Dear readers, in this article we have the pleasure to offer you an interview with a UK trio with instrumental Post-Rock/Metal and Dark Ambient sounds. We welcome The Grey.
Hi, it is a pleasure to have you among our pages, how are you?
“We’re great thanks – looking forward the new album release, thank you for taking the time to talk to us. We hope you & your readers are also well!“
The band made their recording debut in 2018, how did the project and the choice of the noem The Grey come about?
Steve: “Charlie and Steve initially started the band with our original bassist James, having all played together in previous musical projects on the local circuit. Andy was the first choice when James stepped down to focus on being a dad, and the rest so they say is history!
The name symbolises the juxtaposition in the music we make. We mix heaviness with melody, light and dark – The Grey represents this.“
You play instrumental sounds between Post-Rock/Metal and Dark Ambient, how did your passion for these sounds come about?
Steve: “Thats quite a subjective question and one that will be different for all of us. Personally, I got into the music having been a fan of Hardcore and Metal for many years. I found that after years of going to the same old shows Post Metal offered something different with an intensity and atmosphere you don’t tend to find in other genres.“
Andy: “My musical journey started quite dark I guess, my first album was Therapy?’s Troublegum and I moved through grunge bands including Alice In Chains, branching into heavier and heavier bands, including a lot of hardcore. I love post metal and always have, the blend of beautiful tone and crushing riffs has always appealed to me. Rosetta and Cult of Luna were my gateway in and when I first saw The Grey play, I heard that balance playing out in front of me and I was hooked. Not long after a gap opened up and I was so happy to be asked to be a part of this, it so perfectly fits my taste.“
Charlie: “The aim has always been to make the most exciting, honest music we possibly can – drawing influence from our favourite elements of all genres. I think the dark heavy sound is something we are all naturally drawn to.“
The new album ‘Kodok’ is due out at the end of February 2025 via Majestic Mountain Records, how would you describe this work?
“Like all the records we’ve released, we feel that this is our best work to date. As time goes on and we develop and mature as a band I think our song writing also matures. I feel that this is a more concise piece of work with each part being as important as the one before and after. Theres no fat on this record and while it still features the epic soundscapes like in CHVRCH, it also has harder hitting tracks.“
Andy: “It’s a journey, which sounds like a cliche, but in this instance is true. The songs were written to genuinely have a beginning, middle and an end, almost like stories. Each one builds up in intensity in a way that is very purposeful, each part serves a purpose, and each part is written to evoke a feeling or emotion. The same ethos was applied to the album, the sequencing of the songs takes the same idea of building intensity to a peak. We’re very proud of it as a body of work, personally I think it sounds beautiful.”
You have released a single featuring Grady Avenell from Will Haven, how did this collaboration come about and how did you make the video?
Charlie: “I had the pleasure of connecting with the Will Haven boys in the early 2000’s and both Stevo & I have worked with them on numerous tours throughout the years. In addition to being one of the biggest musical influences ever, they are also some of the coolest people on the planet & are family at this point. Grady, Mrs Grady (Paloma) & Jeff all feature on Kodok. There were a few bucket list goals when we started the band – playing with Will Haven & making music together was at the top. When it came time to the video, it was a no brainer – we asked our boy ‘Sexy T’ from Bodach / Morning Star videography to work his magic & he nailed it.”
Regarding this do you have any plans to pull more singles to anticipate the release of the album?
“Not currently, we are excited for people to listen to the album as a whole body of work.“
6 solid and elaborate tracks, how does the creative process of your music take place?
Steve: “We still write and jam as a band collectively. Typically, Charlie will bring a selection of riffs / passages to the table which we then flesh out into songs, jamming through the ideas until we feel comfortable that fit the vibe and feel of the song. Being an instrumental band we work more on a feeling and vibe rather a particular theme for our music and we are conscious of how any new tracks will fit into our live set. We’re still very much a live band and therefore we need our music to work together as a single entity.”
Andy: “It’s a very purposeful process, and it takes a long time. There’s a lot of focus on getting the ‘story’ of the song right in terms of the build and release of intensity. There’s a lot in the feel in the room, and even when we get something we think it right and start playing it live we still make changes depending on how crowds react. Charlie and Steve are both brilliant in making sure what we write serves the song, that we’re doing what the song needs, and not doing too much. We can always count on Charlie to make the guitars do something absolutely amazing and sound beautiful.“
Your sound is enriched with modulations and effects, what equipment did you use to make the album?
Andy & Styeve: “Ha! This is definitely a Charlie question!“
Charlie: “The key part is working with our dear friend (and beautiful human) Matty Moon at Half Ton Studios, Cambridge. We have made music together for the last 20 years & consider him our co-pilot.
Guitar wise, we run various PRS models through a Badcat one on side, with Les Pauls through Marshall & Orange on the other. Fender Princeton’s & Teles’s for additional cleans and Taylor for acoustic sections.
Pedal wise, the staples are Dunlop, MXR, Fulltone, Keeley & Strymon.
Andy runs Lakland basses with Darkglass & Ampeg amplification & Steve recorded with his DW Collectors / zildjian setup.“
This is your third studio album, how has your sound evolved over time?
“I feel that this is the most concise and direct piece of work we have released. I now feel that we are able to step back from the music and view it objectively, trimming down any unnecessary parts to leave us with a denser, and overall better body of work.“
Andy: “I joined late in the second album cycle, I guess I can answer as a prior listener? As a previous fan and now a band member I’d say that the DNA of the band is actually pretty similar, and the intent feels similar, but everything is more refined. The pretty bits are more beautiful, the big riffs are bigger and heavier and the feel of the songs are more defined. It just all feels very natural and effortless, despite there being a lot of effort!“
Many of our readers and your fans wonder if there will be a chance to hear your music live, do you have plans in this regard for the near future?
