Stereoboard Talk To Rising UK Metallers While She Sleeps Ahead Of The Release Of Their New Album
Friday, 10 August 2012
Written by Ben Bland
Stereoboard caught up with While She Sleeps guitarist Sean Long to discuss the band’s new record, the awesome 'This is the Six'...
Hi Sean, it’s great to be talking to you, just ahead of the release of your new album. How much are you looking forward to unleashing your debut full-length on the world?
Yeah I’m really, really excited. We are really proud of this album so can’t wait to get it out there and let people here it.
This album arrives a couple of years after the mini-album, 'The North Stands for Nothing', which made a real impression. Was that something of a surprise?
Yeah it was. We always envisaged it as being a sort of demo/EP that would barely have anyone listen to it! When we got it up to eight tracks it obviously became a sort of album but then the reaction to it absolutely blew us away. We really weren’t expecting that at all. We were all sitting around going “What do you mean, you really like it and we’re one of your favourite bands now? We’re shit!”
In what ways do you think 'This is the Six' is a progression from 'The North...'?
Well I think musically it is a progression. I think we have got better at what we do basically. That has enabled us to go into recording for this album with a really strong set of songs and obviously this time we got access to a better studio than we could even have dreamed of. It was just an amazing place to record and that really rubbed on us. Lyrically, musically, everything, I think this is stronger than anything we have done before.
I was listening to the album for the first time a few days ago and one of the things that struck me was how well the piano sections, the more ‘ambient’ moments if you like, fit in with the aggressive tone that dominates the album. Was that difficult to achieve?
Not really...I mean, I have never been a fan of bands that are always one thing or the other. I would never want to be in a band that was just all out heaviness the entire time, or indeed one that was all out melodic the entire time, so we have always tried to merge those two things together and I think we have done that very well. I wouldn’t necessarily say it was difficult because we were all on that page and we all love the piano as an instrument so it came quite naturally to us.
The album also seems to work well thematically, lyrically and musically. Was it always your intention to make an album that flowed so well?
I’m not sure to be honest! I mean, I see all the songs as different and unique. I don’t like records where every track sounds pretty much the same. I guess what you mean is that it has a kind of vibe to it that remains consistent throughout. We just know how happy we were with the finished record.
Your live shows have gained a great reputation, and I’ve been lucky enough to see you a couple of times. What do you enjoy more, playing live or being in the studio?
That’s tough. I write songs with the idea to make them sound good on CD first and foremost. We never really write with live performances in mind, but at the same time obviously there are some things we come up with and straight away imagine how great it would be on stage. I love playing live and in the studio so I couldn’t choose completely!
Do you find it a challenge taking the live show to bigger, bigger venues?
In some ways it is easier because you have more space and you can rock out more, or whatever. The sound also tends to get better at the bigger venues. Obviously it can be hard to recapture the same intimacy of playing in a tiny room but if more and more people want to come and see us we can hardly complain about playing larger venues!
The metalcore genre is something that some are rather snobbish about, what do you think it is that makes While She Sleeps stand out from the pack?
I am rather sceptical of all these subgenre tags to be honest. I don’t really know what any of them mean. I just see us a metal band that take influence from hardcore music and aren’t afraid to incorporate melodic elements. We certainly don’t just stick in one ‘metal’ or one ‘hardcore’ box. That’s not what we are about.
Where are you hoping this album is going to take While She Sleeps over the next year or two?
I really don’t know. All I want is people to enjoy it and for us to gain as big a fanbase as we can. I am so proud of our music and what we do in this band that the more people that hear it the better.
Has it surprised you that the band has become such a big deal, over the last eighteen months in particular? You have obviously been around a while but there has been a very sudden upward turn in trajectory...
I have been blown away man, seriously. We never expected things to ever get this big for us and you’re right, it has really happened quite suddenly. I mean, we’ve been playing together for a long time but recently things have got pretty big for us. It is surreal genuinely. I can’t get used to it. Every day I just wake up and think...”how has this happened?”
Well, best of luck with the album Sean. Thanks for taking the time to speak to me.
No problem man. Thanks!
'This is the Six' is out on Monday 13th August 2012, check out Stereoboard's review here. While She Sleeps tour the UK in September and October.
Wed September 26th 2012 - HMV Institute, Birmingham
Thu September 27th 2012 - Manchester Club Academy, Manchester
Fri September 28th 2012 - Corporation, Sheffield
Sat September 29th 2012 - Garage, Glasgow
Sun September 30th 2012 - O2 Academy Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Tue October 2nd 2012 - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
Wed October 3rd 2012 - Fleece, Bristol
Thu October 4th 2012 - Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Fri October 5th 2012 - Electric Ballroom, London
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Hi Sean, it’s great to be talking to you, just ahead of the release of your new album. How much are you looking forward to unleashing your debut full-length on the world?
