Devil's Gate Music
Related Articles
Yorkshire four-piece Asomvel are notorious for excessive volume and high-octane shows, and they show no signs of slowing down on their new album Set Your World On Fire. Frontman and bassist Ralph Robinson joined us for a chat about the album, what punters can expect on the forthcoming UK headline tour, and one particular tale from the road that involves Airbourne frontman Joel O’Keeffe and some German police officers.
The new album, Set Your World On Fire, has just been released. In the run-up to a new album being unleashed into the wilds, how do you feel? Nervous? Excited? Both?!
It’s always good to have the music finally out there. As soon as we write these songs, we’re itching for people to hear them; it’s always a shame we have to sit on them for so long while the practical aspects are taking shape. It’s always a glorious day when we can release our creations unto the world!
It’s been two years since the release of Born to Rock ‘n’ Roll. Two years further down the road, in which areas of the band do you see growth in those two years? Songwriting, for instance?
We’ve definitely honed a lot of aspects of the whole craft in the last few years, whether it’s onstage or in the studio. The songwriting definitely feels like it’s improved, we’ve written a couple for the next album already, and they’re our best yet.
Asomvel are road-dogs; were the songs on Set Your World On Fire conceived on the road, or back in the studio after touring?
It’s all done back at the ranch. When we’re on the road, we’re just locked into a much more mechanical rhythm, you’re surviving, getting the job done, just primarily focusing on the task at hand. Back home is where the magic usually happens.
Could anything other than “King of the World” have opened the album? Was it always going to open the album?
It could have been many of them, we opened our setlist with it after we wrote it because it felt immediate and no-bullshit, so naturally we figured what’s sauce for the goose…
Any particular tracks prove to be tricky when putting them down in the studio?
We tried a few different things vocally on ‘World at War’; on that first verse, we weren’t sure how my voice was gonna sound over something so pretty. Turned out the best idea was just to do what I’d normally do, that’s what I’m good at. Anything else sounds alien.
“Back from the Dead (It’s Your Funeral)” is sneaking ahead of “Your Worst Nightmare” as our favourite track, but that changes all the time; do you have a particular favourite, and has it been road-tested yet?
‘If It’s Too Loud, You’re Too Old’ is the undisputed banger of that album and you won’t change my mind, it’s a fuckin’ party, and it’s been played live for just over a year now. There’s something irresistible about that kind of solid drumbeat that just gets you going.
Ryan plays out of his skin on the entire album, especially “Eye of the Storm”; does he survive on a diet of raw meat and dynamite?
He survives on Red Bull and Chicago Town pizzas, if you must know! He’s a world-class drummer who’s frankly overqualified for a lot of the songs we come up with; songs like ‘Eye of the Storm’ allow him to showcase his more flamboyant talents and the technicality of it all, and use it where it fits. He knows when to pull it back, though, on the simpler tunes and that’s what makes him world-class.
Everybody is skint. It’s an arm and a leg to fill up at the pumps. So it must be humbling that pre-orders for the new album hit over 1,000, especially for a fiercely independent band. Why do you think that Asomvel have struck a chord with so many?
It’s encouraging for sure. You get the sense that people who wouldn’t even usually buy physical albums are putting their hand in their pockets because they respect what we’re doing and see that we’re putting a lot on the line to make it happen. This kind of music is in short supply right now, and you’re always gonna wanna go to a big rock show and have a good night listening to some good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll with no added bullshit. We’re that band for a lot of people now, and that’s how we like it!
2027 is shaping up rather nicely for Asomvel: overseas festivals like Into The Grave (such a great festival, all concrete as well) and Leyendas Del Rock Festival, as well as headlining Ascendancy Festival in the UK. 2027 looks like the busiest year yet for the band. What else do you have planned?
God bless concrete! You’ll have to stay tuned and see what gets announced, plenty more great festivals on the way, and of course, more touring is inevitable. It’ll be the biggest year yet for numerous reasons, so keep your eyes and ears peeled!
When you performed at Graspop earlier this year, did you get a chance to mingle with other bands backstage? And from the heat of Graspop to a show-stealing set in the rain at Stonedead Festival in August, what do you remember about that day, or did it pass you by in a flash?
Graspop was pretty crazy; we got there, loaded in, grabbed some food while we had a few moments, and then headed back to the stage to set up and play. After that, we were pretty fucked with heatstroke and all the rest of it (our sound guy fainted due to the heat!), so I went back with Lenny and ate pizza at the hotel because I know how to have a good time. The rest of the lads stuck around, and I can only imagine, got pissed!
Stonedead was equally as chaotic, but since the British weather was reliably miserable, I hung around and made the most of it!
Any particular stories from the road with Airbourne that you can share? It must have been a buzz when they thanked you in the credits on the sleeve of their latest album.
Joel and I got stopped by police in Cologne for tearing stop signs off a barrier near where we were staying on the bus. It was about 3am, partying on our tour bus, and when you get a bunch of lads with their shirts off shouting along to Judas Priest, one thing usually leads to another and public property ends up being collateral damage. I’d said to Joel before how I’d been manifesting touring with them for years. He turns to me in the police station while we’re getting questioned and says, “Did ya manifest this, Ralph?!” Pretty GUTSY!!!
Looking ahead to the UK headline tour, which starts November 13th at KK’s in Wolverhampton, apart from deafness, what can anyone buying a ticket expect from the show?
We’ll be playing a load of tracks from the new album; it’ll be our most packed headline setlist yet, it’s fucking relentless! We’ll also be around after the show to meet everyone and all the rest of it, should be fun.
Lastly, social media is crucial in this day and age; who does your content? Top marks to them – it’s ace!
It’s me who does it all. The trick is being able to edit pretty ruthlessly and get rid of anything that isn’t both visually and sonically interesting. There’s a huge temptation when we’re on tour and editing a day-in-the-life style vlog, to keep all these funny in-jokes in there just because I find them amusing, but a lot of that stuff gets cut so that everything flows better for short-form content. It’s the reason we’re seeing the success that we are right now, so cheers, Mark Zuckerberg!
ASOMVEL UK HEADLINE TOUR DATES
Nov 13th – Wolverhampton, KK’s Steelmill
Nov 15th – London, Underworld
Nov 16th – Bristol, Exchange
Nov 17th – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
Nov 18th – Glasgow, Classic Grand
Nov 20th – Newcastle, The Cluny
Nov 21st – Leeds, The Key Club
Tickets are available via https://asomvel.com/pages/tour-dates
All images supplied by Wilful & Sullivan Publicity
