BLEED FROM WITHIN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM BARNES / http://www.tombarnesphoto.com/
WEBSITE: www.myspace.com/bleedfromwithin
COUNTRY: United Kingdom STYLE: Death Metal

EVERYBODY HAS THEIR FAVOURITE BANDS AS THEY GROW UP. HOW WERE YOU INSPIRED BY THOSE BANDS EARLY ON IN YOUR MUSIC CAREER AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HOW DID THOSE INFLUENCES HELP YOU TO CREATE YOUR OWN “SOUND”?

ALI (DRUMS): We all have the same main influences, and grew up listening to the same bands such as Pantera, Lamb Of God and Metallica. Working together over such a long time, taking influence from those bands and from all the new music presenting itself these days, we managed to forge a sound that we could finally call our own. There are lots of factors that affect this though; relationship between band members, difference in playing styles, overall image. You just reach a point where all this becomes apparent, you are honest with each other and honest about the band. It was at that point, we suddenly all knew what the band was going to be about.

Our debut release, Humanity, is our first major step in putting a brand on our sound. Something that people can hear and immediately tell that it is us. It was however the first proper studio session that we have ever had, and with the ability of hindsight, there are a lot of things that could have been done better. But we have learnt a lot since then, and our new album has given us a lot to think about in terms of song structure and musicality.

BLEED FROM WITHIN FALLS UNDER THE “YOUNGER GENERATION” OF EXTREME BANDS I GUESS. WITH BANDS BECOMING MORE TECHNICAL AND FASTER AS EACH YEAR PASSES, HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED TO STAY IN THE “GAME” AND PROGRESS?

ALI: We are definitely one of the younger bands on the circuit, and as I have said in previous interviews we find this works to our advantage. There is very little that we have to distract us from the writing process and touring. Nothing like marriage or mortgages to keep us tied down.

With each year, and each song we write, it isn't so much about comparing yourself to others and judging how extreme or technical the band is. We have stayed true to our sound since day one, and we have all worked together to make the songs that fit to our abilities. We are playing harder material on Humanity than we have ever done before, and with the second album coming very soon, the barrier is there to be raised, but at the same time, we don't want to lose all the groove that has became associated with the band.

We won't leave that style just to put ourselves up there with the fastest most technical bands about. We have made a name for ourselves in this genre for doing what we do; it's simply a case of perfecting your sound and sticking to what you know. That is the key to success.

WOULD YOU SAY THE BAND HAS MADE IT, OR IS THERE STILL A LOT OF HARD WORK LEFT TO REACH A HIGHER LEVEL OF SUCCESS?

ALI: This is a funny question. On the scale of things, it may look to some people as though we have 'made it', but the reality is that we are only on the first step of the ladder. We have yet to take our touring all over the world, we have yet to see some money, and we certainly haven't trashed any hotel rooms. We need a lot more chances at touring to get our songs around the world. There is just so much more to consider.

The hard work has only just begun. We have scraped together to get our own transport, and now we are just gearing ourselves for the release of the second album. It is a very exciting time seeing everything fall into place, but only time will tell whether major success is coming.

THERE IS A NEW SONG TITLED “MONSTER” POSTED ON YOUR MYSPACE. ARE YOU GUYS AIMING FOR THE SAME SOUND WITH YOUR UPCOMING RELEASE OR WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO HAVE IT SOUND A BIT DIFFERENT COMPARED TO YOUR PREVIOUS ALBUM “HUMANITY”?

ALI: Monster was a song wrote very late on for the first album, and the Thrash aspect is something that we have returned to on a few songs in the second record. On the most part, the songs are very different. The majority have taken on the groove and power as opposed to speed, but obviously we have songs there to cater for that as well. Thrash Metal has always worked its way into our music one way or another. The new material certainly has a different feel to it, for example, a further sense of maturity and overall better musicianship. A year of touring and an album under our belts has certainly taught us a lot about ourselves and what we are capable of.

YOU BASICALLY RECORDED THE BEST MUSIC YOU COULD IN THAT PERIOD WHEN THE BAND DID “HUMANITY”. WHILE CURRENTLY WRITING YOUR NEXT ALBUM; AS MUSICIANS DO YOU SOMETIMES THINK, “HOW ARE WE GOING TO BEAT WHAT WE DID WITH THE LAST ALBUM”?

ALI: That is something that is always present during the writing process. Every riff, every fill, every lyric, is constantly compared to the previous songs/album in one way or another. There is a fear that everything is too different, there is fear that everything is the same, then of course, you finish a new song and think it isn't as good as what has been made in the past. But these are just natural reactions to new material. We are changing with every year, personally and musically, so it is obvious that it will have some effect on the songs.

We have approached this album with a completely different mentality given our delayed release of the first album, and a recent line up change. This is more of a new beginning, a document of the last year, and of what is still to come. We feel that we have already pinned the last album to the post, but it is essentially a waiting game. The band will have to wait to see reactions from the fans, and, of course, the press. But after getting the pre production demos back, and hearing the power of these songs, I am confident that people will open their ears and listen to what has been made in wake of a long, frustrating year.