“Of course, we are still very active and are constantly touring and playing shows, in fact as I write this I am also preparing for a short tour around Scotland. We hope to get back over to mainline Europe sometime this year to coincide with the release of the new Album as well as have a couple of festival dates to announce soon.“
Andy: “We play live a lot, pretty much whenever we can. We’re hoping to get out to Europe, including Italy, as soon as we can. I have played shows in Italy in previous bands and they’ve all been brilliant, I’m keen to get back on a stage there as soon as we can.”
Charlie: “We have had some of our best shows in Europe & love it there – we can’t wait to come back as soon as we possibly can.”
Do you have any particular anecdotes or memories you would like to tell us about your live experiences?
“Like all bands, we’ve had our fair share of mishaps when playing live and the adrenaline is flowing. They usually involve very bright lights and one of us falling off the stage, haha!“
Andy: “I love the live show. We are definitely a live band and the songs take a different tone in front of a crowd. It’s a loud and very physical live show, with lots of movement and a lot of sweat. We have played some brilliant live shows, Bloodstock in 2023 was great. I don’t wear my glasses onstage so I couldn’t really see anything, it was only when our friend showed me a picture of the crowd we played to that I really understood how many people were there! Any show where we move someone is a good one though, I have had people talk to me after we play and tell me what some of our songs mean to them, especially CHVRCH which really seems to resonate with people. That’s special to me, every time.“
Charlie: “We have been lucky enough to connect with so many amazing likeminded music lovers & have played with so many incredible bands & venues, everyday is an adventure with Stevo & Andy – there really is something special that takes over when we play. Sharing a stage with Will Haven, playing Bloodstock & a crazy full to capacity Switzerland show with ‘Hundred Year Old Man’ (locked in, in complete darkness) are definitely up there. Any time we are on the bill with our brothers ‘Old Horn Tooth’ has got anecdote written all over it!”
Heavy Music is full of festivals and live events, how important is it to keep these kinds of events alive for the Underground scene?
“Both play a symbiotic role within the scene as without one, you won’t have the other. For festivals and live events to succeed there needs to be the draw of larger acts but at the same time if underground bands don’t get the same level of support these festivals end up with the same bands playing and ultimately stagnate and cease to be.“
Andy: “Absolutely critical. Live music and the experiences it brings cannot be replicated in any other way, and a style of music like ours that is so rooted in playing loud in front of people needs these types of events. The bands need it, and the crowd need it. It’s how new bands find their way, learn their craft and build the relationships and fanbases that they need to build their career, but it’s also a way for established bands to make money in a system that is increasingly weighted against the bands. I know people that started playing music because they went to a gig that lit a fire in them, we need that to continue for the future health of the music scene.“
Charlie: “Thats what makes the dream all possible right?! London Doom Collective & Tone-Henge, based here in the UK, are championing the underground scene – please connect & check out their bands – killer stuff.“
Music is constantly evolving; how do you see the modern scene as far as your sounds are concerned?
“One of the things we strive for musically is individuality. Yes, we draw from other bands and influences but at the same time I honestly don’t feel like we sound like any other band. As a result I don’t think we really fit in within the context of a current sound or trend. We’ve been a band now for almost 10 years and before that each of us have played in bands for more years than we’d like to admit so I don’t think we really take notice of what is current within the scene. Ultimately, we make the music we want to make and can only hope it resonates with the audience“
Andy: “Vibrant! Everywhere I look I see awesome bands making brilliant music. I love heavy music and obsessively collect vinyl and I’m constantly checking out one new band or another. The post rock and post metal genres definitely went through a big boom a few years back and then fell away a bit, but there are still some fantastic musicians delivering great work. A couple of names come to mind, our friends in Hundred Year Old Man, Codespeaker and Din of Celestial Birds have delivered brilliant records in recent years, but looking ahead I’m excited for Wren, Telepathy and Bruit’s new albums, and I got the new Novarupta LP through the mail today which I’m excited to listen to. I’d also recommend Overhead, The Albatros! They’re a genuinely interesting Irish band that borrow bits of post rock and beats and rhythms from dance music and fuse them into a truly arresting whole. So there’s loads out there!“
What advice would you give to young artists approaching music in a more sophisticated genre such as yours?
“Be professional. We’re a little old in the tooth compared to a lot of newer bands but the most important bit of advice I can give to anybody who’s new to this game is to be as professional as possible. Don’t have an attitude or ego, be cool to everyone, respect the venue and staff…I could go but I think you get the idea.”
Andy: “Take your time. Learn your instrument. One lesson that I learned in this band is that sometimes less is more, just because you have the space you don’t need to fill it with notes. It’s better to play less but play it perfectly. Pick the people you play music with carefully. Can you sit in a van with them for ten hours? A band is like a family, and everything is based around extremes of emotion, so picking the right people is really important. Make music you enjoy, your passion will carry through onstage. Oh and practice. A lot.“
Do you have any other activities or artistic passions outside of music?
“No, I’m not sure I have enough time to devote as much as I’d like to the band let alone anything else, haha!“
Andy: “We all have full time jobs, does that count? I play in a couple of other bands as well, although none get as much focus as The Grey. I also collect vinyl, although I don’t get anywhere near enough time to actually listen to it much though!“
I thank the band for the interview and wish them all the best for the release of their new album and the continuation of their artistic career.
“Thank you so much. We truly appreciate your support & hope you enjoy KODOK.“
“See you soon!“
Pre-Orders are now available at this location.
Lineup:
Steve Moore / Drums
Charlie Gration / Guitars
Andy Price / Bass
With:
Grady Avenell (Will Haven)
