We caught up with Bonded By Blood in the press area at Bloodstock festival to talk about their forthcoming third studio album and much more.

Hello and thank you for taking the time out to do this interview

First of all can you give us a brief history of the band such as how you came together as a band and came up with the name Bonded By Blood?
We got together back in 2005, we were just looking to make an old school kind of metal band really, not really thrash or anything like that, we just wanted to bring back that kind of scene back to our city which is LA California. In 2007 we got signed with Earache Records and then brought out and album in 2008 “Feed The Beast” and now we have a new album coming out on Monday. We had some trouble with our original bassist but now we have a new bassist named Gerry Garica. Bonded by Blood is actually Exodus debut album name and we just kind of took it.

Who would you say your main musical influences are?
I think it really depends, every member in this band has different influences from punk to technical death metal, progressive metal, personally myself I love bands like Black Flag, Mega Death and I think Gerry likes other stuff too.
(Gerry) I like the technical death metal side of things, a lot of thrash as well.

So how does it feel to be touring the UK and playing the main stage at Bloodstock Open Air?
Its amazing of course, we take every show so seriously no matter if its a small crowd or a big crowd, but this is a out of this world experience its just really really amazing. Epically being on the main stage, its like wow look at all these people here. I know we played early but a lot of people turned up and actually enjoyed the show.

Are you going to stick around and watch any of the other bands playing the festival today?
Yeah actually, I really can not wait to see Gwar and Cannibal Corpse, Twisted Sister too because they are legends.
(Gerry) Yeah Cannibal Corpse will be cool.

As soon as Bloodstock is over you are heading back to America to embark on the March of Brutality Tour with Exodus and a few other bands, how did this tour come about and are you looking forward to certain shows more than others?
Well its was a very long process but Gary Holt from Exodus really enjoyed the band and he fought hard for us to be added to the tour and for are really happy he did. Certain shows I'm really looking forward to all of them, just to be on tour with Edodus is a really big honour.

Your touring schedule seems to be from now up until Christmas, how do you find spending such a lengthy period of time on the road and what do you do in-between shows to keep you busy?
We are in a band to be on the road and its one of the things we love to do, in-between shows well our van is riged xbox and we read books, just things to keep us busy like that.

Your new album “Exiled To Earth” is released on Monday, how does the album compare to your previous album?
Well I think this one is a little bit more technical, a little bit more mature to the last album and we put and lot more time and effort into it and it shows. Its also a concept album and it think its really good.

What is the concept based on?
Its six hounded years in the future and this alien race tries to take over the world and your either a slave to them or you try to fight back, there are these people who live underground who fight them to try and get the planet back from the alien race.

What would you say your favourite song from “Exiled To Earth” is and why?
There are plenty of them but I would say one of my favourites right now is Prototype Death Machine and Blood Spilled Offerings.
(Gerry) Mine would probably be Episodes of Aggression and Exiled to Earth.

The artwork for “Exiled To Earth” is amazing, who came up with the ideas and final designs?
We did a lot of searching a finally found a guy, we were really looking for someone who was into SI FI and this guy was an amazing artist, me and Gerry were looking into SI FI looking things and what he came up with the first time was just perfect.

If people pre-order your new album they get a free comic strip, who's idea was this and what is the theme of the comic?
The theme of the comic is that it sets place before the actual concept starts, its kind of like a prequel to the album and the concept. I think the idea came about through Earache and us.

When can we expect Bonded By Blood to return to the UK after Bloodstock?
2011 we should be touring Europe and doing some tours here in the UK.

Myspace seems to be a big tool in the music industry these days with artists communicating with fans over it and some even ditching their own website and just having a Myspace site, what are your opinions on Myspace as a tool in the music industry?
I think that Myspace is a big big opportunity for bands to showcase their music and I think that if it wasn't for Myspace we would not be here right now. It gave us so much exposore and our record label actually found us through Myspace. Its a good tool to use, its free, you get music and you listen.

Where would you like to see yourself this time next year?
Playing the main stage here but in a bigger time slot and that would be amazing.

Ok one final random question that we ask every band, if you could be an animal out of a Zebra and a Giraffe which one would it be and why?
A zebra just because it kind of looks like a horse and I love horses they run fast and I don't like giraffes.
(Gerry) A zebra or a giraffe! Probably neither, thats a horrible choice, there are a million better animals out there but I will say a zebra.

Thanks for your time, do you have a message for your fans reading this?
Thank you so much for supporting us, if it was not for you guys we would not be here so thanks for supporting Bonded by Blood.

Interview By Ellie Pockley