Words: Kate Allvey.  Images: Penny Bennett

Bambie Thug

Wreathed in black latex tentacles, the Irish vocalist opens the second day of Download with seductive, evil ‘ouija pop’. They’re like a possessed Lady Gaga, spilling musical ink on ‘Last Summer (I Know What You Did)’, and if you had guessed that a sexy bin man costume would feature somewhere over the weekend, you’d be proven right during hypnotic new track ‘Trash Will Take Itself Out’. But the magic happens in their almost un-backed cover of the Cranberries ‘Zombie’; flanked by flags of the oppressed held in silence, it’s clear that’s there’s so much more to Bambie Thug than nudity and Eurovision.

Florence Black

As the first act of the day to fall victim to the curse of a shortened set due to apocalyptic weather conditions, we sadly don’t get much of the welsh act’s bass-heavy hard rock sound, but the five songs we receive are as dark as their name. Tristan Thomas’ heartfelt wail makes the cliched metal horns he conjures up feel necessary throughout their Pearl Jam influenced set, and ‘Sun And Moon’ slips down as easily as a scotch at midnight. We’re left simultaneously frustrated and grateful for the brief snippet we did get to see. 

Bleed From Within

The faithful brave an extra half an hour wait in the downpour for the Scottish metallers, but ‘Sovereign’s essential burst of brutality makes the discomfort worth it. We needed something heavier and tougher, richer in ferocious guitar to bolster our spirits, and we got it and then some. ’Stand Down’ sends a connection flooding through the crowd all the way to the back, and vocalist Scott Kennedy grins at our response. Closing with a heartwarming and fan-pleasing rendition of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’, they’re joined by Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan who’ve been filming onsite.

Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes

The frontman knows both how to construct a belting setlist and how to rock a fuzzy pink cardigan, and the huge crowd response to ‘Kitty Sucker’ shows just how comfortable he’s become in his rock n roll status. The lounger tracks which featured heavily on his last tour are thrown out in favour of the rangers which showcase Carter at his best like ‘Devil Inside Me’, though strategically placed slower tracks move us. “What it takes to be a main stage band? Confidence, power, kindness and love,” he lists before the impassioned ‘Brambles’s slinky beat booms out. Sadly, this makes a small boy in the audience cry, and Carter pauses the song to console him (“Little man’s tired… I don’t blame him, I’m tired too!”). ‘My Town’ hits heavier live, with tons more electro to console even the most weary, leaving us both in awe of the Rattlesnakes’ sound and energised to continue.

Babymetal

Handmade t-shirts and fervent hype surrounded the Japanese girl group, but their hyper-energetic routines angered whichever deity controls the weather in Derbyshire. After only one song, a look of panic flashed across leader Su-Metal’s face as she received a message in her earpiece, and the dreaded ‘we are pausing the show briefly’ message displayed onscreen as the weather turned biblical. However, the ladies are nothing if not consummate professionals, and as soon as it was safe to do so, ‘METALI!!’ proved that they are the holographic dressed superheroes that we need to push through the day. ‘RATATATA’ is an absolute banger live and the closest we would come to seeing Electric Callboy this weekend. It felt like as soon as Babymetal appeared, they were gone.

Enter Shikari

There’s a reason Enter Shikari sold out stadiums across Europe earlier this year. Glitching between poetry, dance grooving, eighties vibes and nineties optimism, they perfectly capture the escapism of the weekend. ‘Giant Pacific Octopus (I Don’t Know You Any More)’ is melancholy and bold, opening a thoughtful pit that embraces the message of the song. Frontman Rou Reynolds paces like a caged tiger; “This was the first festival that ever allowed us to play, back in 2006” he yells before turning the bass up to absolute limits for ‘goldfish’s intense drops after dreamlike soft bridges that weigh heavy with longing. Enter Shikari lean into the drum n bass end of their sound for shows like this because it absolutely works for huge crowds, and ‘Sorry, You’re Not a Winner’ playfully extends the electro side of the band like an outstretched hand, inviting us to dance. 

  While She Sleeps

“I’ve been here before, I’ve been stood where you is,” pants Loz Taylor between songs, and it’s the solidarity and empathy between While She Sleeps and their fans which make them such a great live act. With neon guitars blaring on opener ‘RAINBOWS’, they’re the perfect transition to the evening after Enter Shikari. “We did not come here to fuck about,” says Taylor sternly, and he’s determined to cram every minute allotted for his band with  vital honesty and the kind of songs that create slamming all the way up to the top of the hill. ‘SELF HELL’ burns with rage and mutual frustration to provoke a massive, bouncing response that we yell back to the band mid air. 

