Bristol hardcore punk band Grand Collapse release their new album “Empty Plinths”. The album follows two LPs and one EP and comes as a real masterpiece that finds the band in the best of shapes. Their signature hardcore punk sounds are enriched and enhanced with some thrash, mosh and rock influences, which create, along with their direct and smart politically and socially charged lyrics, an explosive mix for all fans of bands such as Propagandhi, Conflict and Bane.
How have you been keeping creative during the Pandemic?
The first lockdown was right when we were about to baton down the hatches and get everything ready for the studio so it actually helped if anything as there were no distractions. It was much easier to concentrate on the lyrics and song structure for sure and I know the others had more time to work out the arrangements. Things were really intense here in the UK before the pandemic with all this Brexit bullshit and the rise of the far fight so there was plenty happening to commentate on.
If you were to convince anyone that has never seen you live to go to any of your shows, what would you tell them?
It can get pretty intense! The set takes some twists and turns and changes tempo a lot so hopefully it stays interesting throughout. I love that Ramones style of just playing the songs back to back with no break but apparently drummers need to rest so there’s a couple of breaks but it’s mostly just full tilt!
Tell us about the recording process behind “Empty Plinths”.
We recorded at The Ranch Production House near Southampton with Lewis Johns, which is where we’ve made all our records. It’s a great studio and he’s really easy to work with so it was a no brainer. I think this time we were much better prepared because we’d had a few hairy moments during the last couple of sessions where we would get to a certain part and realize we hadn’t worked it out properly so this time we went through everything with a fine tooth comb and it definitely helped.
What makes this album different from the others you released in the past?
This one’s heavier for sure. It’s more metallic sounding on the guitars and I think it’s a bit more controlled all round. With ‘Along the Dew’ we wanted to make an all-out attack hardcore records with no let up but with this one it was a bit more purposeful I guess. The songs kind of stand alone rather than everything bleeding into each other; both approaches work but this one just came out that way.
Have you abandoned or rejected any song while writing “Empty Plinths”? If so, why? What do you do when you need to decide the tracklist of an album?
We didn’t leave off any full songs but we’re constantly rejecting or recycling riffs and song parts and from a lyrics perspective I’m going through a shit ton of paper. As for sequencing, we gave this a lot of thought and moved things around in the lead up so we knew by the time we reached the studio how everything would land. Waves was always going to be the opener; it’s got a bit of everything with the crusty opening, proggy mid-section and melodic ending. Then we wanted to follow up with a short ripper so Pontificus fitted in well there before Sullen Fever which is really the wild card on the record. I wasn’t sure during practice if it would work but I actually really like how it came out. Panic Room was everyone’s favorite hence why we released this as the lead single and Without Let or Hindrance is pure thrash mayhem so we went with that as the second single to juxtapose the first. The title track Empty Plinths had to go last because of the way it structured. It just feels like the end of a journey, so to speak.
“Empty Plinths” criticizes the horror of the past, such as slavery and the systematic human trafficking that happened in colonial era. Racism unfortunately still exists in our society, but it seems like more and more people are taking a stand against it. What positive actions do you consider important to learn from the past, change the present and shape a better future?
The title track muses about a world where we’ve outgrown these prejudices and reflect on them with confusion. We’re so far from that so it’s just a hopeful fiction but I’d like to think we’re crawling towards a fairer society. The toppling of the Colston statue here in Bristol during the BLM protest last year was an iconic moment in the cities history which is depicted on the album cover. People were taking things into their own hands and changing the landscape to reflect how we feel. It sparked a reaction across the world and we’re still seeing dodgy monuments being taken down, recently in Winnipeg they tore down the statue of Queen Victoria.
What are some hardcore, punk and metal acts that you are enjoying very much lately? Is there any artists from different genres that you appreciate as individuals or as a band?
Well, since you’re from Canada I have to start by mentioning The Rebel Spell who we all love and regularly blast in the tour van. We played one show with them in Wales when they toured here around 2012 and we’ve all been hooked since. For the record we highlighted Leeway for guitar sounds we’d all been binging on them and a load of older thrash stuff like Nuclear Assault. As for modern day, just before the lockdown we played with a really cool band sin Italy called Shitty Life
We saw you are doing shows in the UK at the moment. How are they going? What kind of restrictions are still in place?
No restrictions at the moment. We had the album release show in Bristol a couple of weeks back with Dawn Ray’d and Stray Bullet. It was great to get going again and see friends and let loose. All the bands were killer and it was really good energy.
What’s the most absurd band you’ve ever been compared to? And the most reasonable?
Haha, I actually can’t think of anything outrageous! Usually we end up somewhere between Propagandhi and Conflict I’d say are the most common. We don’t really sound exactly like either but maybe a fusion of the two themes but not as good; aggro prog punk idiots playing songs that are too hard for them.
What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?
Defiance, protest, resolve… Anything where the sentiment really shines through. I think you can hear right away if something is sincere or manufactured. Huge breakdowns are always rousing too!
