SACRED MOTHER TONGUE Interviewed At U.K.'s HAMMERFEST (Video)

Manchester Rocks conducted an interview with fast-rising British metal heroes SACRED MOTHER TONGUE at this year's Hammerfest, which was held March 13-16 at Hafan y Mor Holiday Park, Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire, Wales. You can now watch the chat below.

SACRED MOTHER TONGUE will release a new single, "A Light Will Shine", on April 7. The track is described as "one of the highlights" from the band's forthcoming second album, "Out Of The Darkness", which is due a week later — on April 15 — through EMI Label Services.

"A Light Will Shine" showcases SACRED MOTHER TONGUE's turbo-charged power, roaring out of the speakers with all the heaviness and aggression of prime metal, firing skyscraping solos from guitarist Andy James' magical fingertips and boasting singer Darrin South's commanding vocals, propelled along by the brutal but beautiful grind of Josh Gurner's bone-crushing bass and Lee Newell's furious drum attack.

The accompanying video, shot in deepest Wales, sees Darrin being buried alive by his sombre bandmates with only a spark of light to sustain him as he struggles to escape. A metaphor for his journey from darkness into light perhaps, echoing the sentiment of the lyric, "only I can save me," or maybe just some cool visuals to fit the mood of the song — either way the original shoot had to be abandoned due to heavy snowfall putting their lives at risk, being re-shot two weeks later once the ground had thawed enough to dig a grave.

With "Out Of The Darkness", SACRED MOTHER TONGUE have laid down the gauntlet for all British metal acts to follow. With a barrage of live shows to come over the next few months, and a show-stealing mainstage appearance at Download lined up, the sky's the limit for what this band can achieve.

"We've been a band for a long time and it's been hard work, but hopefully it's time for people to realise that we're not going away!" says Andy. "I know people will take us more seriously now. We don't need to fit into any trend. Maybe we're starting one!"

"I don't know if we're ever gonna be that cool band because that's not what we're about," adds Darrin. "Maybe it's because we're a bit older or not pretty enough or because we don't wear skinny jeans. Who knows? Personally, I think it keeps us as real musicians and not just some pop band. I'd rather be respected like PANTERA or MACHINE HEAD than some band that blows up for two minutes and does fuck all afterwards. As far as fame, wealth and world domination goes, I just want us to be recognised as a great band making great music."

Produced by Scott Atkins (BEHEMOTH, SYLOSIS, CRADLE OF FILTH),"Out Of The Darkness" hints at the power of METALLICA, the melody of ALTER BRIDGE, the darkness of ALICE IN CHAINS and the visceral edge of MACHINE HEAD, while bringing a uniquely British sensibility to these stadium-rocking influences.

"Out Of The Darkness" follows the massively acclaimed release of SACRED MOTHER TONGUE's EP, "A Light Shines", in September of last year.

"Out Of The Darkness" track listing:

01. Intro (Out Of The Darkness)
02. Demons
03. Bird In Hand
04. Seven
05. Pawn
06. Bleeding Out
07. A Light Will Shine
08. The City Is Crying
09. Just A Ride
10. Evolve/Become
11. Believe

Check out audio samples in the YouTube clip below.