The Offspring

One of the oldest bands on the bill, the Offspring have been known to let their tendency towards bad puns and novelty skits get in the way of their sound. Not so today. Noodles, Dexter and friends plot a tight course, barely deviating from faultless punk and proving that they are so much more than the guys who asked us why we were still unemployed. New song ‘Make It All Right’ is a burst of summer fun that bodes very well for their upcoming album, and ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’s eulogy to the loss of childhood dreams captures just the right balance of poignancy and thrashing. ‘Hit That’ sparks conga lines and even the most hardened types chant out the melody while coloured balloons bounce like weightless marbles over the pit.

Billy Talent

The spiky Canadians put out seriously classy proto-emo from the get-go with ‘Devil in a Midnight Mass’ dropping bombs of distortion amid Benjamin Kowalewicz’s trademark steel wire vocals. Their potent dark energy is the antidote to the Offspring’s jollier hits we hear spilling over from the Apex stage. ’This Suffering’ is like a midnight hedge maze, it’s tone providing a taut atmosphere that cracks before ‘I Beg To Differ (This Will Get Better)’s brightening guitar. Kowalewicz theatrically emotes, aware he’s got a dedicated audience in the palm of his hand during the derelict loveliness of ‘Rusted From The Rain’, and Billy Talent’s set has to be a highlight of the weekend for pretty much everyone who rushed over to the Avalanche stage.

Fall Out Boy

It’s deceptively easy to get to the front for Fall Out Boy’s chronologically curated set, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t the star attractions of the day, if not the whole weekend. The Teenage remembrances and sizzling solos of ‘Grand Theft Autumn’ give way to fireworks and picture frames as, word perfect, we sing along to ‘Sugar, We’re Going Down’, our inconveniences fading away. ‘Dance Dance’ tugs on our sense of nostalgia, but with a slight roughness and friction to dispel the gloss of memory and shake us in the present. Pete Wentz shreds like we never remembered him being able to, smiling broadly between frequent costume changes. “I want you to sing till your lungs give out,” he calls, and we nearly do to the perfect showmanship and bass drops of ‘This Ain’t A Scene, It’s an Arms Race’.

If there was a prize for ‘maximum spectacle achieved in an hour at Download’, Fall Out Boy would take the gold. ‘My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark’ sees guitars re-made into flamethrowers at the centre of walls of pyromania, and the troupe of sinister cheerleaders onstage for ‘Uma Thurman’ signals the start of a clear ramping up of the effects on the songs without cult-favourite status. It’s not just all shock and awe, though. Wentz helps a couple with their gender revel via waterproof envelope and declares they should name their baby ‘Download’. After ten years away from Donington, Fall Out Boy wanted to ‘make the biggest art project we could fucking make’, and they made it happen in a huge way.

Click the below image for the full ‘Download Festival – Saturday’ gallery

The Punktastic team made their way to Reading to report back on all of the best that 2018’s lineup had to offer.

Images: Olly Hanks, Words: Yasmin Brown [YB] / Gemma Rogers [GR]

Just as the weatherman had forewarned us, Sunday was a total washout from start to finish. Luckily, though, this was only the case as far as Mother Nature was concerned, with festival goers refusing to let it spoil their day, braving the rain and mud and continuing to have as much fun as they had over the rest of the weekend.

It’s a mystery as to why Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – or Sam Duckworth, as some may know him – hasn’t become more successful over his many years as a songwriter. With ten musicians on stage, the depth and complexity of the music they were able to create in the Radio 1 Dance Stage was astounding – not once relying on backing tracks to pad out their sound – and while at first their place on this stage made little sense, as the set went on and more people were drawn into the tent, it became more clear. The combination of string and wind instruments with the usual guitars, drums and bass meant that, regardless of whether you knew GCWCF’s music or not, there was no way you were able to stand still and as the crowd filled out, people slowly started to loosen up and feed off the energy that each person refused to let wane on stage. From the opening song, each musician was given the chance to show off their musical talents, particularly in the opening number. While this performance of ‘Adults’ was definitely the longest, there were a number of instrumentals throughout the set that offered up this opportunity, highlighting both the band’s consistency and versatility, with intricate compositions flawlessly played. It’s sad that Duckworth hasn’t garnered the recognition that he so clearly deserves, but by the end of the set most were happily clapping along and drinking in Duckworth’s stunning, raspy vocals. [YB]