YOUR MUSIC SEEMS TO BE ROOTED IN A LOT ENERGY AND AGGRESSION. IS THAT WHAT MAKES MUSIC SO APPEALING TO YOU; THE FACT THAT YOU CAN EXPLORE ASPECTS OF YOUR PERSONALITY IN THE MUSIC WHERE YOU NORMALLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ANYWHERE ELSE?

ALI: Yes, our music has always been a place to vent our frustration and anger, or any emotion to be honest. It’s the pleasure of being in a band, you can convey all your emotions through the music and the end result is so much more rewarding than say, punching a wall. The energy is amazing as well. Between the 5 of us, you can watch a live show, and physically see us throwing everything into the music. That is one thing that some bands forget about, and whilst they sound flawless on recording, they can't handle themselves live, and they fall to pieces on the stage.

I think heavy music especially is a genre that demands a tight performance live, otherwise it just falls into a mess of downtuned guitars, slappy drums and observers will not get the full picture.


I MUST ASK; WHAT GEAR AND GUITAR TUNINGS IS THE BAND CURRENTLY USING?

ALI: Gear wise, the band are endorsed by Krank, Peavey and Orange. Craig uses a 6505+ and Div has been using a Krankenstein head for a while now. The cabs are Orange, and the tuning is drop B. Davie plays Spector and also uses Orange gear. My drums are Pearl, with a Black Panther snare and my cymbals are all Sabian. Finding the right gear is crucial in getting the right sound you want live, so it has taken a while to get everything perfect.

THE BAND HAS OPENED FOR SOME BIG NAMES IN THE PAST, AND YOU HAVE PERFORMED AT THE DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL AS WELL. ARE YOU HOPING THAT YOUR NEW ALBUM WILL OPEN MORE DOORS TO BIGGER TOURS AND BETTER SHOWS?

ALI: Download Festival was a massive jump in terms of gigging experience and live situations. We went out in front of that crowd as a band, and came off the stage as a changed group of people. That was when we began to notice a following, and we took a lot of confidence from that gig. Due to a late release of Humanity, we missed out on the touring schedule across the summer, and that is really bad for a band just making their name out there in the industry. You really need that big break early. So yes, I guess we are expecting a lot of good things to come of this second record.

It would be amazing to get out on the road with some big name bands just to get in front of a large crowd every night, and play our music to people who have never heard us before. And obviously, to play Download again would be an honour. It is an even that we have all attended in the past and it takes first place as the biggest baddest Rock/Metal festival out there. We are heading out on tour with the mad thrashers, Hatesphere, in December. Can't wait to get back out there again. It will be a sick tour without a doubt.

TALKING ABOUT ENERGY AND AGGRESSION. YOUR SONGS MUST HAVE CAUSED SOME REALLY COOL MOSH PITS IN THE PAST. WHILE PERFORMING DO YOU LOOK OUT AT THE CROWD OFTEN OR DO YOU JUST CONCENTRATE ON PLAYING AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE?

ALI: On our recent headline tour of the UK in promotion of our album, there were some pretty insane crowds. People hanging from the lights, stage diving, throwing themselves from the PA. We were amazed! Our hometown of Glasgow always promises some madness as well. Playing live we are usually immersed in the music naturally, but if something catches our eye like a wall of death spanning the width of a room, or someone throwing themselves from a PA rig, then we just have to laugh! But as I said earlier, our live performance is what we pride ourselves on most, therefore we are concentrating for the full time on stage. We take the energy of the crowd and use it to our advantage.

PLAYING A FULL SET OF THE TYPE OF MUSIC YOU GUYS DO MUST TAKE ITS TOLL AFTER A WHILE. HOW WERE YOU GUYS COPING DURING THE LAST PART OF YOUR PREVIOUS TOUR OR IS IT SOMETHING YOU GET USE TO AFTER A WHILE?

ALI: Touring is without a doubt the greatest part of being in a band. Having the opportunity to travel around with your best mates, playing the music you have made together, partying in a different city every night; it is brilliant. It's what we look forward to most. It can be hard with relationships back home, not seeing family, friends, not being able to keep a decent job, but these are all the sacrifices we make to be able to do this. Recently, we have noticed how the band has taken over our lives, becoming everything we do. This isn't just a hobby anymore, this is our life, and to make the best of it, we need to stay on top of things constantly.

Our last tour was 3 weeks over the UK, but we came home craving more. The first show or first couple of shows are always the hardest, just getting into the rhythm of the tour, then every show after just becomes second nature. Every day; wake up, cheap breakfast, drive, load in, sound check, warm up, gig, party. That is the routine, and I’m sure almost every other band will follow the same rules.

ANY COMMENTS OR THINGS FANS SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR?

ALI: Our debut release, Humanity, is in stores or can be purchased from the band directly via our Myspace, so people should buy it and let us know what they think. We are also on the road around the UK in December with Hatesphere, and should hopefully be touring next year across Europe which is overdue I know. Our second album will be released in Summer 2010. Keep an eye for that one! Cheers to our fans, and anyone who has shown their support. Without you, we are nothing.

Thank you for your time!