BAND SPOTLIGHT: High On Fire favourites, as chosen by the UK's finest doom bands

Through six full-lengths and a number of live releases and EPs, HIGH ONFIRE are an unmistakable force in the realm of heavy metal, influencing many and attracting hordes of avid followers, some of which include many of the UK’s fast rising doom scene.  Today we have invited a number of them to choose their favourite tracks from a band that has inspired others and attracted adulation from many more.  Check out their choices below.  HIGH ON FIRE are touring the UK in support of their new album 'Electric Messiah', 

Dates are as follows:

08/10 Academy 2 Manchester UK

09/10 Tivoli Dublin EIRE

10/10 Limelight 2 Belfast UK

12/10 The Mill Birmingham UK

14/10 SWX Bristol UK

15/10 The Dome London UK

Jon Davis, Conan - https://conan-conan.bandcamp.com/

Track name – “Nemesis”

Album – “Surrounded by Thieves”

The art work for this album struck me immediately. Rotoscoped image of a warrior, pure animated Bakshi Lord of The Rings. Matt’s guitar tone, pure Matamp soupiness. Des’s drums like aeons of a mountain forming, compressed into hammer fall precision. This song is High on Fire a top a mountain, slaying hordes of undead, impossible levels of gore and blood streaming down their armour. TOTAL CARNAGE.

Marc Prentice, Ohhms - https://ohhms.bandcamp.com 

Track name – “DII”

Album – “Death Is This Communion”

I was late to the party when discovering High on Fire (from now on to be written HOF) as my first taste of them was when I bought a copy of 2007’s “Death Is This Communion.”  My sole reason for buying was based purely upon finding out that it was Matt Pike from Sleep’s other band. I was lucky enough to get a copy that had a ‘making of’ DVD. Watching the DVD and then listening to the record was enough to sell me. Riffs aside, I find myself attracted to the critical religious, conspiracy and fantastical theme of the song titles and lyrics. Being a fantasy and Sci-Fi fan, I loved the fantastical themed artwork and I’ve always imagined HOF as the Motorhead for Tolkien fans.

My ‘Favourite’ track is, unsurprisingly, from “Death Is This Communion”. It’s the instrumental track “DII”. There’s a part in the making of DVD where you see HOF in the studio creating this song and I think this is a part of the reason as to why I enjoy it. It also it’s great because it has a great heavy riff, melodic solo and a great synth part that plays over the end of a track creating a great otherworldly sound. The tone, mood and vibe on this whole record is great and I think this song captures the feel of this record perfectly. Great instrumental track and an amazing record.

Tam Ali, Awooga - https://www.facebook.com/Awoogaband/ 

Track name – “Bastard Samurai” 

Album – “Snakes for the Divine”

Love this tune due to its pure brutality and atmosphere it creates.  Plus, epic PHAT bass.  HOF’s use of fast power chord movement has certainly rubbed off on us somewhere. When I saw this band live about 12 years ago I was so high yet they totally destroyed my buzz by being so fucking brutal.   I then got a boner instead, maybe it was because of Matt being topless…  Don’t think I’ve ever had a weed boner before.

Jim Swainston,  Black Moth - https://www.facebook.com/themothpit

Track name – “Snakes for the Divine”

Album – “Snakes for the Divine”

“Snakes for the Divine” is a song that for me is the essence of Matt Pike boiled down into eight and a half minutes of glorious riffery. It has quite possibly one of the best intros to a metal song of all time. When I hear those first chords ring out with that epic lick over the top I can’t help of that brilliant Pike quote from Such Hawks Such Hounds about heavy being about “pissed off and being a warlord.” You know you're about to be punched in the face with the riff to follow. This is warlording at its finest and you can just picture Pike taking his axe into battle. It’s one of those songs that makes you just wanna get loose in the same way that The Stooges’ Search and Destroy does. Raw fuckin power!! 

