Today we packed our bags and took another long-haul flight down under… no. No we didn’t. We sent a couple of emails. Anyway, meet Mass Sky Raid…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We are from Queensland, Australia
How did you meet?
Me (Adam) and Alex met many moons ago (approx. 10 years) when I applied for a vocal position for a band. Joshua our new bass player has actually been in a band as our sound engineer for a long time, and Nic (drums) recently moved over from Scotland to Australia and answered an ad we put out for a new drummer!
How long have you been playing as a band?
Me and Alex have been playing in Mass Sky Raid since the start in 2011 and recently went through a lineup change with 2 new members in 2020 with Joshua on bass and Nic on drums.
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Good band names are so hard to come by. I had a moment of creative clarity and came up with the name Mass Sky Raid which represents our big anthemic sound while also playing on the word “masquerade”.
What are your influences?
I think each member has slightly different taste which make for a creative sound however we all like bands with huge sounds like 30 Seconds to Mars, Northlane, Karnivool and Dead Letter Circus are definitely influences.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
We love writing ambient anthemic songs with huge choruses and energetic rhythmic sections. I think with our new music we have progressed our style and have a lot of light shades in our songs. I think overtime you branch away from your influences and start finding your own creative templates as a band which create the unique sound.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
We try and write lyrics that the listener can take and create their own meaning from while also being honest with our own journey. Themes such chasing dreams, facing fears and finding purpose and meaning are all things that we like to write about.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Our live show is very energetic and we try and capture the emotion and anthemic feel of the songs. We have been playing live and touring since 2011 I have lost count of how many shows we have played however we can’t wait to get out there again with our new songs when this world opens up again post COVID!
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
It can get pretty crazy up there on stage I think just experiencing the energy of huge mosh pit when people are totally absorbed into the moment. Or when that mosh pit comes on stage. Pretty much seen it all! Nothing really surprises us anymore!
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
Alex our Guitarist uses a PRS Custom 24 guitar with 57/08 pick-ups. For sound he uses a Kemper Profiler running into a Marshall cab. All effects are from the Kemper with exception of his digitech whammy. The recording was a combination of Kemper and Axe FX 3.
Nic our drummer uses Sonor AQ2 drums, Ludwig Copperphonic snare, DW hardware, Evans drumheads, Sabian HHX cymbals, Cosmic Ears IEMs and Agner Drumsticks, of which he is an endorsee
Schecter and Warwick bass have been used across the board.
We also utilise synths and samples to work alongside the guitar and bass sounds as well when we play live.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
Our new single “Not Alone” which is out 28th of August!
What are your plans over the next six months or so?
We have just finished writing our follow up album to our first full length album Science of Fiction so we can’t wait to release “Not Alone” then follow it up with more singles, music videos and eventually our next album! Also, when the world opens up again we can’t wait to start playing live and connect with our audience!
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!
I think our sound would suit a stadium playing with 30 Seconds to Mars as the main and our talented good mates These Four Walls as the opener.
Mass Sky Raid: facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
