Interviews: Heretic Plague

Heretic Plague is an extreme metal band hailing from the UK, known for their blistering and unrelenting sound that combines the best elements of death metal and grindcore. In this interview, we'll be delving into the band's history, its influences and creative process, and what the future holds for Heretic Plague. So, without further ado, let's dive into the world of Heretic Plague and ollow the band on their Facebook page.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

Ad: Originally this project was called Bisected Cripple Pyre but it didn’t really seem to fit. We toyed with a few ‘Plague’ names and then settled on heretic plague. It feels very ‘grind’.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Ad: I genuinely have no idea how to play any other type of music. I’ve loved grind since I was a kid and I can’t ever see that changing. Metal is good for the mind, heart and soul, I think I’d be in a worse place without it.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Ad: We’ve been mates since we were teenagers and played in Beef Conspiracy together for the best part of 20 years. For me, making music is all the better when it’s with people you can just have a good laugh with.

Tom: I used to go and watch Ad play in his old bands before we formed Beef Conspiracy, and we'd hang out drinking at local punk and metal shows. We grew up in the countryside, so finding other people playing grind and death metal was a novelty and a bit of a game changer in my early life.

4. Each band member favourite band?

Ad: My favourite band will always be Slayer. No contest. But Pig Destroyer aren’t far behind. I’m a bit more mainstream in my tastes than I used to be so Mastodon and Dillinger get a fair bit of play, but bands like Pig Sty and Fuck I’m Dead will always have a special place in my heart.

Tom: My favourite bands are Brutal Death Metal bands like Disgorge, Gorgasm and Defeated Sanity. For the vocals in heretic plague though I was going back to old favourites like Cephalic Carnage, Brutal Truth and Flesh Parade, where there was a mix of styles from guttural growls to grinder screaming.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Ad: No idea really. It’s just a compulsion.

Tom: I think we just write music from our own perspective as fans. We always write the music that we would want to listen to ourselves. It's also cathartic to have an outlet for all the rage and disgust that life can cause.

6. Where was your last gig?

Ad: The last gig I played was Leeds I think? Slam-Fest with Beef Conspiracy. It was in a big meat locker, fucking great atmosphere, I think we left it in a bit of a mess. The last gig I went to just to watch was too long ago to remember… it might have been Slayer.

Tom: For me, it was with my other band Twitch of the Death Nerve. We've started to play more shows again now after a break with Covid, so we're lining up some festival slots for this year.

7. Where would you like to act?

Ad: I’m a bit gutted we never got to play Netherlands Death Fest or Chimpy Fest. Either of those would be lovely.

Tom: I'd love to visit some of the US fests like Chicago Domination, Las Vegas Deathfest, Maryland Deathfest, etc. Would be great to see some of the more underground US bands that don't make it over to Europe.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Ad: I know Twitch of the Death Nerve was lined up to play with Napalm Death before Covid wiped all the shows out, I don’t think there’d be any topping that. Maybe Cryptopsy, though.

Tom: It would be Suffocation for me. They have a big audience but have never compromised on playing Brutal Death Metal so hopefully, it would be a receptive crowd.

9. Whom not?

Ad: I’d probably happily support anyone. Even if the music doesn’t line up there’d probably still be some fun to have.

Tom: I don't really like playing on mixed bills with a variety of styles. I listen to different types of music but our bands are quite a niche so I think you get the best reaction with a crowd that is already into the genre we play.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Tom: I was always pretty nervous before the early shows for Beef Conspiracy, the first band I played in with Ad. I think that was partly because we weren't very tight live at the beginning and we would always fuck up mid-song. The only solution for that is more practice, and keep persevering until you pick up experience. It's totally different being on stage compared to being in a rehearsal room where you are only focused on your instrument. Also, from bitter experience, it's best not to get too pissed if you are playing something complex.

Ad: Try for a wee before you go on, try not to fall over, and try not to take yourself too seriously. 

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Ad: I really love bands where you can just hear that they were enjoying what they’re doing, I think somehow it comes across, you can hear that they’ve put themselves right in it and not overthought it. Plague Soundscapes by The Locust is pretty much perfect, as is The Return by Pig Sty and Symbolic by Death. And for consistency and just sticking to your guns with big face-pounding riffs, it’s gotta be a bit of Cannibal Corpse. Though I’m a bigger fan of the Corpse-Grinder era than the older stuff.

Tom: I think for me it has to be Defeated Sanity in terms of always pushing things to the next level. I've had the same conversation with other musicians at several of their shows where there's almost an element of depression after watching them, as part of you wants to give up playing after seeing how good they are.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Ad: I don’t think I’ve ever been asked for anything.

Tom: I don't think I've ever had a fan!

13. What do you think of your fans?

Ad: They have awful taste. But they are loved.

14. What do you think of our site?

Ad: Bloody love it!

15. Something to add?

Ad: Thanks for the interview.

Tom: Keep an eye out for the album release on Selfmadegod Records. Also, check out the Last Beef Conspiracy album "A Jigsaw of a Flock of Geese".