Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Deathcore is changing. Nothing that we didn’t know already. But what we’re also noticing is that some of the greatest bands that made this genre be what it is nowadays are coming back; and one of them are Annotations of an Autopsy. One of the main Deathcore figures in the UK back in the late-2000s, they definetly left a footprint on the European side of a scene almost completely led by bands across the ocean in America. We had the opportunity to ask their drummer Neill Hayward about the past, present and future of this band.
Hello gentlemen. I’m feeling more than honoured to have such an opportunity to interview what surely is one of the most influential bands in Deathcore’s history. A band that has made a name for itself among all the fans and now, is more than back.
First of all, to let the people know despite you have already announced it, who conforms Annotations of An Autopsy in this moment?
Neil: The line up for Annotations is the same one we’ve had for many years now, it consists of Steve Regan for vocals, Al Rose and Sean Mason at guitars, Nath Applegate at bass and me (Neil Hayward) on Drums.
Recently, we’ve seen you joining Slaughter To Prevail’s European Tour alongside Dying Fetus and Suicide Silence, playing three shows; London, Manchester and Birmingham. When did you came up with the intention of going back to the stage? Is there any ambition to do more concerts in a nearby-future?
Neil: Initially we had no thoughts or plans to do more shows again but we were asked directly by Jack from Slaughter to prevail if we wanted to support them on those UK shows and it was an offer we simply couldn’t turn down, we were unsure what the reception from the crowd would be as we had been away for a long time and were the first band on but the response was overwhelmingly positive and a lot of our old fans came to the shows just to see us which was incredible.
When you stepped back on stage for those recent shows, what did it feel like to play in front of fans who have been waiting for you for more than a decade? Did the people screamed the legendary “She bled, from every f*cking hole”?
Neil: It felt like we had never really left to be honest. As a band it was refreshing to know that when we’re playing on stage and getting a very positive response that there’s still life in this old dog yet, it’s still amazing to us to see people shouting our lyrics back at us and going hard in the pit 20 years after we released our first EP.
Since you left (If you consider it so), your return happens in a very different landscape. Deathcore has evolved, becoming more technical, more extreme, and at the same time more visible and Mainstream. What surprised you the most when you looked at the genre again from the outside?
Neil: Yeah there’s absolutely no doubt the genre has boomed over the last few years. You’ve got bands like Lorna Shore and Slaughter to prevail taking things to a new level and new audiences, the sizes of the shows they’re playing are crazy, back in 2006 none of us would of ever imagined that deathcore bands would be playing sold out shows in arenas around the world, it’s very impressive and inspiring to see.
At least I consider you as one of the mail pilars inside the UK scene alongside bands like Infant Annihilator, Postmortem Promises, Ingested or Martyr Defiled. After so many changes inside the genre, what do you think of all these young boys taking the Deathcore sound and scene back to its roots like it was 2008 again?
Neil: I personally think it’s great because for our generation when we hear bands playing the old style of music because it’s steeped in nostalgia for us, and every new era of bands always takes influence from the older guys that started it it’s just the circle of life, Deathcore and Deathmetal keeps evolving even when you don’t think it’s possible it can anymore, you think you’ve heard the heaviest song in the world and think no one will be able to top that, and then out of nowhere someone else will release something absolutley punishing, and everyone just keeps pushing the limits of what’s imaginable.
It’s something clear that deathcore was born as a quick-to-learn genre, breaking all the rules, that exploded thanks to internet because many people considered that “Hundreds of bands sounded the same, at the same time”. But after almost 20 years later, do you think that all those bands that were pioneers such as Whitechapel, Suicide SIlence or Job For A Cowboy have been condemned to change their identities to persist on the scene? Do you feel abit like that when you recorded World Of Sludge?
Neil: I don’t know if they felt like they had to change their sound to keep up but as you get older you learn new things and hear new music that takes you in certain directions, you don’t really want to be playing the exact same style you did 20 years ago because that would just get monotonous releasing album after album of the same thing with no variety, bands now have found what works for them while still maintaining their identity’s which works for them.
Talking about your latest record now, is there any chance to have a taste of new music from you this year?
Neil: Absolutely there will be new music this year, it’s been 7 years since we released “world of sludge” so we’re due some new songs, the intention still remains the same to release something heavy and incorporate the classic AOAA sound that the fans love, we’re unsure when we will release it but keep checking back on our social media’s and we will let you all know!
