North Seasons have just released their debut EP Eyes For The Blind, so we took the time to interview the band and also give it a review – check it all out below!
Can you introduce yourself and tell me a bit about the band?
Hey, we’re North Seasons, the sexiest band in the north east of England that aren’t called Alexander.
You’ve just put out your debut EP Eyes For The Blind – what’s the general response been like so far?
Instant classic. Basically, everyone loves it. Loads. More than loads. Some are calling it the greatest album ever made.
How would you describe your writing and recording process?
We go about writing and recording in a bunch of ways; sometimes we’ll write in a home studio environment and others we’ll jam out stuff in the rehearsal room. Eventually we all throw our own individual inputs into it and refine the tunes into something were happy with and then we can go about tracking it but we’re always changing bits and pieces along the way.
Were there any tracks that were more of a challenge to get down?
There weren’t any tracks that were particularly difficult to lay down in the studio but each one took a good amount of time to finish, mainly cos we recorded it all ourselves and, without the direction of a producer or anything, we kind of let ourselves play round with ideas and stuff for a lot longer than we might have done in a ‘real’ studio situation.
Which track are you most proud of?
Probably Never Forget This. We are really into the traditional idea of strong songwriting and such over production value or anything like that and that’s kind of lost on a lot of modern music – that’s not to say there isn’t a lot of really great music out there cos there is – but that’s a song were really proud of creating.
Any interesting stories from when you recorded it?
Not really, we recorded it all ourselves in a bedroom that we all spent all day in and slept in. It got really, really, really, really smelly and disgusting and it was just totally minging. Lots of fun, but totally gross.
What has been your best experience in the business?
We’re lucky enough to have had the chance to get around and play in a bunch of cities to new people and get awesome reactions which is way more fun than we could ever put into words. But again; really, really smelly.
What’s the hardest thing about being in the business?
Realistically there are three really tough things about the modern music industry, which are:
• Competing with One Direction
• Not being as good looking as One Direction (George)
• Being better looking than One Direction (everyone else)
And what’s your plans for 2015?
We’re planning on releasing our first greatest hits album next year. It’s gonna be full of all those tunes that all you people love by us. If that all goes to shit we’ll become a One Direction cover band. No but legit, we’ll probably do that anyway.
Eyes For The Blind Review
– Review by Anneka Sillitoe
North Seasons have released a 9 track EP. Some would say 9 tracks is pretty long for an EP, but it just feels kind of right to give you the introduction to this band that you need. You get a real sense of who they are and where they’re heading from these tracks and the whole feel of the EP.
It opens with a very atmospheric style intro track which is untitled and you won’t believe the force that hits you from there on. There’s a full on track heading your way and it collies with you full on once Silhouettes starts. Mixing melodic vocals and a hardcore style, North Season are rocking everything you need to love about mixing atmosphere with some meaty riffs and driving drums.
Bitter is an almost 2 minute long monologue that leads into the track Good News. It’s probably the lightest track on the EP, but still has as much, if not more atmosphere than the other tracks. I say lightest track in the sense that there’s more singing on this track than the others and the screams are not as hefty, but it’s still there as are the riffs and pounding drums.
Never Forget has a massive breakdown that will suit anyone who loves their hardcore and will be a mosh pit favourite for definite and the EP ends with title track Eyes For The Blind which really rounds off a heavy hitting EP and brings the whole thing to a very sudden stop; a stop that will leave fans hungry for more.
North Seasons remind me of early Still Remains and the Frank Carter days of Gallows, but with some more atmosphere and scape behind it in the instrumentation. It’s a nice mix that with a bit of honing could really become something else altogether giant.
7/10
