Reviews: Visionatica, Wormwood, Vile Extortion, Mean Machine (Matt, Val & Manus)

Visionatica: Enigma Fire (Frontiers Records) [Matt Bladen]

Led by vocalist Tamara Amedova (who hails from North Macedonia) Visionatica are a German band now on their second full length album. Alongside guitarist Manuel Buhl, drummer Gerhard Spanner, and bass player Tim Zahn they released a debut in 2016 and hit the ground running with high energy symphonic metal that mixes Within Temptation with Delain and Nightwish. On this second album they have bolstered their sound a bit more with some folk influences that appear at first on the intro, but not for the last time as this record is intensely cinematic full of swathes of strings that mean songs such as Fear hit home when the strings are met with the chunky metal riffs and thick grooves. Symphonic metal is a genre that allows bands to take elements of classical music and here Visionatica used the tried formula of having a soprano fronting the band.

Tamara's voice is extremely good, she has depth and clarity to her voice that means these songs simply ring out of the stereo, her classical training is matched by the virtuosity of the band themselves who have some great riffs Roxana, The Great especially reminds me of early Within Temptation, while Dance Of Fire has some shouted vocals backing it giving the Nightwish comparison. Symphonic metal is a difficult genre to get right mainly due to the the sheer number of bands playing it. Visionatica do it right and while it's not very hard to be groundbreaking, Visionatica have counteracted that by being very entertaining and using the orchestral/cinematic elements well distinguishing them from their contemporaries and influences. Enigma Fire is top level symphonic metal. 8/10

Wormwood: Nattarvet (Black Lodge) [Val D'Arcy]

Wormwood return with their highly anticipated follow up and second full length album Nattarvet. On the face of it, a Scandi-folk black metal album, but in truth this is so much more. In fact, beyond some of the folk and nature themed intros, this all takes something of a back seat in what follows. 53 minutes of musical bliss that instantly makes you sit up and think, shit, I'm listening to something bloody good here. Nattarvet is a truly epic adventure of soaring melodies, cold, introspective atmosphere and a raw, ferocious aggression that holds their sound true to its Swedish black metal heritage. The composition of each song and the overall structure of the album carries the themes and the narrative in a way that flows both effortlessly and compellingly. The vocals are truly superb, there's a range of different styles here all perfectly executed and used with great effect, be it to drive the fierce black metal passages, dampen the sombre post-black interludes or invoke the spirit of the Fatherland in its storytelling.

It's the aforementioned post-black components that really make this record unlike a lot of post-black junk in this world (that really serves no purpose); Wormwood use it here as a catalyst to manipulate the flow and feel of the album. It's the glue that holds the chapters of this book together, it's the cold bite of the night air and the duvet to wrap you up all at once. The songs themselves are a pleasing balance of accessible melodies, acoustic folk-influenced intermissions, all round heaviness and enough creativity and originality to keep you interested with eager anticipation of what comes next. The final track is a glorious eleven minute epic that utilises all of the aforementioned style, building gradually in an emotive crescendo reminiscent of Nokturnal Mortum's Valkyria or Gamma Ray's earlier masterpiece Heading For Tomorrow; as mournful as it is euphoric, a fitting climax. 9/10

Vile Extortion: Incoming Threat (New Dream Records) [Matt Bladen]

A short, sharp, shock of Greek thrash metal comes from Thessaloniki thrash maniacs Vile Extortion who have ridden out of the gates all guitars blazing for this debut EP. A maelstrom of intense thrash riffage, destructive blastbeats and shredding solos, Incoming Threat is just that a 19 minute thrash metal frenzy that brings to mind Testament, Kreator and Exodus, it's got a nice mix of classic and modern thrash that keeps you engaged with it helped immensely by the brilliant production job. If you're a guitar nut then you'll love the guitar solos which sees some fleet fingered duels taking centre stage, though the final track Cry Of Terror has a pretty neat bass solo in it was wellm for those of you that prefer four strings.  From the intro of He Who Dwells In The Shadows through Purification Progress and Mors Certissima, Incoming Threat is a very impressive debut release, more of this please. 7/10

Mean Machine: Rock ‘N’ Roll Up Your Ass (Fighter Records) [Manus Hopkins]

The European speed and thrash aggression is definitely present on Mean Machine’s third record, Rock ‘N’ Roll Up Your Ass. Don’t let its groaner of a title fool you. These tunes are serious, splicing rock ‘n’ roll guitar tunes with a hostile, breakneck pace playing style. The lyrics might be cheesy, but with songs this killer, who cares? The tunes are so high-energy, it almost feels ridiculous to be sitting at a computer listening to this album. It’s music you want to be taking a run or working out to, or obviously, moshing to at a show. This is a compliment to the band, by the way. They’ve managed to capture that raw live energy in the studio, which bands often aren’t able to do. It feels loud, even with the volume at a normal setting, and it really gets the blood pumping. Isn’t that what you want speed metal to do? 8/10

The Spotlight: BOA New Blood Interview With 28 Double (Paul H)

New Blood winners of the Leicester M2TM were 28 Double. Getting through in one of the earlier finals, the band have now had time to digest and reflect. I caught up with vocalist Nick Ward from the band to find out a bit more about the band.

Paul: Let’s start with a brief history of the band

Nick: The band started up in 2014. As a group of mates (Rob, Josh and Nick) playing different types of music in other bands, the idea came about around the kitchen table of forming something new and different from what we were used to, that also gave us the chance to rock out together live on stage!

This led to the release of our first EP Freedom’s Key in 2015. After a shuffle around in the line-up, bringing Nick onto Vocals from Bass, Kieran joined the 28D family. More shows were played along with our first entry into Metal 2 the Masses in 2016 (Mansfield), where we managed to reach the grand final! In 2017, we released our second EP and Music Video Risen which was well received and a major step forward in the band’s new sound. Due to personal reasons, Kieran took a break from the band which gave us the chance to find Gav, a bassist from the local scene who we had been seeing at gigs for years! Continuing to gig and raise the profile of the band through 2017/18, Kieran re-joined us late 2018 to complete the live sound of the band and giving our audiences more oomph at shows.

Our focus for 2019 has mainly been Metal 2 The Masses; more on that later! But we are also planning the drop of a new music video around the time of Bloodstock in August!

Paul: Who is the current line up?

Nick: Nick Ward (Vocals), Rob Tallant (Guitar and Backing Vox), Kieran Agnew (Guitar and Backing Vox), Gav Archer (Bass) and Josh Woodhouse (Drums)

Paul: Describe the band’s sound and influences?

Nick: Individually, we all have very different and varied tastes in music. Together we draw our inspirations from all those places, resulting in catchy melodies, body grinding grooves, intoxicating solos and driving heavy riffs bundled in a fresh modern package! If you like bands such as Alter Bridge, Black Stone Cherry, Slash and Myles Kennedy, Down and Black Sabbath (to name a few) then you’ll most likely enjoy one of our shows!

