We’ve brought Atlas Losing Grip over for two EXCLUSIVE UK shows this September, and by way of an introduction to the band, here’s a little bit about how it all came together!
WHAT IS THE STORY OF ATLAS LOSING GRIP SO FAR?
Me and Stefan started Atlas Losing Grip back in 2005, we were both in a lot of other bands, (mainly hardcore/crust punk bands) and we felt like playing more melodic music since we were both into Iron Maiden and Helloween and stuff.
(To me Skate Punk is kind of like Power Metal but without the double kicks…)
Back then Stefan was singing and playing bass, and a bunch of guys came and went from the band.
We released the first album “Shut the World Out” with Stefan singing in 2007, then Rodrigo joined for the MCD “Watching the Horizon” in 2008.
We started touring all over Europe and started working on the second album “State of Unrest” which came out in 2011.
I think that’s when we started taking things more serious, since we got a lot of appreciation for that album, and we’ve played way over 100 shows after the release, toured almost every corner of mainland Europe, and Brazil.
We’ve been touring since then and at the same time we’ve been writing and now recording the follow up to “State of Unrest”.
It’s gonna be a massive, epic fucking album, we are currently recording the last parts and then comes mixing. Hoping for a release late this year/early next year.
That’s the short version, haha.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND? WHAT BANDS ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES?
Well from the beginning it was kind of straight up Technical 90’s Skate Punk, but with the years we’ve grown some confidence in what we can do. We can play faster than anyone, done that, move on.
It’s a lot harder to play a 120bpm 4/4 with the bass playing 8ths and the guitars strumming open chords, man, that’s a challenge. Make that groove and sound good. No but really, I guess we’ve evolved as musicians and were not afraid to try new stuff. We have a wide range of influences within everything from death metal to country, everything inspires us.
A good song is a good song no matter the instrumentation. Right now I’d say we play some sort of melodic alternative punkhardrock /thrash pop. Really, the only two bands that everybody in the band can agree they like equally is Iron Maiden, and a Swedish band called Kent.
HOW DID THE UK SHOWS COME TOGETHER?
We played the “Punk Rock Holiday” Festival in Slovenia a couple of weeks back, and we arranged an interview with Punktastic. After the interview we started chatting about doing some UK shows, and then a couple of weeks later you guys hooked us up with an offer for two shows, and it felt right. Let’s fucking do it!
WHY HAVEN’T YOU EVER PLAYED THE UK BEFORE?
We simply haven’t gotten any offers that have felt good and reliable up to today. It’s like we’ve been focusing unintentionally on mainland Europe, it’s been working out good, and I guess you become a bit relaxed with having it like that.
Now we are all about breaking new ground. We’re coming over, and we’re gonna fucking tear itapart on stage. Make it count.
WHAT OTHER BANDS FROM MAINLAND EUROPE SHOULD PEOPLE FROM THE UK BE LISTENING TO?
In-sane, Smash the statues, Anchor, Twopointeight, Terrible Feelings, Honningbarna.
TOM AYLOTT