After two decades of music, between quirky post-hardcore band Reuben and his more recent solo material, Jamie Lenman has certainly made a name for himself. Leading up to the release of his latest solo album and this year’s iteration of his own festival Lenmania we caught up to discuss his new album The Atheist.
Related: Jamie Lenman – The Atheist | Album Review
“Positive, Indie, Atheism.”
On the new album and live show you’ve brought in another guitarist Jen Hingley (False Advertising), how did that change the writing process for the album?
“It was actually the other way around, the tail wagging the dog in that instance. I wrote the record and recorded it before bringing Jen on board. All these songs had extra elements, if not a big guitar solo then definitely a bit of “jingly jangly” going on, I wanted to make it richer in that respect. You get those bands where the rhythm guitarist is holding it down and the lead guitarist is always doing something. I wanted to write a record like that and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to get that with just me and Jack [drummer Jack Wrench].
On the last three records it was mostly root notes on the bass so we could play everything live with just two people, maybe a little sample here or there but I knew we couldn’t do the new album with samples and I didn’t want to get into backing tracks, fuck that, the only way to conquer it was to bring in a whole extra player. That’s always a challenge logistically but Jen was a standout candidate, we already knew each other very well from touring together. We’d remained in contact since the tour we’d done with False Advertising, often you don’t, you’re best buddies crammed in a tin can for weeks and then completely lose touch, you can always tell who the good’uns are if they still answer your emails after so she was the obvious candidate!”
“That’s an easy one. It’s called ‘This Town Will Never Let Us Go’, from the second side of the album, just because it’s real contemplative. As much as I do like the positive stuff and I wanted to make a positive sounding album I do have a large strain of melancholy in me and I like listening to more thoughtful music. This track is where I really went for that, I went for the jugular on the melancholy. It’s kind of the soul of the record even though it’s at odds with the positive vibe. The record is funny, the first sort of half is six radio hits, it’s all sunny day and big smiles, the second side gets a little bit more introspective.”
The roots of hardcore have always been embedded in a dichotomy between positive empowerment and urbanite aggression. Granted, many an emerging band within the scene have forgone the positivity that bounded the sound in pursuits of musical violence in it’s most extreme form, but Going Off are going back to those roots with their latest single ‘More Love’. The second single to be taken from their upcoming debut long play What Makes You Tick? – due for release March 23rd via Church Road Records – the single combines the snarling and bludgeoning stylings of uncompromising modern hardcore with a message imploring self-love. Quite frankly, it’s a quick teeth cracking curb-stomp delivered with love and tenderness. Anyone with a penchant for acts such as Zulu and Speed will find plenty to adore here. – Dan Hillier
LA noisemongers Zulu have been making waves in hardcore for their bold fusion of the genre with powerviolence, pushing both into new and unfamiliar forms. The lead single from their hotly-anticipated debut album A New Tomorrow, ‘Fakin’ Tha Funk (You Get Did)’ exemplifies everything fans have come to love of the band. Offering scathing indictments of racism and structural inequality, it’s not just tonally heavy as it unloads its full-bore assault on eardrums for a short but intense battering. Vocalist Anaiah Lei explains of the lyrics, “Everyone wants to be black, but nobody really wants to be black. People take from our culture, use our language and surround themselves with people from the culture which in turn makes them believe they are a part of it. Those that will benefit from it when people in our community are looked down upon for being how they were born.” – Will Marshall
Fresh from signing to MLVLTD, Guilt Trip have marked their arrival with an absolute stormer of a new single, ‘Tearing Your Life Away’. The Malevolence comparisons are always going to hang around, but the Manchester lads are a punkier, more in your face prospect than their labelmates. This is a track made for two stepping and crowd surfing, and the breakdown is nothing short of destructive. – Chris Earl
