Interview with Blackrat

Year: 2013

Earlier this year, I was snooping around on bandcamp when I came across a band called Blackrat. Their brand of sleazy black thrash captured my attention and I went on to do a review of their debut full length, which can be found here. So who is Blackrat anyways? Read the following conversation and find out..

Metal Gallows: Hey guys! How are things in the great white north?

Blackrat: Cold as fuck, -30 right now. But we’re still having a fuckin awesome time.

Metal Gallows: Why don’t you guys tell us a little bit about Blackrat? How did you guys get together? How did it all begin?

Blackrat: Couple dudes that liked to get drunk together decided to get drunk and play music together. We all listened to similar music so it came together naturally.

Metal Gallows: Your style of music is a mix mash of genres. There is thrash metal with black metal and a little of crust punk in there. How did you guys find this sound? Was it intentional or was it one of those accidental discoveries?

Blackrat: This was definitely accidental, but probably came from Stu being a Heavy Metal and Thrash fan (Venom, Sodom, Kreator), Ian a Black Metal fan (Bathory, Hellhammer, Darkthrone), and Rust more into the punk side (Doom, Amebix, Discharge).

Metal Gallows: This is a question I wanted to ask you guys for quite some time now. Most bands go with satanic goats or even serpents. Why a satanic horned rat?

Blackrat: This is a great question. First of all, goats and serpents are demonized through scripture, rats are demonized because of the filth and disease they spread, massacring Europe in the 14th century. Scurrying around in the shadows, wallowing in filth, living underground, these are all things that relate to our music.

Metal Gallows: Lets talk about the lyrics. Your facebook page tells us that you are inspired by Cheap beer, Sleaze. Can you elaborate on that a little bit?

Blackrat: We like to party.

Metal Gallows: It would be an understatement to say that you guys play some very dirty stuff. In a time where everything is neat and in order, why and how did you guys come up with such a filthy monster of an album?

Blackrat: We worship the old gods (Sodom, Bathory, Sepultura, NME, Bulldozer, Venom, Hellhammer etc.), as do many other bands these days, in our scene and otherwise. I don’t think cleaner production and things like that are an improvement on the original shit. Don’t fuck with perfection, you know?

Metal Gallows: While listening to ‘Whiskey  and Blasphemy’, I could barely control the urge to start moshing on my own. I brought this up because, moshing as you know, is frowned upon. What are your views on mosh pits?

Blackrat: There’s a time and a place to mosh, for sure. Generally I prefer to watch a band than flail around, but sometimes you just can’t help it. It’s definitely cool to see people killing themselves to your music, party on!

Metal Gallows: The album artwork is a mix of things like the album itself. It is dark, it shows booze and its got titties. Who came up with this crazy artwork?

Blackrat: A local artist Danille Gauvin did the artwork, we all brainstormed the idea based on the stuff we like and she nailed it.

Metal Gallows: How has the reception for the album been so far?

Blackrat: It’s been great, and we’re super stoked.

Metal Gallows: Are there any plans of touring to promote the album release? Any particular places that you would like to play? Me for one, would love to see you guys come down to India.

Blackrat: Yes we’re planning to tour the west coast of Canada this summer, maybe some dates out east as well. Nowhere as far as India just yet though haha. Someday maybe, that’d be fucking unreal!

Metal Gallows: I’m positive that a band such as Blackrat would have had many a crazy night on stage. What would you say is the most craziest thing that has happened to the band while gigging?

Blackrat: Stu got his lip split open on stage twice, some crazy girl put her bra on Russell’s head, some dude’s leather jacket caught on fire behind Stu’s amp (stinky), at our release show one dude got 7 stitches and a tetanus shot. The hijinx never stop and we don’t want them to.

Metal Gallows: So, what’s next for Blackrat? Any new albums on the horizon?

Blackrat: We have a bunch of new material since W&B, but we’re undecided on how to release it. Maybe and EP, maybe some splits, maybe another full length. We’re also doing a three-way split with Morbis Infernus and Fornication (check them out they both fucking kill) coming out sometime this spring that will feature some classic first wave black metal cover tracks.

Metal Gallows: It was great talking to you guys! Anything you would like to say to the good folks who are taking the time to read this?

Blackrat: Thanks for putting up with us assholes. Huge shout out to all the Indian Hellbangers!

Metal Gallows: Cheers and beers to you!! Cant wait to hear more stuff from you guys!

Blackrat: Hail Satan!

You can stream and/or purchase Blackrat's debut album, Whiskey and Blasphemy below: