Interview: Blood Youth Chat About Their Latest Single, ‘Iron Lung’ and More!

Leeds-based hardcore quartet Blood Youth have recently returned with their colossal new single ‘Iron Lung’. We were lucky enough to have a chat with the band to find out more about their sound, influences and more!

Congratulations on your newest release! Can you tell us about the emotions that went into it, and the themes it represents?

Thank you. No themes, just honest shit. The song itself touches on multiple subjects around the idea of having someone breathe for you, translated into every day would be someone relying on another person to be able to get through each day/stay alive. Sometimes when someone is struggling with certain things, they can receive all the help in the world but ultimately, they’ve got to breathe for themselves.

You are huge advocates for mental health awareness. What are some of the key things you would say to those who are suffering? And what have you discovered that works for your own self-medication?

From experience dealing and caring for ourselves and other people/loved ones who have really suffered from mental health struggles, I can’t exactly speak for other people. But all I can say is it’s incredibly important to just listen to people struggling. Don’t rush for solutions, all those people want is to be heard. People don’t reach out because it feels like a you’re a burden to others and they always just try to find the solution immediately – there is no solution, nobody knows what each other are going through so it’s important to just show stability and offer distractions but to ultimately listen.

Things I’ve found that help me forget briefly about things daily is finding a hobby, guitar, designing, crafting, planning, video games…

Some of your influences are metal bands who had a huge impact on the sounds of the late 90’s and early 2000s, such as Slipknot, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Korn. What are some timeless elements of song writing in that genre that are still so prominent today?

Hmmm, I’m not sure but I think bands of today still really crave and go after that honest raw recording sound, which is pretty much near impossible to recreate these days due to the amount of technology in the process. I think that’s what I’d say has translated over into modern versions of 90s metal these days, is that sought after rawness, the one takes, the no clicks etc… But that shit doesn’t come from trying to get it. That shit comes through in music when it’s the last thing you’re thinking about.

Which song of yours has the most cathartic response, and gives you the greatest release when played live?

For me personally, probably our song Keep You Alive as it’s very free spirited towards the end. Live we tend to go into a little bass/drums/clean guitar improv jam and that always feels very rewarding just getting to feel musically connected in that brief moment away from clicks and set plans.

Can you tell us anything you have coming up for the rest of 2021?

2021 is a weird one, we’re doing everything we can to possibly get out as fast as possible but we’re releasing new shit, booking up 2022 and staying alive. All anyone can do!