What are you up to these days?
We are regularly playing shows and promoting our new album Histories. We are also slowly starting to write some new songs for a new album to release sometime in the later half of 2024.
Would you please introduce your band to our readers who are not aware of your music?
Fantastic Flying Foelschs was formed in 2018 by Aaron and Haley Foelsch. It started out as a musical experiment to identify the right sound and instruments, and in 2019 their Doom sound was developed. Aaron plays the guitar and bass, Haley is on drums, and both sing. FFF has recorded 6 metal albums and continues to write, record, and play shows.
Could you give us a little insight into the formation of the band? When and how did it happen?
Fantastic Flying Foelschs was formed in 2018. At the time we did not perform live and only did recording. Over time we got heavier and heavier and then started doing shows in 2022. Originally we wanted to start shows earlier but that was impacted by the pandemic.
At what age did you guys start playing instruments, and since when have you been into metal music?
Aaron started playing instruments in elementary school and got into metal music when he was a teenager.
Haley started playing instruments in elementary school and got into metal music in the mid-20s when she became a drummer.
Fantastic Flying Foelschs recently released “Histories”. Could you tell us something about it and walk us through all the track's lyrics and meanings?
Histories is a concept album with a deep time sci-fi story. It starts with Deserted Tomb which references previous civilizations lost to time for our main characters. Bastards establishes the pseudo-setting of the story which is a type of sci-fi medieval neo-feudalist society. Exit is the turn of the story where the setting is revealed to be a simulation, the character exits this simulation and takes in the world. Skinwalker is where the main character discovers that not much is different in the real world from the simulation, in which a parasitic class of alien shapeshifters are lording over people in simulations. Fiver is an instrumental representing the battle for freedom from this tyranny, ending in a loss for our character. Oubliette is the capture of the main character, in which they are thrown into an oubliette to be left to die. Rotting describes the mental and physical collapse of our character. Dust is the finale in which our character dies and is lost to time, bringing us back to the beginning, since the oubliette will be a deserted tomb.
How has the response been so far from listeners? Have you started working on new songs?
The response has been good. We have been enjoying promoting at shows and started writing new songs for another album release in the later half of 2024.
If asked to differentiate Fantastic Flying Foelschs from other bands in the USA, how would you respond?
There are so many great musicians that we come in contact with but one thing that is different about us is we consider ourselves doom metal but we do not want to fit into just one box. We have so many different inspirations that make our music a bit harder to categorize: a wall of sound amp setup, doom concepts in our lyrics, and “harmonized” harsh vocals (sometimes dual harsh, sometimes one harsh and one singing).
How compatible are the band members with each other?
We are a married couple who love writing, recording, playing shows together, and the whole experience of being in a band together. We can throw out an idea and know exactly where to go with it. Also, it makes practice/scheduling very easy!
Which bands/artists do you draw your influences from, and which are your favorite local bands?
We draw a lot of influences but the biggest ones are the Melvins, Dystopia, and Electric Wizard.
We love the Pacific Northwest metal scene and could list so many favorite local bands but some of them include: Mantle Collapse, Battlestations, Swamp Church, and Verota.
Fantastic Flying Foelschs is a very promising formation. Looking at your future, where do you see yourselves in 3 years?
We like to play several areas in the Pacific Northwest so we would want to continue to play and foster connections with the different music scenes, help to build up the local scene, sharing music, writing, and recording.
Well, that’s it. Thanks a lot for your time. Could you speak out to all your fans and supporters?
Thank you for all the support and hope to see you soon!
-Love Fantastic Flying Foelschs