DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Hands Of Attrition
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 Hands Of Attrition 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?
Dale - Rammstein - Reise Reise. For me this is the best album Rammstein produced, its got all the events that really made me live the band, from the groove dance feel all the way to strange and obscure lyrics that twist your mind in all directions ! Very fitting for the mindset of one day maybe feeling happy and other days feeling pretty low on an island.
Jay B - Machine Head - The Blackening. This album is an absolute masterpiece. Relentless from start to finish, I can quite easily get lost in this album. Farewell to Arms is one of my favourite Machine Head songs, not to mention Halo as well. Even the bonus track cover of Hallowed Be Thy Name is an absolute banger.
Jay D - The Titanic Soundtrack just so I could stand at the front of the ship and scream "I'm the king of the world!"
Anthony - Black Sabbath : Nativity In Black Vol.2: A Tribute To Black Sabbath
This was my first introduction to metal and if it wasn't for this album I wouldn't be writing music today. Little did my 6 year old self realise I was listening to covers at the time.
The founders of metal being played by some of the best bands out there. Being from Birmingham makes me proud.
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?
Dale - Rammstein - Reise Reise. The album cover is an orange box which is a play on the black box found onboard planes… To which if crashed would record the final message from inside the cockpit. Seems very fitting to remind myself of how doomed I am hahaha.
Jay B - Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
Even 50+ years on one of the most eerie album covers, and an absolute icon. You can't help but look at it in depth and see what may be trying to make itself known to you..
Jay D - The Beatles - The White Album...I just really like the design, it really grabs me for some reason.
Anthony - Carcass: Surgical Steel
Such an awesome album cover. I have memories seeing them live and them using the album cover of all the surgical tools as a video backdrop with some amazing effects for extra impact. Would love to do that some day for Hands of Attrition.
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?
Dale - Got to be water, safe option I know but it’s about survival and sometimes being level headed isn’t a bad thing in situations.
Jay B - Monster. I live on the stuff. Cos when you need to find extra energy to smash some fucking coconuts you'll want to down a Pipeline Punch (always have a stash close by!)
Jay D - Foster's Super Chilled...well, you wouldn't want a warm beer would you?
Anthony - Guinness Draft (Has to be draught)
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?
Dale - Mastodon t shirt which depicts a purple octopus. They are my favourite sea animal and also very clever at getting out of situations and adapting so maybe I could draw some inspiration from the shirt and survive for longer or adapt to where I become one with the island.
Jay B - Too many to choose, but I'd probably say Corrosion of Conformity. It has an awesome fist emblem on the front and the classic CoC logo on the back. Been a fan of the band for many years - when I finally saw them in 2018 it remains one of my favourite gigs still to this day.
Jay D - My Bananarama life jacket, I never leave home without it.
Anthony - Black Sabbath 02 Academy 19/05/2022. What a surreal experience this was. Being in my hometown seeing Black Sabbath play a one off intimate gig as a warm up show. This merch item means so much more than just a band t-shirt.
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?
Dale - Two answers haha, my partner and kids because of course if I didn’t say this then whoops! Other than that I’d say let’s give it a shot as a band. We know each other well and sod it we could create music from shrapnel/ findings across the island. Maybe metal would be a stretch but we could do some kind of island equivalent I am sure.
Jay B - Aside from my loved ones I'd probably say Bill Bailey. You know he'd fashion some musical instruments out of shit lying on the beach, provide insightful thoughts and anecdotes and ultimately make you laugh to pass the time.
Jay D - Chris Cornell
Anthony - My family. Nobody else.
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?
Dale - Rammstein LIFAD Tour - Sensing a theme here yet 
.
From start to finish they provide a show not just a gig. The choreography, the fire, the drama it’s a while show and the LIFAD was the first outdoor gig I saw if there’s. When Till walks out with a lightbulb in his mouth dressed as a clown butcher. That memory will stick in my brain everytime I hear Rammleid !
Jay B- I'll have to say Metallica's 1989 show in Seattle (from Live Shit Binge & Purge). God knows how many times I'd play this show through and play bass along to it when I was first learning. Very early on Cliff Burton and Jason Newsted were heavy influences on me. Cliff with his technique and Jason with his stage presence. I'd quite happily listen back to this time and time again, reminiscing and enjoying the badass setlist. And Justice For All (the song) is a beast!
Jay D - Plastic Ono Band - Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (side 2)
Anthony - Linkin Park Download 2007 in the end, Being there at age 16 seeing the plane roar over the top of the main stage as the piano outro played was just a surreal moment. The timing was impeccable and even Chester Bennington made a comment "that's fucking cool right there". It sounds almost made up but I was there. I lived it.
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?
Dale - Gary Numan! He can fly and has planes… too logical or a brilliant answer? That is up for debate.
Jay B - Sending out an SOS.. Sting is the obvious answer, right?
Jay D - Stevie Wonder
Anthony - Any decent human being that would actually act on it. Although if it washes up on a beach somewhere you know it's going to be recycled so what's the point.
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?
Dale - I am the drummer so let’s face it I go first I assume haha.
Jay B - Fingers could quite easily be pointed at the resident bassist, but I would argue there's not enough meat on my bones to keep people going. If Bill Bailey is on the island, can we not make him the sacrifice? Might be a little hairy and herbal though..
Jay D - Ant, I just think with some black pepper, paprika and oregano he'd taste delicious!
Anthony - Me I guess.
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?
Dale - Christoph Schneider - Rammstein Drummer… He shaped my early years when creating music as he always had the ability to change the tempo of the songs, the groove, the feel just hey his playing alone. He in my eyes is a master of serving the song instead of show boating and making the drums full on all the time. For me he shaped my playing and development to provide the sijg what it needs and then add my own flare thereafter.
Jay D - Robert Palmer
Anthony - I can't pinpoint anyone that has influenced me. I guess I don't really idolise people. I tend to go with my gut. In terms of influence musically it has to be Toni Iommi.
