Meet Under The Sky, the South Coast Melodic Deathcore collective making a strong impression within their city. Their career as a unit may well be in its infancy, but it’s already a journey that has been moving at full speed as the band grind to the bone. Since the project’s inception in 2022 the Southampton five piece have moved from strength to strength, climbing the ladder of the city’s grassroots circuit and delivering an impressive live show on some of the county’s most prestigious stages. Their first release Ashes In The Wind provides an impressive debut offering in the form of a 5 track EP – with tracks ‘Swan’ and ‘For What It’s Worth’ quickly becoming staple favorites among a rapidly growing fanbase. Our only criticism is that it could always get heavier – and that’s exactly what the band are promising with a fresh release cycle already rumored online.
The year’s touring schedule is already in full effect, with the bands largest headline show to date counting down at Southampton Joiners on the 27th of this month, and the final single from the record ‘Tortured Pneuma’ announced for global release via SpaceUntravel this coming weekend. Big things are truly on the horizon, and watching an entire community becoming equally fascinated by a relatively new ensemble leaves a distinct air of intrigue around what they might bring to the table next.
We caught up with the band to discuss the impending headline performance, when to expect new music and what motivates Under The Sky during the creative process.
For those that haven’t come across the band before, what’s your origin story? What brought Under The Sky together initially?
“We’re all at the University of Southampton, Leo made a Facebook post in a society group chat which Ed and Ethan responded to. We got to know Henry and Dipen through RockSoc and that completed our line-up. From there we started rehearsing at Ethan’s house, where we practiced covers for open mic nights, before writing our own material.”
“Ashes In The Wind” is an impressive offering as a debut – is there a particular topic that inspired the record as a whole?
Ed: “Thank you! In my opinion, music and poetry go hand-in-hand and I love poetry just as much as music. Ashes in The Wind is a philosophical exploration of pain and death. It has been a great way to express the ideas I’ve been wrestling with for a long time. The lyrics explore the melancholy of musing on death, but find solace in embracing its inevitability. Each song on the EP is written from a different perspective and attempts to evoke a unique feeling in the listener. There is a strong feeling of nihilism in the EP which is a result of the narrator’s failure to find the meaning which they desperately seek. I think that it is important to question ideas and feelings through art. Writing the lyrics for Ashes in The Wind has helped me to answer a few of the heavy questions that I have been wrestling with for much of my life and I hope that listeners find similar respite in our music.”
If each member had to choose their favorite track from the record, what would it be and why?
“Overall, our favorite track is Swan. There are some melodies we’re really proud of, and the lyrics explore pain openly and honestly. Leo’s performance on the chorus makes this song a real highlight on Ashes, you can hear a cold emptiness in his high screams which really gives the track that favour.”
2022 has been a busy year for you, have there been any highlights that you can pick out right now?
“The highlight this year has been seeing how far we’ve come, with an EP released, a headline show at the Heartbreakers in Southampton, and loads of memories made. We’re all really grateful for a successful year, and we can’t wait for what’s next.”
You guys played a huge headline show at Southampton Joiners earlier last month. Talk to us about that – did it live up to your expectations?
Ethan: “Honestly the show was better than I could’ve ever expected. The atmosphere was great and the support bands were amazing. Getting back up on the stage at The Joiners was magic for me, as a local musician I’ve always considered it a pinnacle of Southampton’s live circuit. I was really flattered at the turnout, it was a really busy night and I was really happy to spot people wearing our hoodies and t-shirts. As always, I’m super proud of us, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
Dipen: “Playing at The Joiners was a surreal experience. Playing this gig felt like the next big step for us, and we are ready to take it to the next level. It was incredible to see all the people who came out to watch us play live and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off 2023. I’m looking forward to see what comes next for us.”
Ed: “Playing the Joiners has been a goal for us since we started gigging, to play a headline there with such an awesome crowd was a great experience. We’ll be carrying the momentum from the show into 2023.”
Leo: “Joiners is a place that I wanted to play since moving to Southamtpon. I saw one of my favourite bands there a few months ago and I feel blessed with the opportunity that only a few months later I got to stand on that same stage. The energy was amazing through the entire show and I am grateful to everyone who showed up as well as my band mates and all the other bands who played. A lot of effort went into organising this and I’m very happy to hear that people in the audience had a great time. Definitely lived up to my expectations if not exceeding them.”
What about the rest of 2023? What have you guys got planned for another year?
“We will be playing a lot more gigs outside of Southampton. We’re also working on some new music so keep an eye out for that.”
Are there any specific festivals or events that you guys have your eye on? Where are you hoping to hit during your touring cycle?
“We would love to play Bloodstock, if we’re lucky Metal To The Masses might take us there. I think we would all be excited to play any festival to be honest, it’s not something we have had the chance to do yet.”
Let’s talk about new music. What inspires you to create?
“For us, inspiration comes from evoking emotion. Lyrics aside, we love making instrumental passages that can sound brutal, or melancholic, or powerful. We’re all between the ages of 19-21, so we’ve got a long way to come in terms of learning how to translate ideas into music, but that’s our biggest source of drive whenever we work towards a new song.”
Where do you see yourselves in 5 years time? Are you guys in this for the long run?
“We’re certainly in it for the long run, we all have a strong drive to make music and grow our band. In 5 years it would be great to play some big festivals and tour internationally. By then, we will have a couple more albums out and established a strong identity as part of the UK metal scene.”
If you had to sum up Under The Sky’s live show in three words – what would you choose?
“Energy, Chaos, Intensity.”