The Hope Burden are a band we’ve encountered before (at Bloodstock and with their EP reviewed in January), and expect to hear a lot more from as time goes by. In fact, that hearing more starts today as they release a brand new single, “Lamentation”. It is as angry, abrasive and heavy as anything we’ve heard from them before. Which is to say pretty damn angry, abrasive and heavy! It still throws in a few quieter sections which make the more extreme parts batter you all the harder.
Where are you guys from?
We’re based at various points around Oxfordshire.
How did you meet?
We met through mutual friends and various previous bands on the scene around Oxfordshire. Some of us had jammed together previously but never got to the stage of being a full band until this project.
How long have you been playing as a band?
We started out as an instrumental band around 2016 but added a vocalist in 2017 to make up the lineup we have now.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
I don’t think there is a particularly good story behind the band name. Phil said it one day and we thought it sounded cool.
What are your influences?
We draw influences from a lot of places. The original intention was to go down a vaguely ambient post-metal route but we include some black metal and hard-core elements as well.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
We blend dark depressive themes with quiet ambient passages and a heavy sludge to hopefully achieve something that is unique to us.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Personal loss.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Intimate and passionate, we let our music bring out people’s emotion. We like to keep it simple and keep the focus on the music – we even ask venues to kill the lights altogether with Josh singing down front with the audience.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
In all honesty not many stories of wild crowds tearing the place apart or drunken debauchery but a personal moment for all of us was playing Bloodstock last year and looking out to the largest crowd we’ve ever played too, that was a truly crazy experience to us.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc?
The loudest gear we can find. We prefer the old school analogue approach as opposed to the current digital/backing track trend, gibson/fender guitars and loud tube amps!
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
Our new single “Lamentation” is being released April 17th, available to stream on all platforms.
What are your plans for 2020?
Before an unexpected full blown apocalypse, we had planned to get into the 2020 festival circuit as well as a new release and videos but we’ll have to wait and see now. Hopefully the new single will get some good feedback and we’ll record some more new music later in the year, with supporting shows if live music ever happens again!
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
Our good friends Grief Ritual from Cheltenham to open and Devil Sold His Soul to headline!
The Hope Burden: facebook | bandcamp | youtube
