The Musings Of Young Matt

Whiplash Promotions presents Gorgoroth, Vader, Valkyrja, The Sickening

2011-12-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

The Masque, Seel Street, Liverpool - Thursday 10th November 2011

In Whiplash’s biggest show since Deicide, legendary Norwegian black metal outfit Gorgoroth arrived in Liverpool fully intent on shocking your grandma. Notably, Vader returned just five months after their first Whiplash appearance. Crazy! Valkyrja and The Sickening are lesser known names, but each made an impact of their own on The Masque’s audience…

With the venue already filling up nicely, Gorgoroth’s fellow countrymen, death metal act The Sickening, began the evening’s entertainment. New to many, including Gorgoroth, the band have actually been active for some eighth years now, and released their full length debut Death Devastation Decay in 2009. They’ve certainly had enough time to hone a stage act, and that they have done. Unfortunately, their music is not as impressive, grinding away relentlessly without offering anything that hasn’t been heard from countless other bands. It just kind of passed by me. Well executed but generic, unfortunately. Punter reviews were mixed, and it seems The Sickening are what might be called a ‘Marmite band’.

Valkyrja - hailing from Stockholm - were received much more favourably, and with good reason. With a raging black metal fury, their music feels vital and alive. This band are not going through the motions by any stretch, and they seem to thrive off the thrills of their audience, as their songs have plenty of twists and turns to keep us on our toes. I liked this band’s passion. They may not be breaking boundaries, but in today’s musical climate, playing with enthusiasm and feeling is an innovation in and of itself. With two full length albums under their bullet belts, Valkyrja’s work is accomplished and finely tuned.

Polish death metal veterans Vader had undergone a lineup change since their last appearance in June, and now feature English drummer James Stewart from Divine Chaos. Despite not finishing - as they did last time - with their fantastic ‘Black Sabbath’/’Raining Blood’ medley, their set was just as enjoyable on this occasion. Perhaps their newest arrival has reinvigorated them somewhat. Who knows? I’ll be honest, I’m not a big fan of Vader, but they certainly delivered the goods with aplomb, and a highly assured performance which the fans absolutely loved, and that’s what counts!

Touring in support of the re-recording of their 1997 release Under The Sign Of Hell, Gorgoroth are currently led by re-recruited vocalist Pest, who appeared on the original album. As with any corpsepaint-clad, Tolkien-worshipping black metal band, there is more than a slight whiff of the ridiculous about Gorgoroth. They don’t let that bother them though. Perhaps they’re in on the joke, or perhaps they take themselves so seriously that they’re grimly unaware of just how amusing they are. Nonetheless, they put in a fine performance, and the packed Masque Theatre lapped it up. Raw and unrelenting, their stage presence - and particularly that of Pest - is awesome, in the truest sense of the word. Unsurprisingly, the band’s set is heavily laden with tracks from Under The Sign…, which is pleasing, given that it represents the band at their peak. Meanwhile, we wait for their new material…

All in all a highly successful show for Whiplash, with bands and fans alike leaving happy. Unfortunately, the ‘Black Christmas’ all dayer, which was scheduled for December, has had to be postponed. This means that this was the last Whiplash show until February, when Ulcerate play at Whiplash's new home, the recently reopened Lomax on Cumberland Street. See you there!

Photo courtesy of Rachelforthrashmetal.com

Whiplash Promotions presents Saturnus, Esoteric, The Prophecy

2011-11-02T07:03:00.000-07:00

The Masque, Seel Street, Liverpool Friday 21st October 2011

Doom metal is probably the most ‘niche’ of all metal sub-genres. In other words, it is the least liked, the most hated, the most misunderstood. Very often, even among metalheads, it’s met with a look of bewilderment, or worse, plain disinterest. In a sense, this is understandable; doom is slow, dirge-like, depressive and often emotionally draining. It’s not catchy, you can’t dance to it and you can’t get away with pretending to be a pirate or a viking whilst attending a doom gig. Yet, for me, it represents many of the best qualities to be found in all of music; it has depth, it has soul and, due to the general apathy towards it in much of the metal fraternity, you can be fairly sure that the musicians involved are not just in it for money or pussy, but in fact have a genuine love for what they do…

Liverpool and doom metal are certainly not mutually exclusive, but aside from Anathema - considered pioneers in the genre - none of the city’s other doom progeny have ever really gone beyond cult status. Whiplash brought doom to Liverpool’s metal masses for the first time in six years. The Prophecy played at that show, and it seemed somewhat fitting that they should open the show this time. Hailing from Halifax in Yorkshire, the quartet lived up to their home county’s reputation as the UK’s home of all things doom and gloom. Vocalist Matt Lawson boasts a soulful singing voice along with his guttural growl, and guitarist Greg O’Shea plays with enough feeling for the whole band. Along with John Bennett on drums, O’Shea lends the band a jazz tinge in their cleaner, more restrained moments. The Prophecy definitely deserve to be more widely known and appreciated than they are, especially with three full length albums to their name.

Active for nearly twenty years, Birmingham’s Esoteric have had a long time now to hone their sound, which happens to be extremely captivating. With an extremely rare level of atmospheric, snail-paced intensity mixed in with death and doom metal elements, this is the kind of music which has the power to take you to another place, as long as you are prepared to allow it. Give in to Esoteric, and they will work their way into your system and set up camp in parts of you you didn’t know existed. One factor in the band’s killer sound was the fact that all three guitarists had an excessive array of FX pedals. I’m not sure if they even used all of them, or if some were there merely for show, but either way, the band were certainly engaging visually as well as sonically. Vocalist Greg Chandler even made use of a Madonna-style headset, although with all the pedals, there was no room on the stage for dancing. Extraordinary.

Headlining the night were Danes Saturnus. Unfortunately they had to cut their set drastically due to a delayed flight, and frontman Thomas made sure to thank easyJet for this during their performance. Undeterred, they pulled off an excellent set which brought the night to a close in a suitably engrossing fashion. Defined both by sublime, melancholic moments and strident, bitter death metal interludes, the band’s live set is thoroughly engaging and occasionaly unpredictable. While their sound is certainly more traditional than that of Esoteric, Saturnus have the songwriting skills and dynamic flexibility to keep an audience guessing. Brimming with melody and an authoritative command of the crowd, the band ensured that the punters left the venue happy…if ‘happy’ is the right word for a doom gig.

So, much as expected, this was a fairly stunning gig. As heavy as the majority of Whiplash gigs end up being, this, for me, has had the biggest impact so far. To these ears, doom is as powerful and hard-hitting as metal gets. But that’s just me, and perhaps I’m biased. If you think I am and you are unfamiliar with doom, discard this review and check out these - and other doom bands - for yourself. You may just be pleasantly surprised by what you hear.

Photograph courtesy of Lee 'HaveGotOne' Walker

Whiplash Promotions presents Christ Agony, De Profundis, Cancerous Womb, Merciless Terror

2011-11-01T03:58:00.000-07:00

The Masque, Seel Street, Liverpool Thursday 6th October 2011

Whiplash returned once again with something of a mixed bag this time around. The night was headlined by Polish melodic black metallers Christ Agony, who are something of a ‘supergroup’, featuring current and former members of Vader, Supreme Lord and Incantation, among many others. The bill also featured grind, melodic death/doom and thrash infused death metal. Rarely has a Whiplash gig been this diverse!

Kicking things off were Nottingham’s Merciless Terror, who actually only arrived very shortly before they were due onstage thanks to traffic issues. Apparently though, they didn’t let that stress affect their performance, which was bold and confident. With their debut EP ‘Perpetual Devastation’ released in June, the band blend thrash and death metal with aplomb, and throw in the occasional slow and brooding passage for good measure. Definitely a band to look out for on the live scene!

Scotland’s Cancerous Womb debuted their new bassist Joe, who also happens to play in local favourites Neuroma. After missing out on playing their Whiplash slot last December due to being snowed in at home, the band were eager and ready to burst out of the traps on The Masque stage. This was more than evident from their set. They were ferocious and maniacal; exactly what you might expect from a band whose debut release was named in tribute to the antics of Josef Fritzl. Expertly executed death grind.

The best band of the night for me were London’s De Profundis. There is something fairly unique about this band. Their influences are clear and diverse. Everything from melodic (and not so melodic) death and thrash metal to the more somber elements of doom. All this factored in with the distinctive bass stylings of Arran McSporran, and their sound is refreshingly old school. In a metal scene which is largely cursed with a lack of invention and imagination, bands like this stand out like a beautifully sore thumb. It was truly a pleasure to watch this band. Highly recommended.

