Hostile

Hostile!
Fucking Hostile!

UK-based heavy metal band Hostile, with its Pantera-laced riffs and Judas Priest-influenced sound, are gaining some well-respected attention in the metal acropolis. Formed in 2006 in the Black Country, England, near Birmingham, known as the birthplace of heavy metal and home to veteran metal bands Judas Priest and Black Sabbath. The newbie outfit — guitarists A.J. Mills and Matt Waddoups, bassist Andy Mills (no relation to A.J.), drummer Gunga and new vocalist Jay — are determined to put Black Country metal back on the map.

Endorsed by none other than Judas Priest's K.K. Downing, Hostile may be poised to achieve great success in the metal scene. Not only is K.K. producing the band's debut CD, "Eve of Destruction," but he also wrote and performed on the song "Avenger," the first time the guitarist has written for anyone outside Priest. K.K. became interested in Hostile's talent and potential after seeing them perform at a club called JB's in Dudley, Midlands. Undertaking the role of mentor to the youngsters, K.K. is more than willing to lend his musical experience and production services to this young and talented band. "Words can't express the gratitude and honour we feel for a metal god like K.K. to be working with us," A.J. said. "We are all huge Judas Priest fans and have always felt proud of our heritage because of what Judas Priest achieved for heavy-metal music, and to have him work with us is very surreal."

Receiving rave reviews after playing the Download Festival the past two years, Hostile have undoubtably gained some valuable experience. "Playing Download is absolutely amazing," A.J. said. "As it's the holy stomping ground for heavy metal! And to get asked back to play for a second time was a true honour. We take our live performances very seriously. We have to leave an impression on every stage/town we play. We do it for the pure love of heavy-metal music, and we enjoy every second of being on stage and sharing the same passion with the audience."

Describing a certain band's style and its origin is usually intertwined. A musician's surroundings sometimes have a direct affect on the music created. Birmingham, and its surrounding area, The Black Country, is well-known for being an industrial town. The cause-and-effect factor plays an importance in producing a tough exterior on the young musicians who inhabit the area. Priest frontman Rob Halford has said his group formed as a way out of their ordinary lives. "Growing up in Birmingham in the '60s and '70s was very bleak," Halford said. "It still is today in some ways. It was a tough coal and steel mining town. We had the attitude that we wanted to break out of the circle and take our music to as many places as we could." K.K. agrees. "Consciously or subconsciously, it was inevitable that such surroundings would influence a youngster growing up. The Black Country has a culture that is unique only to itself," K.K. said.

Affirmative for Hostile. Its tough-as-steel sound shares a common bond with Priest, which laid the heavy-metal foundation more than 30 years ago. "There is something about the air that we breath over here and being from the birthplace of heavy metal, I guess it's in our blood," A.J. said. "At the end of the day, we are all products of society, and the Black Country, for one reason or another, brings out the heavy metal in the likes of ourselves. We tend to have more of a tough exterior. We are very switched on to what happens in today's world and we channel all our emotions through our music."

Hostile and K.K. concur that they share a common bond by being from the same area. "Without doubt, especially when he (K.K.) has been hanging 'round us guys too long and the old Black Country accent comes out. He still has the cool laid back Black Country attitude too, which is so cool to see because he has never forgotten who he is and where he came from. We admire the dude a lot," A.J. said. "The guys are just like a younger version of Priest, it is quite easy to see myself in them," K.K. said.

Hostile's sound is of the classic metal assortment, similar to Priest but mixed with modern thrash influences. "We bow down to the creators of heavy metal. Mainly Priest and Sabbath, but we also love bands like Megadeth, Pantera, Machine Head and Korn. All the bands that have done so much for heavy metal," A.J. said. An impressive cover version of the 1965 protest song "Eve of Destruction," by American folk/rock singer Barry Maguire will be featured on the new CD. "That song still has so much relevance in today's world as it did 40 years ago," A.J. said. "It was an anti-war protest song written about the Vietnam War. So much time has passed since then and nothing has really changed since this song was written in the 60's! We are all still at war with one another and it's such a great song with a very powerful message."

After the completion of the new CD, the band, with K.K.'s assistance, intends to shop the record around to different labels and hit the road to promote it. However, with the global economy in a funk and record companies somewhat non-existant because of Internet downloading, the band might have to devise some creative strategies to insure they have an illustrious career. What will it take for an up-and-coming band like Hostile to succeed for many years to come? "Simple answer," K.K. says. "Be a great live band that will continue the tradition of unique metal that can only be forged in the Black Country." "Hostile's main goal is to pick up the baton from our mighty predecessors, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, etc.," AJ. says. "We realize that we, or nobody else, will ever be able to replace these truly awesome bands. But to just pick up from where they leave off is what we aim to do."

For more information about Hostile and samples from their forthcoming album "Eve of Destruction," go to their Myspace or watch their YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdlipdqxu8k

Article by Kelley Simms