Groove/death metal four piece Bloodyard from the North-West England have been going since 2010. Since their formation they have been building their fan base and reputation, especially on the live scene, having shared the stage with established bands such as, Monument, Evil Scarecrow, Scordatura, Savage Messiah, Foetal Juice, Warlord, RSJ and Meta-Stasis. They have also played numerous festivals and shows countrywide, including a headliner show at The Manchester Academy. In 2015 they reached new heights earning a slot at Bloodstock and have since signed with TBFM Records and Management. I caught up with guitarist, Nick Adamson to talk about their successes, their latest EP, 'Darker Days' and more...
So for those who aren’t familiar, can you give us a bit of back story about Bloodyard and how you came to be?
Bloodyard came about because Donna was looking for people to jam with, she played guitar in a band but wanted to do vocals. She knew I was looking to put something together so got in touch. We got together and started putting a few ideas in motion, she then invited Matty from her previous band to come along and see what he thought. He thought he was coming to a different band practice, but he must have liked what we were doing because he’s still turning up! Then not too long after that we convinced Dave to join our ranks. We all knew each other from other bands around the area, and it was exciting to get together and play some of our favourite music.
How would you describe your music?
Our music is heavy and groovy, it's death metal you can dance to! We all have a wide array of influences, so it's quite a creative mixture. The only rule we have had from day one and still stick to is can you get up and shake your head to it?!
How happy have you been with the response to your latest EP offering, ‘Darker Days’?
We're very happy with it, and it's had a good reception and some good reviews. We're looking forward to making the next one now.
Can you tell us about the making and recording of the EP?
We recorded it at LMC Studios, which is a studio attached to our local college. It is a fantastic studio, with some great gear, and brilliant people. With it being a part of the college it gave students the chance to get involved with the production. It was the most relaxed we'd been in a recording session.
What are your main influences both musically and personally?
I have a list longer than my arm. We live in a time where there is an abundance of brilliant musicians and awesome bands. We all like and listen to the full rock and metal spectrum, everything from Metallica through to Napalm Death, but for Bloodyard we stick to the heavy end, it's the most fun to play. What inspires us personally is that we have such a great time doing it. We have such a laugh at rehearsals, and really enjoy what we do. I couldn’t say it has ever felt like hard work, it's a brilliant way to do what we love, with our closest friends.
How would you say your sound has progressed since your formation in 2010?
I'd say the sound has grown and become more diverse and challenging. In the beginning, we wanted to play fast and heavy, and now we're expanding on that with more technical parts, and pushing ourselves as musicians.
You have shared the stage with some great bands such as Monument, Savage Messiah, RSJ, Meta-stasis and many more, how does that make you feel and what have been some of your show highlights?
Sharing the stage with those bands has been an amazing experience. It has given us the chance to watch and learn from some of the best bands on the scene up close. We played a Sophie Lancaster event a while ago with RSJ, and they had driven all the way from Mammothfest in Brighton after playing it the night before. You could tell they were feeling it, and were quite quiet before their set. As soon as it was time to go on stage though, it was like an explosion! They put on a brilliant show and you would never have known that they had driven 9 hours to get there. Not only that but they stuck around to watch our set, and getting a nod of approval from Dan Cook, was very cool.
Speaking of sharing the stage, you are playing Hard Rock Hell in 02 Academy Birmingham with the likes of Sodom, EVILE, Raging Speedhorn, Feed The Rhino and more, how excited are you for this and what can attending fans expect?
We are over the moon with landing a slot at such a monumental event! We all have albums by Sodom, Evile, Skindred, and Raging Speedhorn in our record collections, so to be a part of the same line-up is a dream come true. We’re one of the opening bands on the Saturday afternoon, so we’re planning to play a set hard and heavy enough to get everyone awake and ready for the rest of the festival.
You played at Mammothfest 2016 in Brighton, UK, how was the experience for you?
Mammothfest was awesome! Getting the chance to play at the opposite end of the country and seeing what the music scene down there is like was a brilliant opportunity. It was a good small venue we played at, and it was packed from start to finish, everyone was really in to it and it was bouncing ‘til the small hours of the morning.
Have you started working on any new material and if so, what can we expect to hear?
Yes, we have. We have lots of new material ready to go, and a few more songs that we’re still working on, that will hopefully be ready by the time we hit the studio in the summer. If all goes to plan we’re hoping for an early autumn release. The new stuff feels like the next level again for us, we’re really pushing ourselves to make the best music we can, and I’m confident in saying it’s our best yet. We’re expanding almost every avenue of our writing, the fast stuff is faster, the heavy parts are heavier, it’s like everything has been turned up to 11!
What else does Bloodyard have planned for 2017?
With the recording being planned for the summer we’re going to be spending the first half of the year out on the road, we already have dates lined up across the North of England. Once the new record is done, we’ll head back out to show off the new stuff and we’re planning to go further afield and play shows throughout the Midlands and maybe a bit further south.
Is there anything else you would like to share or add?
2017 is already looking amazing for us, with some great gigs and shows booked, but we’re always looking to expand our horizons, so if anyone wants us to come and play in their local venues, get in touch! All info and tour dates and much more can be found on our website www.bloodyard.uk or through our facebook page.
For more information on Bloodyard:
https://www.facebook.com/bloodyard666/
http://www.bloodyard.com/
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