Bolt Thrower of
course doesn’t need an introduction! They’ve just released their 7th
album “Honour – Valour – Pride” which will truly satisfy every fan. So
read this interview (answered by bass player Jo), get the album and
check ’m on stage! In this particular order!
You've
finally released your 7th full length album. Please tell us where it
was recorded and who produced it? Did everything go smoothly?
-It
was recorded and mixed at Sable Rose Studio in Coventry from June-
September. It was the longest we had spent in a studio and we still
needed more time! We produced it with Andy Faulkner, who we've know for
a while and we're pretty pleased with how it came out. A few riffs and
lyrics were written in the studio, so we kept busy - it was hard work
and we're still learning - but we're getting there...
On
"Honour - Valour - Pride" Dave Ingram makes his album debut after
having doing numerous gigs with the band. How was the feeling to have a
new band member in the studio, did you have to get adjusted to each
other?
-I think it was pretty
weird for all of us. It was strange for me, Baz and Gav recording with
a new singer, strange for Dave recording for a new band and for Martin
recording his first ever album. But once we'd all got over the initial
shock it all seemed to fit together and the more I listen to the album,
the more it feels right.
Your drummer Martin Kearns rejoined Bolt Thrower a few years ago, but why did he leave the band in the first place?
-Unfortunately
we had to kick him out - it was when we were writing 'Mercenary',
Martin was having a few personal problems and was canceling rehearsals
and generally being pretty sloppy. It was at the time when we had just
signed to Metal Blade and we'd lost Martin, and we just didn't want
anyone who couldn't be totally committed to the band, so we told Martin
he had to leave and he was replaced with Alex. Eventually it came to
the time of the 'Full Force festival' in Germany and Alex said he
couldn't do it, of course this wasn't good enough and he too had to go!
So, I just rang Martin after not seeing him for 2 years or so and asked
him if it wanted to play the festival and he said yes. I'm really happy
he re-joined and I hope this will be the line-up for years to come.
The
title of the first song on the album (" Contact wait out") is also the
title of the cover artwork for "Mercenary". The song "7th offensive"
might also be symbolical for this album being your 7th full length. Do
more references like this exist? Is the album a concept album, why are
the three words of the album title divided into 3 songs?
-Well
spotted! We started the number thing with 'The IVth Crusade' (4th
album), then it was gonna be V for Victory (V being 5, roman) which we
changed to '...for Victory' and the 'Sixth Chapter' on 'Mercenary' so
we just carried it on with '7th Offensive'. With 'Contact - Wait Out',
we really liked the title of the picture but we had the cover after the
album was recorded, so it was too late to use it on 'Mercenary', so Baz
said maybe we should use it on this one, so we did. With
'Honour - Valour - Pride', we were thinking of using this as a title
for a while - it's actually a line in the song '..for Victory'. We
usually have a title track on the album, so I suggested this time we
split it into 3 title tracks, the songs are also linked lyrically,
Honour being the intro, Valour the main song and Pride the outro.
Over
the years, Bolt Thrower has created a very own and unique sound. The
fans really appreciate this because they know what they can expect from
a new album. But don't the band members themselves have an urge to try
something else? Perhaps a side project to give other musical ideas some
space to mature and develop?
-No,
we don't want to do other projects. We expect 100% loyalty and
commitment to Bolt Thrower and you can't possibly give that and be in
another band. If anyone wanted to do other types of music then they
could do so, but they couldn't do that and be in Bolt Thrower. We all
listen to other types of music, but this is the style of music we
really want to play and I think that's what keeps the sound unique and
not influenced by anything else around.
A
development which has been a consequent one in your music is the
decrease of speed. First, the blastbeats were left out from "The 4th
crusade" on, and on "Mercenary" and the new album, most song are
mid-paced. In my opinion, the perfect balance was found on "…For
victory". How many mid-paced songs can you write that still sound
variated and distinguishable from each other?