Paul: Prior to Bloodstock, what are some of the highlights for the band so far?

Nick: Well, there’s obviously our EPs and Videos that we’ve released, it’s always a positive experience when we’re working together on big projects, we’re good friends and have fun with it! We’ve also played some cool shows in the past with Power Quest, IamI, and lots of fun shows with Witch Tripper (who won the M2TM Mansfield 2016). We’ve also enjoyed opening for tribute acts like Hi-On Maiden, Mentallica and Popestars etc! We’ve played a lot of charity fundraising shows and put on our own fundraiser ‘Air Aid’ (2018), which managed to raise over £1200 for the East Midlands Air Ambulance service. We then turned our focus to Bloodstock!

Paul: A neat link indeed. Let’s move on to Bloodstock and your road to the festival. Please tell us about your journey

Nick: I guess, our road to Bloodstock truly started in 2016 when we entered and reached the Mansfield Finals! The networking raised profile and comradery from that fuelled a year’s worth of gigs! Once we had completed our sound as a 5-piece band, this brought momentum and we felt it was the right time to go and give the competition another go! We decided to enter the Leicester M2TM for the wider networking opportunities. Choosing Leicester was a great choice! They have a vibrant and friendly scene filled with lots of talented musicians. We’re honoured to have won their hearts as an outside band, which has enabled us to fulfil this milestone dream! Making lots of friends on the way, you can expect to see some great Leicester bands performing with us soon!

Paul: Tell us about the build up to your final and how you handled it

Nick: The thing with a competition like Bloodstock’s Metal 2 the Masses, is that everyone really wants the opportunity to perform on that stage as the region’s winners! As bands progress through the rounds of the competition, everyone ups their game and raises the bar of their show! We played a new set each round of the competition, refining the set-list with what went down well, and not so well. We wanted our final set to be well balanced and hard hitting, giving a taste of everything we have to offer! Making it to the finals and the build up around it, like every time you advertise the events on social media, was quite nerve-wracking all-in-all because your goal is so close you can almost taste it! Then on the day we drew the last slot out of the hat! So, we got to see all the bands perform well in the 9 hours leading up to our stage time, thus raising our nerves even more.

Paul: What about when you were announced as winners? What were the emotions like?

Nick: A massive rush of euphoria, shock, amazement, over the moon… too many to really properly describe! We had set out to fulfil a milestone dream and had managed to make it a reality! It took us days to come down off cloud 9!

Paul: Moving on to the festival itself, what can we expect from you?

Nick: We are very much a live band. You can expect a full-on high-energy performance, lots of riffs, catchy melodies; all bundled into a no-messing Hard Rock Show! We’re there to give everyone a good time and have a good time ourselves doing what we love!

Paul:  Which bands are you looking forward to seeing there?

Nick: As a band, individually we have quite varied music tastes, so there’s a lot of bands that we’re looking forward to! We’re all excited to see Parkway Drive again (most of us went to see earlier in the year) as that’s gonna be one hell of a show! But alongside them, Scorpions, Tesseract, Anthrax, Evil Scarecrow … and the bands we’ve had the chance to play with over the years like Witch Tripper, Graves, Ten Ton Slug, Resin, Footprints in the Custard and Grand Elder.

Paul: Have you been to Bloodstock before?

Nick: You could call us veterans! Gav started going in 2004 back when it was the indoor event at Derby Assembly rooms, then by 2008 we were all regular attendees and able to call it home! Since then, it's been a permanent fixture on all our calendars.

Paul: If yes, describe the three best things about the festival?

Nick: Really relaxed being not too big and very much a family atmosphere! Every year we’ve had great fun and seen performances from good bands. Bloodstock always supports the underground scene and invests in opportunities for the possible bands of tomorrow!

Paul: And finally, tell us a guilty pleasure about each member of the band!

Rob: I have always really liked Oasis and like most Nickelback songs other than ‘Rock Star’! lol

Josh: My guilty pleasure is the band Paramore, it’s been one of my favourite bands for years, I still listen to them regularly and have even been to see them twice!

Nick: My guilty pleasure is to listen to Classic FM when I’m driving! It tones me down! Lol

Gav: My guilty pleasure is Florence and the Machine. I can't say I was a fan or really listened to their music until I accompanied my wife to see them live in Nottingham and was completely blown away. I have now been to see them live several times and every time, I'm as equally in awe.

Kieran: My guilty pleasure is Coldplay. The band that most people seem to love to hate but I think they're brilliant. Especially the first 2 albums. I get why people dislike them but some of their tunes are modern classics, plus they sell out stadiums!

Paul: A massive thanks to Nick and 28 Double for their entertaining and honest interview. I have to admit to being partial to a bit of old Florence Welch but as for Coldplay? Well, you can fuck that in the eye! Look out for 28 Double on Sunday 11th August at the New Blood Stage. I think they will be one of the bands of the weekend. You can find out more at the following links:

www.facebook.com/28doubleuk

www.twitter.com/28double

Instagram: 28_double_band

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3cfKpZzVFuouBLhiG8vqH9

https://www.youtube.com/user/28doubleuk

http://28double.bandcamp.com

Last Music Video: 'Risen' - https://youtu.be/41-DFhVzHaw

Live at M2TM Leicester Grand Final (Multicam) - https://youtu.be/YPpNWJxAA1A

A View From The Back Of The Room: Anathema (Live Review By Paul H)

Anathema - Back To The Start, The Dome, Grand Central Hall, Liverpool

Disappointingly unknown in their home city, this was the opportunity for the Liverpool band to show how far they had travelled. As Vincent Cavanagh had pointed out in the build up to this anticipated show, their booking agent always choose Manchester over Liverpool. Tonight, those promoters were proved wrong as a passionate partisan crowd threw every ounce of love at their heroes in a magnificent venue where Danny Cavanagh played his first ever live show at the age of 15.

The entrance to this imposing Edwardian hall is tucked away off a main road, with a pleasing grassed courtyard providing space for those eager for their place at the front sanctuary to queue away from the maddening crowds swelling the numerous bars and pubs nearby. A heady mix of prog fans, tattooed black metal fans in full battle jackets and gentle couples holding hands mixed, swapping stories of their previous encounters and took selfies with guitarist Danny Cavanagh whilst patiently waiting for an audience with possibly the most important UK rock outfit of modern times. As we filed to the upper circle and took our seats, the throng in front of the stage slowly swelled as the excitement grew.