Wes Leon, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard - https://mammothweedwizardbastard.bandcamp.com 

Track name – “Bastard Samurai” 

Album – “Snakes for the Divine”

I bought this album whilst stranded in Europe in 2010 when all flights were cancelled because of the ash cloud from the erupting volcano in Iceland and I ended up playing it on repeat due to it being the only cd I had with me for the hotel's cd player. I like the softness of the verses. Something High on Fire don't do much of is go soft but when they do they nail it, & this makes the heavy riff seem even heavier when it comes in. This track stands out for me because of the slower tempo compared to most of the other tracks on the album. I’d say its a good album to be stranded somewhere with. 

Adam Robertshaw, Barbarian Hermit - https://barbarianhermit.bandcamp.com 

Track Name – “Snakes for the Divine”

Album – “Snakes for the Divine”

The title track of High on Fire's fifth album was the first that really caught my attention and for that reason it will always be a stand out track for me. I was a fan of Sleep and had heard the name HOF but when the album received such critical acclaim in the press I decided to check the album out, and from the off you're greeted by this monster. 

As soon as the epic, Maiden-on-steroids intro kicks in you're hooked in and dragged along for the ride as Pike and co blast through gritty thrash and thunderous groove territories. The guitar riffs and bass lines weave in and out of one another like the eponymous snakes in the title. 

You'll definitely hear the influence of this and other Hire on Fire tracks like it on our new album “Solitude and Savagery”, especially on songs like “Reawaken”. 

Interview: 'Flying To The Moon with Harriet Bevan & Jim Swainston of Black Moth'

Black Moth are perhaps not your archetypal support act for a spacey progressive rock act like Amplifier - their sound is more tribal where Amplifier’s is musically expansive . But variety is the spice of life as they say and the Leeds doom rockers – although their charming frontwoman, Harriet Bevan has relocated to the capital – are eternally inflicted with a state of wanderlust; they know the lengths they need to go to in order to get their music out there in front of anyone with an ear for distorted guitars and sharp song writing. And with last year’s excellent ‘Condemned To Hope’ to promote, this tour provides another excellent opportunity to do exactly that. Alongside Manchester Rock’s Mick Birchall, the Sludgelord find a quiet (ish) spot just off Manchester’s bustling Oxford road to talk balloon fetishes, flying to the moon, weed and L7 with the band.  

Mick: So let’s start with the music video for ‘Looner’.  Well let’s say this, I thought I knew what hallucinogenic drugs were until I saw this video.

Jim [Swainston, guitars]: Well you were taking the wrong drugs then.

Harriet: Nah you just don’t need them. Just watch the video

Mick: So does the song and the video come from the same idea or are they even related? Was it just something you wanted to do?

Harriet: It’s a funny thing, because we weren’t really sure on how well it was going to do. Yet, the cool thing is we’ve had a very good response from the “looner” community. A looner is a balloon fetishist. Yeah, they’re a large community and full of awesome people. We’ve only got in touch with them since doing the video, but they’re really happy with it and it’s just really cool. So the song is called ‘Looner’ after those guys.  Yet, the lyrics in the song use the fetish as sort of a metaphor for the masochism of a normal love relationship. So, it’s deep, there’s more to it than boobs and balloons.

Jim: I mean if we can help people get off at the same time, then all is good.

Harriet: Yep, we’ve accidentally made a bit of porn

SL: So, how was the video filmed, was there a lot of green screen involved?

Harriet: Yeah, the video was directed by Ben Foley, who also made the ‘Solid Gold’ video for Turbowolf.  What he did for us, we kinda dubbed “kitchen king drama”.  I think there’s a very weird but pleasant feel to it..  You know, it’s this normal party but there’s this bizarre sexual element to it at the same time.

Jim: Sure.  I was just thinking about coming back from the green screen section, and I was too late.  I didn’t actually get to fly to the moon.

Mick: So that just wasn’t in the budget?

Harriet: Yeah, the label is so tight… They didn’t actually pay to fly Jim to the moon, if you can believe it.  It should have happened. 

