Livestream Hilary of Bellwether Ritual
Hilary’s bio here.
Transcript
hey everybody another Wednesday another live stream all right so if you’re watching this on replay what I usually say off the bat is go ahead and jump ahead two or five minutes and uh get into the interview usually the first couple minutes is just getting our feet wet and making sure all the tech works so angel thank you for joining Cindy dobrian thank you for joining we’ll get Hillary in here in a
second let’s see if we can get [Music]
her there she is what’s up Hillary I just sent you an invite I think you can actually request to join you there she is all right cool oh hey oh hold on so usually what I say is like the the first two to five minutes is me dropping the
phone having technical issues so anyway I feel like we just did
Mike: Hey Hilary, thanks for joining me today! First off, I’ve got to ask—Bellwether Ritual has such a unique sound. You describe it as Doom-Wop. Can you explain what that is for those unfamiliar?
Hilary: Of course! Doom-Wop is really a fusion of sounds we love—doom, doo-wop, stoner rock, and psychedelia. We wanted to take the heavy, atmospheric elements of doom and mix them with the more melodic and emotional aspects of doo-wop. It’s a blend that feels like it shouldn’t work, but somehow it does!
Mike: That’s amazing! It’s not every day you hear of a band blending genres like that. Who are some of your musical influences that have shaped Bellwether Ritual’s sound?
Hilary: We pull from a lot of places. Black Sabbath is a huge one, of course—who isn’t influenced by them? But we also look to bands like Uncle Acid, Windhand, and Baroness. They all bring something different to the table in terms of heaviness, mood, and melody, which is what we try to channel in our own way.
Mike: Definitely hear those vibes in your music. Speaking of which, you recently released a new EP, WindBag. Can you tell us a bit about that?
Hilary: Yeah, WindBag is something we’re really proud of. It’s a collection of tracks that dive into some pretty dark, moody territory but also carries that dreamlike, almost nostalgic quality we love. It’s definitely a reflection of where we are musically right now—melding those heavy riffs with ethereal, haunting melodies.
Mike: That’s awesome! Your lyrics seem to tell stories that are as vivid as the music itself. They give off this kind of gothic, literary vibe. Where do you draw your inspiration for the stories you tell?
Hilary: A lot of it comes from the world of Edgar Allan Poe, honestly. His writing has that perfect blend of darkness and beauty, which we love to capture in our songs. There’s also something about the spirit of Woodstock, that freedom and wildness, that speaks to us. We try to weave those worlds together in a way that feels timeless but also uniquely us.
Mike: That mix of Poe and Woodstock is such a fascinating combination! It makes for a really evocative sound. What do you hope listeners take away when they hear Bellwether Ritual?
Hilary: I think we just want people to get lost in it. Whether it’s the riffs, the lyrics, or the atmosphere, we hope it transports them somewhere else, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Music has the power to do that, to create a space where you can feel things you don’t always get to express in everyday life. If our music can do that for someone, that’s the best feeling.
Mike: That’s really powerful. Bellwether Ritual is definitely carving out its own space in the music world. I can’t wait to see where you go from here. Thanks again for chatting with me today, Hilary!
Hilary: Thanks so much for having me, Mike! This was a blast.
