EMQ’s With Worship the Sacrifice
EMQ’s With Worship the Sacrifice
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with UK Death Metal band, Worship the Sacrafice. Huge thanks to Vocalist Laz, and Lead Guitarist, Steve, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
LAZ: Lazerus, I’m the vocalist, I’ve been doing metal vocals properly since 2018 and I’m a founding member of the band which was formed during the height of lockdown in 2021.
STEVE: Hi I’m Steve, I play lead guitar and have been with the band since its founding.
How did you come up with your band name?
LAZ: At the time there were a lot of things happening in the world that made me realise that there are so many sacrifices made by everyday people on a daily basis. Sacrifices made for the greater good and sacrifices made to achieve our dreams. These sacrifices should be hailed and celebrated; we should all worship the sacrifice.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
LAZ: I’m fron London, England. The scene here was not so strong back in 2022 when we first started gigging. I noticed a disconnect between the bands and decided action needed to be taken to unite the scene. That’s why I started a community called “London Metal Coaliton” and it has done wonders in fortifying and resurrecting the scene in London which is now stronger than ever.
STEVE: I’m from Manchester, raised in London but moved north about 10 years ago. It’s great to be part of both scenes but can make gigging in London difficult with travelling!
What is your latest release?
Latest single is ‘TITAN’. A song of rebellion compelling the listener to break free of conformity and act on your own accord. Being your authentic self is more important than anything else. Releasing 1st August!
Who have been your greatest influences?
STEVE: My greatest influence is Michael Amott from the band Arch Enemy. I have always loved how he mixed the aggression with melody in their records. I even dyed my hair at one stage to mimic him, but didnt go as far as stalking… yet.
LAZ: Randy Blythe and Corey Taylor are two of my biggest influences.
What first got you into music?
STEVE: I was round a friend’s house and there was a guitar just sitting there. I asked if i could play it and she agreed, even taught me my first song, ‘Fly Away’ by Lenny Kravitz. You never forget your first song! From that I managed to buy a cheap acoustic and started playing Metallica, Megadeth, Shadows Fall, Machine Head. I think the early 2000’s was an amazing time for Metal so I was spoilt for choice.
LAZ: My best friend Dan invited me to join a band called ‘Our Dark Descent’ back in 2018 and believed in me and encouraged me to become the best vocalist I could be!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
STEVE: Arch Enemy, In Flames, Soilwork, Machine Head, Lamb of God.
LAZ: Lamb of God, Arch Enemy or Slipknot.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
STEVE: Bloodstock, Wacken, Download, Just for the sheer number of metalheads that attend and playing to your peers, knowing you were in that crowd once, would just be amazingly overwhelming.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
LAZ: Actually turning up to support our shows is a pretty weird gift.
STEVE: I dont know about weirdest but I was given WTS guitar picks once and got to sign the top of a very fetching young lady who was currently wearing it at the time. That’s a gift right?
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
STEVE: Never compromise and be yourself no matter the resistance. No one knows the ‘correct way’ to live your life and no one has any real power over you. Find yourself, be true to yourself and enjoy yourself.
LAZ: If you love Metal but feel lonely in life, find your local music scene! It might not happen right away but showing up to your local underground shows is the best way to make friends and become part of the community that builds your local scene. Not only are people super friendly in the Metal world but you’ll get the opportunity to talk to the bands who will always be delighted to interact with fans.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
STEVE: Chuck Schuldiner from Death, the absolute masterpieces define an entire genre.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
STEVE: I hate the travelling, the down time, I can be quite impatient and love being on stage and writing music. Creating songs, jamming, discovering a new technique or way of interpreting music, those are the things i really love.
LAZ: Having an outlet to express myself and purge myself of negativity by turning pain and depression into a positive medium.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
STEVE: I feel there’s a lot of gatekeeping and I understand why, it’s hard to get traction in this business and when you have it, it’s only natural to try and keep it. But there should be more effort in supporting grassroot Metal and younger bands, getting people to venues is getting increasingly hard. Every band has different motivations for getting into music, for me it’s about making a track that will last, be heard and seen and have people enjoy it. I can’t be dealing with the other drama involved.
LAZ: I would like to see streaming platforms give musicians a fairer deal.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
STEVE: “Wages” of Sin by Arch Enemy).
LAZ: “Doomsday Machine” by Arch Enemy.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
STEVE: I think downloads with the technology nowadays is the best. I love my collectable CDs, but space is always an issue.
LAZ: Downloads can be taken anywhere.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
LAZ: Supporting Necrotted and Osiah at Derby’s The Hairy Dog. An amazing show with amazing bands on the bill and one of our tightest performances to date!
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
STEVE: I love numbers and I am doing my Accountancy degree part time while working, so more than likely that.
LAZ: Smoking weed, gaming and rotting away on the internet.
What’s next for the band?
LAZ: We are pursuing bigger opportunities for live performances and hope to branch out into Europe by 2025. We have an EP coming on Halloween and after that we start to record our debut album!
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
All our music is available on multiple streaming services:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4MhzKTRlF3Lw9QeqFBx0YA?si=g1pGFs85QBq1NIiiZbXKng
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Worshipthesacrifice
Insta:
https://www.instagram.com/worshipthesacrifice
Official site: https://www.worshipthesacrifice.com/
Bandcamp: https://worshipthesacrifice.bandcamp.com/
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?
STEVE: Haha! I grew up in London but moved north, this has always been an argument point! I will stand my ground at Bap! But I get everything in Manchester from barm cake to bottom top. IT’S JUST BREAD!
LAZ: For me I call it a roll with one exception, and that’s when i’m eating a Pie Barm, look it up if you don’t know what that is. It’s a magnificent creation!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
STEVE: Just thank you for the interview and the support you give to grassroot bands, it’s amazing to have these avenues to showcase all the unsung talent out there.
We metalheads are often the “freaks” or outcasts of mainstream society and that common denominator should drive us all to acceptance for everyone in the community! Let’s drive towards a future where we can all be whoever we want to be without persecution or judgment only acceptance and love!