SL: I just want to ask about the girl on all fours as the table. Was she actually on all fours as the table for the whole video?

Jim: Yeah, I think it was for about 3 hours.

Harriet: Not quite that but I’m pretty sure she was OK and she had a great time. She deserves a trip to the moon, she was a real trooper. She did what she needed to do perfectly and she got the concept of the video. It worked out pretty well visually as well.

Mick: So you’re almost emulating Turbowolf as far as your stylistic choices?  You know, because their last video for ‘Rabbit’s Foot’ was pretty weird too.

Harriet: We’re all a bunch of weirdos really, We’ve toured with Turbowolf, when we supported them on their first headline run, so we always have fun.  We also had dinner with them, when we went to see them a couple of nights ago in Bristol. Just from that I think we do share a similar deranged aesthetic.

SL: Didn’t you release the video on 4/20?  

Harriet: No, we released the single on 4/20, which is kinda perfect really.  Then we released the video on Iggy Pop’s birthday, that couldn’t have been better.  Everyone is nice and high for the new video.

Jim: It’s just a good job we put “Not Safe for Work” on it. Although some people didn’t read that.  We’ve had some good stories from that actually.  Like people getting fired and people just minimising the screen as far as it would go.

Harriet: The funny thing about it, is that it’s really not that obscene at all. I mean we put “Not Safe for Work” on it. Yet, it’s only porn for people who get off on balloons.  It’s actually very tame if you’re not into that sort of thing.  The awesome thing is the L7 have shared it with all their fans as well, so it’s reaching a whole new set of fans, that we’ll be playing for in June.

Mick: I was going to ask that, how is that feeling, knowing you’ll be supporting them?  As Jim and Dom told me that this was your dream band to tour with.

Harriet:  It’s amazing, just unbelievable. Well I’ve been in touch with them for a few years now because I always wax lyrical about them in interviews. When they knew I was a big fan they got in touch with me, because they like Black Moth as well.  So there’s been a few messages going back and forth with Donita Sparks and I was just happy with, you know being mates. Yet, the fact they asked us to support them on their UK date has just blown my mind. I’m just really excited that they’re reforming, their just such a brilliant band.

SL: So what happened last night in Wolverhampton? Wasn’t it a similar reason you missed Hammerfest last year too?

Harriet: No, the reason we missed Hammerfest, was because we were heading there in two different ways.  The boys were going in the van but I heading there from London.  Then my train got delayed and redirected halfway around the country. It was just a complete disaster. That was just a bit of a horrible day. However, the reason we couldn’t make it to Wolverhampton was plainly because the van just stopped working. At the time we didn’t think it was much.  We just thought “there’s a funny smell”, there wasn’t a big explosion or anything.  Yet, we were sat there for five hours and the band ended up having an interview with XFM on the side of the road.

Jim: We were slowly deciding on where we’d go to the toilet and were we’d all sleep. Just, “this is where we will survive”.

Harriet: Yeh, it all got a bit “Lord of the Flies”

SL: We put a message up on the Facebook, saying we’re doing an interview, any questions.  And people have just come back with bollocks.  So we’ll ask you the worst question we got.  How old can moths get and will they ever be accepted by butterflies?

Harriet: By how old, do they mean Black Moth fans, because they get very old.  In fact by being a Black Moth fan you’re guaranteed to eternal life.  That’s been the secret all along.

SL: One I’ve been ending on and the responses are always good. So, If all all the records in the world are being destroyed which one would you save?

Harriet & Jim together: Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power.

Mick: So my final question is a bit more serious: What, professionally, is the hardest thing you have had to overcome and how did you overcome it?

Harriet: For me, it would have been losing my voice.  That was hard because there’s always that pressure to perform and when you’re going on tour. It’s really gruelling on your health. If your voice is screwed it’s going to be difficult.  Playing gigs when you’re not at your best. Some nights I’m raring to go but others the last place I want to be is on stage. Somehow you get up there and you just do it and feed off of everyone’s energy.

