Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
Hi there! Everything is great! Thanks so much for having us!
Can you talk to us more about your latest single “Akiya”?
Sure, we’re really excited about it! Akiya is arguably our most aggressive and technical song so far and represents the end result of experimenting with our sound over the last couple of years. The song pulls on loads of influences and we’re really happy with the pretty unique sound we’ve landed on.
Did any event in particular inspire you to write this song?
So the Japanese word Akiya actually translates to ‘abandoned house’. This analogy reflects a theme visited in our previous songs – the decline of human civilisation. Mass departure from rural beginnings and declining birth rates set the backdrop for the song’s narrative which was inspired by an article Neil (our guitarist) found online.
Any plans to release any sort of video for the track?
Yes! We have a brand new music video for Akiya which will be released on the day of launch (18th Feb) at 3.00pm (GMT) on YouTube. We filmed the entire video ourselves on one iPad Pro without a camera operator which was a challenge, but fun! We took it in turns to film each other and used a tripod for angles that involve all of us. Dave (our bassist) edited the video using the same iPad and the end result is actually pretty good being the only cost was hiring the studio to film it in and we turned it around in a weekend! As you might have gathered, we don’t have a lot of cash to spend so we’re pretty DIY overall! We’re hoping to find somewhere free to film our next video so it won’t cost anything!
How was the recording and writing process?
Like our last two singles – Reckoning and Type I – we recorded, mixed and mastered the track ourselves in James’ spare room/studio (James is one of our guitarists). It’s been a real learning curve and Akiya proved to be a very challenging and complex track to nail down. We actually started recording the track back in April, so it was almost a year in the making! It’s been hard work but we’re really chuffed with the end result!
What role does Newport play in your music?
Well, we tend to hire a practice room in Newport so it feels like our overall home but as a band, we’re all actually from different places. Neil (guitar) and Dan (vocals) are from Merthyr Tydfil originally but didn’t know each other when they both lived there. Rhys (drums) is from Cardiff, James (guitar) is from Cross Keys and Dave (bass) is originally from Bournemouth and ended up in Caerphilly so we’re pretty spread out over South Wales. As Copehill Down, we’ve also only really played shows in South Wales so far. But we all have different experiences of playing across the UK in different bands.
How has Killswitch Engage and As I Lay Dying influenced your writing?
The common influence for all of us is certainly metalcore, right from the first wave of bands like Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying and Unearth right up until present day bands like Landmarks, Polaris and Spiritbox. We love the raw power and aggression of bands like As I Lay Dying, and Killswitch Engage have always been true pioneers that really made metalcore what it is. We’re all also into different progressive, djent styles and that finds its way into the writing here and there. And of course, the classic metal of the 80s and 90s including Metallica and Iron Maiden, which inspire a lot of our riffs. All of these bands have helped us to grow into the band we are.
Does the new single mean we can expect a new material – how’s that coming along?
Absolutely! We are currently working very hard on an EP which is going well and on track so far!
Any tentative release date or title in mind?
We’re aiming for an August release for the EP with two more singles released leading up to then. We don’t have a title in mind quite yet!
What else is happening next in Copehill Down’s world?
Our focus is on recording for the next few months but then we’re hoping to book some live shows and festivals around the UK later in the year.
Listen Type I, Coward Amongst Kings, Reckoning, and Silent Twin