The Florida band Forty Winters are in the spotlight for this week’s Meet The Band. Their latest release is Rotting Empire. Vocalist Xaxier Vicuna introduces us to his band.
Chad Bowar: Give us a brief history of Forty Winters.
Xavier Vicuna: The idea of Forty Winters began in 2005 in Coral Springs, Florida. The FW that you see today solidified in 2011-2012. It has been nonstop, chaotic, cathartic and diabolical ever since. We have released two demos, two EP’s, two LPs and a plethora of music videos. We are fortunate to have toured North, Central, and South America multiple times, and Puerto Rico as well.
Describe the songwriting and recording process of Rotting Empire.
We went all-in with writing and recording for this release. We buckled down and wrote together in-person, rehearsed heavily, pre-produced ourselves, brought out the dry erase boards, more structure and stronger songwriting, etc. Recording with Jesse Kirkbride was awesome and long overdue. He made everything super lax and a lot of fun. We got along great and the chemistry was exuberant.
How would you characterize the album’s style/sound?
The album’s style and sound is very disturbing, very grim, very angry. With it being our sophomore album, we knew it had to have equal parts character and depth. The sound is modern, but still true to our signature brand.
How did Chad Ruhlig (For The Fallen Dreams) and Adam Warren (Oceano)’s guest appearances come about?
I always wanted to work with Chad and Adam somewhere down the line. I reached out when we were wrapping up the album and things happened to work out. Adam took it a step further by adding his own lyrics to his spot, which was really gnarly.
What has been your most memorable Forty Winters live show?
My most memorable FW live show has to be when we opened for the package of Suicide Silence, All Shall Perish, Light This City, Nights Like These and Too Pure To Die in Miami at The Roxy Theater back in 2006. The show was nuts, the scene (well, both scenes) were red hot and there was a full on riot. Hands down, craziest show.
Who are your musical heroes?
I speak for myself here, obviously. Danzig, Axl Rose, Manson, Michael Jackson, Corey Taylor, Dani Filth, Shagrath, Davey Havok, John Pettibone.
What are some of your non-musical interests and hobbies?
It’s music 24/7.
What’s your all-time favorite album or albums?
Iowa by Slipknot
What’s the heavy music scene like these days in south Florida?
Always moving, always busy. Shows are abundant, locals everywhere and national acts all the time. Loads of great talent down here. It’s cool watching everyone flourish.
Anything else you’d like to mention/plug/promote?
Our new record Rotting Empire is out now. You can order it via Dead Truth Recordings and iTunes.
Listen To Forty Winters – “Summoning Spirits”
(interview published July 30, 2016)