By the time Christ Agony were due to hit the stage, the Masque venue had filled with a palpable sense of anticipation. The band certainly delivered. Their set was interspersed with some highly effective atmospheric passages which were slotted in well amongst the monolithic black metal noise. There were also occasional slower moments more befitting of doom, which helped to keep us on our toes. Christ Agony’s performance was engaging and assured.

Another good night for Whiplash then, and this time quite a lot of people turned out to witness it. Next up is Saturnus…a doom gig. Doom metal is, in proportion to its merits, the least heard form of metal in the musical realm. Tragic really. Expect my next review to feature a massive rant about how undervalued doom is!

Photograph courtesy of Joe Speak.

Whiplash Promotions presents Onslaught, Gama Bomb, Fallen Fate, Bludvera

2011-10-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

The Masque, Seel Street, Liverpool

Monday 26th September 2011

Thrash metal is not among my personal favourite metal subgenres. Not that I dislike it, I’m just heavily into my doom metal, which is pretty much at the opposite end of the scale in many respects. Generally, I prefer the sound of German thrash bands like Kreator and Sodom over American bands such as Anthrax and Megadeth. Not that that really mattered on this occasion, since all the bands on this bill were from the UK. Not previously being overly familiar with UK thrash, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from some of the bands, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Kicking things off were local favourites and future legends Bludvera. Having recently played a well-received set at Bloodstock, the band were invigorated and ready to kick arse. And that’s what they did. Both visually and sonically, they convey everything that classic thrash represented; everything from patch-covered denim wear to lightning fast lead guitar work. Not to mention frontman Scott, who is intense onstage, to say the least. He is visibly ‘into’ his performance, with his eyes looking like they will burst at any moment. Highly aggressive, and convincingly so.

Next up were North Easterners Fallen Fate, who unfortunately weren’t quite as impressive to these ears as Bludvera. Far from being bad, their much more melodic and accessible form of thrash simply didn’t sit well alongside the other bands on the bill. Perhaps at another gig with a different lineup, they might impress more. This time however, it wasn’t to be. Then again, I’m a doomster, so what do I know?

Gama Bomb, from Northern Ireland, fitted the bill perfectly. Having been around for nearly a decade, the band have had plenty of time to hone their songs, and on this evidence, they have made good use of their time. High in energy, this is good time thrash performed with both precision and a palpable sense that the band love what they do. Very enjoyable stuff.

I knew what to expect with headliners Onslaught, having been present at the recording of their Live Damnation album in 2008. I wasn’t at Damnation Festival to see Onslaught though; being a doom person I was there to see My Dying Bride. Nevertheless, I quite enjoyed their set, and this occasion was no different. Again, it’s not really my ‘thing’, but these Bristolians clearly know what they’re doing, and they had the full attention of everyone in the venue for the entire duration. The band utilise a fairly straightforward approach to thrash, and they are expert at it. It’s no wonder Onslaught are the biggest thrash metal band in the country.

So, another great night from Whiplash. Next up is Christ Agony, but personally, I cannot wait for Saturnus on the 21st of October. Doom on!

Photograph courtesy of Joe Speak.

Whiplash Promotions presents Gorgasm, Defeated Sanity, Amagortis, Scatorgy

2011-09-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

The Masque, Seel Street, Liverpool. Tuesday 13th September 2011

The latest in a seemingly endless line of Whiplash shows came in the form of death metal brutality, like being punched in the stomach repeatedly for three hours. Headlined by renowned Indiana veterans Gorgasm, the show was another success, although the crowd numbers were a tad lower than anticipated. Those who did attend had an absolute blast though, by all accounts.

Kicking off the show were the beautifully named Scatorgy. Forming in Hull in 2008, the band are certainly an established act on the UK live scene. However, this wasn’t quite their night. The songs themselves were enjoyable enough, along with the kind of dry humour you might expect from a Yorkshire outfit. But, due to bands arriving too late to soundcheck, there were initial sound problems, which unfortunately dogged Scatorgy’s set.

Thankfully, fortune was much more favourable to Swiss band Amagortis. Flavoured tastefully (for want of a better word) with a distinctive groove, their brand of brutality was not hampered with sound issues. Normal service had been resumed, and the full power of the band’s music could be heard. Utilising two vocalists, guitarist Daniel in particular was entertaining to behold, visibly into the music and loving every minute. The Masque crowd loved it too, and band and audience fed off eachother’s adrenalin.

Next came Germany’s Defeated Sanity, whose more straight forward approach to ‘brutal death metal’ prepared us well for the headliners. Relentless and crushing throughout, music really doesn’t come much more unfriendly than this. Not to say that their songs are without subtlety however; on close inspection, there are plenty of tempo changes and other points of interest to keep things from being too samey. However, to the untrained ear, this really is just noise.

Finally, Gorgasm took to the stage, and as expected, they were extremely powerful. An expertly executed blend of brutality, musicality and some fairly inventive guitar work, there music is at once destructively heavy and inspiringly engaging. Gorgasm were certainly very well received, and even treated the crowd to an extra song after a chant of “We want more!”. It was the best possible way to end yet another night of extreme metal brutality in Liverpool.

Photograph courtesy of Joe Speak

Whiplash Promotions presents Wormrot, Evisorax, Today The Sun Dies, HorseBastard

2011-09-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

The Masque, Seel Street, Liverpool. Wednesday 7th September 2011

Whiplash Promotions - the saviour of the Liverpool metal scene - returned after a two month break while Seel Street’s The Masque was closed for maintenance. It was a thunderous return, full of extremely violent, headache-inducing and almost entirely tuneless grindcore. Just the way we like it!

First on the bill were quirky local lads HorseBastard, with their own brand of ‘Equestrian Blastcore’. Characterised by ‘short, controlled bursts’ of maniacal fury, their music is quick and to the point. But that should be no surprise at a grindcore gig! Their frontman Chris is a ball of energy, and almost hypnotic to watch, although if you’re in the pit you’ll probably be too busy chucking yourself at other people like an idiot. Local readers will probably have seen drummer Trippy playing super fast metal covers with a mini kit on Church Street. Well worth checking out!

Next up were Today The Sun Dies, who came as something of a surprise to many present - myself included - who had wrongly assumed that they were a deathcore band. In fact, they were every bit as brutal as the other bands on the bill, and were certainly more than worthy of their place on it. Making use of two vocalists, their music is deep and pummelling, and left quite an impression on The Masque’s crowded loft room.

Wigan’s Evisorax were uncompromising in their approach, to say the least. With a typically short set, their sprite-like presence on stage was brutally concise. Main vocalist Chris possesses an ear-splitting shriek, which certainly suited the unsettling mood of their music. Provoking strong, mixed reactions from the crowd, Evisorax cannot be ignored. Check them out, and decide for yourself. And no, I don’t know what their name means either!

And so to headliners, Wormrot. All the way from Singapore, the trio returned for their second Whiplash gig, and easily lived up to Liverpool’s high expectations, performing a surprisingly lengthy set. I mean, it must’ve been somewhere approaching thirty minutes. Epic! With Earache Records releasing their most recent album as a free download, the band’s newer material was widely appreciated. Their set was the perfect climax to an excellent night of punishing metal, somehow coming as a culmination of everything that had come before.

Returning in style with Wormrot, these are exciting times for Whiplash. Next up is Gorgasm on the 13th, and after a brief lull over the summer, the Liverpool metal scene is evidently back to its ferocious best!

Photograph by Joe Speak

Damnation Festival 2010

2010-11-12T14:50:00.000-08:00

Leeds University Union, Leeds, United Kingdom
6th November 2010

Originally taking place at Jilly's Rock World in Manchester upon its inception in 2005, before upgrading to Leeds Metropolitan University in 2007 and finally to the University Of Leeds in 2008, Damnation Festival has gone from strength to strength. Despite undergoing a downsizing and a reduction in ticket numbers this year, the event itself was an absolute success.

Having last attended Damnation in 2008 (a stellar lineup which included My Dying Bride, Carcass, Napalm Death and Cathedral, among others), I was eager to discover how the downsizing would impact on the atmosphere in and around the Leeds University Union. It turns out that the large hall previously used to house the Jägermeister Stage was out of bounds, and this year said stage was situated in the more modest room previously used for the Terrorizer Stage. As a result, the Terrorizer and Rock Sound stages were placed in small rooms, essentially the size of a nightclub. However, this did not mean that spirits were dampened. The mood at this year's festival was as vital as it was two years ago, and this is surely down to a strong lineup and an exemplary festival experience.

Now, I'm only one person, and thus was not able to see all the bands. Far from it, in fact! If that were possible then of course I would've taken that opportunity, for the sake of a damn good review, if nothing else! But no, in order to see every band, I would've had to constantly move from stage to stage, at carefully timed intervals, always missing a significant portion of every band's set. That would not have been a problem with certain bands, but there was no way I was missing even a second of Paradise Lost.