Words & Interview: Mick Birchall & SL Weller

The Sludgelord News: Leeds riff-mongers Black Moth are confirmed as heavyweight tour support for Amplifier in April 2015

Black Moth rose from the Leeds underground scene, taking their trash culture fixations and their love for Stooges squalor and Sabbath sulphur to create an onslaught of monumental riff sorcery and serpentine grace. 

With Harriet Bevan's biting and beguiling voice leading the charge, the Moths effortlessly transcend their influences to arrive at a nefarious and turbulent brew. Equal parts horror movie atmosphere, thunderous drive, big riffs and maverick spark. 

Having played Leeds, Reading and Download, as well as touring the UK and Europe, the band have been stamping their live authority on support slots with Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Red Fang, Turbowolf  as well as a headline European tour at the end of 2014. 2015 looms large.

With the recent arrival of their critically acclaimed second album, "Condemned to Hope," produced like their first by Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Grinderman, The Cramps), the band are set to step it up a gear, beginning with a series of dates with the frankly awesome AMPLIFIER. 

The band say: "Salivating at the prospect of hitting the road again in April and playing some of those awesome venues with our riff brothers from across the Pennines- AMPLIFIER!!”

UK TOUR w/ AMPLIFIER

20/04/15 - Glasgow, Ivory Blacks

21/04/15 - Leeds, Belgrave Music Hall

22/04/15 - Wolverhampton, Slade Rooms

23/04/15 - Bristol, The Exchange

24/04/15 - Manchester, Gorilla

26/04/15 - Southampton, Talking Heads

27/04/15 - Brighton, The Haunt

For more information:

www.facebook.com/themothpit

Source: ILikePress

Live Review: Black Moth/Limb – Manchester Roadhouse – 3rd October 2014

Through the course of this year, there have been some excellent records released. In addition to a plethora of top notch albums, there has been a rock album at number one in the form of ‘Royal Blood’. Whilst seeing that record at number one was great for rock music, it’s a shame that bands such as Limb and particularly Black Moth are overlooked. That is not a slight on Limb, as they put in a powerhouse performance in Manchester that showcased their 2014 self-titled release excellently. The harsh vocal style of the band may be a test for some people, which essentially means that mainstream airplay will be non-existent. Put that impassioned vocal delivery aside though, and you have some fine doom laden riffs that mix well with a tight stoner rock groove. The band also has a great side line in sludge, too. The mix is devastating; and in the tight surroundings of Manchester’s Roadhouse, there was no escaping the sound amongst white light and dry ice.

With Limb delivering a great set, Black Moth had a hard act to follow. I’ve followed Black Moth for several years and never had the chance to see them live. Their affiliation with Jim Sclavunos is another thing that draws me to the band. Their latest album, ‘Condemned to Hope’, is a superb album that could bother many a rock radio station should it be given the time. Whether the band needs/wants that attention is another matter, I just believe that more people should be listening to this band.

Dominic Walsh (C)

The five piece strode onto stage and crashed into ‘Tumbleweave’; the opening track from their latest album. The set was made up of many of the tracks from that fantastic album. ‘The Undead King of Rock & Roll’ is a chugging monster, and the sinister delivery of ‘Looner’ serve as a great display of the record. Harriet Bevan’s vocal delivery of ‘Looner’ was one of the standout moments of the night as she slowly stalked the stage with a swagger, sway and a sass that made for a thrilling mix on stage. As well as tracks from ‘Condemned to Hope’, the band paid plenty of regard to their 2012 debut album; ‘The Killing Jar’. ‘Chicken Shit’s spiky and driving guitars are emphatic, and the rolling ‘Blackbirds Fall’ was another highlight.

Black Moth have just announced a European tour, so if you live on the continent and are reading this, see if they are going to be appearing in a town near you. They’re one of England’s best kept secrets…make sure you shout about them and let the secret out. As for English fans, the band take up one of the slots on the fantastic Damnation Festival line up amongst an eclectic mix of some of the finest bands metal has to offer. Their showing in Manchester means that I will certainly be snapping up the chance to go see the band again.

