WEEK 234 – BaYat – PART II – THE INTERVIEW

My HeadBangers here I am back with the Interview. It came in about 2 hours after I had posted the first part. Sorry guys but, it’s worth the wait, and the time difference always effects us. When I got up this morning I didn’t even want to move but, the metal cat Snake made me lol. So I got my Lemon Water, tied my hair back in a pony tail and here I am. I want to thank Anton Hedberg at Rexius Records for contacting me about the band and putting me in touch with BaYat’s manager David Anthony Kitching who worked with me getting the questions answered and back to me, a big thanks to David, it was a pleasure working with him, I look forward to working with him in the future. OK let’s get to the Q&A provided by their Vocalist, Milos, aka M8. As always mine in blue and Milos is in black.

My first question is why the change with the band line-up? Did any of you know each other before the change? I am so bad at putting more than one question together, sorry about that, I’m working on it.

That is something that happened naturally and logically even though that is not that often. The previous lineup moved from almost 10 years of doing covers to the original band and with 2020. And everything that has been happening we ended up in different places, emotionally, in genre, in creativity so we decided to part ways.

The current lineup is completely new for everyone and Ghost (drums) and Z (Guitar) knew each other and I knew Johnny from before. Blitz was auditioned and he was a great addition to the band, I am really satisfied with how we work and sound together already. It feels like we have known each other for years now even though we got together recently.

BaYat was on the blog at Week 100, awhile I know, now for Week 234. At Week 100 I spoke to my readers a lot about the message I was getting through your music. Now that the line-up has changed is this going to change the music too?

Well, I feel like that we changed the sound a bit on this EP. The first album was different, nothing major but at least I can feel the difference. From the start, we had an idea of creating the trilogy, having the warnings on the first album and this EP that says that we ignored those warnings and that we need to start over. Initially 3rd one will be some sort of closure to this story and I always had in mind that it should be even rawer just more RnR. And with this line up I believe that we are on the right way. The new guys brought slightly different sounds but the point and foundations are the same.

I bought your new EP and I’m listening to the songs at this writing. What was your inspiration for these songs? I really am interested in learning about “So It Begins”. I love Wasted Land, but “So It Begins”, feels like you are pulling it right out of your heart/soul. What a great song to end the EP with.

Thanks, I’m glad you liked it.. Inspiration really comes from everyday experiences that surround us and the feelings that are created by those situations. “So It Begins” had its first version in 2016. but that idea never saw the light of the day. When we started this bend I found that one again and it fit perfectly in the ambiance and storyline. We did remodel it a bit and I have made some changes to my earlier lyric and there she was.

But it’s original message is environmentally oriented but It has many layers and represents those emotions that most of us feel at least once. All in all, we are really satisfied with how the music lyrics and video came out, that was our message and that is why the first album is named after that one.

As for the rest of the songs they were created in that period from 2020. Where we had a lot of time to think about the stuff and a lot of things have changed. I have to admit I was in the right place for those types of lyrics at that moment so again that fit perfectly in this second EP called “Purge”.

The whole EP is great, and I mean that. How long did it take you to come up with these 6 songs?

Thanks again. It wasn’t that long. I believe 4 studio songs were finished in 2021 and “Wasted Land” and “So It Begins” were arranged and recorded live a couple of months ago. We were busy looking for the right people for the band.

Who comes up with these songs? I mean the words are hitting you right in the face. Is it one person or does everyone contribute? Whoever comes up with the words you get a head bow from me, they are just fire.

We were usually doing it that way the guitar player from the first lineup had some riffs recorded sometimes somewhere and meantime I was writing on some topic that affected me or my surroundings.

Then we just feel when lyrics hit the riff and vice versa and start building. Sometimes from chorus sometimes from just riff sometimes from verse. You just lose yourself in the process until you are satisfied.

Most if not all of the songs were created that way. A new lineup has a similar workflow for now but we are still preparing to promote this EP and for the live gigs so we’ll see once we start working on the new material.

What is next in store for BaYat?