After spending some time re-familiarising myself with the university building and making myself feel important in the press area, I made my way to the Terrorizer Stage to watch Colonel Blast (sometimes abbreviated to Clnl Blst). Consisting largely of former members of Onsetcold, Colonel Blast served up a powerful mix of death metal and progressive elements. The band was on top form, with frontman Darryl Jones the obvious focal point, tearing shit up like there was no tomorrow! (There was a tomorrow, incidentally. It consisted mainly of me sleeping.)

To be perfectly honest, I found The Antichrist Imperium - formed early this year by two members of Akercocke - to be thoroughly boring and completely uninspiring. This was especially disappointing after two of my friends had been raving about them, and I had always enjoyed Akercocke. I just wasn't moved at all, and found nothing of interest in the music whatsoever. "Prepare yourself for the prophecy of the satanic apocalypse", says their MySpace. Next!

Actually, 'next' wasn't for another hour or so. I went and bought a veggie sausage roll (and ate it, obviously). I hung out with some friends, then went and hung out with some others. I wandered around and took in the atmosphere, and noticed various Leeds University students wondering who the hell all these sweaty metalheads were, and why they were infringing on their territory. Then I went and met four fifths of Paradise Lost at their signing. Met more friends. Paradise Lost signed a photo for me. Nick Holmes needs a better pen. His signature had nearly disappeared by the end of the night! I felt the need to shake Greg Mackintosh's hand, so I requested this, and my request was granted. Hurrah!

Next, I headed for the Jägermeister Stage for some Sabbat. Featuring at least two metal legends, vocalist Martin Walkyier and guitar/producer extraordinaire Andy Sneap, it was time for a healthy dose of old school metal. Martin led the band through their hits, regularly battling balloons emblazoned with the logo of UK Metal Underground, no less. The man certainly knows how to rally a crowd, and band and audience seemed to feed ravenously on each other's energy. Inevitably climaxing with 'For Those Who Died', the band promised more UK dates in the near future, so go out and see them if you appreciate top quality old school metal! Bands just don't do it like this anymore.

Back on the Terrorizer Stage, Hecate Entroned brought their brand of melodic brutality to Damnation. Guitarist Andy Milnes had already impressed with Colonel Blast earlier, and certainly delivered again with Hecate. I'd seen Hecate in Liverpool only days previously, and based on that experience, their performance this time was a tad more restrained than I was expecting. Still, the material itself is excellent, and was delivered with more than enough quality to keep the fans happy.

Next came the reason I was there in the first place: the mighty gothic metal pioneers Paradise Lost. They were only allowed a one hour slot, and with twelve studio albums behind them, it was not an enviable task to pick a good setlist. Some personal favourites, like 'Gothic', 'Forever Failure' and 'As Horizons End' were absent, but that was to be expected. As it happens, the band managed to cram in about as many of their classics as was feasibly possible. 'Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us', 'Pity The Sadness' and 'As I Die' demanded audience participation, while other highlights included 'Erased', 'The Enemy' and closer 'Say Just Words'. My personal favourite was 'Enchantment'. I was not expecting that one, and it's always been one of my favourites by Paradise Lost, so nice one lads!

Importantly, it was very apparent that the band were enjoying themselves. This is not something that could always have been said about Paradise Lost on stage. Quite the opposite in fact. They are sometimes criticised for being relatively dull and lifeless as a live act, but this was not the case at all this time around. Greg Mackintosh was visibly engrossed in the music, and this was particularly noticeable during 'One Second' and 'The Rise Of Denial'. Meanwhile, Nick Holmes' dry Yorkshire humour was on full display. "Back from Damnation, my favourite show in 45 years, Im serious. man & boy.Thanks to all that didn't throw sharp objects at me for been shit", he Tweeted that evening. Nice!

After that, I'd have quite happily gone home. I did want to check out Alcest though, so I did. At least, I went to hear them...I was not able to see them. The Rock Sound Stage was not even a stage as such, as it was barely an inch off the floor. The room was full by the time I got there, and I had to stand at the back. Being a short arse, that meant I couldn't see a thing. Still, Alcest's blend of shoegaze, post-rock and black metal (for want of a better description) did not fail to hit the spot. In fact, it was a great way to end the festivities. Wind down metal! Having said that, I did attempt to watch the remainder of The Dillinger Escape Plan's set, but was whisked off somewhere else. The rest of the evening was spent being very tired and talking to other people about how tired they were. We were all so very, very tired.

Anyway, in conclusion, Damnation is a great day (and night) out in Leeds. It was in 2008 and that hasn't changed since then. I suspect I will be in attendance next year and I suggest you show your face too! This year's downsizing is almost certainly a temporary measure, so any complaints you may have just read above about the Rock Sound Stage presumably won't apply. The University Union is an excellent location, positioned close to Leeds city centre, with a handy shop and an ample selection of band merch available. All in all, not bad for 27 quid!

Serotonal - 'Monumental: Songs Of Misery And Hope'

2010-05-18T05:05:00.000-07:00

Since Serotonal's initial inception in 2004, the band have spent their creative energies on concocting the huge sound which pervades their debut full-length album 'Monumental: Songs Of Misery And Hope', all the while struggling with personnel changes and a Liverpool scene largely uninterested in the kind of music they offer. Serotonal's relatively low profile belies the influence that frontman Darren White has had on a global scale with earlier bands Anathema and The Blood Divine, and the fact remains that hard rock and metal appeal to a very limited audience on Merseyside. Despite this, the band's intensity is rampant, and they have produced an album which successfully conveys the power of their live performances.

As is very often the case with the most involving of music, attempting to classify Serotonal seems a futile excercise. Due to White's association with doom metal, it would be too easy to fix the quintet with that label, and - for the most part - it would simply be innacurate. In fact, several of the nine songs on offer here speed by with a confident and self-assured pace a thousand miles from the doom realm. Live favourites 'Chaosmind' and 'Self Control Seizure' are positively brimming with metallic energy, and the venomous 'Hinge ( )' bursts out of the traps with a bitter vengeance.

However, it's not all raging guitars; there is plenty of room amidst the heaviness for the softer, more atmospheric moments to breathe, and shine through. 'Monumental' - arguably the centrepiece of the album, clocking in at just under eight minutes - is built on a tasteful ambience and emotive, luscious guitar chords, while 'Isolated' is driven along by its hypnotic, swirling bassline. Vocally, White's contributions range from pure aggression to an almost whispered form of melodic speech. His lyrics - particularly in these more reserved moments - are often flavoured with a meditative and adept philosophy, culminating in the stunning 'Natureality', which closes the album in dramatic style.

These are songs of substance and scope. This is dynamic and astute songwriting, with the wisdom of a hardened, experienced band, and the enthusiasm of a group of teenagers let loose in the recording studio for the first time. In other words, 'Monumental' is not too shabby for a debut album. Let's wait and see what Serotonal's future holds.

'Monumental: Songs Of Misery And Hope' is out now on Union Black Records, and can be purchased from serotonal.bigcartel.com

www.myspace.com/serotonal

A chat with Serotonal

2009-11-25T09:29:00.000-08:00

Fronted by Darren White, ex-vocalist with Liverpool doom metal pioneers Anathema, Serotonal are one of a select few bands playing heavy music on Merseyside. I spoke to four of them on the eve of the release of their debut full-length album, 'Monumental: Songs Of Misery And Hope'. First off, I asked them to introduce themselves...

Matt: OK, we're on.

Andy Heath: Andy Heath, bass.

Darren White: I'm Darren White, vocals.

Jon Francis-White: I'm Jon Francis-White, guitars.

Gary Hill: Gary Hill, guitars.

Matt: Ok, thanks for that guys...

Darren: (faux Yorkshire accent) And Wayne in't 'ere. Wayne plays drums, an' he's int Yorkshire.

Matt: Oh, Wayne? Oh right...he's from Yorkshire, is he?

Darren: Yeah.

Andy: Mmm.

Matt: Ok...well, in a way it's kind of a good thing that he's not here...no disrespect to him of course, but, well...there's questions concerning Liverpool coming up, in particular, so... Anyway, first of all I'd better just ask about the new album. It's your first proper full-length album...you've had demos and EPs out and that before, but this is the first full-length thing you've done. So can any of you go into any kind of detail about what you reckon about the album, how it sounds, how it kinda sums up where you are musically. Any comments on that?

Darren: Yeah, I mean I could say about the lyrics anyway, or what the overall feel of the title and things like that and where it's all linked in. It's called 'Monumental: Songs Of Misery And Hope'...it's like a double title because 'Monumental' on its own maybe was just too simplistic, and 'Songs Of Misery And Hope' just kind of explains it really, y'know, to people, just makes it more to the point that it is songs of misery and hope really throughout the album...there's dark sounding things, there's really seriously disturbing parts to what it's about, yet there's always an element of hope throughout, and that's always been the case with what I've written anyway, so it's just a continuation for me. Musically, it's...

