2015 - Fave Five Metal Moments

Hello folks! Season’s greetings, and all that jazz! Hope you’re doing well, and your festive cheer hasn’t been worn down to a stump by the current pro/anti ‘top ten/five’ internet article grumbles, debates, and rants that have been circulating. It hasn’t? Well, that’s jolly good! Because, guess what! Underground In Prydain is going to hit you with another one! This is our Fave Five metal moments of 2015!

Before we start firing out any names, however, let’s lay out the parameters. This isn’t a ‘best album’ or ‘best band’ list. 2015 has been an absolutely fantastic year for underground releases, and pitting them against each other to pick ‘winners’ would be nigh on impossible. Instead, this is, as the title suggest, five favourite moments which have occurred in the circles of Underground In Prydain’s - and Critical Events’ – corner of the UK scene.

It’s also worth pointing out that, even with the list broken down to five, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to choose between these, so there is no order of preference – one entry is just as exciting as the next to us! So, without further ado, UIP’s Fave Five Metal Moments of 2015!

Reign Of Fury’s UK attack

2015 saw this lot change the word ‘Reign’ from merely part of their band name and into a purpose of being. Anyone would be forgiven for thinking they had just been signed to some significant indie label, such was the veracity with which they assaulted Ol’ Blighty this year. A steady stream of fairly high profile live appearances was backed up with a blinding array of rewards for investors in the crowdfunding campaign for their second full-length ‘Death Be Thy Shepherd’. Not only were there copies of the album on CD, but also coloured vinyl, blood-splatter imports (we know where at least one of those ended up), test pressings; it was quite simply a lot of fun to watch this enthusiastic group at work, and to witness what former manager Andy Pilkington helped them to achieve.

(Reign Of Fury opening up Bloodstock Open Air 2015)

Diesel King covering Toto

It’s not all business here. Everybody loves a laugh. Everybody also loves Toto, right? Or at least two of their better known songs – Africa and Hold The Line. Diesel King certainly do, as they unleashed a video cover of the latter this year, with a tongue in cheek character which left many beaming, entertained faces in its wake. This was a side-line to the release of their Concrete Burial platter, and a significant helping of live appearances in the UK and mainland Europe, but it was a great laugh, and likely won a few more followers of their sludged up, death metal stylings. It’s a great reminder that while you have to be somewhat serious to get anywhere, laughter brings people together, and can be a fantastic way to show your human side and connect with the masses. The track has had more than a few plays at this end, and it almost always leads to the album getting fired up.

(Diesel King's cover of Hold The Line by Toto)

Krysthla campaign

Aside from having one of the best releases of 2015 (in our humblest of opinions), A War Of Souls And Desires, and a killer live show, Krysthla have been all over the metal media. Terrorizer called them ‘ruthlessly precise’, while Metal Hammer described AWOSAD as a ‘perfect gateway death metal album', and tipped them as their Hot New Band. Gracing metal charts and HMV’s in store Recommended Buy stalls, they surely made an impact not usually accessed by underground bands. This was thanks in no small part to the exemplary PR work of Stampede Press, although we get the feeling that Krysthla’s fantastic sound and solid effort may have had something to do with it, too. For those who want some more information on this campaign, read UIP’s interview with Stampede’s boss, Rob Town here. 

(Krysthla's video for Luminosity premiered via Metal Hammer)

TBFM launching Breaking Bands

Few radio stations can lay claim to doing as much for up-and-coming rock and metal talent as TBFM. They even started a record label, acting as a stepping stone for emerging artists looking to develop, and aiming to take them to the next level, rather than take them for every penny they make. Following the ethos of the rest of the TBFM universe, in 2015 the company launched Breaking Bands Festival; a three day event designed to ‘bring the very best of the bands of the future into one place’, putting them alongside the likes of Breed 77 and Blaze Bayley. The bands who were chosen to play, performed at a sold out event, which was also shortlisted for Best New Festival at the UK Festival Awards & Conference 2015. The second Breaking Bands Festival is due to take place in Bromsgrove, from the 27^th to the 30^th of May in 2016, and it will be interesting to see how things pan out for the venture in future.

(The Heretic Order live at Breaking Bands Festival 2015)

Fear Factory’s nostalgia tour with Dead Label

Whether you love ‘em, hate ‘em, or fall somewhere in between, Fear Factory were pretty big news to us back in the mid to late 1990s. While some might feel that they have lost their edge on recent releases, there’s no arguing that Demanufacture stamped its existence all over the metal world, and recent touring has seen it performed in full at every show. If you didn’t already know, the term for this is ‘nostalgia touring’, taking old classics that people know and love out on the road for almost guaranteed financial return. Big bands have been doing it for years, but in FF’s case, it was an exciting occurrence for two reasons. First, this is traditionally the territory of giants, so, while everyone is saying there will be no festival headliners in the future, if bands of FF’s vintage are doing nostalgia tours, they might just be the resounding answer. Secondly, being pretty sure that it was going to be successful, they grabbed hard working (and self-booking, from the looks of it) Irish band, Dead Label, as touring support, showing that the upper end of the industry isn’t closed to underground bands with a solid work ethic.