The pre-gig promotional information teased us with the promise of a changed set list, visuals and special lighting, but we also got a superb support act in the shape of Danish progressive metallers Vola (8). There may have been a lot of “who are they?” around the venue but there were plenty more new fans by the end of their 30-minute set. Their sound was a little muddy, partly to do with the style of the venue where the circle design interrupted the clean lines which Vola deliver. However, the Danes delivered a strong six track set, pulled predominantly from 2018’s Applause From A Distant Crowd. By the time the band hit Alien Shivers, they had hit their groove and importantly had also drawn in more of the audience. Despite the usual annoyance of the chatter of the non-interested, Vola moved with a grace and style that allowed focus to remain on the stage. Asger Mygind (vocals/guitar), Martin Werner (keys), Nicolai Mogensen (bass) and Adam Janzi (drums) received a deserved round of applause as they finished their set and the only real disappointment was the absence of anyone on their merch table when I popped there to pick up some goodies.

The house lights slowly dimmed and as the heat in the venue continued to increase to rather uncomfortable levels, the main event slowly unfolded. I’ve reviewed Anathema (9) several times and it’s fair to say that musically, the band rarely put a foot wrong. Danny Cavanagh is a control freak and perfectionist at times but there was rarely any type of tantrum during this balanced and surprisingly predictable set. Opening with San Francisco, the intro from their last release, The Optimist, the first thing we noticed was that the sound remained a little fuzzy and would remain so until we moved to the rear of the circle later in the show. Secondly, the band had cleverly introduced a large screen at the rear of the stage which allowed for some enchanting visuals for several segments of the show. The light show didn’t astound, but with Vincent revealing that they had changed lighting technician with two days to go, you had some sympathy. With Daniel Cardoso and John Douglas changing places between percussion/programming and drums as the set developed, Jamie Cavanagh assumed his usual position stage left whilst twin Vincent switched from keyboards to guitar with fluent ease. The arrival of Lee Douglas completed the unit and the band moved smoothly into a couple more from The Optimist, Can’t Let Go and Endless Ways, both demonstrating the dynamic and complex elements of the band’s evolution. Ariel from Distant Satellites followed, the song dedicated to Danny’s daughter. Cohesive, tight and always totally mesmerising, Anathema performed a stunning show which ticked all the boxes of those who love the band post Alternative 4. Highlights included the emotionally charged The Storm Before The Calm, the band building the atmosphere with an intensity few can rival, a perfect Deep from Judgement and A Natural Disaster, a song which once more allowed Lee Douglas to shine with her superb vocals.

No encore as such, but the band ensured that everyone went home happy by performing the now legendary Untouchable Parts 1 & 2, before an euphoric Fragile Dreams sent the venue into emotional overload, Danny Cavanagh delivering some blistering guitar work (which he had done all night to be fair). Whilst the set list may have avoided music from their early dark gothic doom period and retained more than a nod to recent set lists, there was little to criticise overall. Anathema remain one of the must-see bands for me; their limited popularity in parts of the UK continues to bemuse me whilst their European appeal mushrooms. With a headline show at Ramblin’ Man Fair followed by A Night At The Prog in Germany, the band demonstrated that after a quarter of a century they remain vital, relevant and essential. It was indeed a night to remember.

Reviews: Thy Art Is Murder, Control The Storm, Lingua Ignota, Cold Kingdom (Liam, Paul H, Lee & Alex)

Thy Art Is Murder: Human Target (Nuclear Blast) [Liam True]

Aggressive. Destructive. Barbaric. Just a few words to describe Human Target. This has been my most anticipated album of 2019. And it did not disappoint. The build up to the record started in April with the release of the title track, and album opener, Human Target. As soon as the album starts, you're treated to the classic TAIM sound. The unrelenting in your face Deathcore destruction with the signature snarls from the tectonic plate sounding throat of CJ Mcmahon. The entire album is just a flawless masterpiece through the current state of the world. Including songs about drug addiction (Chemical Christ) the power of social media (New Gods) and various other real-life scenarios. While being a brilliant album, it is the first to feature new drummer Jesse Beahler after the departure of Lee Stanton. Beahler's debut with the band is impressive in its own right.

While keeping to the style of the band he does bring his own unique feel to the kit and destroys the wonders of if he'll live up to the hype by tearing down all boundaries of what a drummer is capable of. It also has the addition of a slower song, which is still heavy as fuck might I add, Eye For An Eye, showing the versatile nature of the band. This record is showing the band is never giving up hope for Deathcore and are more than capable of holding their own in the current state of music right now. If anything, this record will bring bigger tours, better production and soaring popularity for the band. And with a main stage slot at Bloodstock Festival this year (Where you'll find me when the Aussie titans hit the stage to decimate Derby) they'll easily win over a new generation of fans. 10/10

Control The Storm: Forevermore (Self Released) [Paul Hutchings]

Winners of the 2012 Reading Metal To The Masses, Control The Storm is a melodic metal band. Opening their sophomore release is Darkest Fantasy Fix Master, an impressive seven-minute epic which showcases everything that is good about this band. Powerful double kick drumming, banks of symphonic keys, killer riffs and solos and vocals that soar above in a crystal-clear style. Above all, a melodic style that retains the metal edge with hooks that keep you engaged from the opening bars. Strike To Defend complete with fighter plane sound effects intro is next, a racing power metal beast with duel guitar harmonies and Radeon Mac’s delicious keyboards that are ever present without dominating. Once more the vocals of Firouzeh are superb, reminiscent of one Krissie Kirby at her Triaxis best. New Era changes direction, but in a quite fabulous manner, the feel quite majestic. Heavy riffs underpin the metal credentials whilst the keyboards duel with the vocals for centre stage. This is one epic song, almost soundtrack score in its majesty. 

The quality of this release is substantial, and whilst I rarely get excited about the female fronted melodic metal bands, this is something to really enjoy. Follow Me is another sweepingly enticing song, full of rapid pace, excellent harmonies on the choruses including an appropriate couple of death growls which are not out of place. The mood slows for In The Night, a power ballad which allows Firouzeh and Mac showcase their talents. Everything reaches a fantastic climax with the 13-minute title track. A folk style entrance, Celtic drumming, bagpipes and keys are joined by acoustic guitars as the momentum slowly builds before a huge wall of sound crashes in and we accelerate with some crunching guitar work. A feisty first section ends with a calming return to the Celtic feel, the folk flavour very much in evidence once more. The male narrative adds to the feel of the song before the track builds again towards a stunning crescendo. In Forevermore Control the Storm have delivered a superb follow up to 2015’s Beast Inside. This is a beautiful release. 8/10

Lingua Ignota: Caligula (Profound Lore) [Lee Burgess]

When you’re listening to Lingua Ignota for to review her new record Caligula, and your good lady wife asks what you’re listening to because it’s really good, you know you’re onto a winner. I am a fan of 60’s/70’s European Gothic horror and in a nutshell, this is essentially what this lovely bunch manage to evoke with all their sadness, singing and wailing. This is beautifully miserable. Each epic track sounds a bit like Florence And the Machine, if Florence Welch was locked in a medieval dungeon and continuously tortured by the Witchfinder General. In short, think the aforementioned band, then think of them again in a blender with Kate Bush a little bit of Sunn 0))) with a pinch of Ghost Bath and you kind of get the idea.

