BLACK SMOKE TRIGGER – ARTIST ATTENTION & INTERVIEW
AMP spoke to the New Zealand hard rock juggernauts for the final time Black smoke trigger in 2020. We interviewed the band following the release of their debut EP Closed which produced their huge hit 'Caught in the Undertow'. They became instant favorites with the AMP staff. Their music is full of unbridled fury and their musicianship is on fire. “Caught in the Undertow” was one of our favorite tracks of the year. The band consists of Baldrick (vocals), Charlie Wallace (guitar), Dan Fulton (bass) and Josh Te Maro (drums).
Black smoke trigger have recently released two pulverized singles that fully embody their dynamic groove. “The Way Down” is full of wild guitar riffs and brutal vocals. Baldrick's voice carries a fervent intensity, while Wallace's guitars wail with primal authority. Fulton's bass rumbles while Te Maro's drums pound with intense urgency. “Perfect Torture” opens with a melodic guitar strum and soulful vocals, but soon transforms into a ferocious beast of a song. Every note requires attention. The arrangement is cinematic and explosive. Baldrick's voice is full of ruthless inflections. The track is pure sonic heaven. Both tunes are from their forthcoming debut full-length.
AMP is lucky enough to be interviewed Black smoke trigger One more time. And once again, they're at the top of AMP's best of the year list. These boys fucking rock.
AMP: First of all, I have to say that we at AMP are huge fans. Your sound is killer and rock sugar flawless. We just wanted to put it out there.
BST: Thank you very much! We've been working really hard on these new tunes, so it's great to hear such amazing feedback already and to see people connecting to them.
AMP: We last spoke in 2020. What has the band been up to in recent years?
BST: Yes, it's been a while! We spent the last two years finishing our new album, Horizons and working on the music videos for the singles. It's been a long journey, but we finally have a finished product that we're all very happy with. We've already shot 4 music videos for the album, we're about to do a 5th and now we're getting ready for our first international dates with Filter and Bruce Dickinson!
AMP: Your music seems to get stronger with age. What's your secret?
BST: After releasing our debut EP, Closed, we decided to take the time to really fine-tune our skills as songwriters and musicians. We spent countless hours writing new music and going over everything with a fine-toothed comb, rewriting and making things stronger. I don't know if we have a secret other than working hard at our craft. Working with legendary producers like Michael Wagener and Nick Raskulinecz also taught us a lot.
AMP: We also had a discussion about producing high-quality videos. The “Caught in the Undertow” video is spectacular. After watching this for “The Way Down”, I have to ask if you are the Tom Cruise of music videos?
BST: Haha! Well some would say that, and we've done all our stunts so far! Setting the bar high with the “Undertow” video put us in a position where we have to improve ourselves in the future. People always asked us how we would top this video and we feel like we nailed it with the music video for “The Way Down”, with us performing on the edge of a skyscraper. Now the question we have to ask ourselves is “How do we overcome this?” We do have some ridiculous ideas that we keep talking about that might one day see the light of day. We've already joked about playing in space!
AMP: Your new song, “Perfect Torture” is fire. Is there background to the piece?
BST: Thank you very much! The theme of Perfect Torture is something most people have probably experienced at some point in their lives – a love that is both blissful and torturous. Someone you can't get enough of but drives you crazy at the same time. It's a track full of raw emotion, and I think we captured that emotion very well.
AMP: What would you like your fans to take away from your music?
BST: We want our music to move our fans both physically and mentally, we want to connect with people. To take them on a trip and give them a get up and go vibe. The same song can mean different things to different people, so if it evokes some kind of emotion in someone, we're doing it right.
AMP: Also, what's the one thing people don't know about the band?
BST: One thing people may not know is that Baldrick never planned to be a singer. This may surprise some people.
AMP: We talked about the New Zealand music scene last time. Has anything changed and are there any new bands our readers should know about?
BST: The New Zealand music scene is alive and well. Bands like Alien Weaponry and Written by Wolves have toured internationally which is awesome to see! Our good friends Devilskin want to get back into the studio so they'll have new music coming soon too. There's a lot of great music coming out right now.
AMP: When can we expect a new EP or full length?
BST: We will have a release date for you very soon, it should be early May 2024!
AMP: In that same vein, are there any plans for a US tour?
BST: Absolutely. We have dates booked in New Zealand, Australia, UK and Europe this April/May and are also working on some US dates.
AMP: Any final words?
BST: It was great to talk to you again! The reviews for the first 2 singles from Horizons it was amazing and we can't wait to share the rest of the album with you all.
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