Words by: Dominic Walsh



Black Moth - Condemned To Hope (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: Sept 15^th 2014

Label: New Heavy Sounds

Condemned To Hope - track listing:

01) Tumbleweave

02) Set Yourself Alight

03) Looner

04) The Undead King of Rock ‘n’ Roll

05) The Last Maze

06) White Lies

07) Red Ink

08) Stinkhorn

09) Room 13

10) Slumber With The Worm

11) Condemned To Hope

Bio

Formed in Leeds in 2010, BLACK MOTH have quickly established themselves as one of the most exciting underground acts in the UK. Fronted by magnetic vocalist Harriet Bevan, this young and talented quintet was defined as "Electric Wizard meeting Band Of Skulls in a dungeon" by Terrorizer. The release in 2012 of their fiery debut record "The Killing Jar" - a grunge-goth odyssey sprinkled with a variety of influences going from Sabbath to the Melvins, The Stooges to L7 - and their mesmerizing on-stage presence, led them to share the stages with the likes of Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, Red Fang or Turbowolf. They were also invited to play great festivals such as Desertfest London, Download Festival or Reading festival.

BLACK MOTH's long-awaited second full-length was produced by Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Cramps, Grinderman) and recorded by legendary Leeds engineer Andy Hawkins. "Condemned To Hope" is an album of fearsome drive and clandestine twists, skilfully sidestepping the cliché and heavy-handedness of delivery that often seems fit to destroy contemporary heavy rock 'n' roll from the inside out.

The artwork for "Condemned To Hope » was entirely created by prog art legend ROGER DEAN. Designer, architect and artist, Roger Dean's iconic work for Yes, Uriah Heep, Budgie, countless Vertigo sleeves and much more, has almost come to define 70’s sleeve art. His work may be associated with rock and progressive rock in particular, but here, Roger goes over to the dark side, moving away from the more fantastical vistas that feature in much of his paintings.

Band Members

Harriet Bevan - Vocals

Jim Swainston - Guitar

Nico Carew - Guitar

Dave Vachon - Bass

Dom McCready – Drums

Review:

Black Moth return with their eagerly awaited 2nd album – Condemned To Hope. Condemned To Hope plays out like a stirring and hard-hitting critique of Modern Day Life as the albums lyrics contain dark and twisted biting social commentary. Especially on tracks - Tumbleweave, Set Yourself Alight and Loner. These tracks prove that Condemned To Hope is a darker and stranger experience than their debut album. Though to be fair, Harriet did warn us to expect this when I interviewed Harriet recently.

Some people may find the album very hard to identify with, as some of the songs have a unique distinct British quality and identity to them. Black Moth add elements of British based life to their music. Please do not let that put you off as Black Moth wisely explore other areas of life that everyone can identify with. Harriet’s spellbinding and commanding vocals are superbly matched against the intense riffs that instantly draw you in to keep you entertained from start to finish.

The album has a great sense of humour though its one of dark jet-black humour that Harriett wickedly and slyly sings through. Are Black Moth having fun on this album? - Surely not? - Though you cant deny the evidence with tracks - Red Ink and Room 13 - As Black Moth once again combine heavy sounding Doom/Stoner Metal riffs with funny as heck intelligent lyrics which will leave some listeners shocked. As the subject matter for Red Ink is of an adult nature. Well done – Black Moth. You managed even to shock me a bit on that track. I almost forgot to mention the album is dripping in dark satanic fuzz which gives the album extra layers of volume to drown your soul with.

The production on the album is fantastic through out as it manages to bring Black Moths dark twisted vision to life for everyone to fully witness. It may take a few listens to fully understand the album as Black Moth have created a thought provoking and challenging album indeed. Condemned To Hope is a surreal, weird, dark and twisted musical odyssey that Black Moth should rightly be proud of. Watch out folks – Black Moth are ready for Occult Rock Domination and on this form who is going to stand in their way.