However, this review comes with a warning. The misery within is real. It is the result of untold pain and abuse, and in this way, it is a thing of both beauty and bravery. Scratch beneath the surface of the theatrical incantation-like tracks and you will soon realise that this music comes from a place of real suffering. This ladies and gentleman is what you get when you take a survivor of abuse, and give her classical training. She comes back at the world with full force. This is dark, beautiful, painful and harrowing. Even more impressive is the fact that this woman creates these sounds of insanity performs by herself as a solo artist. I cannot overstate how profound this music is in both scale and source. Staggering. 10/10

Cold Kingdom: Into The Black Sky (Self Released) [Alex Swift]

A lonesome piano sound before a splicing guitar riff hurdles in, like a truck screaming past you in the dark. In many ways Into The Black Sky is a quintessential alt-rock album. The choruses are huge, the guitar riffs massive, and there is an overall sense of discontented angst present from start to finish. Take Desire, where the hook is certainly an earworm, the bass has a thunderous present, and there is a stampeding sense of passion. Devil In Me charts a similar path, yet has more of a lumbering stomp, which lends the track a moody yet simmering stance. On a slower note, Left Me Haunted brings the pianos back in powerful fashion, pairing them with synths, adding to the melodramatic backbone of the song and indeed, the entire album.

Not that I begrudge Cold Kingdom for that. I have always believed melodrama to be preferable to mediocrity, and towering anthems like Ammunition and Volatile, only help to validate that opinion. There is a fair amount of generic copycatting to be found here as well. While I enjoy all the features on show, I wouldn’t exactly call any of them original or ground-breaking. Invisible and In Your Shadow are two prime examples, with the instrumentation serving largely to create an atmosphere, while the lyrics croon about being outcast and lonely – innovative, right? If you can see past the cut and paste elements however, there’s a decent alternative record to be had here. All the musicians are undoubtedly skilled, and the band clearly have a passion for performance. In some cases – especially those when an act is early into their career - that’s all it takes to merit my respect. 7/10

The Spotlight: BOA New Blood Interview With Reaper X (Paul H)

Winners of the Northants final were Reaper X who fought through a challenging final to get to Bloodstock. I caught up with drummer Carl Sheldrick via phone just after he’d managed to put his young son to bed. Yes, it’s all rock n’ roll in the world of metal.

Carl joined Reaper X just under two years ago although the band have been in existence for about five years. Carl explained the circumstances around his joining the band were a bit unusual as although he’d been a metal drummer for around ten years he was previously in a pop function band with his brother playing weddings and events. The circumstances around his joining that outfit were almost a bit Spinal Tap in that the previous drummer died (although clearly the circumstances are much more tragic).The money from these gigs allowed Carl to buy his first drum kit and as the kit got bigger he then “stumbled across Reaper and here we are”.

Reaper X’s line up consists vocalist Scott Litster, guitarists Mark Innocent and Drew Reilly, Carl and bassist Jake Coles. Carl and Jake are the newer members of the band. “I was in the band for the best part of a year before Jake joined” explained Carl. The band had demoed a single Fury in Flames, which was then re-recorded to include Carl’s drum parts and Carl then completed all the drum parts for the band’s debut album Rise. If you haven’t heard the album I’d certainly recommend getting hold of a copy as it is a fine piece of work. Carl is rightly pleased with it. “Yes, we are really proud of it; there are some bits that you listen back to and think, yeah, could have done that a bit better but for a first album, then it’s something we can learn and improve from like every band”. The band also benefitted from the production support of Neil Hudson, guitarist with Krysthla who also runs his own studio. This allowed us time to both eulogise about the Northamptonshire outfit who play the main stage on the Sunday at BOA.

Reaper X describe their sound as “a new take on old thrash metal” so I asked Carl to expand on that. “We have a lot of influences from Megadeth, Maiden, Metallica, but my style is more of a nu metal style, with my favourite bands being AX7, Slipknot, All That Remains, that sort of stuff. For newcomers they can expect old style riffs with new style drumming. We want to keep it original as much as possible”. What about highlights for the band pre-BOA? “The album, definitely, but also a new line of merch has come out recently, upgraded with the new logo, and we’ve added the X to the name as there were tons of bands with the name Reaper. We are focused on promoting the album and getting our name out there”.

Time to move on to the road to Bloodstock and I asked Carl how the band got involved. “They had been involved twice before”, he explained, “the last time we reached the final and then this time we got through. In terms of organising the entry and everything that was Mark’s doing”. The build up can be intense and Carl explained that there were some very tough bands in the competition. “We always get stage fright and nerves before any show, which I think proves your heart is in it. It’s the fear of making mistakes and things going wrong that haunts you”. The final was held at the Hopfest at the Black Prince in Northampton and Carl explained that there were two stages, one outdoor [I believe our own Democratus were on the bill]. “It was an absolute scorcher of a day with a lot of people turning out, getting drunk, playing around, things like that. It was a good crowd and we were last band playing so we were lucky enough to have one of the biggest crowds of the night”. We discussed the luck of the draw in the competition and Carl acknowledged that if you are on early you are often heavily reliant on the votes of the judges to get you through. “Position does have a big effect on it “ which I would agree with.

Northants had Simon Hall [Mr Bloodstock] judging and I asked Carl how the emotions were when the announcement was made? “We had a lot of technical problems. One of the leads stopped working and one of the guitarists had to play one song at 10% and we were convinced that was it, our luck was going down hill. When they announced we had won the show we couldn’t believe it, and I think we got experienced everything from happy to scared. It was overwhelming and we did not expect it at all’. This resonates with the views of every band I’ve interviewed. A real humbleness and surprise that they have got through, complete shock and fabulously, no arrogance at all. “Absolutely”, Carl added, “there are so many talented musicians out there, you have no idea who is going to win. We were totally flabbergasted”.

So, what do Reaper X have in store for us at Bloodstock? “We’ll always look to slay it, that’s our motto to do our best” explains Carl, “we are practising a ridiculous amount now, the new material we are working on is great and we may throw in a new song, which is a lot heavier”. This will also reward the die-hards who will support the band. “Exactly. The set we played for the competition itself, we agreed to keep the set list the same so we were prepared, but we thought it would be good to get a new song out at such a great opportunity. I think it will go down really well”.

Although Carl hasn’t experienced BOA before he’s really excited and as a massive fan of Parkway Drive the slot on the Saturday is ideal for him. Jake appears to be the only one of the band to have been to the festival. Having spent a few minutes explaining just what makes the festival so great, Carl revealed. To me that he will be getting there early on Saturday as work commitments don’t allow the Friday opportunity.

