I caught up with Tommy Concrete to discuss his ninth solo release “Hexenzirkel” due 25th of June through Trepanation Records, guests that appear on the album, how the music and the live scene is going with covid in the UK, and a whole lot more.
A hardened stalwart of the UK’s metal and punk scenes, Edinburgh multi-instrumentalist Tommy Concrete is a Scottish underground veteran who continues to make a mark. Concrete has played guitar for legendary UK punks The Exploited and instrumental doom band Jackal-Headed Guard of the Dead, as well as singing for infamous metallers Man of the Hour. He began releasing music under his own name in 2001. Marked by relentless persistence and an ever-evolving creative spirit, the music of Edinburgh, Scotland solo artist Tommy Concrete pushes new boundaries with the upcoming album Hexenzirkel. Due out via Trepanation Records later this year, Hexenzirkel features an array of guest artists and incorporates unexpected musical genres to deliver a soundscape that fans of Devin Townsend, Ihsahn, The Gathering and Opeth will enjoy.
Concrete considers the album an exploration of psychosis of which he was diagnosed in 2019. A condition which he came to terms with during the global pandemic, in so far as it gave him the drive to create Hexenzirkel. The lyrics were written in order as they appear on the album, in almost diary format from March 2020 – May 2020. Concrete, who is autistic, experiences synesthesia which is the ability to experience sound and music visually. His recent Unrelaxed 1 & 2 albums had neurodiversity as the lyrical concept. This time Concrete decided to represent neuro-diversity musically, by utilizing his synesthesia as a creative tool. In as such as drawing the music first and composing the songs to fit the shapes and colors. Hexenzirkel is literally the sound and shape (if your have synesthesia) of psychosis.
Hexenzirkel contains more doom metal influences than his previous releases. A genre he is more known for outside his solo work, having most recently appeared in three of the forty bands of the recent ‘Doomed & Stoned in Scotland’ compilation, namely Psychotic Depression, Jackal Headed Guard of the Dead, and of course Tommy Concrete. He has taken a definite turn from his time with Scottish punk legends The Exploited, forging his own solo identity. Now with Hexenzirkel, his ninth solo album, and the second with Trepanation, Concrete welcomes a wealth of collaborators to continue this musical evolution. “The word ‘Hexenzirkel’ is German for ‘witches coven,’ which I felt was an appropriate title as so many people have contributed to the album,” he says.
Concrete is joined by the following vocalists: Laura Gilchrist of doom metal band King Witch – Jenni Sneddon of witch rock band Juniper Grave –Michael Brannagh of Tommy Concrete and the Werewolves and formerly American hard rock band Warrior Soul – Christian Kimmet from Warrior Soul and American glam legends Love Hate – Jamie Herkes from Tommy Concrete and the Werewolves and Scottish punks Critkill – Bryan Ramage from prog metal band Ramage Inc. Ramage also produced, mixed, and mastered the album.
Hexenzirkel will be available in CD and digital formats on 25th June 2021 Preorder available here: https://tommyconcrete.bandcamp.com/al… Connect With Tommy Concrete: https://www.facebook.com/TommyConcret… https://www.instagram.com/concretetommy/ https://twitter.com/tommy_concrete https://www.youtube.com/user/tommycon… https://tommyconcrete.bandcamp.com/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/4K3A8…
