DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Dwelled
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 Dwelled 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?
Matt W: Son I Loved You At Your Darkest by As Cities Burn. The whole album is a journey and to this day ACB are still one of my all time favourite bands. That album got me through some darker days growing up and really inspired my early days as a musician. It helped shape me into a better writer and made me consider the overall journey I wanted to take the listener on when creating music.
Sam: For me it’s “The Chainheart Machine” by Soilwork. I've been listening to this album for 20+ years and it’s still just as incredible. This album is what got me fully hooked on metal, and at one point genuinely saved my life. Pure Gothenburg sound - I can happily listen to it on repeat over and over.
Matt T: It’s a bit of a surprising choice: 21st Century Breakdown by Green Day. While it’s not the album that first got me into metal, it’s the one that kept me passionate about drumming when I was younger. It also brings back memories of my very first gig, seeing Green Day at just 8 years old at Old Trafford Cricket Club 2010. Every listen takes me right back to that unforgettable experience.
Louis: White Pony by Deftones. This album shaped my entire musical journey when it came out. It shifted me from just heavy to heavy with complex emotions. Absolute perfection from the songwriting to the production.
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?
Matt W: Backstreet Boys Self-titled album cover. Gotta have something to keep us motivated to practice our dance moves.
Sam: Casually Dressed And Deep In Conversation by Funeral For A Friend - one of my all time favourite albums, and the cover is awesome - it’s a piece of art in itself.
Matt T: I have the cover of Immortal by Lorna Shore framed on my wall - I love it that much. The dark, atmospheric vibe of the artwork really resonates with me. Plus, this album inspired me to learn the heel-toe technique to master those blazing fast double kicks. The artist behind it, Caelan Stokkermans, has done incredible work for so many other killer bands like The Acacia Strain, Distant, and I AM.
Louis: The cover of Deep Blue by Parkway Drive. I love the connection to the ocean as it speaks to my interests outside music which involves waterworks. It's also a wicked album.
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?
Matt W: Gotta be Monkey Shoulder. Sipping whisky and listening to some country music - although I wouldn’t have any country music so I’d probably be sobbing to my album of choice because it’s so depressing.
Sam: Gotta be Monster Mango Loco - as bad as it is for you, this stuff is Satan’s nectar.
Matt T: An ice cold Dr Pepper. It just hits differently.
Louis: I'm all about craft IPA. My favourite is Summer Crush by New Bristol Brewery. I can't grow a beard so this is my personality.
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?
Matt W: Probably my Starved hoody because it’s way too big for me so would double up as a sleeping bag. It’s also a stunning hoody and we bloody loved the Starved chaps.
Sam: I’ve got an In Flames hockey shirt that’s super rare and looks sick. I reckon chilling on Devil’s Island wearing that would be pretty sweet.
Matt T: It’s got to be my Pulse hoodie. A killer design and it’s super comfy too. Perfect for chilling on the island and repping the boys!
Louis: My Spite t-shirt. I don't wear it often so it stays looking good. I don't even know why. I just love it's design and it reminds me of seeing them live. Absolute rage from them. It's hard to describe without seeing them.
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?
Matt W: Bob Ross (if he was still alive of course). Hang out on the beach, painting the scenery.
Sam: Someone handy - Bear Grylls, maybe? Fashion a boat and get me the hell out of here!
Matt T: WILSONNNNN!
Louis: Literally anyone else. ANYONE ELSE. (Love you guys).
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?
Matt W: Linkin Park from like… 2008 I think? I was lucky enough to see them on the Minutes to Midnight tour. They played Hybrid Theory, Meteora and some of the newer singles at the time. Absolutely blew my mind. Chester is the main reason I wanted to sing so I’m super grateful I got to experience that show.
Sam: Architects at Manchester Academy, 12th November 2016. This was their first tour after Tom Searle’s passing so emotions were heightened. To be stood in that crowd and scream the words to every track along with everyone else was a privilege, the best show I’ve ever been to. I still get goosebumps every time I rewatch videos of it, so a full live recording would be awesome to have.
Matt T: Gojira at the Manchester Apollo on July 1, 2019 - what an unreal experience. I was right up front at the barrier, and I can still feel the impact of Mario’s toms; they sounded like cannons going off! When they played Clone, my favourite Gojira track, I had pure goosebumps. This show left me so inspired, filling me with a renewed drive to pursue my drumming career… and probably a little bit of hearing loss too!
Louis: Raging Speedhorn live from Manchester Academy 2 on their co-headline tour with Ill Niño in 2002. That show was just insane energy. A golden era of heavy music IMHO. Uninhibited and no social media content creation. These bands had to run fully on live reputation, and they did it in a spectacular way.
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?
Matt W: Craig Reynolds from Stray from the Path. He just seems like he’s got shit figured out and he could rescue us from an island. ’Save me, Craig!’
Sam: The guys from Parkway Drive. Seem like decent dudes who’d help you out, and they love the sea (inserts clip of the Karma music video)
Matt T: Message to Gojira: You guys communicate with whales, so think you could send one to pick me up?
Louis: A message to Mastodon. I reckon they know how to handle the seas, leviathans and sea monsters.
You've been stuck here 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?
Matt W: To be honest, I’d probably sacrifice myself because I would be a NIGHTMARE to live with on an island and I would probably have eaten all the food.
Sam: I’m eating Matt T, he’ll have spoken non-stop about blast beats, bpm’s, gigabells and more. No other choice but to get him on the chopping block to have a bit of quiet (love you really bro).
Matt T: I’d have to go for all three. Sam’s only small, so he’s the starter, Matt W is the hearty main course, and Louis makes the perfect dessert!
Louis: I'm the chunky one…..so I'm on the table aren't I?
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?
Matt W: Noah Sebastian of Bad Omens. We’re a similar age and there would be a lot of free time on an island to have some good conversations and share vocal techniques/secrets. I reckon he would be a chill guy to hang out with.
Sam: Tom Searle (RIP) from Architects. A genre defining musician, who wrote some of the best modern metal songs. I met him a few times and he was always friendly and humble - how more people should be. His approach to guitar changed the way I played, and I’ll always revisit the Architects back catalogue for inspiration.
Matt T: Joey Jordison (RIP), drummer of Slipknot - I wish I’d had the chance to meet him, but he’s the reason I, along with so many others, became a metal drummer. I’ll never forget watching The Heretic Anthem live from London on Kerrang for the first time and thinking, “How are his feet going that fast?!”. In interviews and drum talks, he was always so polite and funny, and I try to carry that same attitude every day.
Louis: Fred Durst. He's living life in the fast lane, not giving a ****, living it up.
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