Interviews

Devil Sold His Soul Interview

• 23rd Sep 2010

After numerous festival appearances over the summer and the release of their new album Blessed And Cursed in July, I catch up with Devil Sold His Soul as they get ready to tear up stages across the UK and Europe.

In what ways, musically and lyrically, would your say your new album “Blessed and Cursed” differ to your previous record “A Fragile Hope?”
It's a more reflective record. It involves themes of unity and dealing with adversity. It's about our experiences as a band and all the bad luck and sacrifices we've had to make to get to where we are today. I think there is a lot of hope in this album.

What initial ideas did you have for the new album when you first started writing? Did the final product sound like how you expected it to be?
Initially we wanted to write a bigger and better record than AFH. We didnt want to write AFH part 2, so for us once we had written the songs, making it sound bigger was the fun part. I think Steve Evetts has done a good job in making it sound huge. The addition of strings and more samples really helps this record soar. Playing it live feels incredible, and it sounds unbelievable, which is something we've worked hard to make sure of.

What influenced your decision to release the album with Century Media?
They are one of the biggest metal labels in the world and have an extremely esteemed roster. They really appreciate what we do as a band and were adamant that we keep doing what we do and keep creating the music we wanted to create. So for us the decision was easy.

You’ve been lucky to be a part of several festivals this summer, including Slam Dunk, Ghost Fest, Boardmasters, and Hevy etc. Which festival appearance has been your favourite and why?
They have all been incredible, but for us, headlining a stage at Download Festival this year was certainly a career high. We were playing at the same time as Bullet For My Valentine and As I Lay Dying and just before AC/DC, so we had no idea how many people would come and watch. But the tent was packed and it was an awesome set. Truly memorable.

Are there any festivals in particular that you’d like to get involved with next year?
Perhaps some European festivals like Hellfest, Pukkelpop and of course Sonisphere and Download. We love festivals, so the more we get to play the better for us.

You’ve got an upcoming tour with Architects and Norma Jean. What are you most looking forward to on this tour?
This tour is going to be insane. Playing with our good friends Architects and a band that we've looked up to for years, Norma Jean. We're so excited about it, it's an incredible lineup and is close to selling out, so the shows are going to be crazy.

Your also playing shows across Europe. Are there any particular places that your most looking forward to visiting and why?
We're playing in 10 countries over 3 weeks. Germany in October will be a highlight, I hear they have good beer in October. Poland and Czech Republic will be exciting. We love playing in different countries and we hope we can do more of it over the next year or so.

What can we expect from you guys in 2011?
A large UK headline tour and then lots more touring around the world. We're so excited to tour this album and cant wait to play it to loads of people all over the world!