I’m sure the three guys who comprise Chaos Bleak would baulk at the word “Supergroup” but as they feature guitarist/backing vocalist Trevor Bamford (Death Party UK), bassist Justin Walker (Crimson Brigade) and vocalist Piers Six (Midnight Configuration), no other word will suffice. Powered forth by a restless energy, the band have demolished stages up and down the country and left a fine discography in their wake. With a new record label and third studio album being prepared, Chaos Bleak have been given fresh impetus and feel like an unstoppable force. Therefore, now seemed the perfect time to sit down with the band to discuss their dark art.
Can you give us some background on the band. How did you meet? Did you know each other before the band’s formation?
Justin: I’ve have known Trev since 1992 after we (13 Candles) gave him a demo at Every New Dead Ghost’s last gig at Rock City (Nottingham) and he contacted us regarding joining Nightbreed, so we have been best mates ever since then, Piers I have got to know later in his Arcane Winter days with Trev, our paths crossed in the ‘90s but I didn’t get to know him properly until later on. I have always wanted to work with Trev musically for a long time and when I saw Trev and Piers were putting together a new band I answered the call on Facebook and the rest is history.
Piers: We’ve all know each other for years. I first met Trev when my first band deadblackwhite played with his band Every New Dead Ghost. This was back when I lived down south, and when I moved to Nottingham we ran into each other again. I used to go to the Nightbreed shop on Wollaton Street, then the one at Sneinton Market all the time.
I ended up recording with Midnight Configuration, and joining on keyboards and backing vocals, then we formed Arcane Winter.
I met Justin after moving to Nottingham, I am massive fan of his band 13 Candles. We would run into each other all over the place! I’ve known them both for 25 years. Being in a band with them is an absolute joy, we’re the best gang in town. We have our own argot as all bands should have, and although this doesn’t sound particularly goth, we have a great laugh. We’re brothers, it’s that simple.
We formed in 2019, Arcane Winter had been on hiatus for a while, Trev and I were itching to get back on stage, and one night in a pub in Hucknall (where he lived at the time), Trev suggested we either get that band back together, or start a new project. We decided after a few beers that a new project would be the way forward. He had a name (luckily we didn’t go with it, we chose Chaos Bleak instead), and we knew we’d need to recruit a bass player. I put a post up on Facebook the next morning, and Justin replied. He was the one we both wanted, as he’s a great bass player and an old friend.
Trevor: Yep, Piers and Justin captured it all in a nutshell. From all accounts I first met Justin when he gave me a tape of 13 Candles at the very last Every New Dead Ghost gig in December 1992. But I can’t remember that too well as we all were partying late into the night as a sort of ‘wake’ for ENDG.
The first time I remember meeting Justin is when he visited me when I lived in Radford, Nottingham in 1993/94. A place where I both lived and ran an early version of Nightbreed Recordings, to talk about releasing the first 13 Candles album Come Out of the Dark.
Killing Joke are a big influence on all three members of Chaos Bleak. What other sounds unite you?
Piers: Lots of bands! We all love Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Sisters of Mercy, Depeche Mode, Killing Joke, Hawkwind…lots of bands you hear as our influences. Luckily we also have more diverse tastes, too, so I bring my love of Pop Will Eat Itself, The Merry Thoughts and The Doors.
Justin: The main influences band wise has to be Killing Joke, Play Dead and Hawkwind, the latter being Trev’s influences coming through, I have a vast amount of influences I put into my bass playing and also music I do outside of Chaos Bleak. With Chaos Bleak we wear our main influences on our sleeve and proud to use them as they are bands that mean a lot to us as musicians, I personally take influences from many genres outside of the goth envelope.
Trevor: As Piers and Justin said but I would like to also mention that Play Dead are also a massive influence on all three of us. The first time I saw Play Dead live I thought that they were just amazing, blew me away and their sound and approach I quickly incorporated into my playing style.
As for a sound that unites us, I would say that we collectively bring a 90’s goth feel to what we do. Not so much any specific band, rather the whole stylistic and technical approach to making goth-based music using technology that evolved naturally in the 1990s. However, I must confess that bands such as The Garden of Delight, The Merry Thoughts, and The House of Usher amongst many other ‘90s goth bands have inspired me technically and production-wise.
We understand that Chaos Bleak began life as a hypothesis (i.e. how would goth have developed had Killing Joke been the premier band rather than The Sisters Of Mercy). Do you think you’ve answered that question?
Trevor: In many ways, before The Sisters Of Mercy, ‘goth’ was different, very post-punk in view and perspective. But then The Sisters Of Mercy came along, and as much as I like them, they stamped a hard musical and aesthetic impression on the scene which in some ways has held goth back a little. Depending on how you look at it. From our point of view, we were thinking, if it wasn’t for The Sisters Of Mercy, what would goth be like? Would what we do be close to what the musical style could have been.
By The Way, I said ‘goth’ as the scene back then did not consider itself goth. That designation most famously came a little later in musical and cultural evolution.
Piers: We absolutely did not want to use the old Sisters of Mercy template, it’s been done to death, both very well and terribly. We wanted to explore the idea that if Play Dead were formed in 2019 they would have a different approach. Killing Joke are a touchpoint for us, although we use a drum machine, Madam Sinister. I think that now we’ve developed our own sound based on that premise. I can’t think of anyone who sounds like us, and I like that idea. I still love The Sisters, but don’t want to sound like them.
Justin: I think we have as you only had to look at how we have developed over the past few years and how we have grown in popularity in the UK scene, we have gained this through the music, we didn’t want our past bands to have an influence (13 Candles, Midnight Configuration, E.N.D.G) we didn’t want a connection saying ex members of said band type of thing, we wanted to build from the ground up and have Chaos Bleak to be a free entity, a new band not an off shoot of previous bands, if you get me. I think we have done well, I am surprised at how fast we have gone from being an opening act to a well respected and liked headliner. After all we are the Bleaky Blinders and the Gentlemen of Goth!
You have achieved a lot in such a short space of time. Are you surprised at how quickly you picked up traction with this project?
Piers: Thank you, that’s nice to hear. We’re certainly prolific, we’re writing and recording all the time. It helps to flex those muscles, explore our paradigm. Playing live helps get us known, and we’ve been very lucky to play plenty of goth festivals – Goth City, Gothic Gathering, and a favourite of ours, KR Rocks in Southport, which is basically a metal festival. We always go down well with that crowd, and it’s a pleasure to play as it’s a fundraiser for kidney disease. Getting exposure in magazines also helps spread the message, so thanks for this opportunity. We’ve always got something say!
Justin: Definitely surprised but we put in the leg work, playing any gig we were offered, wherever it was we would play, that’s how you have to do it, get out there and plug your music, be respectful and professional and put on a show, you cannot just do all Facebook and social media posts etc. to get anywhere, you have to put the old fashioned leg work into it, to me how many followers you have on social media means nothing, it’s the real fans that count, the ones at gigs and the ones who buy and stream your music, unfortunately with social media too many just click like as it’s the thing to do and move on without actually following the band, buying music or going to see the band, I’d like thank all the fans worldwide for their support buying merch, coming to see us, a huge amount of respect to all the promoters, sound engineers and the bands we have played with as they have all been part of us getting where we are now.
Trevor: I am happy that Chaos Bleak have been picked up so much and so well by the goth scene, as well as being very grateful for the support we get as a result. I am not sure if I am surprised, rather I am just very happy about it.
Whenever you start a ‘new’ musical project (not that Chaos Bleak is that new), you are always judged by the supporters of your previous band, and it can be an uphill battle sometimes. What you create musically and aesthetically is sometimes seen as some kind of ‘offshoot’, and we wanted to ensure that CB created its own identity. Which I think it has. With CB, we have managed to keep some supporters of our previous musical projects as well as attract many new people. Which is always a good thing.
In a lot of ways, we do also have the potential to attract people who are outside of the goth scene as well. Like Piers mentioned, we also play metal and rock events, and we get a good response. Whereas in the past, with some of our earlier projects, our reach was only within the scene. I suppose it’s about expanding beyond your horizons and putting the work in by playing lots of gigs to different audiences.
We are also particularly fond of playing Leeds, we have always had great support from the scene there, right from day one! Someone once said that we were considered an honorary Leeds band. Which I thought was a nice thing to say.
