Bloodstock Metal To The Masses Finalist Interview: Root Zero (Interview By Matt Bladen)

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses 2024 Finalists Interview With Root Zero (Interview By Matt Bladen)

First of all congratulations on getting to the final, which this year is the biggest one yet!

Thank you, happy to be answering your questions! There's been much deliberation over the last question haha

1. You’re going to be a part of the inaugural Day Of Reckoning at The Patti Pavilion in Swansea. How does that feel?

Honestly I don't think all of us have quite processed it yet. It's mental to think we'll be sharing the stage with such monumental acts performing in the later evening. We're properly chuffed to be honest.

2. From what we’ve seen your campaign to get to Bloodstock has been very successful (obviously). How has the experience of this year’s M2TM been for you?

This year's M2TM has been quite different for us from the first time we did it two years ago. We unfortunately didn't register in time to compete last year, but if anything that's given us a lot of time to work on our stage presence since 2022, particularly since we've grown into a 6 piece band with the addition of Rob on bass and Giac moving to keys.

3. M2TM is all about supporting your local scene. How important is the local scene to you as a band?

The Cardiff scene means so much to us as a band. There's very few UK cities that have a music scene that would accept the fairly weird sound we have. Most of the band's personnel came from the same uni town where there was no chance of 'making it' as a band, and the last few years since we started performing have just shown how good it is to have a scene that supports creativity in the way Cardiff has. Plus we've made so many lifelong friends from playing with other bands around the area.

4. To add to that. How strong do you feel the scene is at the moment?

It's difficult to gauge since we weren't all that involved before the UK scene was brought to a total standstill at the start of the decade, but we feel like it's only getting stronger and stronger with some mental new acts getting out there. The only thing that saddens us to see is local venues struggling, and we'd obviously implore anyone to support their local scene as much as possible by going to gigs. You never know when you'll find artists you really enjoy at small shows.

5. What should people expect when you take to the stage at the Patti. It’s a pretty big stage so are there more nerves than playing say Fuel or The Bunkhouse?

The nerves are definitely going to be more than at Fuel, that's for sure. Fuel is home ground for us, and we're used to that stage, but all the fresh nervous energy is sure to be burned out with a whole lot of movement on the bigger stage! It's a bit of a struggle going crazy as a 6 piece band at Fuel without clonking someone on the head or ripping out some hair by accident!

6. What other bands are you looking forward to seeing on the day?

There's been a lot of hype about the feature bands in the Root Zero camp of course. We're really stoked to see Mother Vulture and Silverburn again since they tore up the stages at Arctangent Festival last year, and are really looking forward to the reunion with Rites To Ruin and Thrakian as well as seeing the heavy stuff Swansea's M2TM has to offer!

7. If you were to get to play Bloodstock on the New Blood Stage, how would that feel for you as a band?

Honestly, unbelievable. A bunch of us have been going to Bloodstock for a few years with friends, but to be able to play there is a dream opportunity. It's been great seeing people we've played with in the past go on to play the New Blood stage, and if we could get up there it'd be a real milestone.

8. Would you recommend the M2TM initiative to any band looking to showcase themselves in their scene and further away?

Oh absolutely. There's no reason not to give it a try even as a completely new band, because you're bound to get to know some great people regardless of how far you get. As well as that, it's worth going out to other Heats just to see great new bands that you might be suited to doing gigs with in future. M2TM is all about showcasing the local scene at all levels, and bands should be making the most of the opportunities to discover the scene.

9. In addition to that question. What advice would you give them in order to get where you are?

Practice. That's not necessarily just about practicing the songs and playing them note for note whilst stood still, it's also about practicing your stage presence, your ability to move around and engage with the crowd, how you move on from an inevitable missed note or technical problem. Hell, just the other day I had no signal coming from the guitar at all during the second to last song of our set, but just moving on, performing energetically and bouncing off the positive energy of your bandmates and the crowd is everything.

* This last question was invented by Mr Paul Hutchings who sent the Heat interviews so it’s an homage*

10. As we are a Welsh publication and this is M2TM South Wales. The final question is: What is your favourite sheep?

Giac - Hebridean because it looks black metal as hell

Sash - Manx Loghtan for the forest spirit vibes

Wren - Jacob because they look friendly (until they have horns)

Llyr - sad there's no Lleyn sheep for the North Wales representation so will go with Clun Forest

Rob - Shetland because of the absolute majestic aura

Josh - Balwen because the name is straight out of Lord Of The Rings

Thank you very much for answering these questions! Good luck on 29th June from everyone involved with Metal To The Masses South Wales.

Thank you for the interview, we'll see you at the final!

Llyr - Root Zero