AM : First question, how was the band born ? Did you know each others before making the band, what was the objective when you started, etc... ?
Bloodshot : Well we started the band around 2000, I used to be in another band before, but I quitted all activities! At one moment I received a phonecall from two guys (Vadim & Alex) who wanted to start a band with me, I accepted, we looked for a bassplayer and Bloodshot was born! At first the objective was making our own songs and preparing a demo CD, but you can imagine objectives changed a lot as we progressed in this scene!
AM : I think it’s not so easy for a Belgian band to get a contract abroad, what do you think ? How did you get the deal with Scarlet ?
Bloodshot : I think in general that is true, but we seem
to be the exception on that rule cause the interest in bloodshot always came
from labels abroad! Strange but true.
Scarlet heard a song of us online, they wanted to hear more so we’ve sent
them the full CD and from than on all went very fast and really smooth, ending
up in a record deal!
AM : You’re making promotion in the US, so how is the first feedback from there ?
Bloodshot : Well I know Scarlet started with the European promotion and the CD will come out in the States around april/may but I don’t know if the US promotion already started. I know I get lots of positive comments from people in the States telling us Bloodshot is one of the most brutal metalcore bands they ever listened too! So I guess you could say they dig our music and our particular style.
AM : More and more bands are using keyboards nowadays, even the thrash bands, so did you ever think about it ?
Bloodshot : Hell no, no keyboards in Bloodshot. We don’t need those instruments in our music. We prefer to keep things as brutal as possible, the only thing we’ll add would be samples before and after songs and that’s all.
AM : Bloodshot is as good in mosh parts as in the slow, incredibly heavy, crushing parts, so contrast is an important aspect of your sound...
Bloodshot : Yes we like to combine heavy guitar riffs with violent mosh parts. From the day we started this band we didn’t want to be like any other band, we wanted to add more things to our sound, more metal based, more influences from old thrash metal! Something most metalcore bands don’t do! This contrast makes Bloodshot different from the rest, whether you like our style or not, you’ll have to admit we don’t sound like any other typical metalcore band; personally I think that’s a good thing!
AM : Where did you record the new album, here in Belgium ?
Bloodshot : Yes we recorded the album in the CCR studio’s in Zulte (Belgium), where many other metalbands and hardcore bands (Aborted, Congress, Solid, Gorefest, Retaliate,…) went before us. So at that time CCR seemed like the right thing to do.
AM : I think the lyrics talk about serial killers, why this subject, do you think to talk about other things in the future or is it some ‘concept’ about Bloodshot itself ?
Bloodshot : Most of the time I write about one serial killer
each album, the demo CD was about Andrei Chikatilo, the first full CD about
David Berkowitz (the son of sam) and this newest release describes the life
of Jeffrey Dahmer! It’s a very common theme in metal, but in the metalcore
genre it’s quiet unusual to talk about such things! I don’t approve
the actions though, I just decribe the horrors which man is capable off, that’s
all! I was always fascinated by serial killers and I just wonder what can drive
a man or a woman to commit such horrible acts!
Anyway I talk about other stuff too like: being their for my real friends, war
and social injustice, but the overall concept in each album will always be one
serial killer! I got already a good idea on the person I will use for the next
release!
AM : What is your opinion about the belgian metal scene ? Did you know our webzine ?
Bloodshot : I think there are lots of good bands around,
lots of new releases worth listening too! I think this scene is more alive than
ever being represented by bands as Lengt’ Che, Aborted, In Quest, Sons
Of Jonathas and that’s a good thing for this style of music!
I heard about your webzine before yes, but I didn’t really had the chance
to check it out properly.
AM : Thanks for the interview, glad to see Belgian band here, I hope you’ll get good luck with “ultimate hatred” !!!!
Bloodshot : Thank you for the interview!