Bloodstock Bound: Warpstormer
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 Warpstormer
The Razor's Edge: Please introduce yourself and your band mates.
Warpstormer: In the grim darkness of the 3rd millennium, there is only WARPSTORMER:
I’m Adam and I cover guitar duties. The band started as a recording project by Richard (vox/songwriting) – he wrote the first EP and enlisted Green Lung’s Scott Black to help out on the guitar. Simon joined shortly after on bass and then finally myself and James (drums) completed the line-up, both joining in the same week just over a year ago. This formation has since been solidified in the recording of our first album, which features all four of us on our respective instruments. We are very excited for people to hear it.
The Razor's Edge: How would you describe your sound?
Warpstormer: Stoner-thrash/speed-doom/sludge n’ roll – real amps, no click tracks, an ongoing existential crisis set to the biggest riffs we can cook up.
FFO: High On Fire/Mastodon/Doomriders
The Razor's Edge: How did you land your spot on the Bloodstock bill?
Warpstormer: We were in the process of finishing our debut album and decided to send off a few tracks to Simon at Bloodstock. He seemed to like them enough to offer us a slot on the EMP stage!
The Razor's Edge: What does playing at Bloodstock mean to you?
Warpstormer: The line-up speaks for itself really. Bloodstock is one of those festivals that accommodates the legendary bands that inspired us to play whilst also giving smaller, newer bands the chance to get involved. So to be playing on the same bill as Carcass and Opeth and yet knowing bands we’ve played alongside on the UK underground circuit, like Goblinsmoker and Flamebearer, will also be there is a massive deal for us. As other mainstream heavy-music festivals continue to drastically change as the years go by, the role Bloodstock plays for UK metal is more important than ever – we’re psyched to be a part of it!
The Razor's Edge: For people who’ve never seen you live, what can they expect at Bloodstock?
Warpstormer: We’re sitting on a new record and we will, of course, be playing a lot of it for Bloodstock. However, anybody who knows our debut EP will be pleased to hear a few of those tracks that have refused to leave the setlist since we started. We are definitely curating our set slightly to accommodate the Bloodstock fans and it will be a lot more in-your-face metal than some of the doomier sets we have done.
The Razor's Edge: What day are you performing?
Warpstormer: Sunday, and we aren’t clashing with Carcass!
The Razor's Edge: What other bands are you looking forward to watching at Bloodstock this year?
Warpstormer: Our pals Green Lung (Scott played guitar on our first EP while we were hunting for a full-time guitarist!) will be playing on the Friday – we’ll be playing a (very-poorly-kept) “secret” warm-up show with them down here in London the week before Bloodstock so it will be great to reunite with them in a field. In fact, that whole Friday on the Dio stage is an incredible line-up – we all love Hatebreed and Clutch and a few of us in the band are die-hard Opeth fans.
The Razor's Edge: Playing the EMP Stage is just the first steppingstone in a bands journey. What’s next in your plans for world domination?
Warpstormer: We’ve got a really cool run of shows over the summer in London, and are aiming to continue slowly expanding our radius out to anyone who’s willing to have us – we hope our recently-finished album will help with that; we’re currently in the process of finalising our plans for releasing it!
The Razor's Edge: Are you camping with the fans? Which campsite are you heading for?
Warpstormer: We’re still sorting our logistical plans around everyone’s real-life commitments, but at least some of us are gunna be lurking around the festival for the whole weekend!
The Razor's Edge: It’s festival weekend, what’s your food vendor of choice on site?
Warpstormer: I will be seeking out a hangover-milkshake at some point during the weekend