Every now and again, a band comes along that manages to pique our interest through sheer mystery alone. Sleep Token have been making their way through the UK festival circuit this year, attracting plenty of attention as they go – the masked, anonymous group claim to be part of a cult worshipping the deity ‘Sleep’. Whether you believe that or not, their performance is amongst the most impactful, unique, and unexpected of the weekend; front man Vessel fills The Pit/Lock Up tent with soaring vocals that are so pitch perfect as to seem almost unreal.  The band are fascinating to watch, giving as theatrical a performance as they come – but the true beauty in this set is revealed when the gentle melodies kick into huge, djenty, prog metal sections. The ground shakes under the weight of the pulsing rhythms, and the only downside is that they don’t seem to come often enough – by the end of the set, it all starts to become a little samey. Despite this, it’s clear that Sleep Token are phenomenally talented and have stage presence to spare; this is truly a band on the rise. [GR]

Early sets on the main stage were, to an extent, affected by the rain, but after last year’s Festival Republic performance, regular Reading attendees knew that Billy Talent were not to be missed. They’ve been on the scene since before many festival goers were even born but as with Sum 41 and The Used, their age has done nothing but make them better performers and better song writers. While the inevitable comments about the weather were made (“You have a wonderful country but your weather fucking sucks”), Billy Talent didn’t let that deter them from putting their all into their set, implementing impressive guitar solos and encouraging crazy, muddy circle pits in among the fans yelling the lyrics back at the band. With plenty of people wrapped tightly in their raincoats and plastic ponchos, songs such as ‘Rusted From the Rain’ were even more fun than they might have been had the sun been shining, and by the time the finale of ‘Fallen Leaves’ and ‘Red Flag’ came around any weather-related reservations had completely dissipated and it was, arguably, one of the best 30 minutes of the day. [YB]

It’s still suspiciously early on a festival Sunday for The Pit/Lock Up tent to be as full as it is – let’s face it, if anyone’s even out of their tent by 4pm it’s a minor miracle. It makes considerably more sense, though, when the impending secret set is revealed to be Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, and anyone still wiping the sleep from their eyes is almost certainly woken by their ferocious entrance with ‘Juggernaut’. The passion exhibited by the impossibly likeable Carter and his bandmates is reflected back in spades by one of the most enthusiastic crowds of the weekend – mosh pits and crowdsurfers are non-stop, keeping security well and truly on their toes. After expressing distaste for rap artists receiving such sizeable pits over this weekend – “they stole that shit from us!” – Carter insists on a circle pit around the tent, and when fans are reluctant (it’s chucking it down out there, after all), he leads a sprint himself. These antics, coupled with encouragement for an inclusive atmosphere and thrashing rock music, make for an engaging thirty minutes – this is a proper punk rock show for proper punk rock fans, and we are deeply grateful for their appearance. [GR]

It takes a lot to amp up a crowd half full of people that have likely never heard of you, but Normandie did just that at The Pit/Lockup – successfully achieving what they set out to do, which was to make sure everyone had a really “fucking good time”. Lead singer, Phillip Strand, was incredibly smooth in every move he made, making it impossible not to like him, and the music was catchy without being generic – no easy feat in today’s industry. With unnecessary but amusing apologies for the weather (“Sorry we brought the rain, we should have bought polar bears or whatever we have in Sweden”), the crowd clearly warmed to Strand. With moments where it felt as though the bass was the only thing responsible for your heartbeat, it felt fair that Strand demanded that we “bring it” and asked to “see a fucking mosh pit”, because Normandie really were putting on one hell of a show. Jumping into the crowd for the final performance of ‘Collide’, there was no doubt that we’ll be seeing a lot more of this band in the UK over the coming years. [YB]

Hippo Campus offered an entirely different vibe, with their hipster aesthetic preventing them from breaking out of their uber-cool on-stage personas for more than a couple of moments over the 30 minute set. That said, the band sounds exactly the same as they do on record, flawless vocals and all, and their music is undoubtedly made for live sing alongs; even their new, unreleased songs are easy to pick up and mimic by the time the final chorus comes around. With a single trumpet solo and guitarist, Nathan Stocker, putting what seemed to be all of his energy into his art, it’s clear that Hippo Campus do have the ability to put on a more animated performance and it’s a shame that they don’t let loose more often than they did during this particular set. [YB]