Right now we are 100% focused on live gigs and potential tours for promotion of our latest EP. Pubs, moto gatherings festivals, we want them all. And of course, slowly we are thinking about the 3rd album.

Winter is coming so what will BaYat be doing during this time?

Gigs relaxing with families during the holidays and preparing for next year’s challenges.

Do you have any plans for touring?

As I mentioned yes we do have plans but for the end of this year we are focused on playing live again, it’s been too long. We will go into more detail and full organization in 2024.

Is there anything you would like to say to your fans?

Thank you all for the support so far hopefully we won’t have any of these long breaks and we’ll see ya soon live. Till then stay smart and listen to good music.

My Thoughts

My HeadBangers I am serious when I say listen to this EP. Itunes has it that’s where I bought mine. It was the best money I’ve spent in awhile. I already have it on my phone and a CD in my beast. Do yourself a favor and check it out, it’s on YouTube, so get to it.

See you all this Wednesday for Hump Day, and remember, don’t stand to close to the fire if you can’t handle the burn…..

November 19, 2023 0

WEEK 220 – STORMRULER

My HeadBangers, sorry I’m late with today’s blog. We had really bad storms last nite, trees down on cars, luckily not mine. But here I am and here we go with the Black Metal Duo from St. Louis, Missouri USA, (and this one is just one state over from me):

STORMRULER

“Sacred Rites & Black Magick”

I swear when I first listened to this song I thought they were from Sweden. I don’t do any background on the bands I put on the blog till I listen to them first. This one totally fooled me really. I’m so glad this band is representing the midwest!

“Reign Of The Winged Duke”

Here’s some background I found, there’s not to much out there but here we go:

This St. Louis, Missouri black metal band is made up of 2 people. They are Jesse Schobel – Drums and Jason Asberry – Vocals & Guitars, Bass. The band was created in 2019 and went by the name of “Warpath”, in March of 2020 they officially became “Stormruler”. They are signed with Napalm Records. They have toured everywhere and this summer are touring the US with “Swallow The Sun” and “Batushka.” They get great reviews, I just wish there were more of a bio on them somewhere out there, if there is I can’t find it, and trust me, I look everywhere. I did find one interesting piece of info from an interview, Stromruler is the sword that kills Yhorm The Giant in the game Dark Souls 3, and that’s where some of their inspiration comes from. “We wanted to go a different direction from the whole Satanic black metal thing,” Asberry said. “Don’t get me wrong we love that stuff but it’s just been overdone. We’re not here in the city of St. Louis trying to burn down churches.” I wish I could have gotten ahold of them but touring puts a hold on that.

Here they are, on the left:

Jason Asberry – Vocals & Guitars, Bass

Jesse Schobel – Drums

My Thoughts:

That’s all I have on these guys. I really thought there would be more out there on them. They are representing the US for christ sakes. It is not often that I run across a band that sounds like this and there is NO BIO ANYWHERE!!! But they are fire and I had to bring them to the blog. If I can find out anything on them I will update the blog, BUT there are those bands out there that like to be mysterious, I have run across a few. Enjoy their music, the vocals are pure fire, just what I love to hear.

That’s all I have for this week. Join me next Wednesday for Hump Day and next Saturday for the weekly band. This one is from Australia and I have an interview. Have a great week my HeadBangers. In the meantime don’t stand to close to the fire if you can’t handle the burn…

July 15, 2023 0

HUMP DAY – WE’RE ALMOST THERE…

My HeadBangers here we are week 2 in July and it’s just getting hotter than hell. Here are 3 bands that will hopefully make you forget about the temperature, it worked for me…

MANHACK

“Hall Of Valiance”

Those are some powerful vocals, and they are from Atlanta, Georgia.

BLOODBOUND

“Tales from the North”

It wouldn’t be Hump Day without a band from Sweden would it?

IMMORTAL

“Wargod”

From Bergen, Norway. I just love the sound and vocals of this band.

