New Band of the Week: Your Future Is Metal

Having grown up in Herefordshire, it’s not too often I discover a new band that hails from the same rural location. However, the brilliantly named Your Future Is Metal is one such band, which started out back in 2011 but gradually evolved through to the current project that began in 2020.

The band started out with five friends “making noise” under the name Weathered Hands in their Herefordshire homeland. They moved to London, where they remain, and took on a short-lived hardcore project under the name Real Authority. But they soon assumed the Your Future Is Metal moniker when some members left to pursue other projects, leaving the current lineup of vocalist and guitarist Johann Saul and drummer Salaryman Ben.

The duo have crafted a lively and engaging sound that they describe as “catchy, macabre and heavy.” And Johann adds: “I would describe us as a heavy band that chooses to rely on songwriting and melody rather than low tunings and breakdowns. A wide range of influences spanning from classic heavy metal to contemporary hardcore punk and 80s synth-pop music.”

We spoke to them around the release of their debut single DO YOU WANT TO DANCE (WITH A WANTED MAN)?, which was released in April. It opens up with light acoustic guitar then chunky guitar chords kick in alongside the opening lines “You want this bad reputation, And I can pull you on a string, Death immortalises me, When I feel like life means nothing!”

Engaging vocals take over and drop into a funky little riff that feeds into a catchy chorus and returns after it. The pace drops with light guitars, before gradually building drums lead into a fun guitar solo, which tees up a final blast of the funky riff and chorus.

On the track, Johann told us: “I’d love to tell you that DO YOU WANT TO DANCE (WITH A WANTED MAN)? has gone viral and that we’ll be playing Wembley next week, but so far it’s been fairly modest. And we’re okay with that! We’re just happy to be releasing so we can start work on our next heavy metal crusade. Despite the statement of this band wearing its intentions firmly on its sleeve, I think that people may be pleasantly surprised by the range of influences on show.”

That’s been swiftly followed by VORTEX OF SOULS, which was released at the end of last month. It opens up with spoken vocals and chunky guitar chords that continue through a lively verse led by feisty vocals. More melodic vocals take over, before the feistier shouts return alongside heavy guitars and driving drums. A spinning riff comes in alongside repeats of “Vortex of souls, Whirlwind of bones,” which tee up a lively outro led by a wild guitar solo.

Both those tracks come from the band’s debut EP, which is out at the end of this month. On the EP, Johann told us: “Releasing the EP will allow us to move on and create even better material which I’m more excited about than any validation from people. However, that’s not to say that this record doesn’t absolutely rip and won’t melt people’s faces off. Expect a guitar solo in every song.”

The Your Future Is Metal sound has been heavily shaped by Johann and Ben’s shared love of Peter Steele (Type O Negative and Carnivore). But they also love the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Turnstile, Faith No More, Judas Priest, funeral doom and adult contemporary music.

And on what inspires them to write music, Johann explains: “There is nothing that interests myself and Ben more than the creation of a song. On a personal level, fleshing out my ideas is an all-consuming monster – for me, in particular, it’s an obsessive compulsion. I’m not interested in selling my soul for a high-paying career, only the marriage of punk rock and heavy metal music.

“As far as themes and topics are concerned, I generally try to approach my lyrics with a tongue-in-cheek, dark sense of humour. Stuff based around horror, sci-fi and sometimes real-life events, adding depth (where appropriate) either by putting pieces of myself into the writing or incorporating other contextual elements.”

If you like what you hear from their first two singles then you’re in luck as there’s plenty more to come from Your Future Is Metal. That starts with their five-track debut EP being released on 30 June, along with an EP release show. They’re also hard at work on a follow-up EP, with more music likely to be released before the end of the year.

And Johann advises us to: “Consider how metal your future will be.”

While you’re doing that, go and follow Your Future Is Metal on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.