Arkdown – Interview

If you are fresh to ARKDOWN , the band are a formidable modern metal quintet hailing from Sheffield. The emerging metallers draw from contemporary metalcore and deathcore influences, framed by their own melodic but heavy riff-based style. The Steel City riff beasts have just revealed a new track, Mirrors, which is taken from their sophomore EP, The Calling, out Friday 2nd November.

We had the guys down for the chat:

What is the full band line-up, who plays what?

Kyle Dawson (lead vocals), Mike Dyson (guitar & backing vocals), Mike ‘Walker’ Walker (guitars), Ed Morley (bass guitar) and Alex Roberts (drums).

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

Not long after our debut EP ‘Paths’ came out in 2016 we really started to gel together.  At the time we had a different guitarist, Ben Freestone, who we had known had long term plans to relocate and wouldn’t be able to stay with the band on a permanent basis so mid 2017 Ben stepped away and Mike ‘Walker’ Walker joined. We threw him in at the deep end as no more than 3 weeks after making contact we were dragging him across the country to play a festival but Walker got stuck in and settled into the band really quickly so there was no loss of momentum for us. We’ve been a solid group ever since.

Who are your musical influences?

Growing up listening music in the 2000s we took a lot of influence from early metalcore, deathcore and other contemporary metal bands where our sound is concerned. As we mature as a band as well as individual musicians we appreciate bands for other reasons such as efforts put into live performances. We feel a lot of modern metal bands, certainly at independent levels, often forget that it’s at the very least a 50/50 split between what the audience hears and what they see that makes up the quality of a show. We take a lot of influence from bands and musicians who pay mind to that and bring a unique live energy to the stage.

Are you friends from school or any family relations?

Alex (Drummer) and Ed (Bassist) have known each other since primary school. Mike (guitarist) has been in bands with Ed prior to Arkdown.

Where have you played or toured? Please name all countries / regions and recognised bands that you have played with.

We have played extensively around the UK including 3 tours and various small festival appearances. Arkdown has supported big name acts such as Fit for an Autopsy, Oceans Ate Alaska, Martyr Defiled, Kingdom of Giants, A Night in Texas and Shields.

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

As a modern metal band we draw heavily on metalcore and deathcore styles and what we find is that many bands of that persuasion tend to sit in one camp or the other. We try to bridge the gap between the two with the hooky and melodic riffage of metalcore but without the typical clean vocals choruses you tend to find, favouring more aggressive vocals. Likewise we pack our music out with the brutality you’d expect from deathcore in the form of blast beats, double bass and death metal low tuned shredding but we’re not afraid to break it up, change pace and totally lift the mood of a song.

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

Heavily driven by down tuned and distorted guitar tones and fast paced, hard hitting drums, both layered with melodic leads and offset by a dynamic range of aggressive vocals.

Do you have a tour on the horizon?

Further tour plans currently in the works including some European shows in 2019.

Where can we find your social media sites?

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ArkdownOfficial/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/arkdown.official/

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/arkdown

MERCHANDISE: https://arkdown.bigcartel.com/