Guitarist Chris Pritchard wanted to reassure us that “Blood Youth will always sound like Blood Youth. The main writers are still in the band. Harry’s taken on the task of moulding himself to us. He’s been a big Blood Youth fan from the Closure EP. He understands where we come from, our fans, and what we’re about. He doesn’t want to jar that, he wants to add to it and make it more Blood Youth. That was really refreshing.”
Their most recent album ‘Visions Of Another Hell’ which dropped October 1st via Rude Records is indicative of the new direction they want to move in – “way more fast, way more heavy, way more speed metal…complicated patterns. Starve was more groove orientated, this is more just aggressive and experimental.” With all of the tracks recorded before the departure of previous vocalist Kaya Tarsus (who parted ways with the band on good terms), the album is a fitting send off and the further end of an era, marking the closing of one chapter and the opening of another. Invariably though, they’ll wanting to be getting in the studio to make some new music with Harry soon but fans can rest assured they’re going to “make sure it doesn’t sound too different.”
“Blood Youth will always sound like Blood Youth”
So far though, Harry’s “been killing it” according to Chris. “He’s adapting himself from one world which is massively different to our world. This is a new dynamic….Harry comes from a world of dirt and gruel and sweat. Really heavy stuff. So he brings a much heavier vibe to the band….and the range that he has. He can do it all….” And his vocal style certainly fits with their new direction. “We’ve been speaking about getting something out in time for February, just a little something…but we don’t wanna force it…if it comes, it comes.” February is the band’s next big tour, when they’ll be hitting larger venues such as Rebellion and Underworld. When we caught up with Chris it was coming off the back of a small, intimate tour of low capacity venues up and down the country. Chris described the tour as “challenging” at times but also fun. “We’ve been hitting some of these places for the first time. Chester, Cardiff, Bournemouth…” The choice of smaller venues in smaller towns was deliberate. “Hit these smaller venues, get some local diehard fans from the intimate shows who will then come to the big ones. It’s a whole tactic.” It’s actually something Chris has been wanting to do for “many many years” but now seemed like the perfect opportunity to break the new members in slowly. “That’s why we went along and did it…dust off the cobwebs, let everyone find their own feet.”
In terms of the audience reception to the new lineup, Chris said it had been “nothing but positive feedback” although some fans clearly came to scrutinise. Chris described them as “the calmies” who stand at the back and “want to observe and see what’s different”, it was that demographic they began to win over with each night of the tour. “You can see them singing along to the words but they’re at the back.”
It’s been something of a baptism of fire for the band in general. “We’ve kind of been forced into adapting as we played our last show with Kaya at Slam Dunk then about a week later came into this tour. We had about a week to prep…it’s been a challenge for him and our new drummer. But they’re doing super well. I can only imagine that when we’re actually given months off…once we’ve got legit time to actually prep and have full production…it’s just gonna be a world of difference.”
“Harry comes from a world of dirt and gruel and sweat”
After such a big gap from touring due to the pandemic though, Chris told us it’s been “nice to get out there” although the tour wasn’t without its challenges. “Some promoters across the venues have been shitbags…that’s just the nature of these smaller tours…We’ve literally had to ring up personally and be like ‘why haven’t you paid us’, but other than that the shows have been really fun. It’s been a building process. We’re constantly building and when we get some time off to really ground ourselves and focus on the new individuals and the dynamic it’ll be really nice to hit the new tours and festivals with a solid working environment, all the gears running normally.”
And hopefully a bunch of new fans they’ve recruited on the small tour too.
The band are taking every new opportunity and running with it and are hoping to jump on some festival dates for the summer. “We’re waiting on offers. Everything’s from the previous year” [because of COVID]. “We’re kind of at the starting gate waiting to see if anyone drops’ off. It’s gonna be tricky but it’ll all slot back into place eventually.”
Before then though, fans will have the new album play on repeat and the upcoming February headline tour. The new era of Blood Youth is only just beginning.