One of the great pieces of feedback from all bands who play the New Blood Stage is how superb the support from the technical staff is and Carl confirmed that friends in a band that have already played there have told him how well looked after they will be. “They told us everything runs like clock work and it will be such an experience and we can’t wait”.

It was a real honour to chat with Carl and I will be making sure to check Reaper X out.The band are playing the New Blood Stage at 12.45 on Saturday 10th August.

A View From The Back Of The Room: Bloodshot Dawn (Live Review By Matt)

Bloodshot Dawn, Damim, Fissure Of Riddles & Pemphigoid, The Gryphon, Bristol

A Thursday night jaunt over the bridge is something we've done many times, but it's not usually to see a band who are one, playing Cardiff later this year and two performing in one of Bristol's smallest venues. But with a stacked supporting roster I went over to MoM's Second City and met up with some of our new Bristol friends for what was looking to be a heck of a show! After one or two non-alcoholic beers (driving) it was up the stairs in this brilliant alternative pub for the first band of the evening.

We had seen opening band Pemphigoid (7) before at BMF666 Easter Massacre where this Nottingham trio had impressed despite being the first band of the day, though here they were more impressive again, their medical-themed death metal (they are named after a autoimmune blistering skin disease) is raw, filthy and decidedly old school sounding. With the mountainous Ash taking the grunted vocals and grinding guitars the band slipped into a set comprised of tracks from their debut album Where Compassion Comes To Die the thunderous, groove-laden rhythm section of Rich (drums) and Bill (bass) sharing that late-80's/early-90's old-school death metal inspiration. Musically they bring to mind Obituary with heavy,they aren't all about speed and precision, which was to come, but about feel, their slower tracks pulverized in wave of distortion and noise. A pretty heavy way to kick off the evening but if it was possible things were about to get heavier substantially. Back down stairs for a bit of fresh air first, the small performance room in the roof of the pub is a little stifling in the heat due to lack of windows. Outside we chatted with our friends from Questionable Life Choices as well as members of Voluntas and Dies Holocaustum, a balmy Thursday evening meant that Bristol's metal fraternity were crammed into The Gryphon, although most were at the show some were just enjoying the beers and metal downstairs.

However as it was my journalistic duty, and of course because live music is the best I once again went upstairs as Fissure Of Riddles (7) were just starting to play. These South Coast noise merchants play what they call progressive sludge so that means they have flowing progressive metal sounds where they shift gears and bring intricate musical soundscapes juxtaposed with Southern Sludge metal that is heavily distorted, bass led and thicker than tar. It's an interesting mix but it did mean they were the 'sore thumb' on the bill playing a much slower, less direct style than any of the other bands, still they are a band that drew attention with their mammoth riffs and one that I'd happily see again, perhaps with bands more of their own style.

Another small break and it was upstairs again for the band that won me round to this show, London blackened thrashers Damim (9) playing one of only 5 (announced) shows this year, which included Eradication Deathfest and Bloodstock Open Air, so it was a rare treat to see the band that features Nathaniel, formally of Akercocke on guitar and vocals. I'd seen Damim once in Fuel rock club and their blackened thrash metal grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. They have a laser like focus, clinical and to the point, like a missle to the heart of The Gryphon It was a frenetic technical barrage with a nod to theatricality as well. Their songs are Nihilist anthems, nothing happy on the agenda but they are delivered with aggression by Nathaniel, Flow (drums), Edd (guitar) and Faust (bass) who were synchronised like a well oiled killing machine.

They were a huge step up in terms of skill, which is not a slight at the other bands, but Damim are made up of very experienced musicians. The venue's size and sound limitations did render their wall of sound a little muddy, things got better as they progressed cracking out numbers from their recently released new record A Fine Game Of Nil which was still relatively new to the crowd but with older stuff such as the frantic set closer Mirror Image Ritual they got the heads windmilling wildly. Roll on Bloodstock Festival and their New Blood stage special guest headline performance!

So then it was time for the headliners, the Portsmouth technical death metal mob Bloodshot Dawn (9) stormed the stage in what could be considered a MetalDays warm up set. Their setlist was mainly drawn from Reanimation their most recent release which saw the band flesh out their sound with synths, which were most notable on Survival Evolved which had the layered synths giving it a melo-death sound although with the usual Bloodshot technicality, following on from this was Shackled and Seared Earth both of which from Reanimation and got a rousing reception. However it was the older stuff like Godless got the biggest reaction with the death metal hardcore's at the front, leading to wild pits, that were so intense that frontman Josh had to warn people not to get too close and knock down his mic stand. Bloodshot were blistering, flurries of lead guitars mastery, death metal riffs and grunted vocals were the theme for the entire set, which led to more windmills than Holland.

Special mention must go to their session drummer, who was behind the stool due to their regular skin smasher being away with Decapitated. Their stand in guy (I'm sorry I forgot his name) is an absolutely shit hot drummer who nailed every single part. The main set ended with Quantum Apocalypse, which had the closest wall of death I've ever seen. Bloodshot Dawn always deliver in their own untouchable style. At their best they are untouchable and they were very close here despite not having played since March, they were showing no signs of rust at all. A very entertaining Thursday night across the bridge with some of our new friends met during M2TM. We will be over the bridge again sometime soon so I'm sure more nights of killer heavy metal await. I urge you to catch Bloodshot Dawn when they hit Cardiff later this year you won't regret it.

Reviews: Thank You, Scientist, Grim Existence, Eva Bartok, Wizard Rifle (Alex & Lee)

Thank You, Scientist: Terraformer (Evil Ink) [Alex Swift]

Across three albums Thank You, Scientist, have blossomed into one of the strangest acts in the universe of prog. A 7 piece who play a miasma of instrumentals, ranging from fretless guitars to Theremins, to Shamisen’s, they carry with them a wide array of influences. Like their debut, Maps Of Non-Existent Places, gloriously proved, a typical Thank You Scientist song – if such an entity exists - can lurch from metal to jazz to pop in the space of a few minutes, while keeping the listener engrossed. Stranger Heads Prevail took their detailed mix to new heights, feeling more unified and melodramatic than preceding releases. Now on opus no. 3, the question stands: Can they continue on their ambitious and expansive path, or will they fall prey to self-indulgence and pretentiousness?

I’m overjoyed to tell you, that Terraformer is equally as massive and dazzling as the previous albums if not more so. Ultimately, it's a hopeful album yet also a contemplative one. FXMLDR opens, the stratospheric imagery, gigantic horn sections, flamboyant choruses, and sanguine verses, already creating a journey full feel, and a sensation that something enormous is about to take place. Swarm proves aptly titled, the buzz and hubbub of the instrumentals, lending a chaotic genius. Hypnotic and spellbinding, Son Of A Serpent showcases the talents of horn players, Greenfield and Gullace, the supremely diverse guitar skills of Monda, and the luscious yet spine-tingling vocals of Morrano. Furthermore, while I thought I would never see these musicians make a minimalist, electronic ambient piece, they work wonders with the concept on Birdwatching, which proves an interesting change from the detailed, and vivid nature of many of the anthems on show.