Earlier this year, Black Foxxes released their second record, ‘Reiði’, solidifying the fact that this is one of the best bands on the scene right now. After a request to, “Come forward. Embrace”, the band launched into what was to be one of the most intense half hours of the day, with almost desperate emotional release pouring out of the whole band; front man Mark Holley in particular. After a mind blowing performance of ‘Manic In Me’, he had “still not thrown up”, but he had, however, dropped his pick during a particularly intense guitar thrashing – and continued to play just as hard. Whether he didn’t notice or simply didn’t care is unknown, but his dedication to his art and the deep connection to his music was never more evident than it was in this moment. There were a number of moments (other than the blatant declaration of holding his vomit down) during which Holley’s anxiety was evident, most notably when he questioned his decision to wear a hoodie and commented on the number of errors he was making – despite the crowd not noticing at all. Regardless, though, Holley made it through the set with the help of his friends and bandmates, Tristan Jane and Ant Thornton, putting on what can only be described as an exceptional performance. The use of megaphone prior to launching into ‘JOY’ – Holley’s self-proclaimed favourite from ‘Reiði’ – as well as the extended outro wherein Holley jumped into the crowd, made the set finale even more memorable before the band left the stage. It was a performance that told a story, and said a lot about the minds behind the music – and while personal interactions were limited, fans still left the tent with a better understanding of who Black Foxxes are, and feeling more connected to them than ever. [YB]

In some ways, it’s hard to believe that Bedford foursome Don Broco have come so far as to occupy such a high position on Reading’s second biggest stage – yet at the same time, it makes perfect sense. Fresh from being Everyone’s Favourite Band (seriously) on the final run of Warped Tour across the US, Broco are one of the most explosive, energetic live bands in alternative music right now, and their set at Reading Festival is a perfect demonstration of their capabilities. As they launch straight into single ‘Pretty’, the crowd become a thrashing, bellowing mass in time to the heavy riffs; though huge tents like this can often feel impersonal, in front of this band the party atmosphere is electric in a style akin to your local club room at a Friday night show. Vocals from both front man Rob Damiani and drummer Matt Donnelly are hard to fault, and under the accessible, upbeat rock sound is impressive technicality that is delivered flawlessly; Tom Doyle’s basslines are especially mesmerising.  The biggest disappointment is the relative brevity of the set, at just 45 minutes, with plenty of life still left in the crowd for more. What we can be certain of, from a performance like this, is that Don Broco’s ascension through the Reading & Leeds stages isn’t over yet – main stage headline slots beckon, and it may not be too long before it happens. This set sees the end to the festival weekend for Team Punktastic, and as we work our way out through a graveyard of lost moshpit shoes, we can’t think of a better finale.  [GR]

Young Guns’ live show indicates they are much more interested in being a rock band than their latest material seems to suggest. However, despite their massive rhythm section tone and their obvious excitement to be playing around their main stomping ground, the over-inclusion of material from their latest album especially went some way to dampen their spark, especially when placed next to songs like ‘There Will Be Rain’ and ‘Bones’ which are just better in every way.

It was unmistakably clear who tonight’s crowd was here to see. And this was not a crowd who had just turned up to see the ending trifecta of Try Honesty, Fallen Leaves and Red Flag; from the very moment Billy Talent came onstage you could almost be forgiven for thinking we were watching a band returning triumphantly to their home town, such was the immediate and lasting reaction from everyone there.

Playing a selection of hits from a career now spanning over a decade and a half is always going to be special, but not only did Billy Talent bring some of their biggest and best hits of the last few albums, they treated us to some of the now almost forgotten hits like ‘River Below’, ‘Surrender’ and ‘Pins & Needles’ that only served to remind us how fantastic their back-catalogue really is.

Billy Talent’s display was nothing short of masterful. Their lighting display was fantastic, Ben Kowalewicz’s crowd banter was hilarious and friendly in a typically Canadian way and there was no faulting the band’s skill at playing their material despite being without their drummer Aaron Solowoniuk (who sadly was unable to be present on this tour due to his MS complications).

Outside we heard a man giving out flyers say that “rock music is dying”. If you really think rock music is dying you’re looking in the wrong place.

I really loved ‘Dead Silence’, truly loved it. ‘Surprise Surprise’ and ‘Viking Death March’ kept alive that crunchy guitar driven breed of military rock that gave them global recognition with the release of their globally-adored single, ‘Red Flag’. I was hoping for another surprise in the release of ‘Afraid Of Heights’.

