Doomed Confessionary: Kye Bell (Dead Fields Of Woolwich)
Photo credit: Nathan Shore
Dead Fields Of Woolwich is a gothic/doom metal band hailing from Ontario, Canada.
Founded in 2020 in North Bay, Ontario, when multi-instrumentalist Kye Bell (Withing Nostalgia, Falamh) created a gloomy, doom metal project focused on dreary lyrics and a gothic-laden sound. Recruiting Alyssa Broere on vocals, the dark twosome began their musical journey. Now, for their next follow-up and second album, the duo has grown to a full-fledged band with the addition of guitarist Dave Strba, bassist Greg Meir, and drummer Kyle Taylor.
Following their self-titled debut album in 2023, Dead Fields Of Woolwich unveiled the first single »Cult Of The Cemetery Light« off their forthcoming sophomore album »Monarch Of The Grave« due out late this year on Rose Window Records. With its very memorable riffs, this new single is catchy hell and dark as the grave it speaks of. Melodic and melancholic, it is recommended for fans of Paradise Lost, Type O Negative, and Katatonia.
Can you please say a few words about your band?
Dead Fields began in the summer of 2022 when I had the idea to create something that was purely me. Up until then I had been in several bands but none of the material was mine so I had a lot of ideas just waiting to come out. In the beginning the goal so to create something that I would call a mix of gothic doom and my own particular style. Either way it had a dark doomy vibe but in the more gothic sense rather than your typical Metal aesthetic . From the sound to the band name I wanted to conjure up images of dead fields on a hot Autumn night.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
The biggest challenge for me has always been the writing process. I write and perform all the music on the albums with the exception of vocals. This is essentially a one person band so when it comes to writing I often have to come up a riff and build around that instrument by instrument. It let’s me have full creative control but I also don’t have anyone to bounce ideas off of when I get stuck with something. Without collaboration it can be easy to hit a wall.
What can you be most proud of so far?
I’m very proud my music has reached some of the people it has. It’s a great feeling getting a message from someone or a band that I would consider successful. Just seeing someone where your t-shirt around town is enough to make me feel proud with that I’ve done.
What was your biggest regret?
Usually my biggest regrets revolve around playing shows, I don’t generally enjoy booking shows so it kind of gets put on the back burner more often than it should. I really should put more effort forth when it comes to getting out there and playing live, it would certainly increase our fan base.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
We don’t generally play live to often but the times we have have all been amazing, the crowd always seems to be very into what we do and are very interactive with us. When we play I’d rather it be a rare spectacle than just another gig.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
I can’t say it necessarily surprises me but the sense of community among the metal crowd I see no matter where I go. I could be on the east of Canada and I’ll run into someone who knows some weird obscure band from the other side of the country or is friends with them. For music that has a reputation of being cold and standing alone it’s a very tight knit and supportive group no matter where you go.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
I have my usual rotation which includes lots of Type O Negative and Paradise Lost but I’ve been absolutely binge listening to Ghost Bath’s new album »Rose Thorn Necklace«. Something around the sound is just sucking me in, it’s super dark but pretty sounding. Another one that’s been playing alot is »Rift In Reality« by Labyrinthus Stellarum. Very cool cosmic sounding black metal with some great electronic influences. I’d highly recommend both bands.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Never stop over a mistake when playing live, most people aside from the band have no idea there even was a mistake so just push through it and always make your endings tight. People will look past something that might be a little sloppy if the song ends nice and tight and if you don’t nail the ending on the first try just do it again. I believe that’s actually an old James Brown trick.
What are your guilty pleasures?
I really have no guilty pleasures, they’re just pleasures. A couple weird music indulgences though are my love for Vapor Wave, especially in the morning when I’m just getting ready for the day ahead. As the name suggests it’s very light and airy and almost surreal at times. Another one is, and this depends how much alcohol I’ve consumed but Hank Williams III. He really goes across the board with country, punk and metal all in one while having that super twangy country voice. Normally I’m not a country guy whatsoever but I’ll make the exception with Hank 3.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Ontario?
Provincially the music scene here is doing very well with all kinds of music popping up, mostly in Southern Ontario. Locally here in North Bay its hit a bit of a lul. A few of the bands we did have recently split up but some new ones will emerge from those ashes over time. The scene here has always been seen as mostly acoustic acts but we still have some great Metal and Punk going on. I have to give credit to The Fraser Tavern here as well. Without them many of the bands here wouldn’t have a venue to play and they’ve always treated all the musicians here with great respect.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Hopefully this year we can make our way down south to some of the bigger cities. Nothing is planned yet but if it’s going to be anywhere that will be the place.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
I’d really like to push forward and start doing more live shows and showcasing our brand of Doom & Gloom. Going forward with recording I’d really like to bring the rest of the band into it. Not only does this take pressure off of me it also give the rest of the guys a chance to put their spin and style on my riffs.
How can people best support your band?
The best thing would be to check out our Bandcamp and grab some music, our newest album will be released soon so I definitely recommend grabbing a copy of it. When we choose to play live absolutely come hang out and support us. A t-shirt sale goes a long way for a band.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Thank you so much for the support you’ve given us so far and we look forward to giving you some more music in the near future.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well