Everyday Ghosts brings the immersive, deep and shockingly well-composed prowess back in a gorgeously contemplative way. Chromology is an instrumental piece where every member has to chance to break loose and demonstrate their wondrous capabilities. There is one of these on every Thank You Scientist album but this just might be the most extraordinary. Bringing us back into the swaying, transient nature which these musicians excel at, Geronimo has stints of tenseness and moments of bliss. Incidentally, Life Of Vermin ascends into neoclassical at one point, and then into oriental-style music at another. Anchor has a touch of the sea shanty vibe which the name alludes to, and a splendid guitar solo which seems to melt into an equally jaw-dropping violin solo in such a way that the listener is made to think ‘when that instrumental change happen?’ Again, taking a creative leap, New Moon is an unashamed folk song. Closing the album is Terraformer, which seems to finish the record on the same type of adventurous, daring note that we opened on. All the technical eccentricities are brought together into one colossal beast here, yet so are the melodic, infectious and experimental peculiarities.

There are many variations on progressive rock. However, a gross oversimplification would be that there are two types: The prog which is accessible and influenced by easier to broach music, and the prog which is difficult, and inspired by Jazz or Classical. Plenty of acts don’t fit into that analogy and plenty have brought those influences together in the past. However, by committing to the idea so wholeheartedly, Thank You, Scientist, have established themselves as one of the finest acts in the modern prog movement. Terraformer only furthers that impression, and that’s why no one of our readers should be surprised at the score or the high position which it will inevitably take on my album of the year list. 10/10

Grim Existence: Expansion Of Reality (FHED) [Lee Burgess]

Grim Existence make infectious music for those who don’t mind having a short terminal illness that grabs the body, batters the living hell out of it and then leaves it bleeding out until there is nothing left but shrivelled skin. Unlike a lot of extreme metal which often uses silly gimmicks and horror movie sound FX, there is no warning with Expansion Of Reality, no humour, no sounds of chainsaws and choking. It’s straight down to business with crusty, groove laden riffage. Make no mistake, this is unpleasant stuff. It bridges the gap between hardcore-punk and death, whilst infusing a Lamb Of God style groove into the mix. The audio mix is deep and rich. The tracks are layered with care and attention to the band’s filthy style. What we have on in these two tracks is an assured musical identity that effortlessly intertwines genres and references without copying or covering in a way that too many younger bands do. There are no hipster-core copycat moments to be had here. If I had one criticism it would be that the tracks seem a bit short in length. Having said that, that could be a good thing, as this music is so hammer-blow heavy that much more of it may actually cause physical injury. This is the kind of beastly music you need in your life. 8/10

Eva Bartok: Eva Bartok (Self Titled) [Alex Swift]

Eva Bartok, (the band not the Hungarian-British actress) perform a style of raucous noise-punk, which uses chaos as its guiding light. Everything they do revolves around chaos, and while there is a tangible sense of melody and rhythm present, it is accompanied by noise, distortion, rabid energy, anger and most importantly CHAOS! Chess Club opens this four-track EP, leading to images of incensed chess fanatics engaging in a brawl over who moved the knight. Indeed, that’s exactly how these songs feel: There are hints of the exploited and Bad Brains, yet also allusions to ’90s, ‘nerdcore’ acts in the vein of modest mouse or la dispute. Houses continues, alternating frenetically between stints of melody and harshness as if trying to control itself against firing into a fit of rage, and failing miserably! LIES is equally throttling, its distorted instrumentals, and unpredictable tempo changes furthering the fun if somewhat daunting aesthetic. Mexico finishes in hectic, frenzied style, never once pausing for breath and proving what ‘messy, untidy’ noise can achieve when channeled into something creative. I somewhat doubt 50’s models and actresses would approve, yet Eva Bartok only needs the validation of the disenfranchised, tortured and pissed off to continue unleashing their pandemonium. 7/10

Wizard Rifle: S/T (Svart Records) [Lee Burgess]

Wizard Rifle are just not my cup of Earl Grey. The music is just dull, the vocals are annoying and the whole package is a mess. In short, there are bands out here doing the same kind of thing but with so much more verve, quirk, talent and/or humour. Now, I don’t mind a bit of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, or heavier blues-tinged bands like Monolord or Conan, but the truth is, unless you’re going to do this type of music justice, it just comes across as a little bit scrappy. What tries to be stylised and stylish just comes across as a bit of an effort that never really goes anywhere. Some of course may love it, and that’s great, but I want music to affect me in some way other than pressing the off button. There’s just nothing that grabs me here at all, which is a shame because there’s a few directions the band could have taken to make this more interesting. The vocals are not strong enough to sing along to and we’ve heard the same riffs in countless other heavy rock outfits over the past 50 years. I would suggest more of the heavy and less of the pace. This just isn’t my thing at all. 2/10

The Spotlight: BOA New Blood Interview With Widows (Paul H)

James Kidd is guitarist with Widows, the Nottinghamshire stoner/sludge masters who won their M2TM event. James took the time to update us on all things heavy about Widows, in an interview well worth reading.

Paul: Let’s start with a brief history of the band

James: We were formed in the mists of time, many moons ago; Myspace ruled the earth, Slayer had just started their farewell tour and straight haired emo kids roamed free. But in real terms, we came together in early 2008 after mine and Adam (Jolliffe, vox) old band fell apart, we were bored of playing straight up “metal” and looking to take a different direction. The first EP was demoed entirely in my bedroom over the course of the next three months with Adam’s help. We used that demo to lure in ZeBig to play drums for us and later Evan the Greek on bass. We’ve had numerous line-up changes since then but I’m very happy with what we’ve got now.

Paul: Who is the current line up?

James: James Kidd – Guitar, Adam Jolliffe – Vox, Phil Emblin – Bass, Adam Sharrocks - Drums

Paul: Describe the band’s sound and influences

James: I’d say we’re for fans of (in no particular order) Clutch, Down, EHG, Torche, and Mastodon. Each one of those bands has had an influence on our sound and playing styles over the years. I mean, I could sit here all day and list bands that have influenced us but…. I’m not going to put you through that. Sound wise, it’s loud, abrasive, and aggressive; big riffs don’t sound good quiet.

Paul: Prior to Bloodstock, what are some of the highlights for the band so far?

James: Playing the very first Desert Fest was an early win for us, touring Europe with Tombstones was great fun too. More recently, our launch shows for Oh Deer God were off the chain, but so far this year the highlight was winning M2TM Notts, of course!!

