Interview with Draugr

Interview with Draugr

This’s our interview with British Melodic Blackened Death Metal Band, Draugr. Check out interview, check it out.

Tell us about Draugr?

Draugr are British melodic death metal band with five members: Shea “Janne” Mackay (vocals, lead guitar), Chay “Ahti” Johnson (rhythm guitar), Dan Tuck (bass), Ellen Meadows (keyboard), James Kelly (drums). Formed in 2014 by Janne and James, we aim for a Scandinavian metal sound with added harsh thrash and symphonic elements. We sing in duolingo (English and Finnish).

What are lyrical themes of Draugr?

Suicide, worthlessness, failure, hearing things that aren’t there, but also fantasy and love. There isn’t one specific subject we write about but you could definitely say there’s a theme.

What are your influences?

Children of Bodom, Kalmah, Norther, Wintersun, Tyr, Whorion, Finntroll, Equilibrium, and Shade Empire. Each member has their own influences, which means that everyone brings something different to the band on stage and in the studio.

Who are Your Favorite United Kingdom Metal Bands?

Iron Maiden has a great place in my heart (Janne), though we all really enjoy bands such as Fen, Akercocke, Saxon, Venom and Alestorm. We have a bit more passion for old school British metal and Black Metal.

How were the songs written?

The first few songs, such as “Nothing (Left For Me)” and “Surunlapsi”, were written in Janne and James’ jamming sessions. Nowadays Janne writes the base of the songs and the rest of the band adds their input to create a finished product. There’s no singular formula.

How did the recording process go?

So far we only have our demo album out and that was recorded quickly. At the moment we’re in the studio working on new songs for our debut album “Towards the End”. It’s been a stressful process, but we’re getting there and promise a hard-hitting album for all our fans to put their necks out to.

What are your future plans?

Our first priority is releasing “Towards the End”, which we’ll be following up with a bunch of gigs and new merchandise. Our dream is to tour with the bands who have given us our inspiration, like Children of Bodom and Whorion, though that’d be a few years down the line. In the meantime, we’re aiming for a UK tour, Bloodstock Festival and finding a suitable label to sign with.

Are there any countries you’re interested in touring or performing in? Why?

Finland. We’re all interested in the Finnish metal scene and Scandinavian culture in general. This summer Janne and Ellen travelled to Nummirock Festival and found the atmosphere so great we’ve made it a goal to play. Other countries would be Germany, France and Italy. The European metal scene is thriving and we aim to be a part of it. Our members already have interests overseas and even a few links, so hopefully it won’t be long until we’re hopping on a plane for our next show instead of the bus.

What bands would you like to play alongside?

Children of Bodom, Kalmah and Whorion. If not for these bands, Draugr probably wouldn’t exist. We’ve had personal help from Whorion and influence from Bodom and Kalmah both on stage and in the studio.

Any last words?

Nothing which comes to mind, other than we hope to play to all our fans around the world eventually. We’re still growing as a band, so enjoy our music, come to our shows and listen out for more in the future. Thank you to BDP Music for this interview and cheers to all the fans reading!

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