Parades Underground On the Making Of ‘Allow the Flames to Take Us All’
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your EP 'Allow the Flames to Take Us All' and the story it tells?
The inspiration behind this EP in contrast to the others is that this is probably more politically-charged in general. ‘Red Tent’ was written around the Trump election for instance, and in ‘Allow the Flames to Take Us All’ the lyrics were heavily influenced by the recent waves of strikes in the UK. I’d say all of the songs on this EP have a clearly-directed focus on one thing, which is possibly what sets this apart from our earlier releases. ‘Breakneck’ is about a man obsessed with online debating, and the rage it induces in him, and ‘The Foolish Hope (Pt. II)’ is about miscarriages and the devastation they cause couples.
What was the initial spark or idea that led to the creation of 'Allow the Flames to Take Us All?’
It’s hard to pin down a specific idea that started everything off. The way we write, songs come together pretty much whenever we get a chance to meet up so I guess the spark is availability! In terms of actual songs, ‘Red Tent’ was the first one we wrote for the EP, so the opening riff to that song is ultimately where we started, I suppose. I had a bunch of song ideas recorded on my phone and we went through them all and picked that riff out as the starting point.
How do you translate the essence and energy of this EP 'Allow the Flames to Take Us All' in a live performance?
We don’t! We don’t currently gig at all for various reasons. If we did though, faces would be melted and I’m fairly sure at least one of us would sustain a serious injury from going too hard.
Could you share some of your musical influences and how they have shaped your sound?
Our music takes influences from all over the place really. Bands like Korn, Deftones, SOAD, Machine Head, American Head Charge and Refused all contribute to the heavier side. The rhythm section of Korn left a huge impression when I was younger, those beats really getting inside my head. Machine Head with their unpredictable song structures and SOAD with their psychotic mood swings left their mark, too. The more melodic passages draw from Nirvana, Soundgarden, Weezer and early Feeder. Vocally, Pantera and Sepultura were probably the first bands to shape the voice of Parades Underground. Newer bands that have had some influence on vocal style especially include Callous Daoboys, Johnny Booth and Omertà.
Are there any specific venues or festivals that you dream of performing at?
Download would be the big one for us! Or any big festival really, but Download definitely has the history and the kind of music that we love.