EMQs with Baelfyr
EMQs with Baelfyr
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with UK Blackened Death Metal band, Baelfyr. Huge thanks to their Guitarist, Tom, 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?
I’m Tom, I play guitar in Baelfyr. The band formed in 2023 and while in the initial writing process underwent a few different line-up changes by mid-2024 we had a solid line-up and went into the studio to record our first 2 singles which were subsequently released in July 2024. Since then we’ve been busy gigging and 2025 has already been a great year, with us earning a spot on the New Blood stage at Bloodstock and releasing our new EP “Empowered By Hatred” that same weekend.
How did you come up with your band name?
When we started the band we were writing about English folklore, a style that we’ve since moved on from, but the name was derived from Old English and it’s a word for a sacrificial fire. It still works as a band name despite the shift in lyrical content.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock
scene like there?
The band’s main base is Peterborough although members also come from Nottingham and Doncaster, unfortunately the scene in Peterborough is not very active, which is a shame, despite there being some really good upcoming bands in the area.
What is your latest release?
Our latest release is a single and video from our upcoming EP. The track is called ‘At The Mercy Of A Vain God’ and can be found on all streaming platforms.
Who have been your greatest influences?
In my early days of learning to play guitar, my main influences were 80s Thrash bands like Metallica, Megadeth and Exodus and as I’ve developed my playing became more focused on Death Metal so bands like Death, At The Gates and Sylosis to name a few.
What first got you into music?
For me personally it has always been something I was interested in since being a kid, being introduced to the likes of AC/DC, Maiden and Sabbath from my dad.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
While we’d love to work with some of the big names in the industry, given that we’re still a small band it would be brilliant to work with some other great upcoming bands in the scene.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
I think we’d definitely have to say Bloodstock for this one, it’s the best festival dedicated solely to Metal in the UK and a dream for any band to be able to play there, which is why we are so lucky to have earned the opportunity to play and bring our energy and sound to the fans there.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I can’t recall any gifts we’ve been given however we have been asked to sign a setlist or two which definitely felt strange since we’re still fairly new in the scene
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Obviously we’re fairly new, the fanbase is small but, from what we’ve experienced so far, they’re really dedicated, some have travelled to see us, we’ve seen people turn up at multiple shows in different cities and they’re always willing to support us by buying merch. So a massive thank you to everyone that supports us!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Chuck Schuldiner for sure would be amazing to see Death live.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love pretty much everything there is about being a musician. It’s great to write and play music with 4 other really talented musicians, go to gigs and meet new people and being able to share our sound with them is always great. Studio time is fun too as we get to really hear our vision come to life.
I’d say the only downside is that the music scene as a whole is struggling and so many of the grassroots venues we love are closing down due to poor attendance which is a real shame.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
One thing we’ve found is that bands are often limited in their reach by how much money they put in. Studio time, photography, videos, instruments and gear as well as travel all factor in to how successful they are, it’d be great if labels took on and developed smaller bands and put funds into developing the scene as a whole.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
My favourite album at the moment and for a long time has been “Severance” by Heart of a Coward.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
I think physical formats in general are better as they are something tangible that will be a permanent piece of a bands history, I’d say vinyls have that classic sound quality to them which is great but I think I’d probably go for CDs as they are slightly easier to store and are a bit more durable.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
I think the best gig so far has to be our M2TM final in Leicester. The competition was tough and the crowd was great, and getting the win was amazing, not something we’ll be forgetting anytime soon.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Well, away from the band I’m a CNC Machinist and programmer making prototype parts, so I guess it would still be that if I wasn’t a musician.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
The rest of the band and my partner Alex.
What’s next for the band?
As said previously we have our upcoming EP ‘Empowered by Hatred’ that comes out on the 8th August, which is also the same day we’re playing Bloodstock festival alongside many other gigs to come.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We’re are on most social and streaming platforms and they can all be found through our link tree below:
https://linktr.ee/baelfyr_band
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?
Bit of a controversial one within the band as our members are from different areas of the UK. I myself would have to say Bread Roll, however within the band Cob, Bap and Bun are all acceptable terms.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Just to encourage everyone to go and visit our socials, follow us everywhere, listen to our music and if you come out to a gig someday please come and say hi, we’re always happy to chat with the fans.
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