SHRAPNEL interview

SHRAPNEL is a most promised nowadays thrash-acts from UK. Two self-released EPs and now debut full-length album “The Virus Conspires” on Candlelight Rec. Please Welcome!!!

Hellz!!! At first… why you decided to choice your band name – SHRAPNEL. This tag is so straightforward but non-original as for me. I know even about heavy-metal band SHRAPNEL from India (now disbanded).

It didn’t matter when we started as we were just having fun and jamming. It just fit and made sense. It wasn’t until later that we found out how much it had been used but we didn’t want to change it. There hasn’t been a really successful band with the name yet either, they’ve changed name, split or not pushed it that far. Hopefully it’s not unlucky.

 Please introduce your band mates for our readers.

Jae Hadley is the big blonde front man, Nathan Sadd and Chris Martin on guitar, Darryl Abbott on bass and Simon Jackson on drums.

 Your discography contains 2 EPs “No Saviours” and “The Devastaion To Come” from 2009 and 2010. Please tell us more about these releases. These were physical releases on CD?

Yeah they were, we did “No Saviours” on our own after a few months playing together. It went down well but we made sure we stepped everything up for the next release “The Devastation to Come” EP. We were lucky to get Russ Russell (British record producer, sound engineer) involved on it and it was a great learning experience before doing the full-length album.

 My congratulations with your first full-lenght album “The Virus Conspires”. 4K from “Kerrang” it’s really fine. But what was a reaction of common metal-fans?

Thanks a lot! It’s been amazing, there’s been so much positivity from everyone and the messages and comments we have been receiving have been incredible. People seem to be surprised which is great.

What was your inspirations durring creation of “The Virus Conspires”? Are you totally satisfied with recording, mixing and cover-art?

We looked at loads of things; anything that makes us pissed off or has enough substance. We tried to vary the lyrical themes from historical subjects to modern relevant topics. The artwork came about from Kantor and the lyrics to the title track, he ran with it and we think it came out great. Russ did a brilliant job as always mixing and mastering and was excited to hear what he has done with the new vinyl master out later this year.

Please tell some more about lyrics of your songs. You have a song “Red Terror». Is this song about communistic terror in Russia in 1917-1920?

It is! It’s all about the massacres and atrocities of the Bolsheviks in Russia during the rise of communism. As I said before, we try to vary what we do so we historical, religious and political context as well as some more fictional spins such as “Titan”.

You have a song “22” on final album. It would be some fun but Canadian ANNIHILATOR has song “21” on album “King of The Kill” from 1994.

“22” refers to a prison camp in North Korea. It’s a really fucked up system that supposedly still operates. It’s worth reading into but it’ll ruin your day for sure.

 Do you consider yourself part of Thrash Revival Scene (or so called “New Wave Of Thrash Metal”) with VIOLATOR, VEKTOR, GAMMA BOMB, TOXIC HOLOCAUST etc.?

It’s great to be listed alongside those bands but we just want to be the best band we can be, we want to push the next album into new ground for us, I wouldn’t count on any crazy departures but it has to be better and it has to be different enough to keep interest and grab people’s attention. We just don’t want to be completely pigeon holed in thrash, that’s why we try to bring in the death and black metal influences, however subtle they might be.

What are your plans for live-acts? Maybe tour or major festival?

We want to play festivals next year, as many as we can. There are plans in place for a couple of tours supporting some bands we look up to. Hopefully we get to do that a lot over the next few years.

 What Do you think about these bands: ONSLAUGHT, METALLICA (after 1996 till nowadays), MUNICIPAL WASTE, FALLEN FATE?

Modern stuff is cool, we all prefer the heavier stuff over this melodic thing a lot of bands seem to be doing now but as long as it’s aggressive and it’s got balls it’s all good.

 Thank You for your answers. Your final words for our readers.

Thanks for checking us out and look out for tour dates! We will be coming to Europe as soon as we can!

https://www.facebook.com/ShrapnelOfficial

/03.06.2014/

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