Razor Sharp Death Blizzard Interview

By RingMaster Review on September 14, 2020 • ( 0 )

Hi and thank you for sparing time to chat with us.

Hi Pete

Could you first introduce yourself and tell us how it came the band came to be?

I’m Daz. I play guitar and do backing vocals in Razor Sharp Death Blizzard. I played bass on Jamie’s (vocals) old band’s last tour and we decided to make jaggy noise together after that.

How would you define not only your sound but the creative character of the band?

Fuck that’s a hard one. Political metal? Sludgy doom punk ? God knows ??? Creatively if we like the riff and it works for all of us then nothing’s off the table. If people would sort their shit out we could get back to singing about wizards, castles and shit.

Are there any previous musical experiences for band members and how have they been embraced in what you do now?

Yeah we all have experiences of being in other bands. Me and Jamie are old cunts so we have loads of bad experiences. You use those experiences to make the band better. As you get older you realise you need all the people in the band to be on board…Carrying hangers on kills creativity and harmony.

Is there a particular process to the band’s songwriting?

Usually I stockpile riffs then take them into rehearsal and we work through them. Lately some of it has come organically in the rehearsal room. Liam(drums) never stops fucking playing drums so I’ll jam along and see where it takes us. Vocals usually come later when Jamie arrives.

Would you tell us about your latest release?

It’s called The World Is Fucked. We recorded it at Foel Studios in Wales with Chris Fielding (Conan) making us sound amazing again. It took 4 years longer to release than it should have. We changed drummer after we recorded You Will Burn (first album) and then the last 2 years trying to get the new album together with a bass player who didn’t want to be there. We replaced him with Ross (bass) and started from scratch. I think we made a good album.

What are the major inspirations to its heart and themes?

I guess the theme is depressingly angry as fuck with a touch of bleak. Both me and Jamie have had mental health issues so I guess that and the state of the world has shaped the narrative. But there is a song about choke wanking so all is not lost.

I am always intrigued as to how artists choose track order on albums and EP’s and whether in hindsight they would change that. What has been the deciding factor for you or do songs or the main do that organically?

On the first album I had a dream and the running order was written down and when I woke up I wrote it down. We had rough demos of The World Is Fucked and I had the running order pretty much nailed before we started rehearsing the whole album as a set.

What do you find the most enjoyable part of being in a band and similarly the most cathartic?

For me I love being on tour with these guys. We are all on the same scary inappropriate wavelength. We probably should have a responsible adult with us but fuck it, you only live once. This band is the ultimate cathartic experience.

For anyone contemplating checking you out live give some teasers as to what they can expect.

I’ve been told we’re fucking intense live. I don’t know about any of that. I’m usually concentrating on not fucking up or having a heart attack.

What has been your most thrilling moment on stage to date?

For me one of the best experiences was a show we played in Paris. We played it as a 3 piece as Jamie had to fly home after a festival in Switzerland. We hadn’t slept in 2 days and didn’t think we were getting to play the club due to a noise curfew. The owner let us play our full set and the place was fucking insane.

Do you have live shows planned even in this time when no one knows when gigs can properly return?

At this moment in time we only have one gig in the diary…2nd October in Edinburgh. Thank Covid 19 for destroying live music lol.

What else can we expect from Razor Sharp Death Blizzard in the near future?

Hopefully we will be allowed to rehearse soon so we can start working on new music. Obviously the album came out on 17th July so getting out and touring it would be great.

What are the major inspirations to you sound wise and as a musician?

For me I grew up on AC/DC and Iron Maiden but it was bands like Sepultura and Biohazard that resonated most. Guitar tone wise I loved the early Prong stuff . That’s how I ended up using the valvestate Marshall’s.

And finally what song or release would you say was the spark to your passion for music?

The song that lit the fire for me was AC/DC Riff Raff. I bought the If You Want Blood album in Woolworths in Fort William. My family was on holiday and I’d seen the cover and had to have it. I knew then that I wanted to play guitar badly for the rest of my life. R.I.P. Malcolm

Many thanks once again; anything else you would like to add?

Ah….yeah. Yes, look after yourselves, buy our album and if you’re going to be a cunt…… be a good cunt. Also…..fuck Carol Baskin.