You were/are all in other bands before Chaos Bleak formed but these have taken a back seat. Was that your intention or is it a consequence of the band’s momentum?
Trevor: Currently Chaos Bleak are hurtling along like a train (a ‘Deathtrain’…quick plug for the forthcoming single here!), so everything else for us is taking a back seat. For me, Midnight Configuration will almost certainly never play live again, although I have recently re-discovered a hoard of unreleased demo tracks from the early 90’s, some of them I have just released digitally as Radford, and I will be releasing some more in 2025. But that will be the full size of the band’s future activity.
Death Party UK again will almost certainly not play live or record ever again due to Scarlet’s [Moonchild, Trevor’s partner] other commitments and my own. Both in Chaos Bleak as well as in other non-musical areas.
I have also stopped work on my prog goth project, namely The Angelfire Project for the moment as I have a full album in the can, but with the liveliness of Chaos Bleak, there never seems the right time to put The Angelfire Project album out. Perhaps sometime in the future. Who knows.
Piers: You always play to your strengths, and right now Chaos Bleak are what people want. Midnight Configuration haven’t played in a while, but who knows? Justin is still in 13 Candles, as well as his black metal project Crimson Brigade. It’s good to get on stage and play music, right? To be honest, we’re having an absolute blast right now, so Chaos Bleak is our main focus.
Justin: My other bands haven’t taken a back seat. My band The Crimson Brigade (Vampyric Black Metal) released an album the other year, we were planning to gig but my bass player was taking his HGV license and his working patterns meant we couldn’t tour for a while, we are planning another album and also some gigs but it all depends on my health issues getting better, if not we will just be a studio band in the future, my other main band Lost Requiem (Dark Gothic Doom) is purely a studio band as my singers Anita lives in Norway and my other singer Robert Lowe (ex-Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus) lives in Texas U.S.A, we are currently working on a debut album which should be out next year.
Although each band member has roots in the gothic scene your lyrics avoid stereotypical subjects. Was that a conscious decision? Have you faced any hostility after breaking with convention?
Justin: Piers is the lyric master; I guess we didn’t want to be a gothic cliché, Pier’s lyrics deal with many real life issues and also other worldly themes, and he is the one best to answer this one.
Piers: My lyrics aren’t stereotypical, are they? I always describe them as being about politics and ghosts, what more do you need? We have some songs that are obviously about my wife, I think you can probably guess which ones. I’m influenced by film (especially Italian giallo films) and gothic literature. Music is the best way to get a message across, so I write about war, politics, religion, sexuality, equality and inclusion, but I guess that all lyrics, not just mine, are open to interpretation. So far nobody has taken exception to what I write about, but I’m open to a dialogue if they do. The world is an amazing place, and there’s so much to talk about. And ghosts.
Trevor: I like the fact that Piers’ lyrics cover such a broad section of topics that span gritty political issues as well as various metaphysical questions, as that for me, reflects the world that we live in.
I grew up in a council estate in the 1970’s where tough sociological issues rubbed shoulders with stories of the supernatural. With the two intermingling constantly. For me I see no problem with us or any other band covering these topics as this was the world where I came from, and how I see the wider world generally, and both are equally as real, authentic and valid. However, we should write some more songs about UFO’s as well. [laughs]
Likewise, your sound is both hard and heavy enough to appeal to punks and metalheads. Have you noticed any crossover in your audience?
Justin: Yes there has been a crossover, especially as we have gone on, we played other gigs that were either more punk or metal and gained fans from these gigs who then start to turn up to other gigs we do, we are lucky we have people who actually travel to see us which is so cool, we were amazes when we played Leeds three times in the space of probably six weeks and we had a crowed who turned up to all three gigs, so we must have been doing something right!!!
Piers: Metal fans sure like us, as do punks. We’ve got crossover appeal, although I would describe our sound as goth. When we were in Arcane Winter we supported Fields of The Nephilim, and their audience was really mixed, which I love. Music should bring us together, not drive us apart. I’m happy to play live and win over new fans, whatever their musical allegiance. Plus, it’s always good to meet new people.
