UK metal band Outright Resistance’s latest EP Me Vs I is a promising introduction to the band and their take on grooving metal. Drummer Michael O’Neill tells us more…
For those who are unfamiliar with your band – introduce yourself!
Ahoy hoy, we are Paige Lee on le vocals, Michael ‘Grandad’ Worsley on a guitar, Joe ‘Dreamy’ Jacobs on a second guitar, Sir Chris Everett of Bass’ingdon and Michael ‘Nelly’ O’Neill on the drums.
Give us a bit of background to Outright Resistance
We are from Stevenage, Hertfordshire. in 2011. Our music is something that we relate to, be it songs about personal mental struggles visualised in multiple different forms, or music where we wish to show you that while we’re around no one needs to fight their battles alone. We’ve had our own different battles and had music there to lean on, we’re now attempting to repay that favour with our own music.
What are your influences?
Lamb of God, Chimaira and Slipknot are a common theme among the 5 of us.
What are you listening to at the moment that you would like to recommend?
On Hollow Ground – with their CD Render The Past Redundant, good lord these guys now how to heavy. Also Vanity Draws Blood new CD Perspective // Dread. Definitely listen!
How do you feel that you fit into the wider UK metal scene?
Fun night out. We’ve got messages with our music, but we aim to bring songs that make you want to groove and have some fun. Classic 80s dance moves are highly recommended, especially the running man.
Give us a bit of background to Me Vs I – any particular concepts or ideas you want to discuss?
Demons. Internal demons, external demons, but the main theme is demons. Internally it’ll be how you feel about the world, how you feel you should interact with the world and how that can sometimes play a part in getting in the way of what you wish to achieve. Externally those that become aware of your demon and join forces with it, attempting to undermine you by being told internally and externally the same thing as they want to break you.
Tell us about the cover artwork:
It is a giant eye.
Ah, you were looking for more? Okay, the eye is a visual representation of the demon we all have within us. If you have anxieties that’s a demon, if you have feelings of loneliness that’s a demon, all of them attempting to eat away at you. But with it in a physical form you can now see what to overcome, what we can attack with our music.
How do you go about writing your songs?
We like to adopt a wilderbeast for a week and try to tame it. Grandad will normally try to train it to ride long before he should, and take his guitar up with him. Every time he falls off the wilderbeast we take down the note played, and then a song is formed.
How did the recording process go?
With the smoothest of smoothness. Danny at HVR Recordings is someone we’ve worked with before on the previous EP and he just makes the pressure of the recording process go away. He is also able to find the weirdest things on the internet, such as Russian sensation Chum Drum Bedrum. All that can be seen of the recording process is this guy…just him…and the crowd going wild. It makes no sense, it makes so much sense. My brain hurts
What’s your favourite song on the EP and why?
The answer to this will probably change for each member, and also probably change daily for them as well. Right now Maimed in Chelsea for a number of different reasons, the pace, the whispers, the chants, and it’s bloody fun to play. Ask me again in a month and I’ll probably have a different answer.
What does the future hold for Outright Resistance?
Afternoon Tea, and certainly topped off with a couple of scones. After that though is anybody’s guess. Feel free to keep an eye on us if you’re just as interested in what we end up doing as we are.
Hope you enjoyed the read, haha!
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