We’ve got to start with that great name. What led to your naming the band Woygn? Woygn is the Carinthian way of saying 'into the fire', Isn't it so?
Jan:
In today's times, it's really hard to give your band a one word name - simply because almost all of them are taken. And I had some other names but they weren't well received by others, so I delved deep into the vocabulary of my Carinthian heritage. Woygn felt right simply because its punchy and the logo can be stylized because of five letters and the Y in the middle of the name. And as you said, Woygn is a way to say ‘fire’ or ‘into the fire’ in Carinthian.
Woygn is a duo — how long have you known each other? And how did you discover doom metal for the first time?
Jan:
We’ve known each other for about 10 years or so now, when we played together in a punk band called ZMP, which later turned into Savage Semen, a band with a really short span. But between that, another band was born – Britof, where Alex plays drums and sings and I play bass. We’re still very active with Britof, we released our second album last year and we’re about to record an EP or album in the near future.
I think doom metal was always there, but I didn’t really inquire about it until later, when I discovered bands like High on Fire, The Sword, Weedeater, Horn of the Rhino, Elder – bands not strictly doom but fit in the whole “doom scene”. I was mainly into thrash metal, but soon the punchy fuzzy riffs definitely did an impression on me and stuck with me for the better.
How would you describe the music of Woygn to those uninitiated?
Jan:
Riffs, riffs and riffs again! Coupled with some short psychedelic parts and sludgy breaks, it’s definitely a stoner riff fiesta that rams through you. It has a doomy tinge to it, mainly because of the sound we were going for – enough fuzz to drench it in filth, but not too much to still give it the punchiness it needs.
May 2023 has seen the release of your EP “Ascendance”. How has the EP been received so far?
Jan:
For a band that basically emerged from nothing, I must say that it was very well received. Nobody really knew this was coming, so when it came out and people picked up on it, there were quite a few who also wanted to hear this live. Sadly, we didn’t have a drummer who could fill in for gigs, but this is changing soon and we could finally step on the stage for the first time.
What is the nature of the songs’ conception that you recorded for this EP? Lyrically speaking, what are some of the key themes you’ve chosen to focus on in Woygn?
Jan:
There really is no theme picked for Woygn when it comes to lyrics. I feel like this band is like an outlet for me to write about the things that happen in my life and I mean all of it – the good, the bad, the ugly. It could also be about things which aren’t about my personal life, such as stories from books, movies, video games – whatever fascinates me. The EP was based on the track ‘Ascendant Divine’, which is an homage to my late family dog.
The whole songs are crushing and heavy, from start to finish. But there’s also a great deal of sludge and hard rock in the songs. Was that a conscious effort or just something that happened as the songwriting progressed?
Jan:
I’d say it’s a little bit of both. We don’t limit ourselves to a specific genre when writing a riff, it’s about how it all connects together as a song. When I started this, I wanted the songs to be diverse enough for them to not be the most straightforward stuff you can hear, something in the vein of Mastodon or Baroness – but I also wanted it to be punchy like The Sword and have psychedelic parts like Elder. I guess it’s just the many influences of music on us that make us write music the way it is.
Alex:
My musical journey began in primary school, immersed in the sounds of classic rock. I vividly recall the first time I played "Deep Purple in Rock" from my father's record collection, an album I believe is one of the finest ever created. Artists like Led Zeppelin, Cream, Sir Lord Baltimore, Black Sabbath, and Blue Cheer filled my childhood days. This foundation of classic rock deeply influenced my playing style, both as a drummer and a bassist. Nowadays I listen to all sorts of music. From death metal to outlaw country and everything in between. I just like to keep it oldschool.
Jan, your vocals are very well done, passionate, clean and disdainful. How much work did you put into the vocals on this album or does it just come naturally at this point in your career?
Jan:
Thank you! I dare to say there are people who can just innately sing, scream and growl their ass off, without checking that much into their technique or the other things that come along the way. Well, I am not one of those people, so I had to do a lot of preparing for the vocals. I think I’m slowly getting there, but it’s a fun challenge, especially because I have to sing and play guitar.
By now you have received, as I have seen, positive reviews from the press. What response do did you get from the fans not only there in Slovenia but abroad?
Jan:
Lots of nice words! People were excited that this is a debut EP, which means more music in the future – this pumps me up to go write something new. One of my favorite things that was said about it was when I shared our music to a metal discord server, and one dude said he was fully expecting this to suck, but he really liked it!
If you had to highlight one important message behind your music, what would it be?
Jan:
I guess always do things you want to do and have fun doing it. If our music brightens just one person’s day, I think we’ve done our job.
How do you consider the whole Doom/stoner scene? Can you see something that ties all those bands together?
Jan:
Not just bands, but all the doom folks jamming in their bedrooms, it’s the research and investment spent on the gear we use. There’s always a new pedal or amp you can switch up, discover new sounds, even if the one you used until now was just as good. I don’t spend a lot of time on social media, but there are a couple of Facebook groups I attend in where we talk about all the gear we use and it’s like a couple of nerds geeking over their favorite hobby. Of course, this is not a necessity, there are a lot of other things that tie us together, but this is the one that makes the stoner/doom scene great for me.
American or European doom. What unique has offered each continent to the genre?
Jan:
I feel like European doom, post Black Sabbath of course, has given us bands that focus more on the “depressive” aspect of doom – sometimes a bit more melodic and not as substance riddled as its American counterpart could be.
But over the pond there seem to be more localized scenes, where the whole amalgamation of other genres gave birth to a whole new approach to doom, for example the southern, drug riddled sludge of the NOLA scene, or the Savannah, Georgia sludge, with many bands giving a vibe of a doomy punky Allman brothers kinda scene.
What is the main conclusion you have learned during these years about life and music being two inseparable things?
Jan:
That even if you want to “get out”, it always sucks you back in. I don’t think I could ever take a break from this, because in the back of my mind, it’s always there. There is literally no other thing such as music that could bring as much joy as it does.
This was especially evident during the Coronavirus times. We secretly practiced and hung out at our practice space, and we were getting depressed over the fact that we couldn’t play live or see live shows. I remember when we played with Britof at one of the first post-Corona shows and I banged so hard I threw my back out completely for the next couple of days. We all missed it really bad.
What do you love to do in your free time over there in Slovenia when you are not busy with your music project these days?
Jan:
I like to cook a nice meal or try a new recipe, love playing video games and recently I’ve started growing avocadoes and mangoes from seeds. And there’s always something to do around the house. And if it ain’t, I love hanging out and partying with my friends.
Alex:
I work a 9-5 as a nurse in an addiction treatment program. I deeply value my family and often spend quality time with my wife and daughter. While the thrill of rock 'n' roll gigs is invigorating, I find solace in working around the house and cherishing moments of tranquility in my personal life.
It's time to conclude, perhaps you could tell us about your future projects or something?
Jan:
For Woygn, I already have a bunch of songs, riffs and lyrics ready to flesh out with the boys. With Britof, we have a couple of songs ready and with a couple more under our belt, we will record and EP or an album (haven’t decided yet) this year/start of next year. And myself, I’m gonna record a simple small EP/demo/whatever with this acoustic punk project that I’ve been holding off for years.
Thanks a lot for inviting us to do this interview!