Paul: Let’s move on to Bloodstock and your road to the festival. Please tell us about your journey?

James: We’d actually started the journey a few years ago when we played the M2TM event up in Mansfield back in 2015, we got through to the final but due to a number of reasons we weren’t able to compete on the date so disappointingly had to give up our slot. Once we were back up and running with Adam Sharrocks behind the kit after ZeBig left to join Iron Monkey, we were all pretty hungry to get gigging and people had been bugging us for years about getting on the bill for BOA. We’d had no luck trying to get booked so far so we figured why not give M2TM a shot? It was great hearing our name announced as winners at the final as we were up against some good competition!

Paul: Tell us about the build up to your final and how you handled it?

James: We tried to keep the sets interesting by changing the tracks up for each show and we knew we had to bring out the big guns for the final so we spent a lot of time on making sure the set flowed right, and also on stage directions to ensure the songs transitioned well, rather than the old ‘dead-stop, “thank you! This one’s called….”’. I felt that made a real difference as it felt more like a show than just four dudes playing seven songs.

Paul: What about when you were announced as winners? What were the emotions like?

James: Initially I was just relieved that we’d placed, then about half a second later I was like “oh shit, we actually won!” Not gonna lie, I was nervous when they were announcing it ha-ha! The next half hour was a bit of a blur of photos, detail swapping, and interviews but was a fun wave to ride.

Paul: So, moving on to the festival itself, what can we expect from you?

James: We’ll be there with bells on! We’re excited for our first outdoor festival and will definitely be bringing all the riffs! All. The. Riffs!!

Paul: Which bands are you looking forward to seeing there?

James: Barbarian Hermit, Boss Keloid, Bong Cauldron (all the B’s), and obviously the Scorpions \m/ Might check out Soulfly as well, I was big into them as an angry 16-year-old greeb back in the day. It’ll be cool seeing Parkway Drive on that main stage too, mine and Adam (Jolliffe)’s old band played with them in Nottingham back in 2005 and I put them up for the night afterwards. It was obvious nearly 15 years ago those boys were going places so it’s kind of cool that our paths have both circled back to this point.

Paul: Have you been to Bloodstock before?

James: We have, yes….  (Concise I like it - Ed)

Paul: Describe the three best things about the festival.

James: I really like the size of the place. Big enough to be a proper festival, but small enough that you’re not trekking for miles to get between your tent and the stages. The vibe is great too, the staff were all lovely and there was no aggro or posturing nonsense going on either in the crowds or from the staff. Finally, the booze selection was pretty immense if I remember rightly. The VIP area had the most beers I’ve seen at a festival bar!

Paul: And finally, tell us a guilty pleasure about each member of the band!

James: That thing where you blow up an armband then lube up the inside with Vaseline….no? Not that kind of guilty pleasure? Ok then. Well, I can’t really speak for the rest of the lads but musically at least, I have a real penchant for really awful cocktail lounge jazz, stuff that’s so cheesy it drops off the bottom of the scale and comes back at the top as awesome. So bad it’s good! I’ve got two or three Mezzoforte records on LP, plus a bunch more other stuff on CD or mp3, it may well become a problem in the future haha

Many thanks to James for getting involved. I must admit I’m partial to the big stoner sound so am looking forward to some heavy riffs. Widows bring the noise on Saturday 10th August in the New Blood Stage. I’ll see you there!

Reviews: The Offering, Unprocessed, Once Upon A Winter, Halshug (Matt & Liam)

The Offering: Home (Century Media Records) [Matt Bladen]

Paul H reviewed the debut EP from Boston metal band The Offering back in 2017 giving it 8/10 and calling it a "maelstrom of sounds and influences". Well I happen to agree with him on that one, he also compared them to noted Century Media artists Iced Earth and Nevermore which is high praise indeed. However this praise is warranted as The Offering favour an "all-in" approach to their music having influences as varied as black, death, heavy metal right the way through to modern, thrash, power metal and even (god help us) nü-metal and hardcore. Home is their debut full length album produced in Stanford, CT by guitarist Nishad George, then mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström (who has pretty much produced every major metal band.) it's yet again a furious coalition of musical styles delivered by a band who have a intense depth of sound, a major factor of this album and a huge surprise given that they are a four piece.

Complex and engaging Home is a brilliant debut, ambitious and clearly personal to the band. With Spencer Metela laying down the foundation linking in with the percussive power of Steve Finn who leads the frequent time changes with his skillful drumming. I mentioned Nevermore earlier in the review, as did Paul, and to my ears they are the band I would link most to The Offering. If any of you had read my review of Warrel Dane's last album you'll know Nevermore are a massive love of mine so any band that brings that fearlessness to their music will prick up my ears, also though there is a nod to experimental artists like Devin Townsend. Waste Away opens with some technical guitar playing from Nishad George who has is a virtuoso make no mistake, filling the song with as many lead guitar runs and explosive solos as he can fit in, however on Lovesick things get groovier mixing power metal with metalcore letting Steve Finn (drum) and Spencer Metela (bass) bring big breakdowns and thrash metal battery that explodes into a yet another solo masterpiece.

With such diverse sounds on show here they need a heck of a vocalist, thankfully Alexander Richichi has a unbelieveable vocals range easily reaching stratospheric highs and guttural roars, take for example A Dance With Diana which has some Pantera-styled riffs before it gets more progressive towards the end leading into the Failure (S.O.S) which brings the nu-metal sounds mentioned earlier, although with some fret-slide ala Gojira and of course some Nevermore-esque choruses. Home is an all you can eat buffet of metal music, it does mean it can be a difficult album to take in at times but it's also musically impressive especially when it ends with the awesome 14 minute title track that combines everything that has come before into one stunning conclusion. The Offering return Home with a magnificent debut album. 9/10

Unprocessed: Artificial Void (Long Branch Records) [Matt Bladen]

My first exposure to German modern metal band was when they featured on a co-headline tour with Valis Ablaze and I must say they really impressed me with their more aggressive style that worked well counteracting the more ambient flavours of Valis Ablaze. Unprocessed rely more heavily on harsh vocals, fast paced progressive riffs and fleet fingered virtuoso shredding than a lot of their compatriots with the big djent grooves sometimes coming second to the wild guitar explorations. Artificial Void is the bands second album and it’s a step up in their evolution, especially when you consider how young this band are, the musicianship on display here is at times unbelievable, extra kudos go to frontman/guitarist Manuel Gardner Fernandes who not only duels with Christoph Schultz (guitars) and Christopher Talosi (guitars), bringing a triple guitar attack to the table, has also improved the quality of his clean vocals.