Jon: Dynamic...

Darren: Heaviness...

Jon: ...dynamic soundscape of power and grace.

(laughter)

Matt: Mmm. So you got like a range of emotions and sounds going on, it sounds like...

Darren: Yeah.

Jon: Yeah.

Darren: Yeah.

Matt: Is that like a reflection of your personalities, d'you reckon, or your lives?

Jon: Potentially, yeah.

Darren: Yeah...

Jon:...I'd say...

Darren: ...yeah. I mean, I've always felt comfortable playing more melancholic music, or sides of what's going on inside me head and that, or soul or whatever, to try and get those negative energies out...the best way is to do it through music I think, rather than going out on the streets and having a fight with someone. Get all your negative energies out like that, you know?

Jon: Do you think the way we like to...I suppose, looking from the outside, it's like the music, it moves, and so, the point is, it doesn't matter how slow or melancholic a melody can be, if it's got a pulse in it, I suppose...if it keeps on moving, you can kind of travel with the music a little bit more as well, so...I suppose in terms of atmosphere, it's just, it's always moving. That's the way I see the songs...they breathe.

Matt: Yeah...is that something you work hard on when you're working on the songs, to kinda reflect the lyrics in the music, or does it just come more naturally and you just throw it all together and it ends up sounding good, or what?

Jon: I think the lyrics come last, and Daz is probably best explaining that, but my interpretation of the reason why the lyrics come last is Daz has a constructive involvement in orchestrating the songs - well, the riffs, ideas or whatnot - into actual songs. So, I think it works to his advantage when he's writing lyrics, because he's been involved in the movement of the music, and then he can kinda stand and look at it from an objective point of view, with a clearer mind to writing his lyrics. I don't know...would that be an accurate description?

Darren: Yeah, I mean I'll try and write some stuff while we're writing the riffs, or jamming on the riffs, I'll try and get a feel for how I might want to sing on a part but, I feel better once the song is done, and it has to be really right and good, and I have to try and get it as well, y'know. Sometimes with a song, I'll get it immediately. Other times it'll take a while until I get it, and once I'm in it, and I get the vibe of the music, then I can write the lyrics that will try and suit the atmosphere of the song, suit every little different part of the song, and I'm very analytical when it comes to doing that. Even when we recorded it, as Gaz will no doubt back up, because when we recorded the vocals, the most of them were recorded not in the studio that we'd done the album in but in my 'Rooms Of Doom', (laughter)...which is - as I said before to you - those rooms at the top of me house unrenovated which are away from the street enough because they're high up, but they're totally unrenovated and miserable, so they're the Rooms Of Doom, but we set up a little sort of recording studio in there and Gary done all the recording, and as I say, as Gaz will back up, the amount of times that I'll say "I'll just do another one of them" (laughter)...and it's like time's getting on you know, and like Gaz's got a little bit of a drive to get back home and that like, and I (laughs)...but we got there in the end. We worked really, really hard on doing that.

Jon: I think to say that you've got an analytic ear is an understatement, to be honest... (laughs)

Darren: It's a good thing to have, you know...

Jon: Yeah, yeah, quality control...

Darren: If you're gonna put art out into the public domain, it has to be worthy, you know.

Matt: Yeah...well you take it pretty seriously then.

Darren: Definitely, yeah, yeah...really, I'd feel really disappointed if I put something out, and I felt that there might be a possibility that some people'd say "Oh, he's past it now" (laughter)..."what he done before was great but look at how sad he is" or "look what he's doing now", you know, that would be the nightmare that people would wonder that. It's one thing if they think it's different than what I've done before and they think, ok, that's a different thing, but if it's just simply not as good as what I've done before then I'd feel really...that I'd failed. Well I wanna obviously improve meself, so everything that we write...I might be a bit over-critical to these guys, because there may be more...just feeling the happiness of writing and getting something out and then there's me sorta saying, "Oh yeah, but you know..." trying to sort of tighten every little screw and maybe sometimes it's not necessary...

Jon: Putting the breaks on...(laughter)...yeah. It's worth it in the end though...

Darren: But we get there in the end, y'know.

Matt: Yeah, sure...so, would you guys say you're perfectionists, or not?

Jon: Yeah. I'd say very fussy, and...yeah. Very fussy.

Matt: And is that a good thing?

Jon: Absolutely, yeah, yeah.

Andy: Yeah, definitely. Frustrating at times, but...

Jon: But it ensures quality control, doesn't it? I mean, as Daz says, elaborating on what he said there, throwing material out just for the sake of it is...it kinda defeats the object of it in the first place if you know what I mean. And I think that's one of the fundamental elements about Serotonal, really, the fact that we don't have a format and stick to it, do you know what I mean? It's like we all appreciate different genres of music, but we all agree on one thing, we love heavy music, so there's different elements...sometimes melodic elements, sometimes really up to date heavy riffs there and it's, as I say, a dynamic blend of different elements coming together to form one sound, which I, personally, from someone who's fussy when it comes to listening to music, personally, I find that interesting, the fact that we're honest with every song, if you know what I mean. We're not scared of trying something new, we'll just do...as long as it does the song justice, we wouldn't step too far off the rails, we'll keep it within the reason, but, we don't mind straying off now and then.

Matt: Yeah, fair enough. Ok, I should ask a question that I would ask any band really. It's a bit of a boring question, but it's kind of essential. How would you actually categorise yourselves, musically?

Jon: That's a hard one...

Darren: Really heavy...a really heavy rock band! (laughter)

Matt: Heavy rock?

Darren: Yeah.

Jon: It's hard to say, when people say to me "Just tell us what type of stuff yous do". The only way I can kinda describe it - and it's not even accurate - it's like, if you listen to stuff like Massive Attack or whatever, it's got that melancholic pulse, if you like. I'd like to think that some of our more moody stuff has that kind of element. Obviously the fuzzy, heavy guitars...y'know, Black Sabbath, I suppose, and...I dunno, it's hard to explain, but it's like...it's weird, isn't it? How would you categorise our music?

Gary: People categorise it as doom...

Jon: But it's not...

Gary: ...just 'cause Darren was in doom bands and...but it's...that's just the easiest thing to put it into, but it's not...I wouldn't say it was metal in its...

Jon: Yeah, absolutely...

Gary: ...in a pure form of, like 'balls to the wall' type shit...

Darren: It's got a spirit of all of that, hasn't it? There's a spirit that runs through it that, it's like that...

Gary: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just rock. Heavy rock.

Jon: Yeah, there's something in it for everyone, you know what I mean? That's the way, if you look at the songs across the board, there's...I feel we've got a way with doing a perfect pop song, like 'Wasteland', for example. You know, we've got a way...we've pulled that off like...it wasn't intentional, it wasn't deliberate. There's different elements all the way through it, and from really gut-wrenching doom outbreaks, to really catchy 4/4 pop numbers...there's everything there. It's full colour.

Darren: As long as it's got melody...

Jon: Feel.

Darren: ...and feel and emotion, and then, when it's heavy, it's really heavy...but running through it also is...in my head, in my goal for us is that there's a spirit of...trueness...

Jon: Yeah, honesty...yeah.

Darren: ...which is how...I don't know how you can define trueness, but it's like, trying to use valve amps and get an organic sound, trying to sort of like go with the natural sounds, and recording live, if we can, and when we can...

Gary: Having a wide boundary and that like...

Darren: Yeah, it's like, without categorising ourselves, but at the end of the day, we like to be very heavy. I mean Gary's using...well, they're both using Gibson guitars, and a range of Gibson guitars which, obviously to people who know, they're gonna make heavy sounds. We're always looking at valve amps, they're always getting obsessed with valve amps and getting louder and heavier. Wayne...we're made up with Wayne's drumkit because his bass drum is massive...(laughter)...and has a real...(imitates heavy bass drum sound)...boom to it, so in rehearsal it just sounds really nice...

Jon: You can feel the air coming out of his bass drum, can't you? When you're standing there...

Darren: Yeah...

Jon: It's great!

Darren: So there's just that sort of pulse running through things and that. I mean I always say Celtic Frost are a big inspiration for me, and Kyuss, and I can't really think of any others that sort of...'cause there's just so much other stuff that I like as well that come into what we do.

Jon: That is the thing isn't it? I mean we all have our different kinds of music that we like to listen to in personal time and that, but as I say, we all come from a predominant, heavy background, so I mean everything we've experienced since being nineteen or whatever up until now, I think all them elements, all that learning if you like, comes through in the music that we do. I hope.

