A few weeks ago, we had the chance to sit down with one of the UK’s most promising alt-rock bands, Every Hell, at the vibrant ArcTanGent festival. We explored their future ambitions, discussed the creative direction they’re heading in, and reminisced about their favourite moments from the festival.

In the short span of just a scratch over a year, you guys have played a string of dates across the UK, managed to release three singles, with a stint at 2000 Trees and now ArcTanGent mixed in – what’s next on your collective horizon?

[Will] We’ve got an EP coming out on Halloween – before that we’ve got Misery Loves Company festival, and Castle Fest… in Luton. Not the massive medieval Castle Fest. There’s also a live video session thing – maybe we’ll put it on DVD, be really old school

[Toby] DVD?!

[Will] Yeah, let’s make a DVD! 

[Toby] Betamax?

[Will] That’s gonna be really expensive. Let’s make DVDs! Then we can go around the festival next year like “…DVD?”

We’ll have to dust off our player when we get home! Self-described as “Doom-Pop”, incorporating catchy saxophone hooks amongst the drop-tuned riffs; how do you approach the balance between commerciality and originality?

[Will] Hoo… that’s a really good question. It’s easy in a way, because the riffs are always first. Everyone’s gotta have stink face when we’re writing. That approval of “Oh yeahhhhh”. Would Duke Nukem be like “oh yeah”? It’s time to chew some gum and kick some ass. “I’m all out of gum”

[Toby] Stank face is first and foremost

[Will] Then writing a chorus – is it too bait? Is the hook I come up with on top OK or too corny? If the answer is “Yes, it’s too corny”, then they’ll just tell me to shut the fuck up basically, and then that’s fine. [Laughs] Is that true?

[Toby] I don’t think we’ve ever told you to shut the fuck up [Laughs]

[Will] It’s not happened yet…

[Toby] “Everything I touch is gold!” 

[Will] It will happen though, definitely.

Going back to the “Doom-Pop” label – have you ever had to rework an idea because it leaned too far in either of those two directions?

[Will] Oh yeah, definitely. Yeah… I really wasn’t sure, so there’s a new tune on the EP called Another Killer. The very first time we wrote the doom bit, it’s pretty much taken straight out of a Black Sabbath record. I think we went a little bit too far there – it was different, it went on like that for ages. Literally went “Bowww-bowww-boww”. Which it kinda still does, but it’s different. I had to put my foot down – let’s get out of there quickly. That’s when we went too doom too fast.

[Toby] Too much doom!

[Will] And the pop side of it – sometimes I’ve been jamming along with ideas, one of the new tunes called Stitches – which is also called C.U.N.T.S. That’s kinda cunts. Cunts… Cunts.

[Toby] Whoaaaa!

[Will] For people listening, an umbrella just launched itself at people. Quite a big umbrella.

It could have impaled someone!

[Will] When I was first writing hooks for the new song C.U.N.T.S, it was just too much. I had to tone it down a bit more. It’s not a very interesting story, sorry.

Sometimes you might want to go a bit too far so you know how to bring it back

[Will] Exactly! It’s part of our process.

You’re all very seasoned musicians…

[Will] Oh darling, thank you!

Not to blow too much smoke up your arses!

[Will] Toby loves that.

[Laughter]

[Toby] Don’t tell everyone!

You’ve been working and touring with a multitude of artists and bands between yourselves. Is there an artist or band that you could all collectively say is your “true north”, whether in terms of live performance or songwriting?

[Will] For him and I, particularly [gesturing towards Toby] probably Mastodon. There’s a lot we disagree on, but we can make sweet, smoky ass love over Mastodon.

[Toby] It’s weird how many influences come through in Every Hell – it might not be immediately recognizable, but when you look at some of the riffs – that first riff in Bad Cop, is straight up Mastodon.

[Will] It could be an outro at the end of Leviathan or something.

[Toby] Yeah! Our other band Skin Failure, we supported [the] St. Pierre [Snake Invasion]. As we were coming off stage we heard Mastodon come on…

[Will] [Laughs] Oh no…

[Toby] … maybe we do sound like Mastodon. They’re fucking great. I don’t know about the other boys.

[Will] Oh! Death from Above [1979] – collectively, that’s a big one. 

Final question – obviously it’s a belter of a lineup this year at ArcTanGent – do you guys have any “must-watch” bands that you’re hoping to catch?

[Will] Squid Pisser! 

[Toby] KEN Mode! Sans Froid! 

[Will] Peach! Tonight – Baroness!

Julie Christmas and Squid Pisser is a bad clash!

[Toby] Yeah… I woke up this morning and wanted a challenge, there’s no point in standing around being sad, I want a brutal assault on my ears. 

I think some people think Julie Christmas is gonna be sombre – it’s going to be mental!

[Toby] Squid Pisser are just fucking nuts.

[Will] The videos of their live shows look really like… early Slipknot levels of throwing each other down stairs, being sick on each other. Looks like it’s going to be very fun!

What are your festival essentials?

Toby : Crisp cold ones from the bar

Will: My list last year would have been a voice as I had Laryngitis last year which was a good thing as we would have had a horrible clash and no one would have come see us so it’s nice to play this year instead when we have lots of stuff actually happening.

Every Hell release their debut EP on the 30th October.