EMQ’s with In Depths
Hi Everyone. Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Chester based Metal band In Depths! Huge thanks to Vocalist Callum Smith 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?
Callum from In Depths here, I do vocals, I joined in October 2018 taking over from Liam Ruddock.
We formed in 2012 in college between members in Chester & Wrexham. Over the next few years there were several releases with varying changes in sound but with one constant, it’s always been heavy, this led up to the first full length album “Devil In The Deep” in 2018 which has seen success over varying platforms.
We have spent the last year playing lots of shows across the UK which has led us to meet & play with some great bands both on tours & in festivals.
How did you come up with your band name?
Liam originally came up with the name but I know depression & mental health were very important subject matters to him so to hazard a guess & say what I take from the name it would be struggling with mental health ‘drowning in the depths’ if you will & I think the album title almost confirms this.
What country are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
From the UK (North Wales & England) it has a decent metal & rock scene, especially in terms of hardcore acts there’s a lot of really good music coming from some great guys. The underground is teeming with talent & energy right now. I think people are getting very pissed off with austerity & the effect it’s having on both health and mental health. The UK is angry and it shows.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single or Video)
The “Devil In The Deep” album which has recently seen its one year anniversary, but we have some new music recorded & just being finalised for its release.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Personally I have many, gangster rap from early 2000s & metal like Marilyn Manson, Slipknot & the nu metal of the same period kicked it all off, flowing into the metalcore & deathcore scene of my teen years. Bands like Whitechapel, Job for a Cowboy, Waking the Cadaver creating the urge for needing something heavier as I grew older & bands like Cradle of Filth & Theatres Des Vampires pushing me towards something a little more melodic, whether that went into the speed and noise of gore & slam bands or simple thick low end heaviness of bands like Emmure or heavy yet beautifully melodic things such as Shadow of Intent’s titan of a release earlier this year.
I know our drummer Aaron was massively inspired by Chris Adler & Joey Jordison growing up, as teenagers we would watch these guys online all the time.
They all get thrown into the pot along with the rest of the guys influences but Nu Metal was huge for all of us so you’ll hear a lot of those influences in In Depths’ music.
What first got you into music?
I first started listening to the early 2000’s gangster rap that my brother would have on but oddly enough upon playing Need for Speed on PS2 I was introduced to metal. It was so angry and raw, I had to hear more.
From there I went to HMV & bought Marilyn Manson’s “Smells Like Children”, frankly it freaked me out but it grew on me and obviously shaped the love I have for evil sounding music.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Personally it would be Marilyn Manson, the dude is a genius & his vocal style is incredible, working with the man would be my life complete he’s always been a massive idol to me.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Headline Coachella for the ensuing hilarity.
But in all seriousness we ain’t fussy, Download is obviously a huge one but I think really if Warped Tour came back I’d kill for a slot.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
In Scotland playing at The Fishermans Arms in Arbroath a few fans wanted us to sign set lists (which was an honour in itself) this one dude then eats the signed set lists whole making sure he shows me his open moth when finished so I knew he swallowed the entire thing.
So yeah if anyone wants to get us a gift just eat weird things for our amusement, it is appreciated.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
To just be yourself & fuck what everyone else thinks. There’s so much pressure at the moment from family, friends, society etc. To be this & think that! Everyone has to be pigeon holed to a group & it’s so divisive, it’s complete bullshit. So yeah fuck all that.
If you could bring one Metal/Rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Can I have two? Euronymous & Dead from Mayhem I want to know what really happened, those dudes have got to have some crazy stories & an old school line up Mayhem tour? Yes please! I’m sure Varg would be up for it.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love the feeling of being on stage, you sort of go into this headspace where you’re not really in control of your body & it’s amazing, pure ecstasy for at least an hour afterwards & love talking to new fans we’ve made at the show.
Worst thing is definitely (for me anyway) sleeping in the van & not being able to shower. I love my home comforts. (The lads rip on me for this)!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
More chances for local supports on bigger tours, I think it would be great to see the local lads opening for the big boys in the game. It would get their music out to a much wider audience because sadly there are people who don’t tend to frequent local gigs but go to see the larger bands playing.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
An album which means a lot to the band is Slipknot’s “Iowa”, it’s heavy and aggressive in a way that until that point hadn’t really been done and you can feel the effects of that album in so many metal & punk releases since as it is in our own music but personally I’d have to say Whitechapel’s “This Is Exile”. It blew me away vocally and a lot of the reason I do the style of vocals I do is because of that album.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
For convenience I can’t deny downloads and the power they hold, it would have been impossible for us to have been heard by so many without the medium of download & streaming. On the flip side though I can see what harm it’s causing to bigger artists & nothing beats being able hold the product in your hand with this large artwork print so vinyl is the most satisfying as a consumer.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Personally it was a hometown show we played in G21 in Chester, was only a small room but it was packed and the energy was insane. Everything was getting broke, glasses, mic cables, faces. Conducted my first wall of death, spent half the show in the pit to my own band & managed to do the encore feeling like I was on the verge of passing out of exhaustion.
It was the moment that made me go, this is home & this is what I need to be doing with my life.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Well my other job is selling wood & agricultural products but I wouldn’t like to say I’d choose to be doing that. I’d actually really enjoy owning my own coffee shop so we’ll go with that, but music is the only thing I could see myself doing with as much passion.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
1. Marilyn Manson (do I need to explain this one?)
2. Dickie Allen, I have a lot of respect for that man, he is a literal demon.
3. Junji Ito. A Japanese comic book horror artist, we couldn’t understand each other but he could draw me some great pictures.
4. That guy who makes fried doinks on Youtube.
5. Kanye West. He is our lourd and savior Yeezus.
What’s next for the band?
A few singles to be released to show the world the new In Depths. Shows, shows & more shows & writing for album number 2.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
https://www.facebook.com/InDepths/
https://www.instagram.com/indepthsofficial/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4zDa3H9E7FwzkrUGkl0n4n
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
CAKE! Science proved it, they go hard when stale not soft like a biscuit.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Keep an eye out for new music & new video very soon along with some new lines of merch.
We’ll be destroying a town near you in 2020.
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