M2TM South Wales 2024: Cardiff Heat #4 Interview With Rites To Ruin By Paul Hutchings

Interview with Rites To Ruin – Heat #4, M2TM, Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff 23rd March 2024

1. Let’s start with introductions. Who is who and what does each person do in the band?

Krissie - Vocals, Matt - Guitar, Lee - Guitar, Tom - Drums and Paul - Bass

2. Where are you from and how long have you been together?

We span the M4 corridor with members from Wales and England, so our home bases are Cardiff and Bristol. We’ve been together for five years but two of those were relatively inactive due to a pesky thing called Covid.

3. Describe your music in five words.

Traditional balls-out melodic heavy metal

4. What prompted you to apply to be part of Metal to the Masses – South Wales?

We’d love to play Bloodstock but also, we want to network with other bands, get to know more of our peers and hopefully get to play more gigs with more bands of a similar ilk to ourselves. It gives us an opportunity that we usually don’t have as a band, networking in a short space of time and enjoying what others are doing - usually it’s just the one or two bands that you are on the bill with that night or for that tour.

5. If you have played Metal to the Masses before, tell us about your previous experiences and importantly, why you’ve returned!

We’ve always found the M2tM initiative to be a great time. The bands are really supportive of each other which makes it a great night for everyone. And as above, networking, meeting other bands on the scene to build up that relationship with and the organisers are a genuinely lovely group of people.

6. Bloodstock is a big festival – have you attended the festival in the past? If so, what would you say are the best things about the weekend?

Krissie and Matt are regulars at BOA. What’s not to love about the festival - everything is within walking distance (without the prospect of miles of mud before you get anywhere), it’s small enough to be intimate and with a strong chance of bumping into some of your favourite musos, but also feels like you’re at something much bigger. Plus, we get to hang out with some of our favourite people enjoying the music we love.

7. Apart from Metal to the Masses, what do you have planned for 2024?

The debut album is still underway, but we are finally at a stage to get into the studio and start recording. So, we are excited for that. Plus, we have a few more gigs up our sleeve. We’re trying to book what we can around the day jobs, and Tom (drummer) and his wife, Nat, are expecting baby number two in the very near future, so it’s all go!

8. What can we expect from you in your heat?

See answer to question 3 :D

9. And what are you expecting in your heat and journey through the competition?

A darn good time with like-minded bands and to enjoy live music.

10. Finally, where can people find details of the band – promote your socials here!