Darren: One of the reasons why it's been so easy for us as well, it's like, I'm the oldest in the band, and then you've got Andy who's the youngest, and in between you've got the other guys, and so all the way through, you've got different evolution with us as people, and a different, sort of...even though we all like heavy music and we do like metal as well as all the other forms of music we like, there's still those eras that are different. My era is different to Andy's and I want him to like some of the stuff that I like and I want him to go "Listen to your heritage" and that, you know? (laughter) And at the same time he says to me...

Jon: Get back to the classroom...

Darren: ..."Listen to what's up to date" and that. But then...so he's finding out recently some of the up to date bands he likes, they're now defunct, and there's a new wave coming on through...

Andy: Yeah.

Darren: ...so the younger kids out there...

Jon: See, the funny thing is that there's a lot of contradiction going on, if you like, because a lot of new music does end up sounding like, y'know, you can pigeonhole it, you know what I mean? You can totally pigeonhole a lot of generic kind of metal bands and, fortunately for us, I believe, because we're not kind of basing our writing material or ideas on new bands, new music or whatever, I think that kind of helps us generate original material...hopefully! (laughs)

Darren: Well there are some new, good new bands out at the moment that I'm discovering...you probably know Pelican?

Matt: Pelican, yeah.

Jon: Don't be plugging other bands Daz!

(laughter)

Darren: Nah, it's alright! Pelican, do you know them?

Matt: Yeah, I know Pelican, yeah.

Darren: Yeah, yeah, been getting into them lately...

Jon: Apparently I need to listen to them.

Matt: You do!

Darren: ...Gaz has got onto Baroness recently, haven't you Gaz?

Gaz: Yeah, yeah...

Darren: And Gaz has always liked Mastodon and that and he's turned me onto them a little bit. So we're all learning about new stuff from each other as well.

Gaz: Yeah.

Matt: Mmm. So, I mean do you...when you're writing new songs, do you kind of have any pre-determined idea about how you want it to sound, or is it just like...

Jon: Always.

Matt: Always.

Jon: Always, yeah, I mean...it's like, same with Gaz, I mean the type of backgrounds me and Gaz come from...I've been working with Gaz since...God, how old were we when we started writing together? Sixteen, seventeen, something like that...

Gary: Yeah, you were about seventeen, I was eighteen...

Jon: Eighteen, yeah...

Gary: ...nineteen...

Jon: But the way we...I mean at the time we were both in a black metal band together and stuff, and he retired from that black metal band and became the band's sound guy, didn't ya?

Gary: Retired!

(laughter)

Jon: But ever since then, me and Gaz kinda started our relationship around about then, and we had little side projects, little death metal experiments, and the way he'd work would be similar to me. He'd go home with his drum machine and record the bass himself, record the drums himself, get the guitars on there, and I'd do the same so we...from me and Gaz's point of view, coming up with the riffs or whatever, we always have an idea of what the drums should be doing, we always have an idea of what the bass should be doing, but I will put my hand on the table and admit, I cannot write a song for toffee. I can write music, but I can't write songs, and I think that's...it's kind of like a self-helping band. Me and Gaz'll come up with some ideas, we'll play them to each other, we'll see each other's riffs, adapt on each other's riffs, play it 'til we're comfortable, then the drums and bass'll then come in, glue all the bits together and then, you know, Daz'll put his vocals on top after it's been orchestrated, and then, at the end of that process we've got a song, so that's kind of how the writing process works. But yeah, the answer to the question is I always have a pre-determined idea of what the drums and bass should be doing, prior to actually putting the riff out there.

Matt: Ok. Well I wanna talk about...Liverpool, I guess...and...

Jon: (laughs) Miserypool!

Matt: Miserypool...

(laughter)

Nice, nice...so am I right in thinking you all grew up in Anfield, or somewhere near?

Jon: Anfield.

Gary: Yeah...

Andy: Kirkdale.

Gary: And Walton.

Darren: And I'm Anfield, yeah.

Jon: Orrell Park, tell the truth!

(laughter)

Matt: Ok, so...not exactly paradise...

Jon: No.

Gary: No.

Matt: ...if I'm being honest...

Gary: No.

Matt: I mean how d'ya think your upbringing, and where you've been living all your lives, how d'ya think that's actually influenced your music and what you do?

Jon: Well I come from a very scally family, you know what I mean? Me mum's side of the family are from Kirkby, and me dad's side of the family are from Scotland Road, and, I don't know how, I think Daniel Osbourne in second year seniors changed everything for me by introducing me to Iron Maiden. If it hadn't've been for him I'd probably still be playing footie outside the laundrette...

(laughter)

...so I consider meself to be very fortunate and lucky that I was introduced to music at an early stage.

Darren: I came to Liverpool when I was maybe five or something like that, me family moved to Liverpool, 'cause me dad was originally from Liverpool and he kinda moved back when he left the Air Force, and so up until that point I'd lived in different places, when me dad was in the Air Force, so as a kid I was moving about, and living in different places until coming to Liverpool, and so, even though I feel a bond to Liverpool in that sense 'cause then I was there from that age 'til I was about twenty two, something like that when I left, I do feel that bond with Liverpool, but I always felt like I was not...because I wasn't born in Liverpool, I wasn't a Scouser, and so I always felt that unattached feeling and that, you know? And then I've lived for a few years in Colchester and then I went travelling and I've come back to Liverpool, because of some nostalgic feeling that I had when I came back, and then I...because I wanted to obviously concentrate on doing Serotonal, I had to stay in Liverpool, but I still do feel that sort of...

Gary: Can't help it...

Darren: ...one foot is in Liverpool, and appreciates it, but because I've been different places I know that Liverpool has got its really annoying bad sides, but I've decided to move back to it, and decided to move back to North Liverpool of all places, to Anfield because, within it, I can see that there's a character and there's a...y'know, I love old houses and there's a...they're all Victorian houses, back to back terraces everywhere, and I see the beauty in all of them through all the litter, the dogshit and the...

Jon: Glass...

Darren: ...and the glass...

(laughter)

...and, some of the boarded up houses, which are beautiful houses...I can see that beauty amidst all the decay, and that was my big influence growing up and that, and while I was growing up seeing the area around me declining and going into decay year on year, you know. When I was a kid, all the shops were open. By the time I left Liverpool, they were all boarded up, windows smashed, if they were still there. Businesses closed down...

Gary: The system had collapsed...

Darren: ...that was what was going on around me as I grew up, and so that must've had an influence...

Jon: I mean we live, I suppose...it's like the secrets behind Liverpool because Liverpool, when it gets media attention...it gets a lot of positive media attention and it does deserve it because the centre of, the Liverpool city centre...

Darren: I'd say most of the media attention on Liverpool was negative...

Jon: Well no, what I mean is, they have whole...

Darren: There's a lot of hype that comes from...

Jon: Yeah, there's a lot of hype, but there's also...I mean, I suppose we live in the shadows of that thing if you know what I mean...but having said that, I have witnessed a change in Anfield, like Anfield has kind of...you can tell it's invested in, but people's minds haven't been changed yet...

Darren: Yeah...

Jon: ...the bad habits still exist, unfortunately...

Darren: There are people trying to make a change and that...for the better. We'll see...

Gary: Thing is like, the 1% ruins it for everyone else, d'ya know what I mean? It's...

Darren: Yeah...it's always like that...

Gary: ...could be fifty people and if one person's a bad egg then it just ruins it.

Jon: Yeah, that's it...

Darren: Like if you go to a nightclub, and everyone's in a jovial mood and you've had a good night...

Gary: ...it just takes one knobhead...

Darren: ...but then there's a big scrap...

Gary: Yeah, yeah...

Darren: ...a big fight breaks out...you then think...

Gary: The whole night's ruined, yeah.

Darren: ...What a moody night that was, you know?

Gary: I think that's the same everywhere though, in England...

Darren: Yeah, that is...

Jon: But to be honest with you, like if you look at 'Songs Of Misery And Hope', just to kinda point out what you were on about in terms of the meaning behind the songs...

Darren: It fits in, doesn't it? It sits in.

Jon: ...it's the same with Liverpool...it fits the same. It's like we cling onto the idea of a better way, you know what I mean? Even though that means us being scarred by the things that we don't particularly agree with, in society...so that's 'Songs Of Misery And Hope' again isn't it, you know?

Darren: Mmm...but when I come to the city centre in Liverpool, I love it. I like the...

Jon: Vibrance.

Darren: ...the vibrance of it, yeah, the different sort of interesting shops and different people and that, you know...not everyone looks the same, and it's a change from being round Anfield, where you get a lot of the scallies and that, you know?

Jon: Funnily enough, there's a saying...not like an established saying but, in Anfield you don't really see students, and we're now starting to see a couple of little students here and there which indicates that potentially, the area's gonna improve! (laughs)...So it's like that kinda, I mean we can't complain, I mean...

