Interview || Blood Ink

• It”s been a while, I can hardly remember when was the last time Blood Ink played live in a concert…We all know about the unfortunate things that happened in Summer Fusion …but Blood Ink had this big fan base…you guys rocked Cherry”s and were one of the best local bands, what happened? Why aren”t you guys going live anymore?

True, it’s been a bit over a year since our last performance.Mainly, it’s because we’ve been putting most our time into composingnew material.We also had a few changes in the lineup. We had some internal problemswhich caused quite some delay because we couldn’t set our minds together,so a new lineup was a must.

But today, you can be certain that the band is stronger than ever and theband is at a whole new level.Our fans are still there and we will not disappoint them. We also willdefinitely have an impact on a wider audience.We”ll be surprising many in our next appearance.

• What”s Blood Ink up to next? Lets start with the style,and then go through the playlist back to the band members and all the changes!

We’ve had a good shift of style in the recent past…at one point, our decisions were no longer properly planned.They were more to satisfy personal members’ requests, even if not everyone agreed.Our tastes in style started conflicting a lot. That caused some internal problems and caused a lot of delay in composing new material.

The band was somehow split in two, each not agreeing with the other’s views in music. Eventually a lineup change was a must.

Today the band unified. Our work flow is extremely smooth and coherent. The current lineup is exceptionally promising.In the last few months we have worked & composed faster than a whole year with the previous lineup.Also, everything is more coordinated and our work is really as a unified entity.

Our current style is hard to describe. We are experimenting new grounds. We have new visions in the bands and perceptions from all members. We are working in a totally new & different approach.

Our current style can be somehow related to being a mix of bands like Machinehead, Unearth, Lamb of God, Testament, and Quo Vadis.The style itself has become quite more technical, especially when it comes to drums and bass…there’s extreme unorthodox composing in those elements.Guitars are generally complex and straight down heavy. Vocals will somehow be thrash oriented but we will be experimenting in new things at the same time.We won”t be exactly ”following rules” , we”re defining our own unique sound. Too many bands sound the same, local and abroad, we do not aim to ”be just another band”.

As for our playlist, we’ll keep it as a surprise, but it will mostly be originals.Regarding the lineup, as most are already aware, we now have a new drummer and guitarist.

We confidently believe that this is the strongest lineup Blood Ink has seen, and we will not disappoint.

• Who are the new members in the band?

The lineup changes were done around the end of last year.Simon El Khoury is the new drummer, and Joe Abdel Sater the new guitarist.The rest of the band hasn’t changed:Rabih Zgheib on vocalsJad Matta on guitarsRoy Naufal on bass

• About the originals, any new demos or releases we can hear? or how long is it gonna take you guys to have some?

We have around 7 songs complete of our upcoming album and a few recorded.

The new sound (musically and recording) is something to really look forward to. We’re keeping everything as a surprise for the time being, but there’s a lot to be seen.There’s a lot being prepared. We’re actually taking our time before releasing it.

As for demos and such, we won’t be posting anything online soon. At the moment, the only chance of getting a sneak peak is directly through the band.

• How many tracks are we to expect in the second album? Any title for it?

Not less than 8 tracks. We’ll share the rest of the details in due time.

• Who does the main composing?

Blood Ink. Things used to be more individual in the past, not anymore. That was the problem that we fixed with a new lineup.

• Do you think of Blood ink as a serious band that would get you income by any chance? Or is it just another band for you to have fun and practice… what are your general visions?We have always considered the band as a professional hobby. A very serious one.We never aimed to get money out of the band. That’s one of the major reasons the band still exists.Most bands that disband is because they do it for the wrong reasons (money, showing off, etc…), but we love what we do.That”s why we”ve been around for about 8 years now.People use their free time to go out, to do random things, to have fun…for us, free time goes for the band. Practice is sacred.

As for money, well, that’s the Arabic music industry, not rock & metal.We do aim to expand abroad, but in the end we’re Lebanese and care more about our local presence than outside.We love playing live, we love the music, and that’s why we do it.

These next videos are songs from the 1st album as mentioned in the interview; the band”s style has currently changed and is more technical & thrash oriented.

Drayke

Bring Me Down

Based on the sneak preview that I got from the band, I was surely impressed and I think that everyone will be once they feel the new band”s spirit and energy. High expectations for this one !