Supergroups come and go, some emerging as successes and others a hit and a miss, but not so the case for the freshest metal engine from Britain.
AxeWound first revealed their existence in early May 2012, introducing their teaser track ‘Post-Apocalyptic Party’ with their debut studio album Vultures released a few months later (read the Tone Deaf review here).
The band comprises of Canadian and Cancer Bats vocalist Liam Cormier, as well as Bullet For My Valentine vocalist Matt Tuck on backup vocals and guitar.
If that’s not super enough for you, they’ve also got Glamour Of The Kill’s Mike Kingswood on guitar and Jason Bowld from Pitchshifter on drums.
Nope that’s not all either; ex-Rise to Remain member Joe Copcutt slaps the bass with AxeWound as well. He took some out from time in his parents’ country town home to have a chat bout his latest musical project.
There is a natural level of anxiety with the uncertainty of a new band’s success when you’ve worked really hard hoping for a positive response. “It’s been crazy man, it was just an idea originally thought out by Matt and Jason,” begins Copcutt. “They just kind of wanted to have some fun with it and wrote some songs.”“You know we don’t really see it like [a supergroup] in all honesty ‘cause we already knew each other, it’s just friends doing a collaboration which is great fun.”
Tuck called Copcutt and recruited him to join “The Wound” (as it’s affectionately nicknamed) and he jumped straight on board. The band debuted in the UK Top 40 charts “and that’s across the board – not just the rock/metal charts – so we were blown away by the reaction,” says the bassist, and the supergroup have been smashing the charts worldwide since the release of Vultures.
With the two vocalists in AxeWound from a ‘metal’ band as well as a ‘hardcore’ influenced band respectively, the collaboration’s genre can be a little hazy.
“Well I think the album’s got influences from both metal and hardcore – it’s even got some black metal parts,” laughs Copcutt.
He values the diversity of each band member and what they bring to the table. “It was perfect getting everyone on board and getting that hardcore edge which made it sound that little bit different to the average metal band out there,” he proposes, “so it’s a bit of a mixture.”
This seemingly creates a unique blend for the super group, as opposed to the alternative approach of releasing a generic metal album filled with rock stars.
AxeWound released a gory music video for ‘Exorchrist’ just prior to their album release, which the band’s bassist calls “hilarious,” adding: “It probably had the best reaction on the tour as well.”
With only a select few tracks available on their setlist early on, Copcutt admits, “we ended up playing it twice, because we were on tour and the kids just wanted more… which was real good fun.” Before the video of ‘Exorchrist’ was released, the band also released a harbour-side head banger video for ‘Cold’.
After Vultures was released, AxeWound were eager for their UK tour after fans digested the material and learnt the songs. “There were small sweaty and grimy venues where there were no barriers and kids were stage diving and getting right up and close,” recalls Copcutt.
Most of the band had not experienced such intimate shows in a long time (if ever) with their own bands’ massive successes. “I think to come out for the debut tour to have that kind of reaction with sold out shows and kids going absolutely crazy from start to finish was overwhelming and an amazing experience.”
A little over a month after the band’s big reveal, they played monumental British music event, Download Festival.
“That was killer,” recalls Copcutt. “It was definitely the biggest show that we’ve played for sure. It was massive – great to see all the kids come and check us out after only hearing one song released.”
Copcutt was stoked with the crowd’s reaction as their perception was based purely on ‘Post-Apocalyptic Party’ as well as, essentially, the individual bands that each member was recruited from.
The British bassist laughs when AxeWound are referred to as a supergroup. “You know we don’t really see it like that in all honesty ‘cause we already knew each other, it’s just friends doing a collaboration which is great fun.”
Despite this view, Copcutt is flattered by the global response to his band: “It’s just a real good project and we’re glad that the kids feel the same way and are just having fun with the style and groove to the songs.”
Despite Copcutt’s amusement to the perception of the supergroup tag, he respects the reality of AxeWound as a side project to the other band members who have been busy in their own respective musical outfits.
After sold-out shows across the UK, the band are travelling overseas to share some ‘Wound’ love. “Everyone is super busy with their own projects but we’ve got a couple dates [locked in].”
The expected lack of organisation between co-ordinating schedules is also removed as most of the bands share the same management, Copcutt explains.“I’ve never been so excited about a project – I just can’t wait to get into it, we’ve been sitting on it for a while.”
However, AxeWound has not planned to tour further down the track, as Tuck’s plans with Bullet for My Valentine will be on the rise with a studio album release expected for the near future.
“We want to tour everywhere… but it’s still pretty fresh.” Don’t worry Joe; you can fit in a little world tour somewhere right?
One may wonder what Copcutt is up to, while the others are busy, and after leaving British metal outfit Rise To Remain.
“I’m actually just about to go into the studio to record a debut release for a project this month,” reveals the bassist. “So I’ve been keeping it on the down low for the time being.”
After keeping the world’s best kept secret of AxeWound close to his chest, trying one’s luck in urging him to reveal what the secret project might be was unsuccessful.
“I’m kind of waiting to smash it out. I want it to come out with a bang. I don’t want to give too much away but it’s something very different,” he teases.
The Brit hints at something a little more on the ‘hardcore’ scene compared to his metal influences with Rise To Remain.
“I’ve never been so excited about a project – I just can’t wait to get into it, we’ve been sitting on it for a while,” he enthuses. “I am super stoked to get into it with my best buddies and it will be coming out next year hopefully if it all goes smoothly.”
Whatever the project is, it will be hard to beat the ‘Wound’ storm that is quickly spreading – although Copcutt will more than likely manage to exceed his own expectations.
Vultures is out now through Sony Records, read the Tone Deaf review here.