Due to illness the band has operated as a two-piece live. How has this affected the band’s dynamic? One obvious thing is that there’s more for each of you to do on stage now.
Justin: Well after carrying those two for years my back was bound to go! [laughs] Seriously though I have not been in a good way since July, I have had back issues for years, I had been suffering on the lead up to the Goths In A Field gig and could hardly walk at the gig, I only got through the gig due to booze and prescription drugs, had to have a chair on stage, in hindsight I should have pulled out of the gig but I didn’t want to let people down, the next day I ended up collapsing, long story short; two stays in hospital, emergency M.R.I scan later, 3 damaged discs in my neck needing surgery in the next year as the fluid protecting my spinal cord has all but gone and two dried out discs in my lower back, so my life has changed as at the moment I can’t walk far unaided and I need help looking after myself, I will not let this stop me I will find a way to get back on that stage next year even if I have to do gigs on a chair as I can’t leave those two on stage on their own they can’t be trusted lmao and we all know everyone comes to see the beardy one in the hood [laughs] and anyway about time they did some work on stage pair of bumheads! [laughs]
Piers: Justin can’t play live at the moment as he’s not well, and we miss him more than I can say. His input is incredible, he’s such a brilliant bass player, and a real showman. We made the decision as a band that we’d play as a two-piece while he is unable to perform, and hopefully Trev and I do a decent job. There’s definitely the space where he should be, and I always introduce the band during Dress the Kids for War, and there is always a massive cheer for him. As you probably know if you’ve seen us live, I like to get into the crowd, and Justin would too in our last song. It’s the highlight of our show! He’ll be back. We love him and miss him.
Trevor: As Piers said, but yes, we must jump around the stage a lot more, but that is all good as it keeps us fit. Hopefully by the time this interview comes out, Justin will be able to start playing some selected shows as he builds up his fitness. It’s weird him not being on stage. I always look over to his side of the stage, and I always miss him not being there.
You’re a very hands on, do it yourself type band, but now you have a record label and video director. How has it been relinquishing control?
Trevor: It’s great to have other people involved in running things, as that takes the pressure off us so we can concentrate on doing the music. It’s also nice to hear other ideas as sometimes you can be too close to something to be objective. This is one of the reasons why we set up the “Friends and Supporters” group on Facebook, to get feedback on our music from the people who are friends of ours or supporters of the band.
One thing about Chaos Bleak, we have always seen ourselves as a people’s band, and when it came to decide on which one of our four new completed songs should be the debut single for Seventh Hell Records, we thought we would set up a poll for everyone to vote. Which they all did in droves and ‘Deathtrain’ was chosen off the back of what the people thought. So yes, it’s nice to get the input of others.
Piers: Weird! Previously we’ve filmed and edited our own videos, our good friend Stu films us and we cobble something together based on the lyrics and mood of the song. If you’ve seen the video for ‘Write Her Name in Diamonds’ you’ll see that that was the one time we plotted it out (my wife is in that one), and was a pleasure to make. We are currently making the video for the new single Deathtrain, and it’s interesting to see how someone outside of our inner circle interprets the song, and the ideas that have come out of it. I’m not saying I’m a control freak, but it will be interesting to see the finished item.
Justin: We will never let control go as we know what we are and what our vision is, we are not adverse to taking advice or other people’s opinions or help with ideas, artwork wise will always be down to myself and Piers, Piers does some single art work and poster and some T-shirt designs, where I do the album and E.P artwork and also T-Shirt designs, I will also do band photo shoots, the three of us are a perfect creative unit, we work well together on every aspect of Chaos Bleak and this will never change. We will let in elements to improve and move us forward to create and put out the best version of our vision and essence of Chaos Bleak though Labels and using the likes of video directors, we have done all our own videos in the past and some with the help of our legendary mate Stu, but we thought having a director to create something for us was the next step and something to try, let us see what the final result will be.
In terms of video, how do you transmit your ideas to the director so they can make them whole?
Trevor: As Piers said, we had an online production meeting and all of us talked about what how and where we were going to shoot the footage for the video which was very productive, and some great ideas were discussed. I fired out a few ideas, so did everyone else and we can’t wait to see the final product. I am especially intrigued in what we are going to do in the green screen studio in Derby. I will wear my hat and sunglasses regardless! [laughs]
Piers: When we’ve done our own videos I know what the song is about, so that’s easy. Of course, lyrics are open to interpretation, so we’ve let Olga, the director form her own imagery. We’ve had meetings about the video, how professional is that? We’re very much the clay in her hands.