Gary: John Moore's gets hold of it and that... (laughs)

Jon: That's it, yeah, yeah, yeah, but I mean we can't complain, it's like... I mean, again, as with Daz, like I grew up in Anfield, I've got so many memories of being a boy in Anfield, and Stanley Park was my paradise growing up, and I live right by it. So our little area where we live in Anfield, it's...you can't help but feel attached to it...it's a lovely, atmospheric area, you know...

Darren: The cemetry...

Jon: Yeah!

Darren: ...we always used to go to the cemetry. I used to go to it meself years ago when I was writing lyrics with Anathema, and we'd go over there and do band photoshoots...

(laughter)

Darren: ...and then...

Jon: The usual setup...

Gary: Pull faces... (laughs)

Darren: ...and, it's true, I literally used to go there, and sit there for a while, on me own sometimes. We'd go there together and hang out, and have a few beers and that, or a smoke, but then I'd go there on me own sometimes, when I was writing lyrics, just to kinda get in the mood. And the thing is, funnily enough, just a handfull of years later, Jon used to walk through there, but with a different vibe in it, you know, he used to have his...

Jon: (laughs)

Darren: ...long black leather coat and his his black metal music blaring into his headphones...

Jon: Listening to Nåstrond, yeah, with dead long hair, walking through the cemetry on me own...I wouldn't do that now!

(laughter)

Darren: Same cemetry, but just different music...

Jon: Yeah.

Matt: Oh well...so, has this definitely had a noticeable effect on your music, or...

Andy: Yeah...

Matt: ...would you be able to define that effect, or influence?

Jon: I think as an individual, it's kind of helped shape me into being the individual I am, you know, me morals and beliefs and me attitude in general. I think that has contributed towards that, but not necessarily the effect on the music I wouldn't say...

Darren: Well I would say that the 'misery and hope' aspect would be, like we just said before that there is something in there, you know? That we've lived with misery and hope, and we're writing about misery and hope...

Jon: Well we live with misery and hope every day.

Darren: But we haven't consciously gone out like...it's like 'Oh, let's write a concept album about misery and hope'. That's just the way I exist. It's like that in my head and that kinda thing.

Matt: So that's the way you've always done lyrics then...

Darren: Yeah...more or less, yeah...

Matt: So that whole album title, does that kind of reflect your overall approach to music, so it's just...

Darren: Yeah, yeah...

Matt: ...it's not, I mean, it will effect...reflect your future output as well, like...

Darren: I would think so, I don't know how I can shake it off, you know...it'll be different, 'cause I might maybe right about different things and get inspired by different things for different songs, but ultimately that'll just run through it all like a sort of continual thing with little alternate avenues of interest, but it'll be that that will be the essential theme running through everything. I can't help it, and...which I think actually is what life is like really, you know? We live our lives like that don't we? Sort of battling in our own minds for happiness, while sometimes struggling with unhappiness...negativity and fear, anxiety and all those things that can bog us down, when, ultimately, at the end of the day, if we try and change our way of thinking, consciously change our way of thinking, and to try and be positive, and try and be open and experience things to the fullest, then good opportunities, I think then actually come to you. So it's like...

Jon: Karma...

Darren: ...it's battling between trying to be positive and then getting battered down by negative things and being able to put yourself in perspective and that...

Matt: Yeah...well it sounds like you've got quite a good approach to your music and your lyrics and it seems to reflect life in general and the struggles that we have to go through...the mental struggles, as much as anything else...

Darren: That's it, yeah. I think...and we all go introspective. All of us have that, even when you see someone who looks...who always appears to be ultra confident, running round, always the life and soul of the party, you don't know what goes on in their heads when they go home at night...

Jon: They're the people who have most problems...

(laughter)

Matt: Yeah, well you have to wonder, don't you?

Jon: Yeah.

Matt: Is it just like a front? Or are they hiding something?

Jon: That's it, yeah.

Darren: Yeah, yeah.

Matt: Well you guys all seem quite down to earth...I mean is that the way you see yourselves, or...?

Darren: Well we try to be anyway.

Andy: Yeah...

Jon: Just normal lads at the end of the day just doing music, you know, that's it.

Darren: Mmm.

Andy: Something we love...

Jon: Yeah...

Darren: Yeah...

Matt: We'll see how long that lasts when this album sells millions of copies!

(laughter)

Darren: If it sells millions of copies, I'll...I'll try and eat that glass. (indicates pint glass)

(laughter)

I'll come back here one day and I'll try and eat that glass...

Gary: I'll hold you to that, Daz, you know!

(laughter)

Darren: If we sell millions...I'll go for it.

Matt: Yeah, oh well...

Darren: I don't reckon I'll be eating that glass, however!

(laughter)

Matt: Well not with that attitude, you won't...

(laughter)

Matt: Yeah...well hopefully you will. I hope it sells millions of copies.

Darren: I'll be just happy to play Roadburn Festival in Holland, with some...

Gary: Yeah...

Darren: ...some fellow decent bands who would know how to use valve amps and stuff...

(laughter)

Matt: Oh...ok. Well that's the main criteria, is it?

(laughter)

Darren: That's it, yeah, it is! I can't define it any other way really...though I'm not a guitarist, I do appreciate the sound of a nice valve. Gaz has got a nice one at the moment, haven't ya Gaz? Nice new one...

Gary: Yeah, yeah...

Darren: Caused him trouble at first, but he's...

Gary: Yeah, it's sorted...

Darren: ...sorted that out now...

Matt: Teething problems.

Gary: Yeah, yeah...fuse was blown and shit...

(laughter)

Matt: Well I should ask you about future touring plans, have you got any? Are you gonna be touring this album, or...?

Darren: Well we intend to...we intend to. We just have to try and keep avenues open and see which tours we might get offered, or agencies might come to us and that. We're sending out little signals at the moment, to say to agents that we're open to going on tours if they wanna put us on, so...a support tour would obviously be helpful, wouldn't it? You know, touring with perhaps a more established band.

Gary: That's more...the most preferable...what we'd like to do...

Jon: Yeah.

Darren: Yeah.

Gary: ...a good tour support with someone...

Darren: I mean, Anathema have already offered to take us out on tour, it's just if our record label can come up with the goods, if you like, and get us to be able to actually make that happen, you know.

Matt: Right...oh so it's all down to them, really?

Darren: Really, when it boils down to it, the offer is there, it's just if we can logistically do it. They've given us the opportunity...

Gary: And we have been told, when we signed, that there will be tour supports there, so we just have to wait and see.

Darren: Mmm.

Jon: See, the thing is, with the record company, the record company kinda does things behind an iron curtain if you like, and, at the end of the period, they'll let us know what they've done type of thing, so a lot of the time, even though we know that the label is doing things and that, we...I mean, the only thing we can do at the moment anyway is just, you know, we've been writing a lot of new material and obviously the anticipation of getting the album out, so, I think our intentions at the moment is to let the album come out, see what feedback is generated from the album...we've already put a couple of feelers out for agents and things like that, but I think, fundamentally, the most important thing for us to do is just carry on and keep the fire burning by writing. So that's kind of like the unintended plan, so to speak.

Matt: Right. So, I mean do you guys think of yourselves as a live band, or a studio band, or...?

Jon: Live band.

Andy: Definitely a live band.

(laughter)

Jon: Love it...we just need the right gigs really, you know, and...we've had this converstaion before, I mean we've played gigs in Liverpool, and, sadly the gigs in Liverpool have been, I suppose, the most soul-destroying ones because it seems to be hard to bring people out to Liverpool to come and see your band, you know. I think there is a big trend in Liverpool at the moment and I suppose we're outside of that trend, and I suppose a minority in our own city in that respect, but I mean, as a band, I think really we've done our fair share of playing to thirty people, and it would be nice to move up to that next step and play bigger festivals, or...but we'll see what opportunities are generated as a result of the album release, and take it from there, type of thing.

Matt: Oh well things should start picking up anyway...

Darren: Yeah...

Matt: ...it seems, from what I've read so far in the media that the album's doing ok...critically anyway...

Jon: Yeah.

Andy: Mmm.

Matt: I dunno...I can't say from being outside the band but, it seems like you're picking up some new fans along the way...I dunno.

Darren: Yeah...

Jon: Hopefully, yeah, I mean we have noticed a subtle...(laughs)...development of interest in the band, like, but it is subtle, I have to say, but I mean, when you're used to hardly anyone knowing who you are and stuff, and playing these small little gigs and no one knows who you are, it's nice to...it kind of answers a lot of questions when we, for example in Birmingham, we seem to have gone down well in Birmingham. You know, it was quite full, from what I could see and it seemed to be that there were people there interested in what we were doing anyway before we even played so you know, that's feedback in itself in a roundabout way, isn't it?

