Far From Refuge is a metal band from Cambridge, UK, formed in 2016. Their music combines elements from progressive metal, metalcore, and melodic death to create a powerful and captivating sound

Along with a string of energetic and highly lauded live performances, in 2018 they released 3 self-produced singles – “Emergence”, “There Was A Light”, and “Circuits”.

Far From Refuge released their debut 5 track EP in February. They have been featured on multiple radio shows including “BBC Radio Introducing for Cambridgeshire”, Cam FM Breakthrough, Metal Nation Radio (USA), and TNL Radio (Sri Lanka).

In this interview spotlight, I chat with the band about their latest project, challenges, technology and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

Answering the questions are:

• JS – Joél Sutherland – Guitar/Vocals
• JG – Jonathan Graye – Guitar
• MP – Matt Poskitt – Bass

Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)

JS – We’re based in Cambridge, UK and play heavy, progressive and melodic metalcore.

JG – We mix heavy guitar music with catchy hooks, breakdowns and intense atmospheres. Listen to us if you’re a fan of Periphery, Erra or Crossfaith! My favourite song off the EP is Beings so I’d recommend listening to that first.

What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?

JS – I’ve been writing music since I was young. It’s something that has been part of my life for a long time, and I couldn’t imagine not doing it.

MP – Ever since I discovered the world of recording guitars directly into my computer, it’s been a hobby. I’ve always been a solo creator, and wanting to do everything myself but it’s difficult to stay motivated alongside a full-time job. I have major respect for those who maintain motivation. Joining a band has been a gestaltic experience and i’m loving every minute of it.

JG – I started playing guitar when I was 13 because a friend convinced me to start a band with him. I ended up obsessing over this hobby and kept my love for playing till this day.

How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?

JS – This is our first release, so it’s different in the fact that it actually exists! Our vision was to create something dynamic and powerful, with songs that will take you on a journey. Musically we wanted to combine all the things we love, including metalcore, death metal and post-hardcore as well as atmospheric sounds, electronic sections and pop-like melodies.

JG – This was definitely a work of love on Joel’s part – he did the majority of the writing, recording and mixing on the EP. The amount of time that was put into the EP really shows (in my opinion) with how high-level the production is. The Far From Refuge EP will be different from all future releases as the next ones will have the rest of us collaborating more on the songwriting side of things.

Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this over saturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?

JS – A lot of the local scenes are non-existent. The internet has helped us get this band together, release music and share it with the world. However, bands do also struggle in this digital age. It’s more difficult to get your voice heard due to the millions out there. It’s amazing that it has become so easy for people to record and release music, especially when I think back to how difficult it was only 15 or so years ago – when I was recording my first bands were limited to 4-tracks, tape, PC line-in inputs, you name it!

What was the last song you listened to?

JS – Plains of the Purple Buffalo – Part 2 by *Shels.

MP – Via by Voices From The Fuselage

JG –  Jericho  – Sleep Token

Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?

JS – None! I stream pretty much everything nowadays.

MP – I loved collecting CDs, especially digibooks with lots of awesome artwork. Having something physical to hold is nice, but I ended up filling my car with them so I’m basically all streaming now.

How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?

JS – Spotify all the way. It has a brilliant interface and almost always has what I’m looking for.

MP – Idealistically, I want to pick Bandcamp. It’s a great platform where, if the artist allows it, the buyers can pay whatever they feel is right for the album – which is a great concept. I like that you can download the music in a range of qualities to suit your needs, and the album pages can look stunning. Realistically I use Google Play because it has everything I want.

Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?

JG – You can find us on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Bandsintown, Twitter and around 14 other platforms you’ve never heard of. Just send us a message via any of these, we’d love to hear from you 🙂

Anything else before we sign off?

JS – Thank you to everyone who has checked out our debut EP so far. If you haven’t already, give it a listen and let us know what you think!