New single ‘Deathtrain’. Can you tell me about it and the accompanying video?
Piers: We’re still making it, so I can’t say too much. It will feature us dicking about, no doubt. We’re doing some green screen work this weekend, me and Trev, and editing in footage of Justin from previous gigs that Stu shot. I really like the song, it’s gone down well when we’ve played it live, so I’m interested to see what the reaction will be to a professionally made video! Our new label Seventh Hell are spending a lot on it, which we really appreciate.
Trevor: Yes, the whole video is still in production, but I can reveal that there will be trains in it, darkness, guitars, jumping around trying to look cool and us wearing hats.
You have a new record label. How did that come about and how has it been?
Justin: Came about through a mutual friend who owns the label and from a conversation at a gig we played, we have known the label manager for many years, he offered us a good deal which we wanted, so far so good, its early days so let us see how things pan out.
Piers: Seventh Hell, we signed up with them over the summer (we signed the contract at The Fulford Arms in York before performing there). The label head saw us in Sheffield, and basically offered us a contract on the spot! They’ve been amazing, lots of positive input, paying for the video, etc. Our last label did absolutely fuck all to promote Agents of Chaos, which was really disappointing as it’s a great record. Our third album, Assassins of Silence will be out in 2025, then two more in the next two years. It’s exciting to have some backing and the opportunities that come with that. Promotion is everything for a band
Trevor: I have known label head, Alan, for many years and he came to see us in Sheffield as Piers says. I got talking to him about how we were not happy with the label we were on at the time and that the label had done so very little to support and promote the release of Angels of Chaos. At which point he suggested that we leave that label and sign with his label, which we now have done. Its great having Alan involved, he is so dynamic, positive and supportive of us.
Do you have an album planned? If so, can you give us a sneak preview? Where do you think your sound will veer next?
Piers: The next album will be called Assassins of Silence. We’ve got half of it recorded, and the rest we’re working on as we speak. It’s the Chaos Bleak sound you know and love, but more aggressive, louder and angrier. What’s not to love? I’ve written a nine-minute piano ballad, I’m not sure that will fit. Maybe album number four, eh?
Trevor: Firstly, Piers has not written a nine-minute piano ballad! [laughs] With Assassins of Silence, we are moving on from where Agents of Chaos left off and the tracks that are coming together are sounding just as gritty and full on as you would expect. We have four totally completed tracks in the can, which also includes the forthcoming ‘Deathtrain’ single, and another six waiting for a bassline and vocals, with another two or three still being programmed up. Once Justin is well enough to play again, I expect we will get all of these done by summer 2025.
Justin: Yes we have a new album we are currently working on; I’ve got some bass lines to finish off when I can sit long enough at my studio to record them and also the art work to design, we do have a title for the album which I will let the lads tell you about, we have our own sound now which has come together over the years, if it’s not broke then don’t fix it.
If I could grant one wish for Chaos Bleak, what’d it be?
Piers: That Justin is well again and be back on stage with us.
Justin: If I could grant one wish for Chaos Bleak, what’d it be? For us to have some sort of success and to go for as long as we can, is that two wishes? [laughs]
Trevor: My wish is the same as Piers and Justin’s.
Finally, if you could each take one album to a desert island, which would you choose?
Justin: Now you are asking, well my got to album in my top 5 that I never get bored of listening to is Draconian’s Under a Godless Veil, that would have to be my album of choice right now.
Piers: I’ve given this a lot of thought…I can’t narrow it down to one, so I’d take First and Last and Always by The Sisters, and This is the Day…This is the Hour…This is This! by Pop Will Eat Itself. Of course, if I can’t take my wife to the desert island I’m not going.
Trevor: Seeing as Piers is taking two albums, so am I. For me it would be Space Ritual by Hawkwind and Master of Realty by Black Sabbath. Oh, and Scarlet my wife will have to be there with me as well.
Interview by Peter Dennis