Power Metal Fest Quest happened over a week ago and understandably attendees are still talking about it now. IRONSIDE opened up the proceedings and Rock Out Stand Out’s Lotty Whittingham grabbed a chat with them after their set. They spoke about their appearance at Power Metal Quest Fest, their sound, mental health and who they would go on a raid with. Here’s what happened.
Hello, it’s great to meet you. You have just opened proceedings for Power Metal Quest Fest, it was a brilliant set.
Dale: Thank you, it was fun to play.
For those who couldn’t make Power Metal Quest Fest or haven’t heard you before, how would you describe your sound?
Joel: We have multiple influences, there’s a lot from all three of us. So we have Muse, Queens Of The Stone Age, Periphery and then whatever Dale listens to. Tesseract as well.
Josh: If you were to put a genre on it, I would say progressive viking metal.
Dale: The idea is that we would like to be a story telling metal band discussing various historical subjects.
Apart from Shield Wall, you haven’t got many songs out at the moment.
Joel: It was a long time coming trying to get that one ready.
Dale: Everything you heard today is going to be on the new album which will be out next year. So, everyone who came to Power Metal Quest Fest got to hear them before anyone else did.
Speaking of Power Metal Quest, which bands are you looking forward to seeing today?
Dale: We’re looking forward to seeing Tiberius, I’ve seen them a few times.
Joel: The one I am interested in is the band that have a Skyrim theme going on. We’ve just seen Fellowship and they played an awesome set.
Dale: Three hobbits and a wizard. I am also looking forward to Rites To Ruin as well.
Josh: Have a look through the photos and one of them is a spitting image of Dave Grohl, I think it’s the guy from Symphonity.
At Rock Out Stand Out, one of our main missions is to spread mental health awareness and get people talking about it. Is there anything you think we can do more of as family members, friends, partners and band members so people feel more comfortable talking about their mental health?
Joel: I mean music is a perfect output for that kind of stuff, you can write songs based on emotion. One of the ones we played tonight Warrior’s Rest was a song I wrote for my dad who passed away this year. That’s how I went through that grieving process if you like, music can do that. If you feel really down, music can uplift you. One of the advantages we had on writing the whole Viking metal thing, you can look at things from a different perspective because obviously we’re not Vikings.
Josh: Are we not? [laughs]
Joel: It’s great to put that spin on everything you do day to day and treat that in a different light. I think it’s been sick for us, we’ve really enjoyed it.
Dale: I’ll echo what they say as it’s a good output, I’ve been through a lot of personal grievances this year with a lot of things going on but there’s a lot of frustration and anger in some of the songs that we play.
Is there anything you like to do that helps you de-stress or calm down?
Joel: We’re all in a situation where geographically, there is quite distant between the three of us so getting together and doing the band is more of an event when it happens. Dale is into his whole YouTube covers and stuff.
Speaking about music being uplifting, which songs, albums or bands do you turn to for a morale boost?
Joel: Periphery, it’s all I listen to.
Josh: The new Muse album came out and it was heavier but not heavy enough. [laughs]
Joel: Will put some Chester Bennington from Linkin’ Park in there too.
Dale: Muse, Queens Of Stone Age and then piano stuff, I have been playing the piano for twenty five years. I listen to a lot of improvised jazz and all sorts of bits and pieces. Purchasing a keytar opened up all these opportunities for all these cool synthesiser sounds.
Speaking of viking metal and vikings, which five people would you take on a raid with you?
Joel: If there was a raid happening right this second, I would be the first in my car and I would take the five biggest people that I can find. The ones that look the scariest.
Dale: I would take Amie [Chatterley] as she could beat the s*** out of anyone.
What message do you have for those who came to Power Metal Quest Fest today?
Josh: Thank you, we have a lot of gratiude. We’re the first act on, nobody knows who we are. You could have easily come an hour later. The energy was good, people were energetic about it. It was great and uplifting.
Joel: I echo those words, as far as gigs are concerned it’s been amazing.
Thank you so much for speaking with Rock Out Stand Out and enjoy the rest of your day.
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