The winning moment! Psykosis and Bloodstock’s Simon Hall moments after winning the M2TM Ireland 2014
2015 is shaping up to be a busy year for Psykosis, as they plan to release their highly anticipated debut album (Welcome To The Psykoward), which has been in the works now for what seems like an eternity. Overdrive can also confirm that there are plans to release a video for “Driller Killer” in the very near future. We managed to grab hold of the guys to talk about the last 12 months and when we can expect to see the release of the new album, as well as their recent addition to the Nuclear Assault show in July.
OD – Psykosis have had a huge 2014, can you pick out one of the highlights of the year so far?
Grant – That has got to be winning the Irish Metal 2 The Masses and getting to play Bloodstock. Just having the honor of sharing the same bill with a lot of the bands we grew up listening too, was just very surreal experience and also just insane fun. It was one giant hell of a party.
Click the graphic above for links to all of the Metal 2 The Masses events.
OD – What is happening with your debut album “Welcome to the Psykoward” and when can we see it released?
Shane – You will have it early 2015! Sorry about the wait, but it’s going to be well worth it. We are very proud of the album and can’t wait to unleash it!
OD – Where did you record the album?
Jay – We recorded “Welcome to the Psykoward” upstairs in a pub in Dublin called The Pint. Our good friend Steven “Rats” Rahaman did it for us, and as Shane said, we are very pleased with the outcome and just want to get everything sorted before we release it.
OD – When recording the album, did you record in a live setting, or did you lay down each part separately?
Grant – We talked about recording a few songs live, but we ended up just recording everything individually which for us just worked as it’s tight as fuck!
OD – I believe that you have shot a video for “Driller Killer”, when can we expect to see that released?
Tony – We sure did and we can’t wait to share it as it came out amazing! We had never attempted a music video before, so we approached it not really knowing how it was going to turn out. We certainly had a lot of fun in the process and can’t wait to make another. The majority of the footage was recorded in Dublin’s Academy, back in June when we were lucky enough to supported Trivium. At this point in time, we are hoping for it’s release in the very near future, so watch this space!
OD – You have just been announced as part of the bill for the UK “Thrashersauraus” Festival and recently “Metal Days” in Slovenia, these are both fantastic slots to get on bills outside of Ireland, how did this come about?
Grant – We have been networking and making a lot of friends over the years, which is very important to do in this industry and we just collectively decided that we needed to branch out and play a lot more gigs abroad rather than Dublin, Ireland all the time. The Thrashersauraus bookers decided to take a chance and give us a gig, which we are beyond excited about, as we are itching to get back to the UK and give it 100%. Regarding the Metal Days gig, that came straight from our connection in winning Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses Ireland.
Psykosis have been added to this years Metal Day’s Festival.
To be able to share the same bill as Death Angel, Sepultura, Carcass, Behemoth and Black Label Society is mind blowing, just mind blowing! We can’t wait to get over there! It’s gonna be insane!
OD – This years official Bloodstock, Irish Metal 2 The Masses launches this weekend (Saturday January 10th) in Dublin’s Fibber Magees. As the winning band from last year, do you have any advice for the thirty six bands that will be taking part in this years series of events?
Psykosis – New Blood Stage, Bloodstock 2014
Jay – Yes! Get your finger out and play your socks off like you’ve never played before! The whole experience is fantastic for the bands taking part and it will definitely offer a great break for you and your band, as well as an awesome opportunity to network with press, other bands, and extend your fan base by hundreds, if not thousands. Taking part in Metal 2 The Masses Ireland, was one of the best decisions we have made in our career and we have Levy from Fibbers to thank for consistently bugging us to enter the competition until we finally did, so thanks Levy, you’re the coolest.
OD – How have things changed for Psykosis since winning Metal 2 The Masses?
Shane – Hugely man, much bigger gig opportunities, overseas shows, festivals, press contacts, band contacts etc and it looks unreal on your band C.V that you have played Bloodstock Open Air. I highly recommend it. There is just so much to gain from taking part in it.
Shane Byrne of Psykosis – Bloodstock 2014
OD – How was your experience of playing on the New Blood stage at Bloodstock this year?
Grant – Absolutely unbelievable man! I just felt very proud and I think I can speak for us all when saying that. Looking back to when we started practicing in Shane’s (Drums) bedroom years ago and listening to these bands growing up and all of a sudden, sharing the same bill as them was very surreal.
OD – You came up with a unique way of advertising your stage times at the festival this year with giving away your own brand of beer, how important is it for the bands to “self promote” at a festival like Bloodstock?
A bottle of piss, anyone?
Grant – You basically have two jobs to do. Number one is to play your hole off and and number two, is promote, promote, promote! We spent the whole weekend at Bloodstock, promoting and advertising our slot for the Sunday afternoon. We had 300 free home brewed beers with us and planned to throw them out while we played, which we did and let me tell you, did people come? The place was jammers full of thirsty metal heads, ready for some Thrash Metal, and we delivered with fucking bells on! Such an amazing experience that I will never forget.
Had we not promoted our stage time at Bloodstock, there could have been a real possibility of us staring at a mosh pit of tumble weeds (ha ha). Who knows? But I’m telling you, I wouldn’t bring little flyers or CD’s around with you, because CD’s = Frisbee’s and flyers just wont work. You need to think outside the box for sure. Another one of the bands that were playing that weekend, had inflatable swords! Now, that was class! Also don’t steel our idea ha ha!
Psykosis bassist Jay Shaw – Bloodstock 2014
OD – Psykosis have also been announced as support for Nuclear Assault’s final Irish show on their “Final Assault on Europe” Tour in July, can you talk a little about this gig and how much you are looking forward to it?
Click on graphic for show details and tickets.
Jay – It’s amazing! We never thought we would be playing with Nuclear Assault, but there ya go, another lovely surprise for us! It’s such a great honor to be playing with them. That entire line up is a face melter! Nuclear Assault, Gamma Bomb, Psykosis and Animator! Thrash, Thrash and more Thrash! What more could you want? I’m sure this gig is gonna sell out, so get your tickets soon and come party with us down in Dublin’s Voodoo Lounge on Sunday the 19th of June 2015. It’s all ages show and tickets are on sale now so get your asses to a Ticketmaster and don’t miss this show!
OD – With all of the support show’s that you have done already, which has been the most memorable?
Grant – That’s a good question. Although, it’s a hard one to answer, I would have to say Trivium in the Academy. The crowd were amazing at that gig and treated us really nice. It was out first time playing The Academy and lucky for us it was a sold out show!
OD – What is on the intimidate horizon for Psykosis in 2015?
Grant – Well, our fist show of the year will be with Evil Scarecrow in The Voodoo Lounge in Dublin. We are really looking forward to that, as it’s going to be mental and will set the tone for the rest of this year. Other than that, all I can say is, watch this space….
Evil Scarecrow with Psykosis, Displaced, Enshrined and Subsist. Check EHT Promotions for details and tickets.
Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses Ireland kicks off this Saturday night (January 10th) in Fibber Magees on Parnell Street Dublin 1. For more information on this event hit this link.
This years Bloodstock Festival will be taking place in Catton Park on August 6th-9th 2015 with headliners Trivium, Within Temptation and Rob Zombie. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by clicking on the link below!
Bloodstock 2015 with Nuclear Assault
Words – Oran O’Beirne
Photography – Steve Dempsey of Down The Barrel Photography
