Only the Righteous – Interview

Fast rising metalcore unit, ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS (https://www.facebook.com/OTRBANDUK/ ), have just dropped their explosive debut EP, Severance, as well as a new video for Betrayal – https://youtu.be/mdRkXuU_ETw . With this in mind, we asked the guys some probing background questions:

What is the full band line-up, who sings and who plays which instrument?

Andy Dixon – Guitar,

Charlie Green – Vocals / Guitar,

James Barnes –  Vocals,

Jake Bennett – Bass / Backing Vocals,

Mark Goodall – Drums.

How and when did the band form? Tell us anything interesting about your hometown.

The band started with Andy & Mark connecting on JoinMyBand at the back end of 2016. We soon recruited James: who Mark had played with in their previous band ‘Her Last Goodbye’.

At this point we did actually jam with Jake – not being based in Manchester full time though Jake wasn’t able to take up the role and we were joined by Tom West on Bass and Vocals – Tom actually pitched ‘Only The Righteous’ as a name during one of our early sessions.

As a group we’re scattered slightly in the North West – Manchester, Warrington, Preston and Liverpool respectively  – Manchester remains our spiritual home – it’s where we first rehearsed together, where we first played a show and where our forthcoming EP was recorded.

These days we rehearse from a space we’ve rented in Wigan  – we’re really happy with the set up – but trust us – Never order a ‘Wigan Kebab’ – (and don’t get Andy or James started on the cultural phenomenon that is ‘babies yed and pea wet’ …).

When and how did the band really start gelling and solidifying?

Things started to come together in 2017 – we released a demo for ‘Raise Your Glass’ (a reworked version of which features on the new EP), and played our first proper show at Satan’s Hollow in Manchester supporting From Sorrow To Serenity and Lotus Eater.

Shows with I, The Lion and Martyr Defiled soon followed and led to a support slot with Loathe.

We recorded a 2 track ‘Double A side’ in 2018 (‘Regret/Heads or Tails’) with Infinite Audio and here we began to find a sound that we felt represented the way we were trying to write for the first time.

We had been joined in the lead up to this recording by Charlie; as a five piece and with the enthusiasm this long-standing friend of James and Mark’s brought we were able to take the songs from our heads and put them on the stage – our first short tour culminating with a support slot for The City Is Ours and InVisions.

A decision to focus on his family led Tom to step down from OTR – Jakes’ recent permanent relocation to Manchester meant that the reigns were able to be handed over in epic style from Tom to Jake; with a main support slot on the Manchester date of the Parting Gift /Cove tour – featuring Tom being able to hand Jake the bass towards the end of the set and join James upfront on lead vocals for a six piece performance that we’ll not forget for a little while.

With Jake in the fold we’ve kept working, kept writing, and  found an amazing teammate to face the difficulties with – we’ve recorded our first mini-album – and this ,in 2019; is Only The Righteous.

Who are your musical influences?

Funeral For A Friend

Bury Tomorrow

While She Sleeps

Architects

Finch

August Burns Red

Slipknot

Where did the name of the band come from?

We aren’t a religious band, but the name comes from a biblical quote for “Hope”

How far back does your history with each other (the band members) extend?

Mark and James have been friends for a decade now – we met in hell .. – ha that is to say we met whist working in a call centre together – we started a band that would become ‘Her Last Goodbye’ (A history referenced in one of the song titles on this EP) and have been close ever since.

We met Charlie during this time  – Charles has a passion for live music photography and we met him on the local gig circuit – he would regularly join  us for the odd post show beverage – and when it came time to add a fifth to this line up it was great to have the chance to bring our old friend into the fold.

In 2016 needing a new project – Mark logged into ‘JoinMyBand’ – he met Andy online and the two of them started what would become OTR…

Please name all countries / regions and recognised bands that you have played with.

Just the UK so far – we’ve been honoured to share stages with these bands:

Blood Youth, Loathe, Martyr Defiled, Lotus Eater, Napoleon, Hacktivist, Chuggaboom, From Sorrow To Serenity, Kurt Travis (Ex Dance Gavin Dance), Parting Gift, The City Is Ours, InVisions.

In your opinion, how is your band different from all the other bands out there?

We like to believe that in style we look both infront and behind – we’re a throwback to 90/2000s post hard-core and second wave emo – with a modern metal-core leaning – and we think this complements the sense of misery and nostalgia that our lyrics try to present – and if we’re doing this right – a constant hunt for melodies, and not just the heavy riff, means that when you listen to us – it should feel uplifting too…

If a deaf person were to ask you to describe the sound of your music, how would you describe it?

We hope it feels like all of your thoughts are being spat back at you – only on the outside they make sense – and on the outside they are as uplifting, as hopeful… as they are hurt and angry …

Where can we find your social media sites?

https://www.facebook.com/OTRBANDUK/

Instagram: @otrbanduk

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb7nvS3VyoJ_I1FkqgJKhUg