Ahead of their Planet Loud sponsored tour, we spoke to rising Brit metal outfit Sacred Mother Tongue about their new album, what inspires their rage and any rules they have when they’re on the road..
Planet Loud – So, how are things going at the moment?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Things are great for us right now, loads is happening with the release of the album, the upcoming tour etc… We’ve just recorded a new video, that was a laugh, and of course there’s all sorts of press stuff to do so things are incredibly busy.
Planet Loud – For those people who don’t know about you guys, what can you tell us about the band?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Well we began in 2004 as a covers band. No one around our area was tackling modern metal at all, it was all classic rock and Brit pop so we set about playing Pantera, Metallica, System of a Down etc just for kicks initially. As time moved on and line up changes took effect we started to write our own material and get on to the circuit. We recorded a self titled Demo, then released ‘Revenge is Personal EP. It’s been a tough slog building our profile but in the last 2 years since Andy joined the band, we’ve written and recorded our debut album.
Planet Loud – You’ve got a new album coming out in a few weeks, what can you tell us about it?
Sacred Mother Tongue – It’s a collection of all our influences throughout the years. There are 3 tracks carried from the Pre-Andy SMT that have been re-written, and a movement on our sound as we’ve matured. The album is brutal but with melody still intact. I like to fuse soulful melodies with hardcore screaming in such a way that it’s not only tasteful and required, but still accessible to the listener. Andy’s riffs are brutal, and the overall sound of the band is very heavy, but still with a commercial edge to it. The Production was done by Scott Atkins (ex Stampin’ Ground) who is in my opinion, British Metals rising hope. It sounds amazing and we don’t mind that at all.
Planet Loud – What sort of things have inspired it lyrically? Can you talk us through some of the songs?
Sacred Mother Tongue – I generally draw influence from the riff or the feel of the song. As I listen to something for the first time, it gives me a feeling or an emotion, and this initial emotion usually sticks with me until the lyrics are completed and shapes the mood of what I am writing about. I draw influence from several different areas. Some songs are about factual events, whether personal or reported, I build a storyline based on these events and turn it into lyrics. The End, Two Thousand Eight Hundred, and The Man you Tried To Hide are all examples of this. At the other end I write about my own sense of feeling, my opinions, ideas or just general rants. I have a lot of things to moan about!!
Planet Loud – What about musically? What bands do you draw inspiration from?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Collectively, SMT are fans of KSE, Arch Enemy, Alter Bridge, The Haunted, Lamb of God, Stampin Ground, Exit Ten, All That Remains, Children of Bodom, As I Lay Dying etc. But individually there are gaps in our influence which we all try to bring on a separate level. The result being fused sections and different feels throughout the songs. I think this is better that trying to write like KSE or going down the same road as one of those other bands. At the end of the day, they’ve already conquered it so what’s the point? Our separate influences include Dream Theater, All Shall Perish, Born of Osiris, Every Time I die, Opeth, Decapitated, Led Zeppelin, Megadeth. As far as the lyrics go, everything influences me. I’m into all kinds of music from country to death metal, and I think all aspects of music can move you in different ways so I have loads of directions to go with a song depending on that initial mood I was talking about. I’d say my favourite vocalist that’s inspired me to keep doing this is Peter Dolving of The Haunted. He’s amazing from start to finish, I love his content, his passion and his delivery is incredible.
Planet Loud – What do you think the album and the band offer the metal scene in 2009?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Hopefully a dose of brutal hangovers and bleeding skulls. But on a serious note, we’re keeping an old school vibe and injecting all the good bits of modern metal into it.
Planet Loud – If you could describe the album in one sentence what would you say?
Sacred Mother Tongue – A Small Square piece of Plastic holding a circular piece of plastic inside, some cardboard with drawings on it and a piece of text listing the most awesome fucking metal you’ve ever heard in your fucking life!
Planet Loud – You don’t come across as one of those bands who fit into the particular modern “myspace” metal scene that has taken over the UK. Does that make things difficult for you in terms of getting gigs etc?
