Our regular run-down of as many of the upcoming Bloodstock bands as we can get to talk to us! Stengah play the Sophie Lancaster stage on the Sunday…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We come from Lille, north of France.
How long have you been playing together as a band?
June 2015, the band was finally completed by the hiring of our singer Nicolas, followed by a first demo and first shows early 2016.
Where does the name of the band come from?
We all know the song “Stengah” by Meshuggah, but it was not a tribute choice. We focused more on the percussive sound of that word and the rhythmic impact it has when you say it out loud.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Visceral, massive and organic. The music of Stengah is inspired by the mesmerizing and narrative side of 70’s progressive rock music, put at the service of a very heavy modern metal genre with all the fun and headbanging that comes with it!
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
We perform something very passionate on stage and without any trickery, which builds a very strong connection with our audience and even more when it is a discovery. We are a very humble band, but that said, people who won’t come to see us will definitely have failed their festival!
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Have you played Bloodstock before? If so, when?
Nope, we are thrilled because this will be our very first time at Bloodstock!
How/when did you find out that you’d be playing the SOPHIE stage?
We were told by our manager after the contract was dealt with our booking agents. We can’t wait to hit it!
What sort of setlist can we expect?
The show is quite short so we chose a very intense setlist made of popular tracks from our debut album and a couple of exciting new songs that are yet to be released.
Which other band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
The line up is filled with various and great bands to see or discover, including on the new blood and jagermeister stages, such as .bHP from Poland, Square Wild, Iron Altar, Dead Air, Dunes…
We also definitely don’t want to miss Decapitated, Knocked Loose, Urne, Sepultura, Gatecreeper… not to mention the awesome headliners…
What are you working on at the moment?
We’re actually in the process of writing a new album, and additional tracks from the first one to be released soon.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Last year, we were asked to perform a pre-show during the afternoon adapted for a child-filled audience. That was unexpected but we played metal for kids! And in the end they became much crazier than their own parents we had later at the main show!
What drink do you throw back to get yourself fired up before going on stage?
We are kind of a disciplined band, only soft drinks and still water before the show. Then the beer that comes after tastes like a gift from the northern gods!