(Dead Label performing Ominous live in Madrid on Fear Factory tour)

Bonus entry No. 6 – Hordes Of Belial turned six

Yeah, at the beginning we agreed on a list of five things, but being part of Critical Events (the company behind Hordes Of Belial) UIP was incredibly pleased to see Hordes make its way through a sixth year, putting its existence past the half-a-decade mark. Despite the ridiculously good line-up for the 2014 edition of the metal showcase event, the finances didn’t work out that year, and it took a bit of thinking outside the box, a fistful of scrabbled cash, and some stubborn determination to see the show go on again this year. Experiencing new bands taking part in something bigger, and established names play to an intimate, appreciative crowd is its own reward, but none of us have infinitely deep pockets. However, everything came together for ‘The 6^th Verse’ this year, and we’re very happy to tell you that arrangements for ‘Hordes Of Belial – 7 & Hell’ are well underway, with the venue booked for October 1^st 2016, and some brilliant bands already in the works!

(All Consumed live at Hordes Of Belial - The 6th Verse)

Well, we hope you enjoyed our list. Maybe you’ve just discovered a band or someone working in the industry who really impressed you, too, or maybe you want to get more involved in our corner of the music world. Then again, maybe this article has just filled you with rage at our inadequacies. Either way, feel free to share and comment, but please, do keep it as polite as you can!

Until next time!

Ahead Of The Herd

Stampede Press: raising up the thunder

IT has been quite a while since a subject grabbed enough attention to draw an article out of Underground In Prydain. Last time, we posted an overview article on the opinions and issues surrounding PR for underground bands. Some PR campaigns at lower levels can be truly amazing in their level of success, but there is no shortage of the shared opinion that, for smaller bands at least, it can be a wasted effort. As in the past, UP set out to get some inside information from those in the know.

A mention as one of the UK’s most impressive underground metal PR campaigns of 2015 surely has to go to Krysthla’s A War Of Souls And Desires. Astounding a release as it may be in musical terms, the breadth of coverage and activity it received was truly impressive to behold as it unfolded throughout the year, and it was due in large part to the sterling work of Stampede Press. Underground In Prydain dragged a chinwag out of head honcho, Rob Town, to see if he’d spill the beans on the much sought after magic formula.

Underground In Prydain: Hey Rob, how are you today?

Rob Town: Hi, I’m very well thank you.

UIP: Have you been having a good winter season/Christmas so far?

RT: It’s been an interesting year/month for me so far for sure. Lots of meetings, winding down projects for the year and making plans for 2016.

UIP: What we’re looking at in this article is the effectiveness of PR, and whether, as well as when, it’s worth a band’s time and money investing in the practice. Do you think that seeking outside help with PR can be a poor choice for smaller bands?

RT: The realisation of the internet, especially over the past few years, has seen a huge upturn in bands being profiled. With the online tools available to everyone, some may argue the need for PR. For me, PR will always be relevant, especially if the band/artist has something that needs to be brought to the attention of people, and a reputable PR company can reach relevant people faster.

UIP: What do you think of artists running their own campaigns? Have you seen any recently which have impressed you?

RT: I’m of the opinion that a lot of bands, especially those in their infancy, can do a heck of a lot themselves to bring attention to the band and shouldn’t need the services of a PR company. I come from a background where I did PR for my own bands. It doesn’t always work but you can gain a heck of a lot of experience and exposure from doing it yourself. You just need to be realistic and focus as much of your energies as you can on making the best music possible.

UIP: What, in your opinion, is the best thing a band can do to raise their profile, if they can’t afford to pay for external PR?

RT: Basic things like gigging, contacting local press and media, getting them to shows to watch them live. That’s the key for starters; live music is where you really make the connection, and help change people’s perception of bands. I’ve seen some bands involve other passionate people that have helped put them under the noses of important people, and its produced results. The trick is to ‘create a demand’ whatever the level you’re at.

UIP: Your campaign with Krysthla this year was really quite the business. How do you go about starting off something like that? What was ‘phase 1’?

Krysthla's debut full length, A War Of Souls And Desires

RT: Krysthla have great music, and are doing something a bit different. They’ve a good attitude, and are prepared to do whatever it takes.  I had a fantastic platform with the band, and was able to ‘go to town’ with this project.

UIP: The band roots in Gutworm seemed to play a major part in the early stages. Was that an important factor for you, in terms of getting the ball rolling?

RT: Absolutely. Gutworm achieved some success in their time, and that resulted in connections being made, connections that I also have.  So, when it came for the time to service the album, we were in a really strong position to kick things off.

UIP: It really seemed effort was put into getting an even spread of coverage between online media and traditional publications. Was that a conscious approach?

RT: We had/have a lot going on. My work ethic has always been to never saturate, nor to rely just on the end result. There’s things you can do yourself to reach a wider audience, and expose them to key news pieces over a longer period of time. That’s when things can really get interesting.

