Up next in series four of Foodinati UK we’re catching up with Harry Nott from Burner in Manchester, their latest album, ‘It All Returns To Nothing’ is a heavyweight slab of forward thinking, angular, UK hardcore metal that left a huge blast radius when it dropped. So it is, that in a hot and clammy punk rock venue, we have a good old chin wag with their frontman and discover he’s a lovely chap who’s way less scary in real life than his feral onstage persona would suggest!
So how are you doing Harry?
“I’m good man! It’s been a long drive up and so far, this venue is very very sweaty. So yeah, it’s gonna be hot up there tonight!”
The venue, AATMA, reminds us a bit like if you took the Boom and the 1 in 12 Club and mashed them together and they had a hardcore child.
“For sure, definitely, it’s got that kind of DIY feel to it. It’s all pretty raw, pretty basic, but that’s the vibe.”
So, it’s been a little while since you dropped your record? And the shockwaves were felt all over the scene. One of the main reasons why we’re doing this interview is because so many bands asked, if we’d heard Burner, it helps that you’re on such a great label as well.
“Yeah, Church Road Records, wonderful people, honestly doing God’s work.”
We agree with the groundwork that bands like Heriot have put in, raising the profile, it’s a lot like what Pupil Slicer did for Prosthetic. It seems to be riding that UK wave.
“Yeah, it’s Heriot, it’s Celestial Sanctuary, it’s Wallowing, it’s Helpless, it’s all these amazing bands that have come before, Svalbard as well, and they’ve only gone on to bigger and greater things.”
We ask Harry what have the band been up to after their busy summer?
“We did a tour in Ireland, it was our first tour overseas, and I mean, not big sea, right? But overseas, sure enough. Still counts. Yeah, it still counts, it’s in the Olympics and it still counts. So yeah, we went overseas for three dates, but it was just a really wonderful experience. It’s amazing to go to another country and have all the people appreciate your music like that. And then we came back, and we did five dates in England with Grief Ritual. Another just hard-working, heavy as fuck band. And if you haven’t heard Grief Ritual, listen to Grief Ritual, okay?”
Harry’s right, the intensity of that band live is special. Especially their frontman Jaime Wagett. That singer is just shaking with rage onstage, he’s so intense.
So, one thing that strikes me when we listen to your album is, and we’re curious if you get asked this a lot, do people mention Converge to you? Because it sounds like it’s part of the sonic stew.
“We get likened to Converge a fair amount, and it’s kind of funny because I’m really like the only Converge fan in the band, like a big big Converge fan. If you had to ask Nathan or Finn, they’re not, and they’re more the songwriters, they’re not as big a fan as I am. They’re just this amazing band. I’ve got Jane Doe tattooed on my arm.”
(Harry shows us his very nicely rendered tattoo)
Well, they’re certainly the live band of the year in 2023 for us, we saw a lot of other bands that have all been brilliant, but Converge at ArcTangent, wow!
“Yeah, I don’t blame you for that. I don’t blame you for that at all. It was a tough year to choose the best. Everyone’s been brilliant. And it was such a good year.”
What do you think? Is there something in the water for British music? Because there are so many great bands.
“Honestly, I mean I couldn’t tell you what it is, people have been talking about it, and you know, it’s music journalism so everybody’s got an opinion like this, people are saying, it’s a new wave of British extreme music, like heavy metal, and to be a part of that, or for people to say that we’re a part of that is, it’s amazing. But there’s so many amazing bands that brought out killer records. Wallowing, my absolute favourite. You’ve got to keep an eye out for Mastiff in 2024, their new album will fucking destroy you and their hot sauce as well!”
(Harry features on Mastiff’s, ‘Serrated’, the band’s leadoff single and the hilarious accompanying video, go find it on YouTube, it’s ace!)
We met those guys just a little bit ago actually. Wallowing were a funny one because when we saw them, they’re intense. And then they told me about their comic books. Watch out for that interview. If you haven’t watched it already, go find it.
Burner will be playing all over the place throughout 2024 and their star is most definitely ascending! Watch them very carefully!
So, all that remains for us to say is, thank you so much for being on Foodinati UK.
“Thank you for having me, man.”
What a lovely chap!
Interview & Table Images By George Miller – https://linktr.ee/601music
As part of Foodinati UK – Series 4
https://www.youtube.com/@foodinatiuk
Band Promo Photo Credit: Steph Evans Visuals
You can watch the full interview by clicking on the image below.