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR. Condemned To Hope will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from New Heavy Sounds from Sept 15th 2014.

Check The Band From Links Below

Official

Facebook

Written by Steve Howe

Interview with Harriet from Black Moth

Today's guest is part of a band who burst onto the Stoner/Doom Rock scene back in 2012 with their critically acclaimed début album – The Killing Jar. It's great style of Doom, Stoner Rock, Hard Rock and Occult Rock won then a huge fanbase within the Doom/Stoner Metal scene. And with a string of acclaimed live performances behind them most recently on Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats European Tour which I witnessed first hand the blistering power of this great band.

They are about to release their eagerly awaited 2nd album – Condemned To Hope – in September 2014 which no doubt we will be reviewing very shortly.

But before then it's time to find more about rising UK Hard Rock/Doomsters – Black Moth. I have been given the chance to speak to Lead Vocalist – Harriet Bevan.

Q1 – Hi Harriet. Thanks for doing this. How are things with you today.

Excellent thanks! Getting closer and closer to album release so it’s exciting times.

Q2 – Can you tell our readers a brief history of how the band came about and where it is today.

We met in Leeds, donkeys ago, and we’ve been like a dysfunctional riff-worshipping family ever since. Our rehearsals have always been pretty organic, whereby we each come with a very different set of nterests/influences yet somehow they all come together to make something that kinda works. We’ve been playing together for years in various amalgamations, originally dabbling in retro 60-70s garage punk/proto metal but eventually we settled on a more modern take on all our vast and varying influences, which is the bizarre winged beast you see today.

Q3 – How would yourselves describe your music as you have a lot of different sounds going on.

Good question. We try to refrain from answering that as we actually relish our genre promiscuity and hate to be defined, but I can say we like to explore the meaning of “heavy” from a number of different angles, be it through monster riffs, disturbing rhythms or unnerving lyrics. Genres that have been flung at us include stoner rock, occult rock, hard rock, doom metal and even glam rock so take your pick!

Q4 – Why did you choose the name Black Moth.

There are many and multifarious reasons the moth imagery appealed to us. They are fascinating creatures and have often been used as a poetic motif to represent the struggle of the artist (See Tennessee Williams’ Lament For the Moths) but overall, it just seemed to suit us.

Q5 – Your début album – The Killing Jar – was released back in 2012 to some critical acclaim. Did the responses from fans and critics surprise you.

Actually we were bowled over by the response. We had a sense that what we were doing was good and different, but the positive press response and rapidity with which it spread worldwide really blew our minds.

Q6 – Looking back on The Killing Jar. Would you change anything about it. Or is it perfect the way it is.

Never look back! Nothing and everything is perfect.

Q7 – I saw you guys recently in Glasgow on the Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats European Tour. You impressed the hell out of me. That was an awesome gig by everyone involved. How did you get on the Uncle Acid Tour. And how did the fans treat you overall.

Thanks dude! I loved that show also, the Glaswegians are always a killer crowd. The whole tour was amazing though to be honest. Couldn’t have been more perfect for us as Uncle Acid had just been touring with fucking SABBATH so the fans they picked up were an ideal audience for us to be meeting. We played in some incredible places like Warsaw and Prague… and of course we finally reached the powerful Scandinavian metal contingent in Sweden and Denmark which was truly awesome. They know how to mosh on the mainland that’s for sure.

Q8 – We have to talk about your new album. Condemned To Hope. WOW. That is one one bleak title. Can you tell our readers what they can expect from the album.

It’s a weirdo. It’s even heavier than the last one… but twice as weird. It was written during a time of considerable turmoil in our lives, and under a lot more pressure than our debut, but somehow it came together as if by magic in the end. Like all good things.

Q9 – What's different to this album compared to your début album.

Our songwriting has improved a lot, and the lyrics are more grounded in the present than the gothic horror of The Killing Jar. It was also written in perhaps a quarter of the time! The first album is a band finding their feet. We pretty much know who/what we are now.

Q10 – Was Condemned To Hope a hard album to write and record for.