Whilst these songs are in no possible way a step in a new direction, they’re proof that Billy Talent aren’t just another mid-naughties rock band clinging onto the attention from a scene that died along with the likes of nu-metal and crunkcore. They can write non-stop bangers guaranteed to instil a bit of aggressive adrenaline into even the casual listener.

Songs like album-opener ‘Big Red Gun’ don’t politely knock on the door, they crash through arms swinging, screaming down your ear. The vicious pace takes no breaks until ‘Afraid Of Heights (Reprise)’ at the end of the record. Whilst a change in momentum would have been appreciated at some point through the twelve tracks, the addictive sound of Ian D’Sa’s guitar turns this album from a headache into a party.

Lyrically this album is as politically charged as ever. Songs like ‘Ghost Ship of Cannibal Rats’ and ‘Time-Bomb Ticking Away’ offer the most frustration from vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz. Addressing current issues such as gun control and the abuse of the youth, these topics are brought to life in regular Billy Talent fashion. Those gang shouts you loved from ‘River Below’ are executed better than ever and there’re thick and heavy singalongs galore thrown in here and there for good measure.

Despite the good old fashioned sound, I’m not entirely sure who Billy Talent are fooling anymore. Yes, this is more of the same, and the same is good for a little bit, but there’s little lasting value in playing it safe. I hear songs like ‘Louder Than The DJ’ and just feel uninspired. In an age where music is being stretched and pushed to new limits how long can they get away with adding a new coat of paint every couple years? Sadly, ‘Afraid Of Heights’ continues this pattern, a seeming attempt to just extend the life of a band who’re scared to take a step in a new direction incase they fall off the edge.

In spite of this, more songs like ‘The Crutch’ please. This song about halfway through the album has stadium-sized capabilities, bringing back to life all of the greatest things about noughties hard rock; body-crushing drops, jaw-dropping solos and thick and fun drum work.

There’s still a lot of fight left in Billy Talent. Despite members facing personal challenges and growing older than your average angry rock band, they’re still selling out tours all over the world and entertaining crowds through some killer musicianship and banshee screams that still send shivers down your spine. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, I guess.

MAX GAYLER

Young Guns will be joining Billy Talent on their forthcoming European tour, heading to the UK in October. They will also appear at Fort Fest and Butserfest in September.

OCTOBER
12 NORWICH UEA
13 BRISTOL O2 Academy
15 MANCHESTER Academy
16 GLASGOW O2 ABC
17 NEWCASTLE O2 Academy
19 BIRMINGHAM O2 Institute
20 LEEDS O2 Academy
22 NOTTINGHAM Rock City
23 LONDON Roundhouse
24 CARDIFF Tramshed
26 SOUTHAMPTON O2 Guildhall

‘Louder Than The DJ’ follows the previously revealed title-track, and a short album teaser.

Billy Talent will be returning the UK in October as part of a mainland Europe tour.

OCTOBER
12 NORWICH UEA
13 BRISTOL O2 Academy
15 MANCHESTER Academy
16 GLASGOW O2 ABC
17 NEWCASTLE O2 Academy
19 BIRMINGHAM O2 Institute
20 LEEDS O2 Academy
22 NOTTINGHAM Rock City
23 LONDON Roundhouse
24 CARDIFF Tramshed
26 SOUTHAMPTON O2 Guildhall

Stream the track below, available to purchase now on iTunes.

The band have also unveiled a motivational album trailer, available to view here:

That’s not all, Billy Talent will be coming over the UK and mainland Europe in October.

OCTOBER
12 NORWICH UEA
13 BRISTOL O2 Academy
15 MANCHESTER Academy
16 GLASGOW O2 ABC
17 NEWCASTLE O2 Academy
19 BIRMINGHAM O2 Institute
20 LEEDS O2 Academy
22 NOTTINGHAM Rock City
23 LONDON Roundhouse
24 CARDIFF Tramshed
26 SOUTHAMPTON O2 Guildhall

Full dates in their Facebook post.

How does it make you feel to have your own greatest hits album?

It’s strange. We never really thought about this kind of stuff. We’ve always lived in the moment and so to put it all together and look back in retrospect to the last ten years and have this now is cool.

You’ve been around for a long time, but you’ve only had four albums. Was that a case of quality over quantity?