Matt: Yeah, definitely. I wanna talk a bit about metal in Liverpool. I guess you...well, it's hard to categorise you, as we've said before, but I guess you kinda come under 'metal'...

Jon: Yeah.

Matt: ...'ish, so what do you guys think about the metal scene, or hard rock scene in Liverpool?

Jon: We haven't really felt one have we?

Darren: No, not really, no!

Jon: I know there's bands out there, I mean we rehearse with a couple of heavier bands and stuff, but I mean, you don't really see heavy bands playing that much in Liverpool, do you?

Darren: I know there are some bands who've played in the Korova and that, that you may have seen yourself, you know?

Jon: They weren't from Liverpool though, were they? One was from America...

Darren: No, there were some Liverpool bands...

Jon: Was there?

Darren: ...and there are Liverpool bands who have been playing those kinda gigs, and I've checked them out...I really, honestly don't remember the band's names at the moment, but I like their vib but, they're not like what I would really go for or get excited about, so I haven't followed them up and seen them again...

Gary: It's mostly death metal stuff, isn't it? That's about it like...

Darren: Yeah...there was one band - I don't remember their name - that we played with in that gig...we played a gig, about a year ago with Grief and Trap Them, and they'd travelled over from America but then there was a load of local bands as well, and Ramesses played, from the south coast and that, and there was a couple of local bands that I thought...

Gary: Dragged Into Sunlight?

Darren: ...'Who are they?'...

Gary: ...Was that one of them?

Darren: Was that it, yeah? There was one band, and I was impressed with them because, the time between the bass drum and the snare was particularly long...you know?

Jon: (laughs)

Darren: ...and it was like, this is slower than winter, this is bordering on Sunn O))) speed here, and I was impressed with their diligence in being able to resist hitting the snare too early!

(laughter)

...you know, it was like, it was extremely slow, and I had to appreciate it...

Jon: Tantric doom! (laughs)

Darren: Yeah, it's like that in a way, yeah! It's tantric in its essence, that's right.

Jon: Yeah.

Darren: And so I appreciated them but I don't remember, maybe they were Dragged Into Sunlight, I'm not sure, but none of those bands have really followed things through if you like, or they've had the same difficulties as ourselves in Liverpool, in which it's very difficult to get yourself established when you're playing such underground music...

Jon: Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Matt: Well I think...certainly extreme metal...obviously there's the mainstream stuff, you know, your Machine Head or whatever, that quite a lot of the kids like these days, but the more extreme, underground stuff isn't very popular round here.

Jon: No.

Matt: Obviously, it's underground, so it's not gonna be that popular anyway, but even considering that, there's just so few people I meet that seem to be into that kinda stuff. I mean why do you think that is...what is it about Liverpool, or Merseyside in particular...?

Darren: I think it's a society thing, to be honest.

Jon: I mean it's quite a 'poser' city though isn't it really, if you think about it, you know? If you look at it, everything's gotta be 'in'. You know what I mean? You see a lot of that. It's like a lot of bands that you see...I haven't really paid that much attention lately so I might be wrong now, me opinion might be out of date, but I mean, you know there's that, like, tight jeans and Winklepickers with Telecasters and Vox amps and that, and curly bunheads and stuff, you know, there's a lot of that and it seems to be...

Darren: I haven't got anything...not that we've got anything against people with Telecasters and...

Jon: No, no, no, not at all, you know...

Darren: ...bunheads, curly bunheads and that...

Jon: ...but I mean it's a trend, it's a trend nonetheless, that's what I'm saying, it's a trend nonetheless...it just so happens that Liverpool is of them cities...a jangly, kind of like, you know, 'beat'...what's the word? You know...'beat...pop' city.

Darren: Mmm...

Jon: I don't know whether that's the right terminology to use for that, them types of bands...

Andy: I think it's quite correct...

(laughter)

Darren: But I think that's everywhere...

Jon: It is everywhere...

Darren: ...that's everywhere, you know...it's just...

Jon: ...but Liverpool, predominantly in Liverpool, it's massive in Liverpool, that tight jeans and Winklepicker thing, it is, isn't it? Long trenchcoats and that...

Darren: I don't mind, as long as people go and see live music, I don't really mind what the...

Matt: Yeah that's true, that's true.

Darren: ...what the music is, however, you know, metal is very underground here...as you said, the Machine Head kinda metal is fair enough, you know, you'll have plenty of people will come out the woodwork for that, but it is fairly underground for a city so large and so appreciative of music...when you get a fairly decent doom band, you know, just see the turnout being quite low, but that's...ultimately, at the end of the day if you're a band and that, then you should just think, alright well the people are gonna come out as long as we play the music well and they enjoy it, that's ultimately all that matters and...

Jon: In comparison...

Darren: ...it's hard to, as a band, to deal with that, you know...but you just do it and try and stay true to yourselves and hopefully the people then will appreciate that trueness, and then...

Jon: It's a funny thing because our...I suppose our neighbour city, Manchester, if you like...whenever we've played live in Manchester, it's always felt good. You know, it feels as though people actually come to see ya when you go to Manchester, whereas it's the opposite end of the spectrum here, you know what I mean?

Darren: Mmm.

Matt: So you get a bigger turnout in the audience at Manchester?

Jon: Absolutely...I think so, yeah.

Darren: Mmm...yes.

Jon: There's people there who come to see your band, and they express the fact that they're enjoying your music, which helps a band, you know, that's the element...if you haven't got that, if you've got thirty people in front of you and they're not that bothered, your performance is gonna be limited, to an extent, whereas if you're playing to an audience that are actually there and enjoying it and want more of it, it's gonna encourage the band to perform even better. And I think that's the main element, you know, asking the question earlier on...'are we a live band?' We are a live band but, depending on who we're playing to, has an impact and effect on how we are as a live band, you know what I mean?

Matt: Mmm. Er...right...can't really think of anything else to ask...

Jon: (laughs) We've covered it all...

Matt: Well, I dunno if we have, but...

Darren: Oh I could witter on for ages you know, I'm sure Jon...

(laughter)

...Jon could witter on for ages as well!

Jon: I'm in a chatty mood now like, yeah, yeah...it's 'cause I've had a pint!

(laughter)

Darren: On top of something else...yeah.

Jon: I'm everyone's mate now like, you know...

(laughter)

Matt: Oh well, well if anyone's got anything else they wanna say about anything I've asked, or anything, then feel free.

Jon: Yourself?

Gary: No...

Darren: No...can't really think now.

Jon: Rock hard, rock heavy, rock animal!

Andy: It's a 'joint' effort!

(laughter)

Darren: Well it was, it was today, yeah!

Jon: The 'joint' venture!

All: Yeah, yeah...

Matt: Ok, is that it then?

Gary: Yeah.

Matt: Anything else?

Jon: Yeah...thanks! Nice one. Cheers.

Matt: No problem. Good to speak to you guys.

Andy: Thank you.

Darren: And to you, yeah.

Matt: And er...yeah, I'll stop.

Darren: We'll do readers questions next time!

For more information on Serotonal, visit http://www.serotonal.co.uk/ and http://www.myspace.com/serotonal

Chumbawamba, Attila The Stockbroker, Alun Parry and Tracey Curtis

2009-09-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

The Picket
Wednesday 16th September 2009

The final night of this year's Working Class Music Festival showcased four acts spanning the whole spectrum of the British folk scene. In musical categorisation, 'folk' is as broad a term as they come. At its heart, the genre is defined by its defiant and unshakeable fixation on the real issues which affect us all as we go about our lives, and this is the one element that united all of the acts, who each had something different to offer.

Opening the show was Tracey Curtis, with whom most of the audience seemed unfamiliar. Her songs were generally well-received, and delivered with a playful yet sincere tone. Curtis opened with 'I Won't Wear The Union Jack', a balanced, mid-paced critique of blind patriotism. This was the strongest of her songs, which meant that the rest of her set never quite lived up to that initial promise. However, the quirky nature of her lyrics, coupled with her talent for constructing an often deceptively lighthearted melody ensured that Curtis was able to maintain the attention of her audience throughout the duration.

As ever, Alun Parry - the man who founded the festival - gave an impassioned performance, and encouraged audience participation fully. His set consisted largely of material from his latest release, 'We Can Make The World Stop', as well as older songs which are well-known to his fan base. Fittingly, his performance represented the essence of the festival very well. Parry has been called the 'voice of radical Liverpool', and though it seems a misjudgement to refer to him as the definitive voice - this surely undermines the hard work put in by numerous others - his songs of working class struggle certainly place him among the key figures in that category.