Sacred Mother Tongue – We’re certainly not a scene band, so I guess not everyone likes us. To be honest I prefer it that way. If you’re a real metal fan, whether that’s old school, thrash, hardcore, nu-metal, death metal or metalcore… you’ll like us. If on the other hand your into the latest scene thing because your mates have told you it’s cool, well chances are you won’t like us cause I doubt very much that your mates gonna think we’re cool, and he’s clearly a knob anyway.
Planet Loud – What do you think of the UK metal scene in 2009, is it a good thing or a bad thing that bands like BMTH and Enter Shikari have had success outside the UK?
Sacred Mother Tongue – It’s difficult to say… I’m actually a fan of Shikari but I do think that with any experimental music, it sparks a whole bunch of wankers that can’t play trying to copycat these pioneers. I wish the best to anyone who finds success outside of the UK so fair play to them. I think the UK has sowed it’s oats across the world and kinda earned it’s stripes already. Therefore I’m doubtful it’s a bad thing, music evolves, deal with it.
Planet Loud – You guys are from Northampton, what is the scene like down there these days?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Pretty shit actually. There’s only a handful of decent bands doing their own material and most will never even get out of the county. We have to look further afield like Milton Keynes or Hertfordshire to find the good bands.
Planet Loud – How do you think the UK metal scene has changed since you formed in 2004?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Enormously! For a start you weren’t aloud to play solo’s in your songs back then cause it wasn’t cool. I mean that’s bollocks eh? But still it’s all back on track now, thrash revival, 80’s hair metal bands re-forming and of course not to mention that more bands are now actually singing than screaming again. The whole things changed, the key is to try and keep up whilst still holding your integrity.
Planet Loud – You’re heading out on tour in a few weeks, you looking forward to it?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Fuck Yeah!!! It’s gonna be great, we just bought a new tour bus which we’re currently kitting out for the tour. It kicks off on March 25th in MK so we’re running out of time with it. There are loads of shows all over the UK so it’s gonna be great keeping that continuity of playing every night.
Planet Loud – It’s a fairly extensive tour, any places you haven’t played before?
Sacred Mother Tongue – There’s loads to be honest, a lot of the country we’ve never even tackled. I’m most looking forward to Corporation in Sheffield cause it’s an awesome venue, oh and Satan’s Hollow in Manchester just cause it’s got such a kick ass name.
Planet Loud – Likewise, are there any places you are looking forward to going back to?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Well all of the dates down essex way are good, Club 85 in Hitchin is a great place to play, Seven in Notts and of course our home turf gig at the King Billy is always good fun.
Planet Loud – What’s life like on the road with Sacred Mother Tongue? Any good tales you can tell us?
Sacred Mother Tongue – We’re a bunch of fucking idiots to be honest, it’s like a kids TV show with lots of swearing. I reckon a big brother styled show on the road with us would make no sense at all to outsiders, we almost have our own language and ways of communicating. It’s good fun though, we all get on like family and our little quirks amuse eachother. I’m afraid there’s no van crashes or arrest warrants to report. Just the usual drinking heavily, arguing about crap, petty vandalism and of the course the tale of the one legged dwarf prostitute that we kidnapped to provide payment to a leprechaun for the copious amounts of drugs we’d had off him.
Planet Loud – How do you pass the hours of boredom travelling between gigs and before playing?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Read above, plus plenty of visits to the Colonel and Coffee Nation Machines on the Motorways.
Planet Loud – Who’s got the worst habits in the band?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Well Andy is the loudest eater in the world and moans constantly, Josh is late for everything and does everything at half pace, Lee does this thing where he beats around the bush and avoids things, and I’m basically just a cunt all round… so who knows.
Planet Loud – What’s on the stereo in your van?
Sacred Mother Tongue – New Lamb of God, Five Finger Death Punch, The Haunted, Stampin Ground and the new Morrissey album.
Planet Loud – Any band rules for life on the road?
Sacred Mother Tongue – No bringing your girlfriend.
Planet Loud – What are your plans for after the tour?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Sleep and Catch up on latest PS3 releases
Planet Loud – Okay, thanks for your time, anything else you want to say, moan about, plug?
Sacred Mother Tongue – Buy the album ‘ The Ruin of Man’ out April 13th from HMV, Come see us play near you between March 25th and 1st June. Listen to all the bands mentioned above if you want to live.
Interview by Graham Finney