Yes and no. Like I said, it came out of a heavy time but as a result of those circumstances, we resolved to drop everything and get in the rehearsal room for a solid month, and it was quite a luxury to give it that kind of intense focus.

Q11 – What influenced you when recording the album as the cover gives a very dark and haunting experience. Was that the case when recording it.

No actually! We spent much of the recording experience laughing our asses off and fooling around. Our producer Jim Sclavunos and studio engineer Andy Hawkins proved to be quite the comedy double act. I went in to record my vocals to find a gold jacket they were insisting I wore, and a stack of porno on my lyrics stand. I think the humour always cuts through with us!

Q12 – What is the song-writing dynamic in the band. Is it a group collective or down to one individual.

Group collective entirely.

Q13 – Which bands and artists influenced you as musicians. Any particular band or album stand out that influenced you to become a musician.

That’s really difficult. I am a true music fanatic so my taste is ridiculously broad. The others are largely the same but have their leanings… Nico [Carew, guitar] loves his rock & roll, punk, black metal, roots, anything but disco (which I love), Dom [McCready, drummer] is the biggest metalhead. Dave [Vachon, bassist] loves his 70s rock and prog and Jimmy is a former grunge kid who recently rediscovered his love for UK garage. Iggy and the Stooges and Black Sabbath are probably our ultimates, but as a vocalist, I particularly adore Grace Slick.

Q14 - What is your musical set-up when playing live or recording your music. Any hints and tips would you like to give to the budding musicians out there.

I have no idea how to answer this. I’m just the vocalist! Tips…. Experiment! Have no prejudices, keep and open mind and explore the glorious world of sound. All the advice a young musician needs comes from John Frusciante’s interviews (though the rest of the band will kill me for being such a fucking hippy).

Q15 – If you could change anything within the Hard Rock/Metal scene. What would it be and why.

I’d say a large chunk of it needs to open its mind and be a bit less purist. Sorry. More interesting music comes from experimentation and freedom and metal fans can have a curiously conformist attitude at times. It’s nice to be a part of a tribe, sure, but do we really need all these rules!?

Q16 – The UK Doom/Hard Rock/Stoner Rock scene is thriving at the moment. Tons of great bands to check out. What are your own personal views of the UK Hard Rock scene. Can you see it growing even bigger or do you see it flat-lining at some point.

Bigger, definitely. Riffs are a basic human right, and they’re spreading.

Q17 – Your new album will be released on vinyl. Did you have much input into the design of that or have you left it to the record company to decide.

I am very much involved in the visual decisions yes. The vinyl package will be extremely special. I still have to pinch myself that we have an original artwork from Roger Dean, and it will be a gatefold American-style tip on sleeve in heavy duty card. It comes on heavyweight 180g black and cream vinyl with lyric insert and free download of the album. This is limited to just 500 copies.

Q18 – If you could give any advice to someone wanting to start a band. What would it be.

Do it for the love of music, only.

Q19 – What are your thoughts of the entire crowd-funding scene. It seems to have it's defenders and people think it's a waste of time. Would yourselves ever participate in a crowd-funding project.

I don’t know enough about it to comment I’m afraid. We’re ridiculously old school in our approach, for better or for worse. I’m all about DIY initiatives though and it seems very empowering so yeah, why not?

Q20 – Will you be doing an extensive Tour to promote the album. If so, when will you be touring and will it be other parts of the world.

Abso-freakin-lutely. UK dates already booked and Euro dates in the pipeline. We would love to play further afield, very much, so fingers crossed the second album gives us the kind of exposure we need for that!

Q21 – The last thing before you go, Do you have anything else to say to your fans.

Luv u xx

Well thanks for doing this. All the best with the new album. Can't wait to hear it.

Thanks to Harriet for talking to us at Sludgelord HQ. Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for arranging this interview.

Black Moth's new album Condemned To Hope will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from 15th September 2014 on New Heavy Sounds

Check The Band From Links below

Official
Facebook

Written by Steve Howe