The most extraordinary act of the evening was, without doubt, Attila The Stockbroker. Spitting out literate, radical poetry with a lethal concoction of comedy and unapologetic anger, Attila performed most of his set without musical accompaniment. He did augment his pieces with a mandolin later on and, enjoyable though that was, it was barely needed. The sheer ferocity with which he delivered his lines was hypnotic and thrilling enough. With nearly thirty years of gigging experience behind him, Attila's newer work is characterised by a butally honest, sage-like wisdom, while his older material remains as relevant as ever.

Headlining the night, and bringing the festival to a close, was Yorkshire five-piece Chumbawamba. Known primarily for their huge 1997 hit 'Tubthumping', the band are now much more likely to break into a lilting a capella number than the anthemic punk-flavoured pop which made them briefly infamous. Opening with 'Add Me', an enjoyably twee satire on the absurdity of social networking, this was a far cry from the band that soaked then-Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott with water at the 1998 Brit Awards. In fact, they came across as remarkably relaxed and 'normal', chatting with audience members throughout their set. In one particularly noteworthy moment, the band even held a spontaneous conversation onstage midway through 'On eBay', a song which was stopped and then resumed some minutes later, after the banter had come to a natural conclusion. However, despite their apparent nonchalance, Chumbawamba have not lost their political bite. Paying tribute to the not-yet-deceased Margaret Thatcher with tongues firmly in cheek, the band have been through much controversy and shape-shifting since their formation in the early eightees, but they have remained true to the working class values which defined them from the beginning.

The Working Class Music Festival is dedicated solely to music with a radical social conscience, and from next year, it will be held every April in anticipation of the May Day celebrations. This year's event was a huge success, and bodes well for the Festival's future in 2010 and beyond.

For more information on these artists, visit the following websites:
Tracey Curtis MySpace
Alun Parry MySpace
Attila The Stockbroker MySpace
Chumbawamba MySpace

Legend Live and Rebel Truce

2009-09-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Picket
Monday 14th September 2009

The second night of Alun Parry's Working Class Music Festival saw performances from Rebel Truce and Legend Live - tribute acts to The Clash and Bob Marley respectively. The Picket is intimate, yet spacious enough to cater for a respectably sized audience, and thus proved a well-suited venue for the event, which gathered a large and enthusiastic crowd. Rebel Truce were first onstage and the general atmosphere in the venue was surprisingly subdued at first, considering the compelling and heartfelt polemical thunder that The Clash conveyed. More people arrived as Rebel Truce's set progressed, and spirits were raised. By the end, the mood was fit for some 'revolution rock'. Led by Jerry - who managed to nail the late Joe Strummer's voice and mannerisms - the band performed superb renditions of many Clash favourites, although there was a distinct leaning towards the band's earlier hits, perhaps due to time restraints. For those of us not fortunate enough to have witnessed The Clash in their prime, Rebel Truce are as close as we're ever going to get to the spirit, passion and fire of the real thing.

Given reggae's profound influence on The Clash, it was fitting that Rebel Truce's set should be followed by two hours of Bob Marley. Birmingham-based Legend Live were fronted by Michael, whose Marley impression was so solid that even his speaking voice recalled the man himself, complete with Jamaican accent. The band claim that Michael evokes "the presence of Bob Marley himself". This, of course, is up to the individual to decide, but there is no denying the accuracy of his performance, and his ability to command the audience, who watched his every move throughout the show. Credit should also be given to the six other musicians onstage. Their relentless groove carried Marley's energising songs along, and kept the audience dancing. This provided a perfect end to the night as the Picket was filled with an unmistakable sense of optimism and solidarity, an ideal mood for a working class community struggling against adversity.

For more information on these artists, visit the following websites:
Rebel Truce official site
Rebel Truce MySpace
Legend Live official site
Legend Live MySpace

Alun Parry Album Launch Gig (also featuring Stuart Todd and Vinny T Spen)

2009-09-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

The Casa Friday 28th August 2009

Liverpool's Alun Parry launched his brand new album 'We Can Make The World Stop' - a collection of folk songs carrying a serious social message - at Hope Street's The Casa, with a little help from his friends. Not just another date on Parry's busy gigging schedule, this was something of a communal celebration of his songs and their power to bring working people together. Friends and associates packed into The Casa's intimate performance area, both to watch and to perform.

First on stage was Vinny T Spen, whose set consisted of a series of earnest, placid songs. Appearing on stage alone with his guitar, Spen fingerpicked his way through each number, while singing gentle, lilting melodies. The majority of his songs are relatively sedate and, at times, rather engaging. Elsewhere, the defiant 'Not While There's Breath In Me' displayed a swaggering social commentary, and came as a refreshing contrast to Spen's more laid back, but no less enjoyable songs.

Stuart Todd gave a slightly more lively performance and, despite the fact that - as with Spen - he was the only musician on stage, many of his songs seemed to demand a larger scale presentation. Todd displayed a certain confidence and vitality in his performance, which lent the songs a sense of breadth perhaps more ideally suited to the rich dynamic of a full band. Nevertheless, his songs are well-crafted enough to shine through in a bare bones form, and the reflective, wistful '173' was a particular highlight, as Todd lightly plucked his guitar and meditated on the passage of time.

By the time Alun Parry began his celebratory set, The Casa was completely full. Backed by three other musicians, Parry's set was boosted by the additional range of sounds which boomed from the speakers. This was only fitting, as his songs are generally at their most powerful when presented in this way, and before an appreciative audience. Opening with 'All Hail To The Market' - the song which closes his new album, and was one of the few performed without a full band - Parry was relaxed and jovial with his abundant audience, feeding into the communal atmosphere. He maintained an affable presence throughout, while giving a self-assured performance which was thrilling to those in attendance. Mixing original material with a variety of cover versions, he provided ample opportunity for audience participation, which was most fruitful at the night's climax, with a triumphant rendition of 'Hey Jude'. Audience members stood on chairs and tables, danced, clapped their hands, stamped their feet and sang along.

The night ended with all concerned in visibly high spirits, such is the nature of Alun Parry's songs. They are songs for people; they draw people in, and they bring people together. This is perhaps Parry's greatest achievement, as he is able to unite his audience while singing about conflicts of interests, ideals and values.

For more information on these artists, visit the following websites:
Vinny T Spen MySpace
Stuart Todd MySpace
Alun Parry official website

Alun Parry's own Liverpool Working Class Music Festival runs from September 13th - 16th, and takes place at The Picket on Jordan Street. 'We Can Make The World Stop' is out now on Irregular Records, and can be purchased from Parry's website.

Alun Parry - 'We Can Make The World Stop'

2009-08-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

Alun Parry - a Liverpool-based songwriter whose work displays a passionate social commentary via astute storytelling - offers his latest release at a time when society is changing before our very eyes. While we all panic and wonder where our next pay packet is coming from, Parry crafts songs which he claims are designed to "stir your conscience as well as your heart, challenge your views and maybe even change them". Whether or not he is successful in his objective is purely down to the individual, but there is no denying the intensity of Parry's performance and spirit.

The songs here are - with the exceptions of the more reflective moments, such as 'Run Patsy Run' and 'Together' - foot-stomping, fist-clenching, air-punching anthems which will doubtless hit home for many working class listeners, and provide ample singalong moments at Parry's future gigs (of which there are many already scheduled, both locally and around the UK). It's fitting that Parry's music should resonate with his audience in this way, as these songs represent folk music in its purest sense; they are songs for real people, dealing with a variety of real issues, many of which which affect all of us in a very real sense. The internet-themed rock and roll satire of 'Princess Deborah' is certainly a light-hearted moment, but for the most part the lyrical content here is hard-hitting and unrelenting. 'Waiting For The Lovers' tells the story of two gay lovers facing gang violence, while in 'Take The Mother's Name', Parry debates polyamory in patriarchal society.

'John Lennon Said' is a particularly noteworthy moment, as Parry channels Lennon himself while listing various historical figures as a means of musing upon human nature. However, the most powerful moment on this collection is reserved for the song which closes the album, the rousing 'All Hail To The Market'. Parry's lyrics describe the market crash and its effect on bosses and workers alike, and he ends the song urging working people to unite in the face of adversity.

If we are to think of Alun Parry as a folk singer or a protest singer, then it's certainly apt that the lyrics are the main focus of attention here. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a catchy tune - and Parry has enough of those to keep the casual listener interested - but it's the message that the songs convey which is paramount. In these times of struggle, it's worth investigating Alun Parry and others like him, as you may find that these songs have the potential to help you understand some of the problems you may be facing in your own life.

Parry's own Liverpool Working Class Music Festival runs from September 13th - 16th, and takes place at The Picket on Jordan Street.'We Can Make The World Stop' is out now on Irregular Records, and can be purchased from Alun Parry's website.