The Zach Moonshine Show: Doom Descends with Burnt Witch (Interview + “Bastard” Premiere)

This show turned into one of those rare conversations where a local band doesn’t just talk riffs, they talk roots, gear, and the strange chain of events that turns normal people into doom lifers. Burnt Witch joined the program from Jackson, Tennessee, a stone’s throw from where Metal Devastation Fest shook the earth, and laid out how the band formed, how doom sunk its teeth into them, and how a festival can accidentally create a drummer.

We dug into the early origins of the band starting as a recording project, pulling in old friends, and eventually recruiting Mike after he caught the doom bug while filming Sun Mantra at MDF. The crew gave a full history on how the EP came together, how the wizard skull artwork came about and why the name Burnt Witch beat out their original band name Dope Glitch. Speaking of art, we got the announcement that their debut EP “Dope Glitch” drops February 13th, a perfect date for doom fiends to celebrate.

There was plenty of talk about Sabbath, Ozzy, Michael Jackson, skate videos on VHS, and how everyone remembers exactly where they were when they first heard the band that invented heavy. That spiraled into one of the realest conversations about influence and legacy that has come through this show in a long time. More than nostalgia, it was a reminder why heavy music exists at all.

Gear nerds get fed too. The band broke down SGs, Baghdad pedals, Doomcasters, Hyper Fuzz chains, slinky mammoth strings, live drum recording, Reaper workflows, and why sample replacing everything sucks the life out of music. The philosophy was simple: feel matters, and you can hear and feel the player when the drums are actually recorded in a room.

To top it off, we premiered their single “Bastard” before the official drop at midnight. The track is everything doom is supposed to be. Heavy, slow, punishing, and catchy in that weird way doom can be when it hits just right. It sits comfortably next to the greats while still having its own identity carved out of Jackson concrete.

Burnt Witch is proof that heavy music does not belong to LA, New York, or Europe. It belongs to anyone willing to crank the amps, get weird, and dig deep. Jackson has a real scene forming and this band is a prime example of what small towns can crank out when people stop waiting for permission.

Turn it up. Support your local heavy. Support the weird. Support the underground.

Chapters / Topics Covered:

• The origins of Burnt Witch and early lineup history

• Inspiration from Metal Devastation Fest

• Doom vs art school pretension and why vibe matters

• Live drums, real performance, and recording philosophy

• Sabbath, Ozzy, Michael Jackson, and childhood gateway moments

• Gear breakdown for guitar and bass

• EP announcement for “Dope Glitch” (Feb 13 release)

• Artwork, logo, and visual identity

• “Bastard” world premiere and the story behind it

• Building a band in a small town without losing grit

Check out the full show here: https://www.mixcloud.com/thezachmoonshineshow/zach-moonshine-show-doom-descends-w-burnt-witch-bastard-world-premiere/