PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
PlanetMosh is proud to be sponsoring the main stage at the fourth incarnation of Monsters Of Rot, which takes place in Letterbreen, County Fermanagh, on Saturday August 16.
The festival brings together some of the best extreme metal bands on the island of Ireland. As part of our build up to the event, we will be interviewing all of the main stage acts: today it is the turn of Adam from Galway’s Weed Priest to go under the spotlight…
How would you describe your style of music?
Occult Stoner Doom.
Who all is in the band and how did you come together?
The original line up was myself o guitar and vocals), Ragas on bass and Adrian on drums. We all loved heavy riffs, and that is what united us back in 2009. However, here was a line up change in early 2014: Adrian has been replaced by Micheal, and we also have a second guitar player, Sean.
Do you have any material available? If so, can you give us some info about it – when and where it was recorded, and what formats it is available in?
We’ve just released our new EP, ‘Worship’, on August 1 – but it has been recorded with the old line up. Our debut, self-titled album came out last year, and, as with ‘Worship’, is available on CD or as a digital download from our Big Cartel and Bandcamp sites [see links at the end of the interview].
With the change in line up, is there any new material on the horizon?
We have loads of new material and stars permitting it will be recorded at the end of this year and released as a full length album next year.
Have you played with any of the other bands on the MOR bill before?
Yea: Fuckhammer and Zhora! Both absolutely kick ass! And of course we’ve joined forces with the dark lord Ruairi oBaoighill in Galway gigs several times.
What other bands on the MOR bill are you looking forward to seeing?
Besides the above mentioned, I expect some quality shit from most of death and black metal acts there: Overoth, Putrefy, Eternal Helcaraxe…
What is your assessment of the current state of the Irish metal scene? Is it in a good state of health? Are there too many bands and not enough venues/promoters, or is there a good balance between the two?
There are plenty of bands, but not so many good promoters… but hey – there’s not much that can be done within a small country. The underground is strong though, and with promoters like Motherfuzzers, Dead End Music, Bad Reputation, HexenHaus, yourselves and many others – especially the ones who support local unsigned bands – Irish metal will soon take its rightful place in the pantheon of European metal!
Is there enough support for the metal scene in the Irish media? Or is that important?
Yes and no. I’m good with both common views here:
– enthusiastic (as in “we need more media presence, more exposure – give metal to the masses, conquer young minds and teach them the ways of metal!’)
– elitist (“true metal is and should be underground, not for everyone – only those who truly appreciate genuine non conformist aggressive dark power that it is. posers, die!”)
Is social media more important that traditional channels (ie newspapers/radio) in communicating with your fans and attracting new ones?
Everything is important. To spread like disease we need to infect all the veins, arteries and capillaries of communication.
Outside of the bands at MOR, what other Irish bands would you recommend PM readers check out?
Slomatics, War Iron, Five Will Die, Gargantuan, Electric Taurus, Nomadic Rituals, Astralnaut, Brigantia, Zylum, No Mans Land, Two Tales of Woe, Nautilus
Apart from your instruments (obviously), what is the one essential item you always carry when playing a gig or festival?
AK-48
Finally, MOR is a week after Bloodstock: do you think a festival like BOA would work on the island of Ireland, and if so where would be the best place to hold it?
Yes, should work. Best be held at Croagh Patrick, Mayo.
You can find out more about Weed Priest at http://www.facebook.com/WeedPriest
You can buy/download their debut album and new ‘Worship’ EP from http://weedpriest.bandcamp.com and http://weedpriest.bigcartel.com
Find out more about Monsters Of Rot at www.monstersofrot.com.
Tomorrow, we talk to Pursuit Of Ruin drummer Nigel Colhoun.
