Bloodstock Bound: Archaea

Bloodstock Bound: Archaea

As Bloodstock gets closer, we delve deep into the line up to find out more about some of the bands playing the New Blood and EMP stages at this years event.

Today we chat with Archaea

Please introduce yourselves.

To introduce ourselves:

· Dave Morgan: Lead Vocals
· Alex Harris: Guitars & Backing Vocals
· Lewis Crosby: Guitars
· Peter Mansfield: Bass & Backing Vocals
· Cal Deaves: Drums

As a band, we hail from Merseyside, with Lewis and Alex based on the Wirral. Pete, Dave and Cal are over in Liverpool. Originally, Dave is from Barrow-In-Furness, and Alex moved to Merseyside 12 years ago from sunny Kent. Fun fact – he actually goes way back with the lead vocalist of Vampyra – this year’s winners of M2tM Kent. We’ve been following each other’s Masses’ progress and are now looking forward to a celebratory beer at the campsite!

How would you describe your sound?

We’re a hybrid of a heavy metal band with some hard rock and more recently, metalcore undertones. We’ve been described as an “accessible” metal band – this, combined with our energy and power onstage, makes us stand out (or so we’ve been told!) We like to think we’re a very dynamic band, with highs and lows popping out from everywhere. We go from melodic, clean and subtle to 100% full tilt very abruptly. Our music has the balance of punchy riffs, melodic solos, killer breakdowns and catchy lyrics. We take a lot of time to write our songs to make sure each piece has its own personality that can stand on its own and not just be a filler song in an album.

How did you land your spot on the Bloodstock bill?

We won the Merseyside Metal to the Masses competition.

How tough was this years competition?

Incredibly tough – the final ended up being a huge event which showcased virtually every band who competed across the competition. This served as a reminder of the quality throughout. The final itself came down to four bands – each completely different and incredible in their own right. It was an incredible event put on by some of the most dedicated people we’ve had the pleasure of working with.

What does playing at Bloodstock mean to you?

Playing Bloodstock is the culmination of all our hard work and bolsters our faith in the live music scene. It truly means absolutely everything. It’s an enormous achievement for us, and we worked so hard and put everything we had into winning M2tM. We’re extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished and even more proud that we get to represent our region as the ambassadors from Merseyside. Also, congrats to all at Bloodstock for hitting 25 years; here’s to 25 more!

For people who’ve never seen you live, what can they expect at Bloodstock?

Energetic. Melodic. Hard-hitting, catchy and unrelenting.

We hit the stage hard and showcase not only heavy headbanging riffs but soaring shreddy solos, mixed with powerful singing and even more powerful screaming – throw in a cohesive and tight rhythm section – and we are quite the force to be reckoned with. What people aren’t really going to get from simply listening to our tracks, or even the live session tracks (we had to stay incredibly still with the headphones on), is the energy we bring to the stage. We’re excited to be there when we’re on stage, and we think it shows.

Hopefully it’s contagious, and we’re not to be missed.

What day are you performing?

We are performing on Friday, on the New Blood Stage!

What other bands are you looking forward to watching at Bloodstock this year?

There are so many talented bands across the festival, but to name a few:
Lamb of God, Body Count, Party Cannon, Battlesnake, Orbit Culture, Vended, Black Label Society, Saxon, Judas Priest, Evil Scarecrow, Testament, Bleed From Within & Wailing Banshee & Sellsword. Plus, we’re looking forward to checking out as many bands on the New Blood stage as we can!

Playing the New Blood Stage is just the first steppingstone in a bands journey. What’s next in your plans for world domination?

We’re working on finishing some new songs with a view to getting back into the studio by the end of this year – for our next release in 2027. We have a number of songs which we have been rotating into our recent setlists which haven’t been officially released yet, so we’re excited to get these recorded. (Some you’ll hear on the New Blood stage!) Also, plans to expand our merch line, more gigs, invest in our stage show, behind-the-scenes clips, gig documentaries, elevate our stage craft, gear upgrades and more!

Are you camping with the fans? Which campsite are you heading for?

Through M2tM we’ll be at artist camping, so we’ll be there for the full event!

You’ve gotta keep hydrated at Bloodstock, what is your drink of choice for the weekend?

Dave: Whatever lager is cheapest.

Alex: Lots of water, interspersed with crispy pints.

Lewis: Any good beers I can find!

Pete: I love drinking cider; however, I always have to keep water or a bottle of Coke nearby! Cal: Beer, lots of berry-flavoured Volvic and a cheeky Dr. Pepper from time to time!

See you at Bloodstock in a few weeks!

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