HI THERE THANKS FOR ANSWERING SOME QUESTIONS FOR US.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW ALBUM/ PROJECT?
So we have just released our first album, Shovel Butcher. It's been years in the making and has taken countless failed attempts but we finally made it. You can download it for free at https://bangover.bandcamp.com or purchase a physical copy at https://bangover.bigcartel.com
WHAT INSPIRED ANY CENTRAL THEMES ON THE ALBUM?
There are a multitude of themes! The artwork is inspired by the last track, Shovel Butcher. It's based on the story of our old vocalist who whilst in a school assembly had to listen to an ex prison inmate talk about the sad demise of a friend he met whilst inside. Without going into too much detail, this friend disrespected a rival gang and they replied by decapitating him with a shovel and, well, having their jolly wicked way with the remains. We always thought it was the perfect story to deliver to a class of year 7 students – if that doesn’t keep you on the straight and narrow then nothing will.
Notable other themes include drinking yourself nearly to death, killing our old vocalist, a song in which (almost) every line is a palindrome, Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia and the importance of flossing. Ever since guitarist Jack gained infamy in the fields of Derbyshire at Bloodstock Open Air by wearing a toothpaste costume, oral hygiene has been a prominent theme of the band.
HOW LONG DID YOU SPEND RECORDING?
All in all it took about two and a half weeks, all recorded at The Parlour Studios (www.parlourstudios.co.uk). As I mentioned earlier however, this was not our first attempt. We tried doing things on the cheap and ended up with a catalogue of poor quality recordings and half finished projects. You get what you pay for in life and Parlour were exceptional to work with.
HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT THE SONGWRITING PROCESS?
So the music is primarily written by Jack (guitarist) and then everyone chimes in and we all contribute to create the final piece. Andreas (vocalist) writes the majority of the lyrics but once again we all trade off each other. Its difficult getting the balance correct in a band – everyone wants it to be an equal split but songs also have to be cohesive and structured. It took a few lineup changes to get that but we have a good balance now.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE TRACK FROM THE ALBUM?
Personally I (Jack) love Floss or Die the most. I think it fully encapsulates the Bangover spirit and has a little bit of everything.
WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES?
Slayer, Exodus, Anthrax, Testament, Iron Maiden, Priest, Evile, Gama Bomb, All the german thrash bands), Suicidal Angels
HOW DID YOU FORM THE BAND?
We met in 2011 on the now deceased www.ukthrash.co.uk. We spoke for sometime and quickly realised we had a shared vision musically. At the time it was a little awkward as I didn’t ask the other guys ages. I was 21 and they were 14 and 15 which was a surprise when we met for the first time. It all turned out fine though!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE STARTING OUT?
Find something musically that gives you enjoyment and pursue that. There are so many bands out there now – the metal scene is insanely saturated with talent. Never get sucked into the black hole of competitiveness. The moment you start judging your success on how you compare to others is the moment it all goes south (of heaven…SLAYER!).
WHAT IS NEXT?
We just want people to hear our music and hopefully enjoy it. Booking some more shows, some tours and hopefully one day returning to bloodstock would be amazing.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD –
Never forget to floss, or you’ll die.
Bangover is a thrash metal band from London.
Andreas Morelli (Lead Vocals), Jack Taylor (Guitar + Backing Vocals), ScottGrimble (Guitar + Backing Vocals), Alex Comley (Bass + Backing Vocals) and Marco Remarkable (Drums)