Interviews: Ashen Reach

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Modern Metal band, Ashen Reach, from the UK. Check out the interview and follow the project on his FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or did it just come out like that?

The band name was actually inspired by a volcanic island in the video game, 'Sea of Thieves'. The island is called Ashen Reaches. It's one of the biggest islands in the game and it contains higher-value loot the volcano on the island erupts regularly, making it a dangerous place to adventure!

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Modern metal is very much at the forefront of guitar-based music at the moment. Pioneers left and right, artists bending genres and pushing the boundaries of what can be done with heavy music and how accessible it can be to a wider audience, not just fans of metal. We love all the elements we can incorporate and there are fewer limitations, especially now with samples, access to new technology, plugins, etc. The possibilities are endless!

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Jess and I knew each other before the band was formed, but we didn't know Kyle or Joe and I don't think they knew each other either. When they joined though, it didn't take long for it to feel like we'd known each other for years.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Kyle's is Slipknot for sure. Joe's is Iron Maiden. Jess is Rammstein without question. Mine changes from day to day, recently it's been Sleep Token but of all time, probably Alter Bridge.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

It varies really. Usually whatever is written musically will steer us in a direction based on the feelings it invokes. If we come up with a riff or a chorus or something, and it sounds inherently aggressive, we probably won't write the song about a wonderful holiday we've been on or a mystical quest haha! The music lends itself to certain themes and we'll use that, whilst trying not to write about things we've already written about, if we can help it!

6. Where was your last gig?

As of writing this, our last gig was in Troon, Scotland, at the WinterStorm festival! We played to a packed-out main stage and it was electric. It is always nice to gig up in Scotland, the drive up is always great, the people are awesome and we don't get to go that far north too often so we love it.

7. Where would you like to play?

We would love to play over in Europe. The European metal audiences seem to go absolutely nuts and fully embrace the nature of the genre. Not the UK audiences don't, but it's hard not to marvel at crowd shots from RockAmRing, Wacken, etc. Those are definitely some bucket list gigs. For UK stuff, we'd love to play Bloodstock, Download, RADAR, or any of the big rock and metal festivals! And of course, the Royal Albert Hall with the Parallax Orchestra... one can dream!

8. Who would you like to support?

Any of our heroes who'll have us! Killswitch, Alter Bridge, Slipknot, Sleep Token, Iron Maiden, RAMMSTEIN, Bring Me, I Prevail, and Bad Omens, to name a few!

9. Who not?

I can't see us going down well supporting Snarky Puppy, although Mark Lettieri is a legend. Or possibly Taylor Swift, I'm not sure haha!

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Jess probably gets the most nervous before gigs out of all of us. She obviously just wants to put on the best show possible, and is highly self-critical, as we all are, but I think it rests a little heavier on her shoulders.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

We've taken inspiration from a plethora of different artists from different genres. I think it's a big part of why we don't really sound like anyone else, there's too many ingredients in the melting pot for anyone's influence to stand out. Probably our favorite bands from earlier are a good place to start, but not necessarily musically, but more the heights they've achieved and the dedicated nature of their fans.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything too weird to be honest, but there's still time...

13. What do you think of your fans?

Our fans are amazing. Every band says it and it's very much a cliche, even saying ''it's a cliche'' is a cliche... But they have supported and helped us to no end over the time we've been going, crowdfunding an album, an EP, and even getting our crappy van back on the road on one of the many occasions it's let us down. We love them all.

14. What do you think of our site?

It's awesome! So much content is readily available from tons of different areas/sources. Interviews, reviews, links to bands, and where to get their music. It's awesome to see people supporting creativity.

15. Something to add?

Just a thank you for chatting with us and for supporting metal music, especially up-and-coming artists like ourselves, who aren't necessarily huge, but feel like we have a lot to offer! Much love!