Interview by J McGowen

With a new EP on the horizon, Midlands’ metal band, Sworn To Oath, have recently released a new single called Last Call.

When they formed in 2009, their hard work ethic and relentless gigging gained them some notable attention and critical acclaim from the likes of Kerrang, Metal Hammer and Classic Rock magazines. They even have shared the stage with metal household names like Meshuggah and Young Guns and comparisons have been drawn with the likes of Pantera and Audioslave.

With its driving rhythms and a pinch harmonic thrown in here and there, Last Call works on those features that are synonymous with this trio’s sound (Tom Shaw - Bass and Vocals, Dave Leese - Guitar and Vocals, Al Junior - Drums and Vocals). The band will embark on a mini tour next month with obvious dates scattered around the Midlands region.

So you’ve got new single out called Last Call. How does it differ in approach orsound then say your previous work like the EP, Don't Fuck About?

We feel that since the first EP came out, we have grown and matured a lot! We wanted this track to really show that. In approach, we wanted to get heavier yet still more melodic.

Where did you record?

We recorded with a dude called Al Groves at Sandhills Studios in Liverpool. We recorded a whole EP at the time which took 5 days and then mastering time. This track was taken from those sessions. The track is included on our next EP which will be out Autumn time of this year. The other tracks are within the same vain as this. But generally just staying heavy but keeping that melodic and hook driven aspect.

What are some of the themes you guys touch on in the songs?

Generally, our songs are about personal experiences of being fucked over and rising above the bullshit that we face in life. As well as living life to the full while you still have the chance!

Some people would say metal is dead...what would your response be to that?

People have been saying that since metal begun and it’s still strong as it ever was and will be! It is not important at all to be “metal”. People get too hung up on the whole 'being metal' bullshit. We love metal music but that doesn't mean we constantly have to walk around with our horns in the air! Sometimes a brew and a chat is just what the doctor ordered.

When you guys started out, you received some coveted accolades from Metal Hammer, Terrorizer etc...did that help or hinder you guys in terms of your musical career?

We found it helped a lot and it’s great that such prestigious people had such good things to say about us!

We were brought up on classic rock bands like AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy which we still all love but obviously growing up our tastes got heavier and broader. We love our cheesy pop and 80's!

I actually discovered you guys some time ago on Last.fm and really loved listening to tracks like One Split Second and City of Lies. How important is it to you those types of sites - Facebook, Spotify - in promotion and building a fan base?

This is basically how the industry is functioning today so disregarding sites like these is pointless. We understand these sites and how they are changing music. It might be a little warped but they are necessary nowadays for anyone to hear about an unsigned band like ourselves.

Live, what can people expect from S2O?

Energy, conviction and loud noises! We want every person in our audience to party with us!

What are some upcoming gig dates in Late-August, September, October?

We are doing a short tour with a band called Illuminatus early September in support of our EP release. Tickets and information are available on our Facebook over at www.facebook.com/sworntooath This is also where you can find out about shows for the rest of the year as we have a lot of stuff in the pipeline!

How and where can people pick up your songs, EPs?

We have them on our facebook (www.facebook.com/sworntooath) and hard copies can be grabbed on our big cartel at www.sworntooathmerch.bigcartel.com