UIP: What many people may not know is that paying for PR isn’t a guarantee. Sometimes the results you want or expect don’t materialise. Was there anything you were hoping to achieve that didn’t quite get the results you wanted?

RT: There’s always something you might not get, or may not get straight away. The days of a 3 month PR campaign producing results that can help elevate bands to another level are no longer here. Sure, it’s important to have a strategic service period for new releases but in my opinion, it’s what happens before, during and after a PR campaign that matters. Bands are now their own marketers, and this is where it gets tricky as to what works and what doesn’t, and where it places bands in the grand scheme of things.

UIP: As someone who was originally a musician, what was it that prompted you to take the dive into PR?

RT: Pretty much since I was a kid I had an interest in music and marketing, and as I grew and got into bands I would try and help develop our profiles. 2003 was a massive change for me, a life changing event where I threw caution to the wind, left my full time career and took the plunge with a band. Thankfully, it was the right move, and all throughout that time I carried out a lot of the PR and marketing for the band whilst, experiencing some incredible events, and gaining a wealth of knowledge and skills. After I decided to leave the band, and the fact that I couldn’t get a job at the time, forming my own PR company seemed a natural thing to do.  What’s really interesting has been the need to diversify and become a consultant, helping bands navigate the music business, and prepare them for upcoming releases, prepare for a PR campaign etc. It’s led me to meet a lot of different people. It’s through my experience of being in a ‘semi successful’ band (that led to co-owning a record label, co-promoting prolific tours, co-management, etc.) that I can justify my position, and help talented musicians avoid pitfalls where possible and move forward.

Rob Town: international man of mystery. And music.

UIP: In past articles, I’ve closed with asking interviewees if they have any closing advice. In this case, I’d really like to split this one in two. Firstly, would you like to add anything for bands trying to decide whether to get help with PR or to go it alone?

RT: I think, in this day and age, getting your ‘road legs’, and crafting your music to be the best it can be, is the most important thing for any band. Do whatever you can yourselves to gain interest, in a positive manner, through live shows and clever online profiling. There’s lots people can do for themselves to start with to gain interest, and it’s crucial to experience basic things that all bands should in order to really understand what’s going on. If a band is at a level where they’ve caused a stir, a real strong buzz and don’t have the means to connect to more press/media outlets - that’s the time to approach a PR company.

UIP: Secondly, what about those who fancy sitting on the other side of the equation – people who are thinking about getting involved in working in PR?

RT: PR is a passion, just like making music. I tend to work with bands that I’m passionate about, and can relate to what they’re trying to achieve. Whilst it’s not a necessity, I believe my experience of being in a band has helped me in my role as a publicist. Understanding your clients’ needs is a must in my book, and managing their exceptions can be tricky, but if you’re honest with them from the start, and work hard and smart, it can produce some fantastic results.

Standing For Attention

Hello! Can you hear me? Do I have your attention?

The music scene is a noisy place, and with more access to connection between bands and music lovers than ever before, everyone is screaming out to be noticed, to greater or lesser degrees. Traditionally, the role of PR agent involved managing communication between an artist and their public, via press and radio, allowing them to concentrate on creating their art. New media has somewhat transformed that function to delivering as loud as possible a voice within the potential fans' own digital space. With a new shouting contest in full swing, you can imagine how important the handling of a band's message can be in making sure they show their individual character in the best light. What are the benefits of going it alone, or seeking help?

Outside of the music industry, yet claiming some connection in culture, Brewdog have been through the ringer a little recently, fighting for a positive position in public opinion, not least of all in their approach of trying to maintain a genuine persona as a brand. In relation to our subject matter, some online users have been digging into Brewdog for the apparent duplicity in stating that PR is unnecessary, while simultaneously announcing their new PR deal with agency The Romans. It could be argued that this is perfect example of the need for professional PR, but surely that doesn’t mean it is an absolute imperative.

Naturally, there are certain points in a musician or band’s development at which such assistance is more viable than at others. While the first ever rehearsal with a new collective of musicians may be very exciting, it’s pretty much a given that it isn’t the time to fork out for a full-blown public relations project. You will, at the very least, need some product for people to get into to make it worth your while. Then again, just because you do have a release to plug, doesn’t necessarily mean you should be setting up a deal with a PR company. As has rightfully been pointed out in the past by the likes of Lisa Coverdale of Hold Tight PR, you have to have a fairly serious outlook as well.

So, if not securing the services of PR company, then what? A lot of what needs done can be done by the musician themselves, if they have the time and the knowledge to make it work. Just as the purpose of PR has been modified by the influence of new technology, so has access to the means to achieve it. Not something every artist will find a natural environment, though, so the answers seems to remain a complex one.

Of course, as with most of the issues we get stuck into here at Underground In Prydain, there is an abundance of advice available on the web for those who are just starting to delve into running their own PR, and many of them, such as this quick-list from Cyber PR provide a snappy introduction. It’s a good place to start, but these guides do tend to be broad and non-specific. Here’s where a bit of investigation comes in handy. In the next article, UIP picks the brains of Stampede Press owner, Rob Town.