EMQ’s with Confessions Of A Traitor

EMQ’s with Confessions Of A Traitor

Hi Everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with UK Metalcore band, Confessions Of A Traitor. Huge thanks to their Vocalist, Stephen, 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?

Hey, my names Stephen. I’m the singer for the band. 

We formed back in 2015 as a few friends who met online and wanted to create heavy music with a positive message. We simply started playing shows with the intent to gig as much as possible. We didn’t release an EP until 2017 when we signed to a label called Sliptrick Records. 

We continued to support this release through touring a lot in the EU & Russia with bands like Architects, Caliban, CrazyTown & I Set My Friends On Fire. 

In 2019 we released our debut album “Guided”. We had intended to tour this record but COVID hit and we shut ourselves away to write and record. In this time we released an EP “Press Start To Play” and then signed to legendary Facedown Records in California, where we released our second album “Punishing Myself Before God Does”. We charted on four separate Billboard Charts, which was a monumental moment for the band. Off the back of this record, we toured North America twice, supporting Convictions. We’re on the precipice of releasing our third album, “This Pain Will Serve You” and in June 2025 we’ll be heading out on our first headline tour of the USA. 

How did you come up with your band name?

The band name came from a concept record I was writing before the band formed. It comes from the principle of seeking redemption for mistakes we’ve made in our lives.

What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?

So we’re based in London, England. The scene here is entirely unique, whereby there are so many venues and bands; you can go to places like Camden, where in the stretch of a mile, there are 20+ venues. Each venue can be showcasing a different style and genre every night. 

We have some of the biggest bands in the world come through and play tiny showcase venues. Parkway Drive and Knocked Loose have played The Underworld, which is a 500-capacity no no-barrier show. 

What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)

We just dropped two singles ‘Still Haunted’ and ‘Noble Bloom’. Both of these are from our upcoming album “This Pain Will Serve You” out May 16th.

Who have been your greatest influences?

• Architects 
• Polaris 
• Currents 
• Creed 
• Fit For A King 
• While She Sleeps 
• Bring Me the Horizon 
• Bad Omens 
• Wage War

What first got you into music?

Growing up as a kid in the 90s, The Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child were the first albums I ever bought purely from consuming music from TV shows like Top Of The Pops. I then took a complete left turn after playing games like Crazy Taxi and Tony Hawk, and got into Pop Punk and Nu Metal. Bands like The Offspring, Sum 41, Linkin Park and KoRn. 

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?

We have eight collaborations on our upcoming album:

• Moments (Belgium) 
• Sarea (Sweden) 
• HolyName (USA) 
• Heal The Hurt (USA) 
• Convictions (USA) 
• War of Ages (USA) 
• Black Coast (UK) 
• Exist Immortal (UK) 

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

We played Download festival in the UK in 2023 which was a big bucket list. But I think Wacken in Germany is a dream one. It’s the biggest festival in Europe and always has the best line-ups every year. It’d be an incredible achievement to play.

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

A fridge magnet, a digestive biscuit, and a Russian Eastern Orthodox Bible after a show in Moscow. 

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

We are forever grateful for your love and support! We genuinely wouldn’t be where we are today without you.

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

Chester Bennington. An icon and a voice that defined a genre of music. 

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

There’s nothing I don’t enjoy about it; the process of creating music that people enjoy listening to is incredible, but performing is certainly a highlight. When it comes to live, and you’re able to play it on tour to people in different countries, who know all the words – that is something truly special. Nothing beats it!

The tougher stuff I do still enjoy but it’s a steep learning curve. No one tells you, you will have to be a social media manager, content creator, merchandiser, designer, driver, tour manager and video director. One thing I’ve not enjoyed is turning up to a motel in the USA to dirty bed sheets!

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

I think there is a negative rhetoric around streaming services. I genuinely think they are the greatest thing to happen to music. I see complaints about paying artists, however these services have given a platform that gets music in front of people easily. We wouldn’t have access to, or have seen the rise of, some of our scenes biggest bands if it wasn’t for these services. There’s no way we would have toured America or played half the amazing shows we have without the exposure they have given us. 

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Currents – “The Way It Ends”

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?

Downloads – I’ve not got enough space in my flat for physical media. 

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

Download Festival 2023 

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

My day job is working for a private medical company doing research into people with chronic health conditions. I love this job. 

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

• Winston MaCall 
• Chester Bennington 
• Maynard James Keenan 
• Thom Yorke
• Beth Gibbons 

What’s next for the band?

The album comes out on May 16th.

We have a London release show on the 31st of May. We head to Holland to play Gaellus Open Air Festival, then we start our headline tour of North America on the 13th of June.

What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?

Everything can be found here – https://www.linktr.ee/Confessionsofatraitor

There’s a long-standing food-based debate here in the UK. And we’d like your help. So… A Jaffa cake – is it a cake or a biscuit? Discuss! 

It’s a cake! Sorry to disappoint all of you, but the clue is in the name! 

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Thank you for taking time to talk to me.

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