-We
don't write songs with a tempo in mind - they come out how they come
out. We didn't really think about decrease in speed until people
mentioned it, it wasn't intentional. I don't think we'll ever go back
to writing songs with blastbeats again, we've done that and although we
were into it at the time we wouldn't go back. We always imagine the new
songs live and it's always the heavy head-banging riffs that come
across the best, and it's the ultra-heavy stuff we enjoy playing the
most. You say 'how many mid-pace songs...etc' but you could also say
'how many songs with blast beats can you write that still sound
....distinguishable from each other' and that answer would be even less.
I
read that a bonus track will be on the limited version of the album. Is
this also a faster song like the bonus track ("Diciples of war" or
"Infiltrator" or what was it's title?) on "Mercenary"? Why is this song
not on the promo, is it to get the reviewers of the magazines also buy
the album? (I'm gonna buy the album anyway even if there wouldn't be a
bonus track)
-No, it's to give
the fans a bit more for their money. It'll be on a limited edition
digi-pack which I'm sure will be more expensive, so you'll get an extra
track as well as the lovely cover! It's just for the digi and the vinyl
(double album), so that's why it's not on the promo. The track on
'Mercenary' was called 'Infiltrator'.
Another
European tour will begin in the first few months of 2002. Are the
support bands already confirmed? Are there still countries that Bolt
Thrower hasn't been to? If you could play anywhere you wanted and with
whatever band you want, where would you play and with what bands?
-No,
the bands aren't confirmed yet, we've had a few offers but we're trying
to get a good package together. There are a lot of countries we haven't
been to, we spend most of our time in Europe. We were lucky enough to
go to Australia and that was really great, but just too far - all that
flying!! We're not big fans of America, I think a few of the members
would like to go to Japan, but it's not that important for us to travel
around the world.
Hmmm, I'd really like to play with Slayer, anywhere in Holland....
Bolt Thrower have been going on for a lot of years now, slowly rolling forwards like a war machine. In those years, the scene has changed quite a bit. Nowadays, old bands are reforming (e.g., Atheist, Pungent Stench, Grave, Unleashed) and tons of old albums are being re-released. What's your opinion on this? Is there still a demand or a crowd for re-releases and reformed bands? -Bolt Thrower have been around for over 15 years now, but it really doesn't seem like it. Living in England we don't really see the scenes coming and going, so nothing really changes for us. Some of those bands you mentioned, I didn't even know they'd split up! I know that some bands try other styles of music style and when they realise it's not working they go back to their 'roots', and I don't have a lot of respect for them. But it's good to know that people are still into the older stuff, it means it has stood the test of time and that can only be positive. And re-releases? I'm sure it's very nice for the record labels!
Following
the previous question: can the reformed old bands really compete with
the new bands? Bands like Cryptopsy, Dying Fetus and Nile are extremely
technical. What's your opinion about newer bands like the aformentioned
ones?
-I don't know - we'll see.
To be honest I haven't heard anything by Cryptopsy and Dying Fetus.
Dave is into Nile, but I can't say I'm a big fan - although it's new,
it kind of sounds old to me.
Can
you give me a top 5 of your favorite bands that were released this
year? By the way, what's your opinion about the new Kreator-album?
-I
really haven't listened to anything new this year, the only thing I
have heard and really liked was the new Rammstein album. I really don't
get to hear a lot of new stuff - no, haven't heard the Kreator album
either, sorry. Dave is the one in the band who follows what's going on.
The
main theme of Bolt Thrower has always been war and it's currently even
more omnipresent than usually. Are wars like The Gulf war and the
current war between the USA and allies against terrorism any source of
influence for Bolt Thrower, lyric-wise or music-wise? Do you want to
give your opinion on the current situation between the USA and
terrorism?
-We have always had a
constant source of inspiration, because there have always been wars. A
lot of our lyrics are inspired by the historical and strategic aspects
of war, and generally not one war in particular. The current situation
was not an influence at all on this album, everything was recorded
before it all happened. I won't comment on it, I'm a musician not a
politician - I can't save the world!
Thanks for doing this e-mail interview and see you on tour! Any famous last words?
-No
problem, thanks for the interesting questions. Just a thank you to all
the Bolt Thrower fans for the last 15 years of support. See you in
January.