3 Inches of Blood


3 Inches of Blood are true heavy metal road warriors. The Canadian combo spent the last year out on tour, supporting 'Here Waits Thy Doom,' their fourth overall album and debut release for Century Media. Though their new wave of British of heavy metal informed songwriting style has won the group plenty of critical and fan praise, it's 3 Inches of Blood's balls-to-the-wall live show that makes their inclusion on this year's upcoming Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival so thrilling. Noisecreep spoke with guitarist Shane Clark about 3 Inches of Blood's appearance on the tour.

What bands are you looking forward to seeing?

I'm looking forward to seeing Lamb of God, and Hatebreed. LOG is a band that I've listened to a lot over the years, and we had the pleasure of touring with them in 2007. They are also a great bunch of guys, and a powerful live band too. Hatebreed is a group that puts on a great show as well, plus I've gotten to know them well over the years of our bands playing shows together. Good times have always been the focal point when both bands get together.

Have there been any newer bands that have caught your ear lately?

There's a Vancouver band called that Bison B.C. that is making waves in the metal world. They are a blend of lots of different sounds that I listen to, and I highly suggest everyone to check them out. They are on the Metal Blade label.

What are you planning for your own set?

I think for our own set we are going to play a mix of our last three records, we're really into jamming our new songs live so it will be new ones and maybe some deep cuts from the older ones.

Are you playing any interesting cover songs?

We've been playing a few covers live here and there. 'Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll' by Blue Oyster Cult has been a great one to play. 'Not Fragile' by Bachman-Turner Overdrive is a gem we've been breaking out from time to time too.

Are you playing some of you older classics or crowd favorites?

We're going to be changing up the set quite a bit over the tour, but I think we'll be playing some deeper cuts from the older records for our diehard fans. 'Swordmaster' gets requested a lot as does 'Demons Blade' from the 'Fire Up the Blades' album.

What's the best backstage/after show activity on the tour? Ozzfest always had their famous BBQs. How are you planning on spending your downtime this summer at Mayhem?

There's so much to do on a summer festival tour, especially for a band like us who is playing early in the day. There are BBQs to fire up, and there are always like-minded dirtbag musicians to hang out with, and party. Sometimes, if at all possible, you can find a cheap BMX bike to tool around the festival because walking can be hazardous for a lazy person like me (laughter). But for actual downtime, I'll be sleeping, eating and maybe a couple of times a week, I'll grab a shower.

Clark isn't kidding about the shower situation. Most venues are infamous for their lack of proper facilities, for the volume of musicians a tour like this generates. Either way, the thought of 3 Inches of Blood throwing in a Blue Oyster Cult cover in the middle of their full-on metal attack, makes up for the imminent hygiene deficiency that the tour will cause. The 2010 edition of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival kicks off on July 10 in San Bernadino, Calif. and runs all the way through Aug. 14 in Oklahoma City.

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