit. What’s the point is kind of my way of seeing it but I’m young so maybe I don’t know. But I’d love to die before I do something that doesn’t represent me as an artist in a negative way if that makes any sense. The greatness or immortality of an early death of a musician before they can put out an album that’s complete garbage or before they can ruin what they created. Before they can ruin the emotion that they have shared with people. When they die I think that’s the most beautiful thing possible.
SCENEzine
Smile closes with slowed down track “Strange Candy”. Do you think it’s important for an album to show diversity?
Elijah Witt
Yeah we are good musicians. The guys in my band are fucking talented at what they do so if we weren’t creating music with diversity we would be doing ourselves a disservice. Not trying or enjoying the other realms of music creativity.
SCENEzine
Being that you guys are from New Orleans which is known for it’s Jazz and Blues music is there much of a Metal scene?
Elijah Witt
Yeah there’s a really good metal scene and I want to be very specific when I say metal. The breakdown synth core bullshit doesn’t do very well in New Orleans. But when we played their with Bullet For My Valentine at the House of Blues it was a wicked fucking time. Metal bands do really well at home.
SCENEzine
Soon you’ll be touring Australia do you have any perceptions of what to expect?
Elijah Witt
I have no fucking clue dude. I’ve been told there’s a lot of drinking and that the beaches are beautiful. I’ve seen Finding Nemo.
SCENEzine
You’ll be here touring with Bullet For My Valentine & Atreyu are you mates of there’s?
Elijah Witt
They are legitimately my favourite people to tour with.
SCENEzine
Is there anything you’d like to do in Australia besides play shows?
Elijah Witt
I would love to hold a koala and drink profusely. I would like to see from a reasonable distance a terrifying animal or insect.
SCENEzine
Being the front man for a metal band are there things you listen to people might be surprised by?
Elijah Witt
I’ve been listening to a lot of Alice In Chains,Led Zeppelin and Moose Blood. Justin Bieber’s new album is fucking sick.
SCENEzine
Can you leave us a last message for your Aussie fans?
Elijah Witt
Listen to my music, come to the show and beat the shit out of something.
(Interview by Christian Ross)
