Bloodstock Bound: Iron Altar
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 Jägermeister stages at this years event.
Today we chat with Iron Altar!
The Razor's Edge: Please introduce yourself and your band mates.
Iron Altar:Hey Razor's Edge, this is Linz the drummer from Iron Altar (Edinburgh, Scotland).
As a band we are: Andrew (Vocals), Neil (Guitars/Vocals), Dan (Guitars), Greg (Bass), Linz (Drums)
The Razor's Edge: How would you describe your style of metal?
Iron Altar: I think we land somewhere between progressive, sludge and death metal. We take inspiration from a bunch of different styles and sub-genres. We have a pretty wide spread of influences as a band, but honestly it's just interesting heavy music and we try not to pigeonhole ourselves too much. We want to play riffs and push ourselves as musicians and create something cool.
The Razor's Edge: How did you land your spot on the Bloodstock bill?
Iron Altar: We've got a new record coming out soon and reached out to Simon Hall and he was into it. He finally caved in to Dan's emails and offered us a slot. Cheers Simon!
The Razor's Edge: What does playing at Bloodstock mean to you?
Iron Altar: Not gonna lie, it's a big deal. It's definitely been something we've wanted to do since the band got together. We've had friends step up their game and play the Sophie stage in the last few years which is inspiring (shout out to Dog Tired + King Witch). It means a lot to us to get the chance to play his year.
The Razor's Edge: For people who’ve never seen you live, what can they expect at Bloodstock?
Iron Altar: Intense riffs. Beer. Beards. Hopefully we push the envelope and have got something that will resonate with a bunch of people.
The Razor's Edge: What day are you performing?
Iron Altar: We're headlining the Jager Stage on Sunday night. Just before Megadeth I believe.
The Razor's Edge: What other bands are you looking forward to watching at Bloodstock this year?
Iron Altar: So many. Quick personal list: Meshuggah (ft. the GOAT Tomas Haake), Employed to Serve, Urne, Crowbar, Gatecreeper, Bossk, Casketfeeder, Tuskar and Frozen Soul (if we're down in time). Looking forward to hooking up with the other Jager stage bands too, and shout out to fellow Edinburgh band Extort for winning the Scottish leg of M2TM.
The Razor's Edge: Playing the Jager Stage is just the first stepping stone in a bands journey. What’s next in your plans for world domination?
Iron Altar: Our new album 'Promethean' is out 29th September on Trepanation Recordings, 3 singles and a music video will be out in the buildup to that. We recorded with Lewis Johns (Conjurer/Employed to Serve/Rolo Tomassi) at tail end of 2022 and are so happy to finally get to release and tour what we think is a killer record. We're playing a bunch of shows around the UK and heading to Ireland again, alongside a couple of other festivals this summer. We want to step it up and do as much as we can next year too, we worked long and hard on the new stuff. Hopefully people are into the album and it opens up some more possibilities.
The Razor's Edge: Are you camping with the fans? Which campsite are you heading for?
Iron Altar: I think we may be split between general camping with mates and VIP. I believe Dan might be sleeping in the shrubs next the toilet block but will confirm later.
The Razor's Edge: How many Jager shots will you be consuming over the weekend?
Iron Altar: Yes.
The Razor's Edge: See you at Bloodstock in a few weeks!
Iron Altar: Thanks man, appreciate it. Catch you there.
