Blackwater Holylight vocalist/bassist Allison Faris always knew she wanted to play music with women. Since the band’s self-titled debut in 2018, Allison has proudly watched the metal scene grow into a more inclusive place. “The biggest difference between men and women in metal is that women really are here to hoist each other up,” she muses. “We’ve had a handful of women come up to us and say, ‘Hey, I started this project because of you guys’. It makes us all feel very empowered to be doing this together.”
Naturally, femininity colours much of Blackwater Holylight. From their mystical moniker to the “gentle but courageous” nature of their songs, often meshing gossamer vocal melodies against momentous riffs.
“In the beginning, we were leaning into being witchy, being connected to nature, the moon, and our cycles as women,” Allison admits.
In the beginning, we were leaning into being witchy
Allison Faris
But with their fourth album Not Here Not Gone, Blackwater Holylight hang up their witch hats to embrace shoegaze and alt rock alongside a mature, deep sense of vulnerability and grief.
“We all had births and deaths that happened, relationships starting and ending,” Allison explains. “We can all relate to the experience of something coming to an end, and then watching as it continues to show up in your life, despite not being physically around anymore.”
The album also marks the band’s transition from their home city of Portland to Los Angeles.
“We’re not in this dark, cold, rainy, depressing as fuck place anymore,” Allison chuckles. “I needed the sun, and that definitely influenced us.”
Much has changed for Blackwater Holylight, but Allison isn’t looking too far ahead in terms of the future. “I’m now really trying to just weaponise the practice of presence and being here today and now, and really apply that to the band.”
Sounds Like: A cathartic late night wander under the full moon
For Fans Of: Faetooth, Slow Crush, Chelsea Wolfe
Listen To: Heavy, Why?
Not Here Not Gone is out now via Suicide Squeeze Records. Blackwater Holylight are on tour in the UK now
