Interviews About Albums: Jackals’ Feast - Lost In The Forest And Tormented By Demons (2024)

In this new interview, we sat down with the American Doom Metal band Jackals' Feast to ask questions about their album, "Lost In The Forest And Tormented By Demons".

1. What can you say about this new album?

This is the first album by Jackals' Feast, a doom-metal project based out of New Jersey. It was originally conceived as a "pure" doom metal album, but as soon as the first track was released people immediately picked up on the Americana, folk, and gothic influences in the music. Given the musical history that preceded this, it's not really surprising that those sounds found their way into the music after all.

2. What is the meaning of the album name?

“Lost in the Forest and Tormented by Demons” was the first song written and completed for the album. There was really never any question of calling it anything else, the song is the essence of everything this project tries to embody: heavy riffs, dark lyrics that tell a story, atmosphere for days, and vocals that blur the line between doom metal and outright blues shouting.

3. Who is the composer of the album?

All lyrics and music are 100% written and recorded completely by Jackals’ Feast.

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

Answering this question seems like something akin to having to pick your favorite child. Gun to my head though, I’d say the title track, just cause it’s the firstborn.

5. Is there a special message in this album? If there is what it is?

Short answer: I like big, heavy riffs and horror-tinged lyrics.

Longer philosophical answer: I can’t say there’s any overarching concept for the album, but some themes do emerge: There’s a bleak outlook on man’s place in the universe - narrators in the songs live in either an indifferent or antagonistic world. They’re constantly getting led astray by demons, tortured by black magic, or driven insane by their insignificance compared to the cosmos.

But there’s also a very Nietzschian belief in the individual. For example, “Prayer to Crom” is essentially about realizing you don't need a god or gods and that the strength is in you.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

From “Prayer to Crom”:

Crom, my fingers have gone numb

Climbing this mountain

I was looking for an answer before dawn

And in the silence I found it.

Crom, I don't need your strength

For I will forge my own

I only pray you will take notice

As I take up my sword

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, someone you'd love to thank especially?

Musically, there are far too many to name. It’s been a long journey from garage bands to solo acoustic blues and folk music through various forms of metal to get here.

What really inspired this album is Robert E Howard, the author who wrote the original Conan the Barbarian stories. Reading those was so inspiring it’s hard to put into words. A literal moment of, “oh, THIS is what I should be doing.” If you haven’t, I can't recommend enough reading “The Phoenix on the Sword” or “Tower of the Elephant” and you’ll see exactly where this album came from.

8. Something to add?

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to listen/like/subscribe already. This music was created in as close to a vacuum as you can get, so the positive response so far has been incredible. The full album is out on 9/13/24, and we can't wait for you to hear it!