That’s always been a point of interest. Whenever we’ve been working on an album, we’ve never been a band to write 30 songs and try to figure out which are the best. We write 12 songs and make them absolutely as great as we possibly can and then go from there, and that’s how we’ve approached everything. We wanted to make sure that every single one of our records is something that we can be proud of and we hope that people would feel the same way.

There are two new songs on the record. How would you describe them?

Well, I think ‘Kingdom of Zod’ is a perfect representation of Billy Talent. It really is a great summary of our style, very true to everything we’ve released, but ‘Chasing The Sun’ is the polar opposite of that, which is a really nice feeling because it’s different to what we’ve ever done before. The lyrical content is very important to us. It’s about somebody very close to us. I think the two songs are very different and super exciting. It can give people an idea of what our band can be and show that we do appreciate our traditional style.

After this, do you have plans to release new material?

We’re working on new material right now in the studio. Pretty much since we got off the road we’ve been writing, so by the time we’ve finished our next record we’ll have reached a full two years of us writing and recording, so that’s really exciting for us.

Sometimes when a band releases a greatest hits album, people wonder whether they’re coming to an end.

Yeah, we never really thought about that, but we’ve been together 21 years now and we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves. We still feel like we have a ton to accomplish.

21 years is a long time. How do you keep it fresh?

Well, we have common goals and we love what we do. We’ve learned a lot about each other and still love each other like brothers. We work and live in the same city and see each other as much as our families. I dunno, we like making music and we wanna be a band like the Foo Fighters, y’know, a huge band in the world that people pay attention to. That’s the stuff that drives us. We feel like we have a lot to say with our music still and it’s exciting. We have our own studio and that gives us motivation to work.

Up until this point, what do you think has been your favourite moment of your time in the band?

I don’t know if there’s one particular moment. The whole first record, when we first started to tour internationally and see the world, all those experiences are so incredible to me. I grew so much as a person and saw so much of the world and accomplished more than I ever thought could happen, so those moments are really special. Then working on the second album, there was this thought in the back of my mind that that could never happen again. I wondered if we’d ever get to go back to Europe, or if we’d ever get to play Germany, and then the second album came out and it was very well received, and that was almost a relief, and that’s something I remember. Stepping off a plane and thinking ‘We’re back here’, and knowing that things would be okay. Those kinds of moments happen all the time. Plus I don’t have to have a job or work anymore.

So many people are in boring jobs they hate and you get to do what you love.

It’s a job, but I could never call it a job because I really feel lucky. I have a lot of fun. We fuck around and play music. It’s a joke really.

Looking into the future, what are your plans for the rest of the year?

Well we’re gonna continue bashing away and try and make the best record of our lives. And then we’ll probably have to do some shows to feed the monkey, but we’re gonna try and keep off the radar. Then we’ll come in strong in 2016 with a new record and touring plans, so it’s gonna be a good year of creativity.

So we’re only looking at tours for next year, then?

Yeah, I don’t see any way the album could come out this year because of where we’re at in writing and what we want to accomplish. We wanna make sure we make the best plans we’ve ever made for an album because when you’re working on a record, you’re booking shows and you’re in the studio and you’re working hard and making merch then things get scattered and it’s hard to make decisions on the fly and other things suffered because of it. We always just wanted to focus on the music. So this time around we’ve got our career, we know we’re okay, and we have the leisure of knowing that we can do all this work and then when we’re done we can move on to the next chapter. For us that’s really exciting too.

Do you have any idea what direction you’re going in with the new album?

So far it’s been super heavy. We put a survey on our website to find out what people’s favourite albums were, what things they’re into, and what we ended up finding out was really cool, about favourite songs and stuff, and one of the cool things was that a big chunk of our audience are musicians and that was kind of inspiring for Ian and I. Ian is our songwriter and he knows there’s so many guitarists watching him now. The stuff that Ian’s been writing and we’ve been working on has been unbelievable. A lot of it’s been pretty aggressive, so I’m expecting the album to be heavy. I’m stoked about it, it’s been fun in rehearsals.

It’s like a whole new chapter for you.

Yeah, we have a new manager in place and we’ve been happy with how he’s been looking at our career and the ideas he’s thought of. Us as people, we’re in a really good spot. We’re motivated and comfortable and our creative environment is nice and it’s good to sit and be creative and not worry about other things, so we’re excited about it.

I’m hoping for a UK tour next year…

We’ll definitely be in the UK!

LAIS MW

It’s taken from the band’s ‘Dead Silence’ album, and you can check it out using the player in this article.

http://www.facebook.com/billytalent