Our regular run-down of as many of the upcoming Bloodstock bands as we can get to talk to us! Arms To Oblivion play the New Blood stage on the Friday…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
(All) Ipswich and Colchester.
How long have you been playing together as a band?
(Pete) Since early 2019. Burton held up progress by not turning up until then!
Where does the name of the band come from?
(Brent) We wanted something cool, not typically metal-sounding but still heavy, and with a level of personal interpretation as regards meaning. I think we nailed it! Picking names is always a chore. Thankfully it was pretty painless as we tend to all be on a similar page with stuff.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
(Burton) Groove Metal Soup! There’s all sorts going on in there without us realising. People will say they hear a flavour of this band or that band and it’s always different from one comment to the next. I suppose if WE don’t like trying to explain what our music sounds like, and listeners all take something different from it, then that makes it unique?
(Matt) There’s a big groove and riff thing going on with ATO. We try to not be obvious with where the track is going to take you.
(Pete) I write what I’d want to listen to and think is cool. You can’t deny the kinda Pantera/Down/Crowbar/Metallica influence but we’re not like any of them!
(Brent) Pandowllica!
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
(Brent) A half hour of energy charged groove metal and the biggest feeling of metal family that you’ll probably ever get from any band. I think that’s a good enough reason.
(Burton) We’re all about sharing the heavy metal love. That, and giving people the feeling that they’re as big a part of our set as we are. We want the crowd involved, having fun, and getting that electric feeling you get when the stars align.
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Have you been to Bloodstock before? What did you think?
(All) We lurrrrve Bloodstock!
(Brent) Yeah, we’ve all been plenty of times before. The balance of everything at BOA is as close to perfect as you can get.
(Matt) This is our first time playing Bloodstock. It’s going to be pretty surreal being on the New Blood stage.
(Burton) Walking in through the gate at BOA is like walking through your front door after time away – bliss!
Which M2tM region did you win, or did you come through other channels?
(All) We won the M2TM Essex competition. That was tough!
Can you put into 10 words or fewer how it felt when you realised you were heading to Bloodstock?
(All) Unreal. Surreal. Shocked.
(Brent) Time to head for the bar!
What sort of setlist can we expect?
(Burton) Powerful, explosive and relentless. We don’t want to give too much away but we’re getting out the big guns as regards tracks; all the hard hitters, all the bounce, fun, aggression and angst. I think the audience will reeeally enjoy themselves, we certainly will!
Which other bands do you most hope you’re not squished up next to so you can see them play?
(Pete) We’ve been so busy that we’ve lost track of which days each of the New Blood bands are playing! We want to catch some Uridium, Beyond Your Design, Elimination, Broken Calling, so we’d be a bit sore if we missed them.
(Burton) We’re playing on the Friday. I’d like to catch some Wolfbastard, Sacred Reich, In Flames… (Matt) KILLSWITCH! (All) Yeah, Killswitch Engage!
What are you working on at the moment?
(Brent) We’re constantly working on new stuff, you have to keep moving on and you can’t let the grass grow. Is there a new release in 2024? Will it be a full length album?
(Pete) There may well be an Arms To Oblivion winter warmer for 2024. We’re working hard on the next one.
(Matt) Definitely a Christmas Hits album. (Burton) I’m not doing my Bing Crosby publicly for anyone. Our first E.P. Prisons was last year, DEFCIYLION is our current EP that came out a few months back. Everytime we push it further and harder. The next will be pushing again…
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
(Pete) We’re angels. We don’t do wild stuff.
(Brent) What happens at shows stays at shows.
(Matt) Yeah, “show and tell” isn’t cool. The lady moshing and going crazy, dressed in a full dinosaur costume whilst we were playing at Monsters of Metal (Hunter Club) in Bury St.Edmunds was certainly the most fun.
(Burton) Yeah, to look up and see a T-Rex going for it was bloomin brilliant! You know you’re doing something right when the King of the Dinosaurs is in attendance.
What drink do you throw back to get yourself fired up before going on stage?
(Pete) JD!
(Matt) IPA or whatever good ale is on.
(Brent and Burton) Guinness, or as we like to call it, “Genius!”
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Arms To Oblivion: facebook | instagram | spotify | bandcamp | youtube
