A Q&A with L.O.C.

L.O.C.: East Yorkshire groove metal

What’s the title of your latest release, and what does it mean to you?
Our latest release is ‘Dragging Me Down’. The single is a full metal onslaught and is a great introduction to the L.O.C sound for those of you who haven’t heard us yet. ‘Dragging Me Down’ cites the mental struggle of someone dealing with an obsession with revenge and the emotional rollercoaster caused by these feelings.

What was the hardest part about putting this release together, and why?
It wasn’t really that difficult as the song came very naturally to us. Probably the hardest part was writing parts in the studio to really lift the track as it involved some quick thinking and some even quicker learning of brand-new parts. We work well together as a team though so even this wasn’t too difficult.

Who produced the release – what did they bring to it? If you produced it yourselves what do you enjoy most about producing your own material?
We were lucky enough to have music industry legend Colin Richardson produce this record. He has also produced and mixed all our other tracks. Colin has produced and mixed albums for bands such as Slipknot, Machine Head, Trivium to name only a few and if you are a metal fan you will own many albums that he has produced. Colin not only brings a fresh take and some great suggestions but his enthusiasm for what we do is a huge encouragement to us. His mixing and production skills are amazing. His ability to bring the best out in us is priceless.

What do you want the listener to take away from listening to your music?
I want the listener to feel like a part of our L.O.C family. Here you will be accepted and welcomed and we will take on the world together as an army. The L.O.C army. I want the listener to find their safe place in our music.

How does a track normally come together? Can you tell us something about the process?
It usually starts with a great riff. We then take it into the rehearsal room and build on it as a team. The next stage is taking it into the studio to work on the finer details that make it the best track it can be.

What band/artists have influenced you the most since you started this project, and why?
We have too many influences to list but for me personally bands like Lamb of God, Jinjer, Pantera, Sepultura. Anyone with great riffs and a heavy drop-tuned sound do it for me.

What countries would you like to tour? Are there any standout venues you’d like to play in?
We seem to be gaining many followers in both Germany and the USA so both of those would be a must. I think Japan would be awesome too. A bucket list venue for us to play would have to be Bloodstock festival as it is the UK’s most metal festival. I think we belong on a stage like that.

If you could pick one track for our readers to listen to in order to get a taste of your music, what would you pick, and why?
I would actually pick two. ‘Dragging Me Down’ because I feel it is the most up-to-date version of the L.O.C sound and is a great showcase for us. But I’d also say ‘Family Values’ as it is straight to the point and introduces you to our sound in an instant.

What ambitions do you have for the band/your career?
We plan to take this all the way. We work hard and we are always pushing. Watch this space. There are big things to come!

Finally, as you leave the stage, what are your parting words?
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. Thank you also to our wonderful fans. Without you we couldn’t do this, you make it worthwhile and we do this for you. Finally, for everyone else out there, if you don’t know who L.O.C are now, you soon will!

Follow L.O.C on Instagram at @l.o.cbanduk