Continuing our run of letting you know a little more about as many of the bands on at Bloodstock 2025 as we possibly can before you get a chance to see them, we have The Machinist. This bunch play on the New Blood Stage on the Friday.
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We’re from Manchester! Each member lives in and around the illustrious northern powerhouse of… erm. Manchester.
How long have you been playing together as a band?
This line up has been together since 2022. The project has been around since about 2020, with our first album being put together and finished during the Covid lockdowns of 2019 and 2020.
Where does the name of the band come from?
It comes from a) a movie I really like and b) the fact that the backbone of the sound is derived from our use of electronic instruments and percussion. Heavy use of synthesisers, sequencers, drum machines.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Imagine late 90’s – early ‘00s Anaal Nathrakh and Aborym put through more of a death metal blender by way of The Berzerker with our own little twist. We lean very heavily into an electronic sound and make no apology for it, which I suppose is what makes us unique. We very deliberately try and erase the humanity from our sound, whilst at the same time being very human individuals.
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
In a festival setting, we are pretty no nonsense. We will be playing a good old fashioned intense extreme metal show. We’ve got 30 minutes and some of our songs are long. So we’re gonna strap in and blast it out. Expect blasts and catharsis. If that’s what you want you’ll come and see us.
Outside of a festival setting where we have more control of the stage we also like to give a more multimedia show, usually we have a screen set up behind us with some nice intense graphics!
Have you been to Bloodstock before? What did you think?
2/3 of us have been at least once before (it’ll be George’s first time). It’s always a good time! It’s great to meet your friends and watch some great bands. There are people we only ever meet at festivals and gigs and it’s always good to catch up with.
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Which M2tM region did you win, or did you come through other channels?
We came through other channels. We sent an application off as I’m sure hundreds of other bands did, and we were gobsmacked to receive an invitation.
Can you put into 10 words or fewer how it felt when you realised you were heading to Bloodstock?
Floored, speechless, disbelief, then excitement, ecstatic, and grateful.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
With only 30 minutes and some long songs to get through, expect us to pack ’em in like sardines without much breathing time. No nonsense. No messing about. It’ll be densely packed and leaning towards our more intense material.
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?
John: Emperor, Nailbomb for me!
George: Wouldn’t wanna miss High Parasite, Emperor or Konvent
What are you working on at the moment?
We’re currently dusting off three songs to be released on an EP towards the back end of the year, which were songs we couldn’t fit on the album in the interests of keeping it short and sharp. And after that? Album 3. There’s also a few ideas for videos in the pipeline which are more ambitious, but it’s hard finding people who’d let us do THAT to ‘em.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
One of our more recent shows had us playing with Lavinia Whateley, who are a group of mentalists. On the last night of the mini tour, with no more threat of injury to worry about they took it upon themselves to pick each other up and launch themselves at us. And these are not small guys…
Back when I was free roaming before taking up bass duties I used to love wandering into the crowd. Not too mad in itself, lots of folks do it, but when a mosh pit kicks off and you’re dodging flying people as well as trying not to miss a beat on the vocals it’s a bit metal.
All good fun!
What drink do you throw back to get yourself fired up before going on stage?
John: I’m afraid I’m dull, I’m just a Diet Coke and water kinda guy!
George: a pint of beer before and a pint during the set is enough to get me in the mood. Plenty of water as well (we’re not as extreme as our music is!)
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The Machinist: facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | bandcamp | youtube
