Welcome to Artist Spotlight, our new series where we introduce you to fresh and exciting artists you need to hear now! Having shared the stage with the likes of My Chemical Romance at stadiums in the UK, as well as a recent arena run with veteran Danish rockers Volbeat, Witch Fever are steadily becoming one of the most compelling new acts to come from the musically rich city of Manchester. With the release of their moody and atmospheric late 2025 sophomore album FEVEREATEN, Witch Fever have further expanded upon their signature doom punk sound, with an emphasis on tension, ambiance, and crushing heaviness, coupled with sincere lyricism that tackles everything from loss, tragedy, and heartbreak to unapologetic and fierce feminist anthems.
In an exclusive interview with Haus Of Cult, we chat with Witch Fever vocalist Amy Walpole about the band’s stunning new album FEVEREATEN, touring with Volbeat, fashion, being outspoken through art, and using their platform for good, plus so much more.
Can you walk us through the formation of Witch Fever and how you all came together? Who were some of the most crucial musical influences you had from the very beginning and what was your main goal for the band when you first started?
Amy Walpole: Witch Fever went through a few lineup changes in the first year before it ended up being the 4 of us. I joined as the vocalist 6 weeks before our first gig, then [our bassist] Alex [Thompson] joined a year later. In the beginning our influences were more of a 90s grunge/punk vibe I think, like Nirvana, but Alex was really big on shoegaze and I loved post-hardcore so all that combined to create our initial sound. We didn’t necessarily have any main goals beyond playing some fun gigs and writing a set of original songs. As other things started falling into place like getting management, a booking agent, a label etc. we then took it more seriously and worked for it to become a career.
For someone hearing Witch Fever for the first time, how would you describe your overall vibe, as well as the first song you would want people to hear?
Amy Walpole: Our sound has changed so much since our first release. We started off quite thrashy and punky, our newest album is more controlled and considered. We find it hard to pin down our exact genre but we sorta sit between metal, shoegaze, hardcore and doom. The first song I’d say to listen to is “Fevereaten.”
Your 2025 sophomore album FEVEREATEN dropped this past October and has really begun to put the band on the map in many ways. What are your overall reflections of this album now that it has been a few months since its release? What has been the biggest learning lesson from this album and how do you think this experience will shape the future of your art and music going forward?
Amy Walpole: We still love it as much as we did when we recorded it. It feels like our music has grown and matured as we have over the last 9-ish years of writing together which is lovely. We never want to be a band that rewrites the same sound over and over so we’re keen to always keep it moving. The biggest lesson I learnt personally is not to be so rigid with the way I write the vocals. Before writing Fevereaten I would work out most of the melodies and lyrics before ever showing the band, but after Congregation was released I started just ad-libbing live over what everyone was playing. It made me trust my gut more in terms of songwriting and I think helped me develop my writing too as I was letting my body lead rather than my mind. Going forwards this will help me be even more relaxed and confident in my songwriting, which I think in turn is what creates the more interesting and authentic.
What would you say is the song you hold closest to your heart personally on FEVEREATEN and why?
Amy Walpole: For me, it’s “Drank the Sap.” It was originally written about knowing a relationship is about to end, but two weeks before we toured with Volbeat my mum died, and singing that song every night I realised that the lyrics matched pretty much word for word to the way I slowly said goodbye to her whilst she was terminally ill. That song is more for her now even though it wasn’t intended to be.
Another major highlight around the release of FEVEREATEN was your arena tour with Volbeat and Bush. What was that experience like playing at such a high level, in such massive rooms and being exposed to an entirely new audience?
Amy Walpole: It was honestly such an incredible experience and felt like such an achievement. We feel comfy on big stages and love playing to so many people, plus the catering was exceptional which really changes the game in touring. The audiences were tricky sometimes but you just gotta go with it and make the most of it. I was obviously dealing with losing my mum so that made it confusing and difficult but it was genuinely such a joy being in those venues.
Speaking of the Volbeat arena tour the band took part in, an interview you did with 101 Part Time Jobs podcast shortly after went viral due in large part to your transparency regarding the financial obstacles of being in a full-time band and the often disproportionate pay structures in the industry for artists. How does it feel to be a band that is speaking out on this topic and ultimately what do you hope will change in the industry with regards to better compensation for artists?
Amy Walpole: It feels scary because any time any band is ‘outspoken’ they’re opening themselves up to criticism, and then when a super small clip of a long conversation goes viral it goes a bit mad, but we’ve always felt as a band that whatever platform we have it is useful and has the potential to do some good in a world where so much bad is happening. I’m not entirely sure what the answer is to the financial problems musicians are facing but to start we need to see more funding being put into the arts, especially for marginalized and working-class communities. The obvious answer is that musicians need to be paid more for the shows they’re playing and grassroots venues need more funding, and this money needs to come from the top.
With Witch Fever forming in the musically influential city of Manchester, UK, how has your environment shaped your overall sound and ethos as a band?
Amy Walpole: When we started, Manchester was still mad on Britpop and indie and we actively didn’t wanna be that, we were kinda sick of the Madchester nostalgia that has a hold on the city, so we wanted to make a name for ourselves outside of that. From the start we were outspoken in different ways and hailed as a feminist band, but we were very young and still figuring ourselves out and what feminism means to us. There are ways I performed to make a point at the start that I wouldn’t do now but it was almost 10 years ago. No one is ever the ‘perfect feminist’, I’m always learning and reading more, and open to new ways of existing as an intersectional feminist day to day.
Who or what is your biggest style/fashion icon or inspiration?
Amy Walpole: This is hard coz I don’t think I have one fashion icon as such, but particularly for stage/shoots I like to play with feminine and masculine elements within the same outfit and incorporate weird/unusual layering. So I’ll do big boots and a baby tee with cute knickers and bows on my tights and in my hair. Or I’ll do ballet shoes and ribbons with a cute bra and some heavy masc jorts.
What is your process like when putting together outfits for your live shows?
Amy Walpole: We’re all quite different when it comes to stage outfits. Alex is usually the most prepared and has a bunch of specific outfits or main pieces that she swaps between. I mainly carry around a suitcase of underwear, tights, baby tees and shorts and just throw on what I’m feeling that day. Alisha [Yarwood] and Annabelle [Joyce] are less high maintenance in that regard [Laughs]. They go for more masculine silhouettes and oversized vibes.
As we are a media outlet and clothing brand owned and operated by a practicing witch, are there any rituals or spiritual practices that are important to you?
Amy Walpole: Oh cool, that’s fun! I have a bit of a complicated relationship with spirituality as I was brought up for 16 years as a charismatic Christian which is what a lot of our songs are about. My family and I left the church and are now not Christian but there was a lot of trauma that we experienced in that place and because of that I can find any sort of spirituality triggering. I do however feel very connected to the earth and my room is full of fossils, stones, shells, bones etc. that I’ve collected over the years that I can’t let go of. They help me feel grounded and safe which could be a kind of spirituality I suppose, but I don’t name it right now.
Looking ahead, what is next for Witch Fever? I understand you are embarking on a headline tour this March through April, what can fans expect from the shows and for the rest of 2026?
Amy Walpole: Yes so we’ve got a headline run across the UK and EU which is exciting! We’ve built a setlist we love and have curated the lineups ourselves so that’s been fun. We’ll be hitting some festivals over summer and then hopefully we’ll have another tour near the end of the year! Other than that we’re gonna start writing album 3, so better get cracking!
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