INTERVIEW: Ali Richardson – Bleed From Within

It has been a long four years for fans of Glasgow’s metal heavyweights BLEED FROM WITHIN. After an extremely well received third full-length, and Century Media Records debut, the Glaswegians released an epic, self-funded EP, Death Walk, and then disappeared from metal’s spotlight. Four years on, the band are on the cusp of releasing Era – an album that doubtlessly will propel the quintet to dizzying new heights. The man behind the drum kit, Ali Richardson, was gracious enough to have a chat with Distorted Sound, and answer a few questions about BLEED FROM WITHIN‘s absence, Era, and what the future holds for the band.

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for us. First off, it’s been four years since we last heard new BLEED FROM WITHIN material – how does it feel to be back?

Ali: Thank you for having an interest in what we do! The whole writing process has been very cathartic. It honestly feels great to be sharing our music with everyone once again.

Can you shed a bit of light on why BLEED FROM WITHIN have been quiet for so long?

Ali: No one will ever truly understand why we’ve been away. There are a number of things that we aren’t at liberty to discuss. What I can say is that we had some growing up to do. We had to cleanse ourselves of all the negativity. We have learnt some valuable lessons over the last 13 years, and now we are in control, ready to implement them. We are back for good.

From the first listen of Era, the progression from Uprising, and even Death Walk, is unbelievable. Do you think the four year break allowed you to really refine your song-writing skills, and push your abilities as a band to the next level?

Ali: 100%. We have all learnt so much about ourselves and found a new dynamic with the addition of our new guitar player Steven. We were starting to work things out with Uprising and tapped into a new way of song writing with Death Walk, but it still wasn’t right. I think now we all have a solid understanding of what we want to create and how it should sound. We couldn’t have rushed that process. It took time.

There’s a few live shows around Era’s release, and an appearance at Tech-Fest in the summer, but are there any plans to be more active in the live scene as the year progresses?

Ali: Being away from the touring circuit for three+ years has it drawbacks; promoters don’t know how many tickets you can sell, other bands don’t know if you credibility has dropped etc. etc. Unfortunately the scene has changed a lot since we’ve been away so we’ll need prove our worth before we get offered the right tour. We are lucky to have some great festivals lined up (Tech-Fest, Bloodstock, Brutal Assault in Czech Republic) and we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to open up more touring options for later in the year.

Speaking of the release show, St Luke’s is an interesting choice of venue – can you shed a bit of light on why you’ve chosen there rather than one of the more regular venues in Glasgow?

Ali: It’s a very special show for us. Glasgow is our home in more ways than one; we were born in its suburbs and it nurtured our talent from a young age with it’s vibrant music scene. Returning for a hometown show, our first in over three years, we wanted to do something different. We wanted to bring people into our world, let them witness us in a new light. Fans of the band from Glasgow have probably seen us play every venue in the city centre, but it’ll be our first time here. We’ve spent a load of money on lights and will be filming the event for a music video later down the line. Not too mention it’s an old church, you don’t get much more metal than that!

And how much of Era do you plan on playing on these upcoming dates?

Ali: We’ll be playing a lot of new material. It’s essentially a fresh start for us and the material we’ve always wanted to write. There will be a few choice cuts from earlier albums, but you can expect to hear several new songs. Best get the album on repeat when it is released.

Can you walk us through the influences, both musically and lyrically, you drew upon when writing Era?

Ali: Musically it was a natural progression. We focused a lot on song structure. Where could we take the listener before returning to a familiar theme. How much melody could we get into the chorus without losing the aggression of the rest of the track. These were things we had never really considered before. I don’t think is any one band or artist who in inspired this change in us. I believe it was always going to happen. Just trial and error. With lyrics it was a different story. Me and Kennedy have spent a long time working on making the songs relevant. Not so much to others, but to ourselves. I feel like we need that understanding to truly get behind the performance. Songs this time round we’re a lot more personal. We expose demons and punish ourselves for our actions, and punish others for incompetence also. There is a political edge on some tracks which is pretty obvious. I think it’s quite hard not to comment on the current state of play in our country and others.

Are there any of the new songs you’re particularly excited to play live?

Ali: Ruina is going to be pretty special. We didn’t write it with a view to playing it live, but it works so well between the five of us it just has to be done. I can’t wait to unleash it on our audience. As well as that, pretty much every single song is going to be a pleasure play on stage.

This may be jumping the gun a little bit, but are we in for another four year wait for album five, or do you plan on working on new material fairly soon?

Ali: We have absolutely no intention of waiting around. We were held back against our will, then had to regroup following the departure of our guitar player. This line up is solid, and we are inspired to continue forward. Ideas are already flowing for our next release. Watch this space.

What does the rest of 2018 hold for Bleed From Within, if all goes to plan?

Ali: We are looking to tour at the end of the year and devote any free time towards writing new material. We are feeling inspired by our latest release and the response from the fans. We’ll capitalise on this and move forward.

BLEED FROM WITHIN are arguably the most successful Scottish metal band from the last decade, are there any other bands from Scotland you think deserve more recognition?

Ali: That is quite the compliment! Scotland has produced some amazing bands for sure. It’s just hard to get recognised being so far from a music ‘hub’ like London for example. It takes even more work. Especially if, like us, you start with little to no knowledge of the industry and don’t have any friends in high places to help you out. Bands worth checking out; FROM SORROW TO SERENITY, SCORDATURA, PERPETUA and AKORD. Pretty sure they all have stuff on Spotify. Give them a listen!

Thanks so much for your time today. Before you I let you go, do you have any parting messages for our readers?

Ali: Thank YOU for taking the time to listen to our album, and I hope that anyone reading this goes and does the same thing when it is released. This band is a labour of love to us. We don’t take money from it and we run the business ourselves. If you like what you hear and can get behind the music, please contact us and let us know. We love to hear what people think of the music. If we play anywhere near you, please come down to the show and grab a beer with us. It is YOU and you alone that keeps this band on the road. Thanks again.

Era is set for release on April 6th via Century Media Records.

For more information on BLEED FROM WITHIN like their official page on Facebook.