DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Atarka
Welcome to this weeks edition of Devil's Island! Every week we maroon a band or artist on the island and see what they get up to, how they cope with being all alone on a small island in the middle of the ocean. It's not your average desert island and we'll see just how each person copes with the extreme conditions.
This week when we arrived at Devil's Island we find Atarka sat on the beach. The island is far from their home, so how did they end up here and how did they cope with life on Devil's Island?
Find out now...
Welcome to The Razors'e Edge and our somewhat lovely, warm desert island. Don't worry about it's name I'm sure it's not as bad as that would suggest.
You're marooned here on this island, but before you ended up shipwrecked you chose one album that you couldn't live without. Which album did you each chose and why?
Jamie: Streaming has completely ruined albums for me. I’ve grown used to being able to listen to a multitude of artists on a curated playlist. Gun to my head I’d want to grab Slipknot’s self titled album which is the only time I feel any band has captured actual insanity on record and I could use a bit of that catharsis on a desert island.
Alex: Alter Bridge’s ‘AB III’ would be my pick. It gave me solace when I had no hope. I had just suffered a brain haemorrhage, I was 18 and in a ward with like 70 and 80 year olds. The themes and lyrics just helped me through that time. I’ll always go back to that album.
Haydn: ‘Ascendancy’ by Trivium, it wasn’t the album that got me into metal but it was the album that changed my life and was the first album I related to on a personal level. The album as a whole was a game-changer for me, scary to think that it’s almost 20 years old.
Adam: Alcest’s ‘Les Voyages de l'âme’ was a real eye opener on how a black metal influence can make some of the most beautiful music that I’ve ever heard.
Phil: The album I would have picked would be ‘This Place Will Become Your Tomb’ by Sleep Token. As no matter what, I always find myself coming back to listen to it all the time and could happily listen to it over and over again. As a man of groove and feel this album is perfect and hits in all the right places for me. My mission is to get our bass player Adam on board with Sleep Token too, but so far no luck…. (he loves it really I’m just waiting for him to admit it)
Just behind that palm tree is a shack for each of you to stay in, with enough space for you to put up a poster on the wall of one album cover. What album cover do you each chose?
Jamie: I’d put up a poster of our drummer Phil Sheldon and he would give me guidance and comfort in these trying times. If I was ever struggling to climax I’d just look up at Phil and the rest would happen naturally…Or dark side of the moon or one of those classics I dunno…
Alex: Mastodon’s ‘Once More Round The Sun’. It was the album that really got me into them and the artwork grabbed my attention with how vibrant and cool it looks.
Haydn: For me it’s ‘Creatures’ by Motionless in White, for years before that album dropped I longed for a mixture of Metalcore and gothic elements. That was when I first discovered Motionless in White. The album in general is incredible but the cover really stood out for me, a close second place would be ‘The Emptiness’ by Alesana, it’s an amazing concept album with a really reflective piece of album art.
Adam: I’d have to have ‘Come Clarity’ by In Flames. I’ve always loved the sketchy hand drawn style of that artwork, I’d also want all of the other art that came along with the album but you’ve tied my hands to just one!
Phil: My album cover poster would be ‘Headspace’ by Issues just purely because it’s nice to look at when I’d wake up. Also because I would not venture out of the shack as I have ginger skin and burning is not an option.
There's also a bar on this here island. But alas each of you only get to choose one drink for the entirety of your stay. What's your tipple of choice?
Jamie: Coffee blacker than the night sky. Hook it to my veins!!!!!!
Alex: Jura Whiskey
Haydn: I don't drink, but for me I can easily drink Dr. Pepper for the rest of my life
Adam: Thatchers Gold
Phil: This is no ordinary island! Easy. My drink of choice would be Johnny Walker Black label as I am a bit of a whiskey head.
Your suitcases were lost when your ship sank, but you each managed to salvage one item of band merch. What’s the merch and for what band?
Jamie: Some Cardi B merch so I can have some kindling for a fire.
Alex: My Pater Profundus Behemoth hoodie.
Haydn: My Ghost snapback, not just because I wear it almost everywhere I go but because it took so long for me to find one
Adam: I have a T. Rex ‘Electric Warrior’ tee which I wear a lot so probably that.
Phil: My salvaged item would be my Devil Wears Prada basket shorts as I can’t go anywhere unless I’m in shorts!
You’re sat on the island thinking “I’m stuck here on this island with my bandmates for eternity”… who would you rather have been shipwrecked with?
Jamie: Tom Hanks, he’s been through this before I could use his expertise.
Alex: Paul Rudd
Haydn: He’s not alive anymore but I’d love to be shipwrecked with Tiny Tim, and just spend all day with him transposing old music onto his ukulele.
Adam: Anyone. Literally anyone. Send help.
Phil: Ryan Reynolds as come on, that would be a right laugh! Sorry, am I meant to say the Mrs here?
There's a walkman in your pocket, on the tape inside is the recording of the one live show that stands out for you. It could be any show, from any band, anywhere in the world. What show is on that walkman?
Jamie: An Audience with Donny Osmund.
Alex: Ozzy Osbourne Live at Budokan (2002)
Haydn: Queen at Live Aid, just because for me it’s the most iconic live show ever
Adam: Bloodbath at Bloodstock in 2010. They did a DVD of that show and it’s always a pleasure to listen to.
Phil: My live show would have to be Bring Me the Horizon at the Royal Albert Hall that they did for cancer research. That live performance was phenomenal.
You're getting desperate, you decide the only course of action is to put a message in a bottle and hope someone finds it. Your message could be to any member of any band, but should be the most suitable for a rescue attempt. Who is it?
Jamie: Chad Kroeger who would hold on to the wings of an eagle and then the rest of the band could watch as we all fly away…
Alex: Sting or Bono, because they’d turn it into a charity event and save me I reckon.
Haydn: Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, because he knows how to fly a plane.
Adam: Any member of Gojira, they’d be riding a whale, it'd be sick.
Phil: My message would be “I found nemo. Come look. Don’t forget to bring snacks”. I’d be hoping it reaches Corey Taylor.
You've been stuck here for a while and food supplies are running low. There's only one thing for it... which fellow band member gets sacrificed to help the others survive?
Jamie: I could survive for years on my body fat. I’m completely famine resistant.
Alex: Jamie. It would be Phil but he’s more of a snack 😉
Haydn: Adam, relatives are tastier on a grill.
Adam: Haydn, new blood dies first.
Phil: Oh Jesus… that’s easy. It would have to be Jamie, as he did “fuck all”.
Finally, when the ship sank you each managed to save one person from the wreckage. That person is the one musician that has influenced your career the most, shaped your way of thinking and your outlook on life. Who did you save?
Alex: It’s gonna be Tremonti really, he’s been my main musical influence since I can remember.
Haydn: Matt Heafy of Trivium, not only influencing my guitar style but his lyrics too, his lyrics taught me that life is a battle and you must always rise above your opposition. That got me through my darkest times as a teen.
Adam: Robbie Williams. I’ve listened to his music since before I was into rock and metal and I got super obsessed, listening to all the instrumentation and the lyrics. I think it “woke me up” to songwriting and not just hearing songs as songs.
Phil: That’s a really hard question as it’s changed over the years. I would have to say Matt Halpern from Periphery has been my current biggest influence for a long time now.
