Our regular run-down of as many of the upcoming Bloodstock bands as we can get to talk to us! Atom Smasher play the New Blood stage on the Sunday…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
Pasty-loving Plymouth!
How long have you been playing together as a band?
Officially 2018, but things didn’t really start happening until after lockdown and the pandemic. We had been in different bands for years before Atom Smasher, which was fun but never went anywhere as we were a little… Occupied with other things shall we say. So we’ve been playing together for a very long time, but since the formation of Atom Smasher, we’ve become fully focused on wanting to make something of our music.
Where does the name of the band come from?
I love this question. To be brutally honest, we stole it from Bossk. And the funny thing is they’re fully aware of this as well! Myself (Conor) and Mike have an affinity for them, they are the most incredible live band both of us have ever seen and they have a song called Atom Smasher. So we took that inspiration (or plagiarism) and formed the band with that name.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Always a tricky question, whenever we’re asked this we go uhhhhh… Hmm. Where do we start? It’s diverse, I guess it’s predominantly fast-paced heavy/thrash/death metal but there’s a lot of different inspirations in there, such as Lamb of God-like groove, polyrhythms that echo Gojira, black metal blasting, pure thrash moments, chilled and clean guitar sections with elements of progressive rock and metal too. There’s a bit of everything and we like to think that we have something for everyone! So progressive thrash/death metal is the most simplified term we can come up with.
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
So I’d never say you should come and watch us instead of another band because I don’t want to sh*t on anyone. But in respect to your question, we bring musical diversity and a tonne of energy. We leave nothing on the table, every show we play, we play it like it’s our last. So if you’re looking for a band that wears their hearts on their sleeves, progressive song writing, fast and furious technical rhythms and absolutely filthy low end, not to mention the circle pits and walls of death, come check us out! We’re here for a good time and we want to give you that too.
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Have you been to Bloodstock before? What did you think?
We’ve been a lot! Almost every year since 2010. It’s the holy grail of UK metal and it feels like home and the community is unmatched. Everyone’s there for the same reason, to forget about life have fun in whatever way works best for them, to sit or stand in a field for 4 days and listen to some of the greatest rock and metal acts around right now and just enjoy themselves, it’s the best.
Which M2tM region did you win, or did you come through other channels?
M2TM for Devon & Cornwall
Can you put into 10 words or fewer how it felt when you realised you were heading to Bloodstock?
Without swearing, absolutely ******* unreal.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
Well that would be telling… But it’s the set that impressed Mr. Simon Hall himself enough for him to have chosen us to play at Bloodstock.
Stage times haven’t been announced yet, so which other band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
So we know our slot already… And we’ve either been very lucky or someone has been kind to us, but that’s all I’m allowed to say on that one.
What are you working on at the moment?
Obviously our Bloodstock set, but we’re always working on new material in our spare time, we like to keep it fresh for people so that it’s more than likely that whenever you see Atom Smasher, it’s going to be different.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
I (Conor) caught Chris Jericho’s drink whilst watching Fozzy at Bloodstock. I was a little disappointed that it was just water but still… Pretty mad! Or our very own Mike getting smashed in the face with a space hopper during Alestorm’s set. What’s even funnier is that he’d not long come out of the welfare tent for being in a bad way, and we thought we’d cheer him up by watching Alestorm, and then that happened. To this day this is one of the funniest moments we’ve ever had.
Also, Jason was watching Saxon and during Wheels of Steel, he saw the wheelchair crowdsurfer, which is absolutely awesome, and wholesome.
What drink do you throw back to get yourself fired up before going on stage?
Conor – half a pint of Coke, pint of water, and a beer of some description, hopefully Hobgoblin Gold!
Mike – a Guinness or Guinness equivalent, and a ritualistic shot of JD before he leaves the house
Jason – his 4th beer, Madri or Birra Moretti if he can help it, and then lots of rum for after
