OHHMS bestormt Desertfest, Into The Void en Patronaat

Dikke sludge, prog en classic rock; dat is wat je van OHHMS kan verwachten. De groep uit Canterbury dook het afgelopen jaar steeds nadrukkelijker in ons blikveld, of ehm steeds bruter in onze oorschelp. Na een serie EP’s verscheen in maart dit jaar het album The Fool bij Holy Roar Records, voorafgegaan door The Hierophant een track die ruim 21 minuten ongenadig doordendert. Het razende The Magician is een wat bondiger, maar niet minder krachtig statement, terwijl eerdere single The World wat toegankelijker opent.

Na een show op Incubate eind 2016 liggen er inmiddels serieuzere liveplannen voor deze kant van het kanaal. Zo mag OHHMS zijn opwachting maken op Desertfest in Antwerpen (14 oktober), spelen ze 20 oktober op Into The Void in Leeuwarden en een dag later in Patronaat, Haarlem. NMTH besloot de hele headline tour, die ook door Duitsland en Denemarken voert, te supporten. Het is kortom hoog tijd om de proggy sldugers uit Kent aan je voor te stellen. Daarvoor hebben ze een sicke video voor je ineengedraaid. Ook bestookten we zanger Paul Waller met een set vragen en hij stuurde zojuist de antwoorden terug. Ga er even voor zitten, en excuseer ons even dat we de tijd ontberen om het naar het vaderlandsch te vertalen.

Als uitsmijter heeft Waller een goede vraag aan jou: ‘Wat kunnen we van het publiek verwachten bij Desertfest en Into The Void?’ Wel…?

OHHMS is one of many bands we discovered through our mailbox. Is that the best way to get your music out there: Mailing it around Europe?
“No way. The best way is to tour your arse off and play every city you can to as many people you can. The unfortunate truth though, is that when bands are starting out there is no way to afford such endeavours. So just like any other band worth their salt we cover every possible way we can of getting our music out there.”

The promo said “sludge/progressive heavy metal”. Is the PR wire spot on with that?
“Pretty close, it’s as good as a description as any. You could also say ‘pop fuelled avant-garde doom’ or ‘slow riff post-stoner rock’ and they would all be correct and also all be completely wrong.”

Album The Fool:

We could have spotted you in 2016 at Incubate already, but we didn’t know and failed. Please tell us how, when and why OHHMS came about?
“We started in April 2014 with the goal of releasing a record ourselves and playing the now defunct festival near our hometown of Canterbury which was called Hevy Fest. That’s all we wanted. The intention was to keep it simple and make ourselves happy.

“Within our first year we had achieved all our goals and way more. The way things have taken off for us right from the very beginning was totally unexpected and we are humbled by it with each new step the band takes.”

Are you On her holy majesty’s service, into electricity and resistance or… how should we read the band name?
“It’s pronounced OHHMS like homes not OHHMS like bombs. But we don’t really care plus feel free to use the brackets or not. We are not fussed about such things.”

You hail from Canterbury. Could you tell us if Canterbury and indeed Southeast Engeland is a fruitful place for sludge and heavy guitar music?
“From day one we chose not to play too many Canterbury shows. Instead we chose to buy a van and travel all over England. England is so small, I prefer to think of it as the English scene rather than the Canterbury scene.

“But If you go back to the late 60s & 70s you’ll find Canterbury was a hotbed for artful prog rock and we like to think we carry a little piece of that with us wherever we play.”

What is the scene like and has it helped you?
“I can think of three bands who call Canterbury home right now other than us. There is a couple of great pub venues but for us it’s no more exciting than any other local town. I wish there was a bigger scene in Canterbury than there is, but for now it’s no more special than Cardiff or Bath or Aberdeen or any other UK city. So to answer your question the city hasn’t helped us. We have helped ourselves.”

You are going on a short European tour with 1 Belgian and 2 Dutch dates. What is it about the low countries that OHHMS likes?
“We have played a couple of shows in each country before and have loved them both. We love playing to new people and in new cities. That’s what motivates us. We want to spread the word. European promoters tend to be far more organised than UK ones in our experience too.”

Debuut-EP BLOOM

What are the next plans for OHHMS, what does the future hold?
“After the European tour this October we are hopefully coming back over in February for a further 8 dates on the mainland and that should wrap up the touring cycle for ‘The Fool’ album.

“We have already begun writing the next LP and are due to demo some tracks before Christmas. It’s a very exciting time for us.”

What can we expect at Into The Void and Desertfest?
“We will give our everything as we do with every show we play. I put that question back to you though… What can we expect from the audience?”

Dat lijkt ons een duidelijke oproep om helemaal op te gaan in de show van OHHMS en liefde te tonen. Dat kan zaterdag 14 oktober op Desertfest Belgium in Trix, Antwerpen, vrijdag 20 oktober op Into The Void in Neushoorn, Leeuwarden en zaterdag 21 oktober in Patronaat, Haarlem.