Now he can move between the growls and melodic cleans with ease, so much ease in fact that it could be two different singers. Obviously groove is still important but more so here are the time changes and shifts in style conducted by the rhythm section of David Levy (bass) and Leon Pfeifer (drums), check out that palm-muted bass on Prototype it’s properly thick. Unprocessed have evolved since their 2014 debut and it shows as they bring an industrial edge to the title track along with the normal choppy guitar riffs that djent-styled bands are known for they also have some more ambient themes on Abandoned and even some great repeating synths for the euphoric House Of Waters. Unprocessed have found a way to balance the djent expectations with the more ethereal textures and intense musical dexterity, it means that Artificial Void could be one of the most intriguing modern prog records of the year. 9/10

Once Upon A Winter: Pain & Other Pleasures (Snow Wave Records) [Matt Bladen]

In all of classical fiction we only have, the surviving tragedies of three Greek playwrights: Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides and while the genre changed during their lifetimes it was during the era of Euripides that the heroes became more tragic, giving the stories more realism. Now the Greeks as  whole love music that is on the morose side, a lot of their Greek language music is very downcast and gloomy but especially in their metal/rock. Look at how much they worship Sivert Hoyem/Madrugada as well as Crippled Black Phoenix, Steven Wilson and I could go on and you'll see that if it's miserable and emotional, there's probably going to be an audience for it in the Hellenic isle. So it's only right that Thessaloniki based band Once Upon A Winter have taken all of this indulgence in misery and crafted it into this beautiful third album.

It's draws on influences of black metal, gothic doom and progressive instrumentation, but it's more than that, bringing the traditional guitars, bass and drums but with violins, keyboards and on the title track there are some whispered female vocals on top of some atmospheric ambient, as does Nepenthe. It's a mostly instrumental with huge swathes of post-rock dissonance but when the vocals are used they mix the aforementioned haunting female vocals with the more traditional black metal croaks. Nepenthe is probably the best example of this band's sound as later they on the bring more of the blackgaze influence as the blastbeats come through on Reynisfjara as the album is closed by Forgotten which has the piano and strings winding us out. For fans of Alcest, 65daysofstatic and God Is An Astronaut, Once Upon A Winter is a gothic, atmospheric masterclass. 8/10

Halshug: Drøm (Southern Lord Recordings) [Liam True]

Crust/Punk/Hardcore music isn't really my style as I've been based more toward the Rock side, but I can respect what the artists are trying to do. Drøm (Danish for dream) doesn't do much to change my opinion. With their third length album more dynamic sounding and more importantly clear sounding vocals, it's not my thing. I can respect the musicianship and what they're trying to do. I mean good punk these days is hard to come by, and it's ever rarer to see it blow up. But if these guys keep their heads down, consistently tour, promote and keep writing progressively better material, then they stand a decent chance being a stand out band in today's ever-changing face of music. But with Drøm it's a start. A start of Crust Punk taking over and making waves. Just not for me. 5/10

The Spotlight: BOA New Blood Interview With Saurr (Paul H)

Saurr won the Manchester M2TM, no mean feat for a city and region bursting with metal bands and a huge scene. Guitarist Chris Farron was kind enough to do the business and give me the low down on the alt-metal rockers and their road to BOA 2019

Paul: Let’s start with a brief history of the band

Chris: SAURR formed in 2016 but our guitarist, drummer and bassist have been playing together for years as they’ve been in bands throughout college and university, sticking together as a unit and just moving from band to band. After meeting Rob and playing together for his solo project for a few years they all decided to start something new, and so SAURR was born.

Paul: Who is the current line up?

Chris: Rob Derbyshire – Vocals, Chris Farron – Guitar, Will Potts – Bass, Tom Farron – Drums

Paul: Describe the band’s sound and influences?

Chris: Our music consists of hard-hitting guitar parts, aggressive bass and drums and powerful vocals all backed by atmospheric synths. We combine influences from bands such as Gojira, Periphery, Machine Head, Slipknot, and many more to create a wall of sound delivered by an energetic and passionate performance.

Paul: Prior to Bloodstock, what are some of the highlights for the band so far?

Chris: To be honest the biggest highlights for us were the semi-final and final of this year’s Metal 2 the Masses competition. The crowds were insane and we’ve never had a reaction that good before, we’ll never forget it. Getting to play a venue like Rebellion in Manchester on a regular basis has been a dream come true!

Paul: Let’s move on to Bloodstock and your road to the festival. Please tell us about your journey?

Chris: We’ve been doing the Metal 2 the Masses competitions for that last 3 years and they’ve always been our highest priority. Each year we’ve pushed ourselves further and further to be the best band we can be and amazingly this year it all paid off! The only downside of winning this competition is that we don’t get to play in the heats anymore! Thanks to this competition we’ve developed so much as a band and can’t wait show Bloodstock what we’re made of!

Paul: Tell us about the build up to your final and how you handled it?

Chris: It was our second time getting to the final and naturally we wanted to be better than last year so we were rather nervous! When we’ve played in these competitions, we’ve always tried to forget that we’re being judged and have a blast on stage. We also made some amazing friends in the other competing bands who made the whole experience so much easier and enjoyable for us.

Paul: What about when you were announced as winners? What were the emotions like?

Chris: We were in complete shock, we all kind of zoned out for a second whilst our friends and family were screaming in our faces. It was absolutely amazing.

Paul: So, moving on to the festival itself, what can we expect from you?

Chris: Anyone who is looking for an energetic, engaging and atmospheric performance, with musicianship to match, should certainly come and check out our set. Our finely crafted blend of progressive and groove metal is unique and unlike anything else that will be heard at Bloodstock. We put everything into our performance and just have a blast on stage. We always make sure the crowd has just as much fun as we do. Can’t wait to see you all in the pit!

Paul: Which bands are you looking forward to seeing there?

Chris: We were most looking forward to seeing Code Orange who are unfortunately now not playing but we are hyped to see Tesseract again! It’s also great to see Parkway Drive being given a big opportunity to headline and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us!

Paul: Have you been to Bloodstock before?

Chris: Yes! Our bassist and drummer got a day ticket to see Gojira last year and they said it was the best gig they had ever been to. The sound was incredible and the crowd were absolutely mental! Our singer also attended in 2016 to see Gojira and he too was blown away by the experience.

Paul: If yes, describe the three best things about the festival.

Chris: We find that Bloodstock, as a festival, has an atmosphere that no other festival we’ve attended matches. It has a strong sense of community and feels like everyone is a part of one big family.

Paul: And finally, tell us a guilty pleasure about each member of the band!

Chris: Rob - Listening to Mariachi music whilst cooking, Chris - Reading way too much about flat Earth conspiracies, Will - Watching Countryfile with a gin and tonic, Tom - K-Pop

Yet another band that will be well worth checking out at Bloodstock this year. Huge thanks to Chris and SAURR for taking the time to do the interview. The band hit the New Blood Stage on Friday 9th August, so be sure to get there to give them support.