James caught up with Matt and Elliott from Blesstehfall to talk about touring, their new album and much more.

How have things been?
Elliot: We’ve been touring all over, we did an Australian and New Zealand tour with August Burns Red, Us tour with We Came As Romans, we just did Warped tour over the summer which was the highlight. Now we’re starting on a new record, writing for that and we’ve come out of here with some old buddies, guess you can say we never say die haha.

What can you tell us about this new record?
Elliot: It’s big. I thought the writing process for “Awakening” was great, I liked writing that but we only had a limited amount of time, this time we’ve started a lot earlier. I was writing throughout warped tour. It’s really pissed off, we’ve tried a lot of new stuff with different tunings and stuff, just things a band has never really done before. It sounds a lot different from our other releases; it’s something I’m really proud of. I’m not trying to hype it up before it comes out I just think it’s the most mature material I personally have ever been a part of and I’m really proud of it. I think it already creams “Awakening” haha.

Matt: Possibly going with a different producer too not sure if we can announce it yet but we want something new.

Being on such a huge tour with so many bands what is it like up there on stage with everyone’s requirements?
Elliot: On this tour it’s been really simple actually, because we’ve all been primarily sharing the same backline through the cabs, at least for guitar it’s been simple, the tech guys been amazing he just knows where everything goes off the back of his hand, so I literally walk on and plug in job done.

Matt: As for extra stuff nobody really has pyrotechnics or ramps so it’s like literally just get up there and just do your thing, it’s great.

Has there been any tension or clashes between anyone due to stresses of touring?

Elliot: This far in, and we’re 4 days in everyone’s been totally cool. We’re all here to do the same thing and there are tonnes of different styles of music going on. Everyone seems to get along.

Matt: I don’t think anyone’s going to step on anyone else’s toes here.

Elliot: Nobody really cares about some shitty ego.

Matt: It does happen but I don’t think we’ll have that on this tour.

How have the shows been on this tour so far?
Elliot: So far great. We did 2 shows in Germany, France yesterday and well France is France haha. Today we’re in Birmingham and its pretty cool because bloc party are playing next door, last time we were here Jessie J was here too. I’d rather sneak in and watch that show haha.

Do you have any plans when it comes to an end?
Elliot: We’re doing a Canadian run called Nut Up or Shut Up.

Matt: It’s a headliner and we’re bringing At The Skylines with us from this tour, A Skylight Drive and a band from Montreal called Skip The Foreplay.

Elliot: We’re doing western Canada as well which we haven’t been to for a while. Glad to be going not stoked though to be in Canada in the winder but we’re going do it haha. Then we’re just writing and booking tours for after we’re wrote, maybe a couple small runs during we’ll see.

Matt: It’s going to be a good year next year man.

If you could put together a dream line up, who would be a part of it?
Matt: Mine would be a mess haha.

Elliot: I would want to tour with Deftones.

Matt: I would want Deftones, Incubus... It would just be a mess haha. I’d want Coldplay haha.

Elliot: Killswitch Engage.

Matt: Even though I’ve done it many times I love touring with As I Lay Dying.

Elliot: I dunno man I would take Behemoth

[Everyone Laughs]

Elliot: Imagine that! Coldplay, Behemoth and then us haha.

One last random question that we ask every band, if you could be an animal out of a zebra or Giraffe which one would you be and why?
Elliot: You know at the zoo when you see giraffes with their huge cocks? That right there haha.

Matt: Definitely haha.

Thanks for your time, is there a message for your fans reading the interview?
Elliot: Keep an eye out for the new album.

Matt: We’ll be back after the album next year.

Elliot: Blah blah blah new album haha.

Interview By James Webb