It’s that time of year where we set out to interview as many of the Sophie, New Blood, and Jager bands as we can in the lead-up to one of the most anticipated festivals of the year, Bloodstock. Answering our questions here are Deified who play the Sophie Stage on Friday.
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
Matt: A small little town called St Helens within the depths of Merseyside. Jordan (drummer) is from Lancaster.
Tom: I’m originally from Wigan, and live in St. Helens – rest of the lads are homegrown St. Helens & Lancaster. It’s quite cool to have from different areas – we can call it a hometown gig in either city/town!
How long have you been playing together as a band?
Matt: We have been playing together since the end of 2013 and Jordan ed us a few years back now.
Where does the name of the band come from?
Matt: Essentially, it means to worship or regard as a god. To us, our fans and the crowds are the gods.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Matt: We combine groove and thrash, with almost every element of genres we have grown up listening to. Jamie brings a kind of rap element to the songs too, whilst still screaming like an absolute beast.
Tom: We’ve all got different backgrounds in music, different tastes and each brings something unique to Deified. This culmination of style and taste thats brought into the recording process (even though written by one or two ) each member gets to add their own flair, style & opinion to the table. There aren’t overarching egos here and everyone’s opinion matters. This to me, is how we make Deified unique.
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What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
Matt: Just being us. We always love to have a laugh onstage, whilst also still being professional. We have plenty of energy between us, which is what keeps the crowd glued to us.
Tom: Plenty of heavy as fuck riffs, our ion for the music & the scene, our friends & bands around us, massive head banging & circle pits welcome, we bring the soundscape you’ve listened to on the tracks right back at you in the pits!
Have you played Bloodstock before? If so, when?
Matt: We won the Merseyside Metal to the Masses in Liverpool back in 2015, and had the opportunity of playing the New Blood Stage. It was an amazing experience and we had only been together as a band for nearly 2 years. We all love that stage, as we get to meet like minded bands who share the same ambition to make it within the industry.
Tom: New Blood Stage 2015, at around midday on the hottest day of the year. If the sun hadn’t already melted everyone’s faces off, we also gave it a good attempt!
How/when did you find out that you’d be playing the SOPHIE stage?
Matt: Simon Hall gave me a call and gave the good news, straight after a shite job interview! One door closes, another door opens…
Tom: It was actually back in July 2020 that we got the call from Simon! We weren’t expecting the call and couldn’t really believe we were being given the honour to play the Sophie Lancaster Stage.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
Matt: Mostly songs from our new EP, Anthrobscene. We have not had a chance to play any of this stuff yet, as it was released during lockdown, yet it feels like we have been playing it for ages!
Tom: Expect to hear our latest EP in full, and some classics that are guaranteed a headbang.
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Which other band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
Matt: Originally, Lost Society (until they dropped out) on the Ronnie James Dio Stage, but I’m completely stoked to see Divine Chaos bring the thunder on that stage now. We have played with those guys a few times, and they are criminally underrated!
Tom: The list is endless, I want to watch a lot of bands we know and love, but Beyond Salvation, Divine Chaos for sure & definitely don’t want to be missing Loathe!
What are you working on at the moment?
Matt: We are working on our second full length, which is entirely recorded with 7 strings and it’s a lot more groovy. We have got about 11 songs so far and Matt wrote most of it during lockdown. It’s a different sound to our previous stuff, but it still sounds deified in some parts!
Tom: Matt’s done a lot of work in lockdown, and we’ve started bringing these songs into the room since we’re now back at it. I personally think these new songs are bringing a new exciting and maturing dimension to our sound and I’m super stoked to see this next chapter taking shape.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Matt: We played a gig with Acid Reign in Burnley a few years back and I decided to strap lots of balloons to myself, whilst giving a piggyback to Howard (the vocalist). I ended up carrying him up on stage and dropping him backwards into the drum kit; whilst almost ruining their set! I obviously apologised later on via social media and all was forgiven (I hope!).
Tom: Watching Matt play Boulevard, Wigan with some hideous flu, mosh pits flying, people head banging in our faces and just turning round to see Matt sat on a chair just wishing & hoping for the gig to draw to a close so he can go to bed.
What drink do you throw back to get yourself fired up before going on stage?
Matt: A couple of cold pints of Stella settles the nerves. If it’s an all-dayer, times that by 5…
Tom: Nowadays, a couple of ice cold waters, maybe treat myself to a beer. Back in the day? Jäger? 10 Pints? Cheers!
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