Interview: Getting to Know ForeignWolf
Belfast heavy rock outfit ForeignWolf are back with new music, announcing their striking new EP Merely Mortal, due out on Friday 3rd April. The rising quartet’s new single, ‘Resolve’ is out now.
1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.
My names Gerard and I’m the Lead Vocalist and rhythm guitarist for ForeignWolf. As a band we are hard rock/ metal/ alternative.
The original formation of the band originated back in 2019 but we’ve been through many iterations over the years. We all come from various bands throughout Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. Our broad and varied background is the key to our music, we feel it creates a sound that is uniquely ForeignWolf.
2. Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?
Again, this has a variety of answers depending on which band member you ask. I like to think of us as a mix between Hard Rock/Grunge/Punk, whereas Dave our Lead guitarist might say more Alternative Metal. What we have come to realise is our music has evolved over the years so we have quite a varied catalogue that incorporates many different Genres. We stick to those bands that we feel fit us the most such as Alexisonfire and Deftones.
3. What’s currently keeping you busy? A new album/EP/single release? A new video? Playing live, or planning ahead?
Our New EP “Merely Mortal” is coming out on April 3rd having just released our first single Imposter Syndrome, with the second single “Resolve” coming out on March 27th. We have just finished the Ireland leg of touring with The Cost, and have just announced a few other shows in the coming Months including our EP Launch show in Voodoo Belfast. The rest of the year will be focused on touring around Ireland.
4. What is about this current period that is particularly exciting for you?
This release marks the strongest the band has ever been. Our current lineup (Gerard, Dave, Conor and Max) just work well together. We are back writing again, playing shows and just having fun, no pressure, just enjoyment and take every day as it comes.
5. Tell me about the work that has gone into making it a reality and what it means to you.
Over the past 6 years we have had trials and tribulations facing Covid, Line Up Changes, Life in General and we are starting to see the wind through the trees again. We often feel that we should have achieved more and pushed ourselves harder, but we really take solace knowing that we have all come through the unknown still strong and ready to keep writing and performing.
6. Making music and being creative can be a very positive experience and can be very good for the mind. In what way has making music had a positive impact on your mental health?
A lot of our music is based around our own personal Mental Health. We find that what we cannot maybe say in private, we use the band as an outlet to express those emotions in a creative medium, and it ultimately is like our own group therapy session. Good days and bad days, we all support each other and find a way to translate our mentality across into the music.
7. It can also be incredibly challenging, more so in the modern times. What have been some challenging aspects of making music and how have you overcome them?
Finances and return are probably the two biggest challenges. As a small band we run the cost purely on what we are able to contribute monthly. To put so much money into our music, it is often a let-down when the rewards are so minimal. We have had to challenge so many streaming issues around “AI” and “BOT” playlists to the point where we have just accepted the fact that we will never get around them and until the industry does something to prevent the use of these playlists, bands will always fall victim.
8. How do you handle the online aspects of being in a band? Having to put out content constantly, promoting across several different social media platforms, and having your success measured in likes and follows?
We have decided to take the less is more approach. The content that we put up has to have meaning and be relative. Tik Tok etc is not for us. Over the past year, we have seen stronger growth across Instagram and Facebook having taken this stance. Every post has purpose and brings in the right engagement.
9. How do you make this part of things enjoyable, and fulfilling, for yourself?
The band is an expensive hobby, and as long as we keep treating it as such, we get the enjoyment and excitement we need. Meeting up every week to hang out, write music and play shows is all the fulfilment we need to keep doing what we love.
10. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help support you?
If you like our music, that’s all we want. We love hearing how our music is involved in people’s daily lives. Be it you listen to our music when in the Gym, in the car, have had a bad day, have had a great day, share your experience with us, that’s all we care about.
11. Outside of music, what do you like to do to relax?
Gerard is a massive Warhammer collector and Gamer, Dave has a Whiskey Podcast and would do a lot of Running. Conor and Max are both big Gym buffs.
12. Where can people find you?
We are on all the usual Social Platforms with the exception of TikTok.