Piano-led alt-pop trio Exploring Birdsong have released their first new music since 2019, the single ‘Ever the Optimist’, that hints at expanding sonic horizons. Blending pop sensibilities with progressive influences, the trio eschew guitar to create something intricate and beautifully compelling. The band’s talent granted them the opportunity to co-write the song with Sir Paul McCartney, back during their university careers in 2018. Of the song, they say, “this is the song they took into the session and worked on with Sir Paul himself. It’s by far the poppiest song on the record and was the catalyst for centring our songs around synths as well as sole piano parts.” Expect big things from Exploring Birdsong, and expect them soon. – Will Marshall
Six years since HECK released critically acclaimed album Instructions and five excruciating years since their unfortunate split, they are thankfully back to fill the space only they can occupy. Off the back of two surprise performances at 2000 Trees Festival and a warmup show (in which they were billed as ‘Knuckles of Ice’) they have proven that there is no one that can substitute for their incendiary and self-destructive energy. ‘Static Noise; Mozart’ picks up where they left off with a sonic punch through the skulls of anyone who dares to listen. They have managed to capture the beautiful chaos once again in just over three minutes. ‘Static Noise: Mozart’ is anxiety in a bottle constantly threatening to explode and when it does it not only goes off, they flatten everything in a five mile radius. – Adam Vallely
Future metallers Lake Malice have been drip-feeding a steady stream of singles, gradually building a name for themselves as ones to watch in the UK scene. Blending electronics from trap beats to glitchier moments and nu-infused guitars, latest single ‘Black Turbine’ addresses the toxicity of codependent relationships and holding onto your own individuality and independence. Vocalist Alice Guala opens with a vicious roar atop a trap beat, while the chorus is a real earworm to get stuck in your head. Guitarist Blake Cornwall is up to his usual tricks, dropping a hammer of a riff all over the place especially in the second verse. The band paired it with a horror-tinged video, fast becoming their calling card. Together it cements them as a band firmly on the ascent, with a bold and creative vision for what the future of heavy music is. – Will Marshall
Pierce the Veil are back: ‘Pass the Nirvana’ earlier this year proved they still have teeth and ‘Emergency Contact’ shows they have grown wiser (and gone to therapy). ‘Emergency Contact’ builds with a slow acoustic into a mid-tempo song. Since it sits in the middle of their upcoming album, The Jaws Of Life, perhaps it will be a valley between mountains of howls. Although they still talk about revenge, like any emo band, they realize “[t]here’s no greater vengeance / Than learning to enjoy again”. Avenge yourself and enjoy this song. – Josiah Aden
If being carried by a stream amidst the night mist wrapped warmly in a burial shroud is your thing, check out Woods of Desolation’s new single ‘Illumination’. Its sparse atmospheric opening welcomes you into the current, and when the blast beats and black metal riffs join in, they are not abrasive, but peaceful. While there are no lyrics available as of the time of writing, the desperate vocals are nestled in the mix and serve to further the comforting atmosphere. ‘Illumination’ transports the listener. This is black metal sans hate; there is only peace and mild desperation, like a Sunday night at 8pm before Monday arrives. Woods of Desolation have crafted a song that sounds like life, and that’s what’s so good about “Illumination”. – Josiah Aden
Off the back of 2021’s critically acclaimed The Million Masks of God, Manchester Orchestra had some pieces that had not quite hit the cutting room floor left to share with the world. ‘No Rule’ luckily for us all has seen the light of day. Much like a ray of sunshine through morning curtains a delicate piano and plucked guitar accompany Andy Hull’s hushed and distinctive tones. This is beautiful poetry to the ear drums as the silken sounds flow throughout creating luscious soundscapes. Even though the lyrics tell a darker tale ‘No Rule’ will leave you with the warm and fuzzy feeling Manchester Orchestra always do best. – Adam Vallely
Brighton based label come recording studio, Small Pond, is as busy as ever. Not only do they consistently put out great records (see CLT DRP, Voronoi and Sugar Horse as a prime examples), record live sessions and run a studio day in day out, Vlad Matveikov (bass) and Dave Jackson (guitar) also have the time to put out a second record with their outfit InTechnicolour and sign the amalgamation of talent that is Skin Failure.
We got them together with Will Gardner (vocals for Skin Failure), Toby Stewart and Paul Stallan (guitars) to comment on each other’s music and peer into the antics that may occur on tour this month.
Toby: “Paul and Dave Larkin (bass) used to be in a band Kainoah.”
Will: “Quinoa!”
Toby: “Ha! Paul wanted to do something with Sam. I wanted to something with Dave so we said let’s all get in a garage and jam. It was just going to be a recording project but then became more.”
