Lotty Recommends: Mordrake

Since catching an excellent set from them back in September at one of my local […]

June 1, 2015

Since catching an excellent set from them back in September at one of my local hotspots The Hobbit, Dark Melodic Metal quartet MORDRAKE have been under my music radar since. With their current EP "Unhallowed Chambers" recieving a big ten from yours truly, their great live shows and with a fanbase growing slowly they are band that clearly shouldn't be missed. Here's what happened when I asked them a thing or two about their sound in general, their appearance with EVIL SCARECROW in their hometown Bristol and their big news.

First off introduce yourselves to our readers by saying your names and what you do in the band?

Jamie: Jamie Drake ' Vocals, noises, screams, growls and talks, and Guitars, lead and rhythm.

Chris: Chris Mor, guitar, bit of lead, bit of rhythm and backing vocals.

Gordric: Gordric of the bass

Squire: This is Squire, drum monkey, backing vocalist and general puller of faces.

Who are you influenced by musically?

Jamie: Lots of Melodic Death, Black, Groove and Folk metal bands (Children of Bodom, Wintersun, Kalmah, Ihsahn/Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, etc) Check out a band called Hollow from Canada.

Chris: Oh man everything. But if I had to pick 5 key influences I'd have to go Pantera, Black Label Society, Feared, Behemoth and Black Sabbath.

Gordric: Massive fan of Wintersun and a tone of folk metal. Love Power Metal too, anything fast and shreddy really. Iron Maiden will always be a massive influence.

Squire: A lot of my influences come from the early stuff I was brought up on, Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Maiden, that sort of stuff, the heavier music like Pantera and Lamb of God etc. just kinda followed suit from there, folk metal / folk punk seems to be my current thing.

To people living under a rock away from all things Metal, how would you describe your sound?

Jamie: Heavy grooves, dramatically brutal with melody, expressive energy and shred like passion from the gods.

Chris: Does such a place exist? If it does it's really missing out. I'd describe as a good chunky mix of old school and new school stuff. Brutal groovetality with an affliction towards the dark.

Gordric: Punchy and epic I think we have a variety of influences that come together to make us unique.

Squire: It's difficult sometimes trying to explain any Metal to people who don't listen to it and mostly getting responses back like "isn't that just noise and screaming?" from my experience! But! to anyone willing to give it a chance yeah, with Mordrake, lots of brutally heavy grooves, topped with some awesome melodies! something anybody can bang their head to 'til their neck breaks essentially!

I understand you supported Evil Scarecrow for their Bristol date; how did that go?

Jamie: It was fantastic one of our best, made even better by the venue and great crowd, Evil Scarecrow are wonderful handsome, funny and lovely people.

Chris: It was a truly awesome fucking awesome guys and the Bierkeller is a great venue. There was a good crowd in and we didn't play like shit for once, haha.

Gordric: Bloody great laugh, everyone had an amazing time. Especially Brian the Scarecrow.

Squire: It was a gig and a half! We had a blast playing, probably one of the biggest crowds we've played in front of as well in all fairness and of course Evil Scarecrow were fantastic, never seen them before that, definitely one of the most fun bands I've seen in a long time and they're a loverly bunch of lads! Was a pleasure supporting.

Do you think Mordrake will write songs about Crab robots or similar subjects?

Jamie: I do not; it is only acceptable to the amazing level of humour that the Scarecrow gang can get away with. However we do have Brian (a scarecrow we bought) with us at the moment, maybe he will get a song written about him. . . . . but I doubt it.

Chris: Nah Evil Scarecrow have that area of profession covered, and with great precision and prowess. Brian's a bastard he gets nothing.

Gordric: I hope so, or at least something similar like raptor donkeys or something.

Squire: I dunno, we could always write a track about Gordric's mighty melon of a yellow fiat panda! as a robot melon? Scuttling sideways down the motorway with crab legs to that gig we had in Plymouth not long ago! This looks amazing in my head, trust me!

Now your recent big news is that you'll be doing a headline tour if I'm not mistaken in Czech Republic and Poland, how did that come about?

Chris: It came about through Tom Digaz who saw us play in the M2TM final in I think 2013 and I had a quick chat with him which continued via Facebook and he pretty much straight off the bat offered to set us up with a tour and said he'd be more than happy to mix our Mini-Album which was an awesome gesture and finally we are getting round to the tour.

Squire: Tom has been a legend with the mixing of our last mini-album, would have been a bit stuck without him there / having to mix it ourselves, but that's a whole other story and lengthy rant! anyways, thoroughly looking forward to touring with him and his band ZONE and TWISTED TRUTH when we get over there.

Do you know if you already have fans in those two countries?

Chris: We don't know but that's half the plan is to get out there and get some that's the best way right up close and personal.

Gordric: At least one. Right?

Squire: If not, we shall make some!!

Will this be your first visit to those countries?

Chris: It will be our first time there yes, greatly looking forward to it.

Gordric: Yes, I hear you can buy everyone a round for a fiver

Squire: Nope! Never been to either! It'll be our first ever go at touring yet alone touring abroad!

What does the rest of 2015 consist of for Mordrake?

Jamie: Many more great shows hopefully, always looking to create more guardians, and getting back to recording the first full-length album.

Chris: Many more shows throwing ourselves all over the country hopefully. Bring more Guardians under the motherly wing of the Mordrake "Empire" (Sssshh it's getting there slowly). And we will be recording a full length CD with all kinds of new and fun stuff on it.

Gordric: Writing, recording, practicing, more gigs, more metal, more moredrake. A little baby guardian Mordrakian due in August too.

Squire: There is the UK half of this Czech Republic Tour with ZONE, TWISTED TRUTH and Oakhaart coming this way in mid-July I believe, still some plotting and scheming to be done there though!