That’s it for Hump Day, hope this helps my HeadBangers. Join me next Wednesday for another 3, and this Saturday for the weekly band. Try to stay cool…

July 12, 2023 0

WEEK 216 – KVELERTAK

My HeadBangers please welcome from Stavanger, Norway the heavy metal band:

KVELERTAK

“Krøterveg Te Helvete”

“Nattesferd”

This was shot on the Faro Islands, it’s a small Island in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden.

Let’s look at some bio on this band:

Kvelertak (Norwegian ‘stranglehold’) ws formed in 2007 in Stavanger, Norway. Most of Kvelertak’s songs have Norwegian lyrics, and their main influences are Rock and Roll, Black Metal and Punk Rock. Quite a combination my HeadBangers, but I can see it and hear it.

A demo, Westcoast Holocaust, was self-released that year. The band released their debut album, “Kvelertak” on June 21, 2010 via the Norwegian record label Indie Recordings, and on March 15 via The End Records in North America. The album was certified gold by “IFPI” in Norway for selling over 15,000 copies.

In March 2011, Kvelertak were presented with two Spellemannprisen Awards, a prestigious Norwegian music award similar to the American Grammy—for Best Newcomer and Best Rock Band. The Kvelertak song “Mjød” was used as the end music for the film The Troll Hunter. Remember that one!!!

“Mjød”

The second album, MEIR, was released on March 25, 2013 (March 26 in the US) via Sony Music Scandinavia in Scandinavia, Roadrunner Records in the rest of the world, and by Indie Recordings on vinyl. Kvelertak has also attracted a following from renowned artists such as Metallica front man James Hetfield who, along with the Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon, watched the band perform in San Francisco. Hetfield also posted a video on his Instagram account of him watching the band and describing the front man Hjelvik as a “savage” frontman. Marvin Nygaard was voted sexiest man in Norway in 2013.

Metallica and sexiest man ok you got me there!!!!

The band’s third studio album, titled Nattesferd, was released on May 13, 2016. They opened for Metallica on their WorldWired Tour between September 2017 and May 2018 in Europe, and was also the opening act for Ghost on their Popestar Tour in 2017.

In July 2018, Erlend Hjelvik announced that he had left the band. His replacement, Ivar Nikolaisen (of Silver and The Good, The Bad and The Zugly), was announced on 20 July at their show in Fjellparkfestivalen, Flekkefjord – he had previously featured as a guest vocalist on ‘Blodtørst’.

Kvelertak released their fourth studio album, Splid, on February 14, 2020. Hjelvik released his solo album, Welcome to Hel, on November 20, 2020.

On September 8, 2023 a new album “Endling” will be released. They will be on tour, check out their FB, Instagram, they are everywhere.

Let’s meet the band:

Vidar Landa – Guitar (2007-present)

Bjarte Lund Rolland – Guitar, Backing Vocals (2007-present)

Marvin Nygaard – Bass (2007-present)

Maciek Ofstad – Guitar, Backing Vocals (2009-present)

Ivar Nikolaisen – Lead Vocals (2018-present)

Håvard Takle Ohr – Drums (2019-present)

My Thoughts:

Well my HeadBangers, I in my book, have found another gem. I always seem to find a band that reaches me in one way or another. I can spend hours, literally hours, looking at bands before I find that one that becomes the weekly band. I always try to get a few questions to the bands, but with touring etc. sometimes it’s just not possible, but I am working on that. There’s something about this band that really got to me, even before I saw that Metallica is a fan and the sexiest man thing. This band has a big history on it’s own. I try to bring to the blog the bands that grab me in some way. I can’t talk about a band that doesn’t hit me. All the bands I have on the blog have called to me in one way or another. Yeah it’s a lot of bands, and trust me and after 5 years soon to be 6 there are still more out there calling and new ones coming our way. There will be some changes coming to the blog soon, and you may or may not notice them. But believe that I spend more hours on this blog than I do anything else in my life because it is my passion. We all must have a passion…..

That’s it for this week my HeadBangers. Join me Wednesday for Hump Day and next Saturday for the weekly band. In the meantime don’t stand to close to the fire if you can’t handle the burn…..