Will: “They had just finished demoing ‘Full Throttle Nothing pt2’ and they sent me some riffs and the demo and I was like ‘This is really good’. I couldn’t imagine myself doing it until I sent them over the shout of ‘Alright!’ and now I come down twice a month and sleep on old brown. *Gestures to sofa behind Paul on camera*”
Will: “I sent it to Vlad but thought the guys were so busy, they’ve got so much great stuff going on at the moment, I just didn’t think Dave & Vlad would have the time or capacity to pick us up but then…”
Vlad: “We didn’t! At the label there’s only a few of us working it. Dave is also busy with Delta Sleep. Will mentioned the record and we are thinking about ways of putting it out. We had a distributor in Brighton which I was going to pass the record onto and then I listened to the record. I didn’t want to send it to them! The guys wanted it out by Halloween but somehow, we brought ideas together for comic strip, message for your pals in Sugar Horse on the packaging. All these ideas were falling into place, and we couldn’t not do it.”
Dave: “I have always been a huge thrash metal fan. My birth into music was early Megadeth, Testament, Anthrax, always into something fast and heavy. Also it is funny to have Natalie Evans and Skin Failure on the same label as well, just to really confuse everybody.
Dave: “I think it helped it come out for sure haha! I don’t think it inspired me and Vlad but maybe Tobie (InTechnicolour vocalist). It was recorded in January 2020 before the first album came out. That’s what normal bands do right? Record two albums and put one out, right? But Tobie did finish his lyrics later which had darker themes and the artwork was inspired by dark times. It has got that moody eerie sludgy vibe to it too, so some elements maybe were inspired by that time.”
The South-West pop punk collective has taken many shapes over the course of their career, and a relentless touring schedule earning them a loyal fanbase nationwide. A collection of musical talent fronted by the bands sole lyricist and songwriter Joe Brewer, the band began an indefinite hiatus back in 2017 before emerging with regular online content over the course of 2021. Following a few stand alone live appearances, the band are firmly back in the saddle of the live circuit, and have already begun to hint that this is only the start of things to come.
In the last six months alone the newly formed Boycott (consisting of some of the south-wests finest session players) have embarked on two UK headline runs, opened for Cory Wells & Youth Fountain on the Bristol leg of their European tour and are now preparing for a final run of intimate dates across England & Wales starting next month with a newfound conviction and enough catharsis for any sized venue
We sat down with Joe to catch up on all things Boycott after a triumphant return:
In a festival first, Download will be hosting four days of live music in celebration of it’s 20th anniversary next year, with Bring Me The Horizon, Slipknot and Metallica – who will be playing two fully unique sets – headlining the weekend. On top of this, the festival has also announced a further 60 plus acts that celebrate the multi-generational appeal and focus of the legendary festival. Joining like of Metallica, Bring Me The Horizon and Slipknot are Alexisonfire, Architects, Disturbed, The Distillers, Ghost, Evanescence, Parkway Drive, Pendulum, Placebo, Fever 333, VV, Gwar, The Blackout and a massive assortment of acts who have helped forge the legacy of this now legendary festival.
On the subject of tonight’s announcement, Metallica state: “We are next-level honoured to once again come back and partake in the Download shenanigans on the hallowed grounds of Castle Donington, which has an unparalleled place in rock history. On top of that, to be able to share our double show format with two completely unique sets with no repeat songs for the first time ever in the U.K is way fuckin’ cool. Bring it on!”
Apart from the juggernauts topping the mammoth lineup, tonight’s announcement also boasts some of the best and freshest new talent from the global scene. Joining the bill tonight are the likes Pupil Slicer, Brutus, As December Falls, Graphic Nature, Soul Glo, Nova Twins, Kid Bookie, SiM, Crashface, Hawxx, Ingested, Lake Malice and loads others who are set to represent the best of the global underground and emerging scene. The festival will also be hosting new attractions next year too, with Download set to host a new megastore and much more in 2023.
“This year marks a huge milestone for Download, celebrating the incredible 20 years of the festival is no small feat”, says head organiser Andy Copping. “We really wanted to up the ante for this special anniversary, adding an extra day for the fans to experience the unforgettable lineup, that once again brings together unparalleled talent from the rock music world back to Donington Park.”
As always, Download Festival 2023 will take place at Donington Park, Castle Donington, between the 9th – 11th June 2023. Tickets and additional information can be found here. For the mean time though, check the full lineup thus far below.
