Exclusive Interview: This Is Turin talk “T.U.R.I.N”!

Cheshire based Blackened Technical Death Metallers This Is Turin have been mainstays of the Underground Metal scene for as long as we can remember and with their latest EP they’ve invested not only their hearts and souls but also had the courage to ask CJ McMahon of Thy Art Is Murder to make a guest vocal appearance for them. We were lucky enough to chat with Guitarist Davey Langford about what they’ve been up to in recent times and here is what he had to say…

How did you find the reaction to “Misery” when it dropped as a single and how did getting CJ McMahon come about? What was he like to work with? “On the run up to when “Misery” dropped there’s always this weird excitement/anxiety you get being an artist releasing music. On one hand you’re stoked to show the world what you’ve created, on the other you’re thinking “how will people react?”. We had a lot of positivity and support from our friends, fans and peers in the music industry which was really humbling to see. Having CJ on the track was something we’d been considering for a while. We’d been speaking to him for a few months prior to going into the studio and had a clear idea of what we wanted to achieve with the vibe of the track. Once we had the final mixes back we sent it across to him to track over in Australia. Working with CJ was a breeze, we’re stoked to have him collaborate with TURIN.“

We saw you guys for the first time at Tech-Fest in 2017 and the intensity and quality of your live show is something that was jaw dropping then and lives long in the memory now. How much work goes into preparing for a This Is Turin live set? You must be itching to get back to the stage? “Prepping for live shows is something we’ve always been meticulous on. We’ve always made sure we’re gig ready at all times. We happily spend hours in our studio dissecting parts, analysing transitions ensuring what we deliver live is our a-game. Live shows for us is where we feel really at home. I Have to say, the hunger is real now. Not being able to vent on stage is tough for us and the rest of the industry but when gates open, it’s gonna be one hell of a party.”

It’s been almost six years since your full length album “Cercis” dropped. What are your memories of that time and how much did you learn about the recording process that you took into the new EP and it’s preceding singles? “Writing Cercis always brings back some good memories for me. The album had so many styles of music in there which was what made it so diverse a listen. Looking back on it there’s definitely some tracks that were the precursors to what TURIN is now. The writing process was pretty intense too, we’d spend hours just looking at transitions and single notes, basically obsessing on trying to get it perfect. Since Cercis I think we’ve definitely refined our identity as a band. We’ve been really conscious to go more with our gut and not overthink the process – if a riff wants out – it’s coming out. For the T.U.R.I.N EP we had everything fully demoed along with additional instrumentation layered so it was just a case of nailing our parts and seeing if there’s anything else we can add during production. I think experience in the studio has definitely allowed us to cover all the bases in advance and focus more on what’s best for the tracks as a whole.“

As a band, what would you say has been your proudest moment to date? Getting to take the stage at festivals like Tech-Fest and Bloodstock must be up there? “Bloodstock is definitely up there. I think what made that slot special was because of the clash that we had during our set with I think Akercocke. It was their first appearance back in 10 years so we all thought – “empty tent it is”. When we hit the stage the whole tent was rammed. It was such an emotional experience. I think I left a part of me on stage during that set.“

What inspires the dark lyrical themes that run through “T.U.R.I.N.”? “The human condition plays a big factor. I think as we’ve all got a little older and have seen and experienced the way the world works it can change your viewpoint a little. The EP has three phases and each track deals with themes that lead to the eventual dehumanisation of this character. We’ve tried to show the progression of this in the three individual pieces of artwork for each release.“

The guitar tone on “T.U.R.I.N” is incredible! How important was it to get the right mix for the EP to get the sound you wanted and which equipment did you use to get that guitar tone? “Thank you, that means a lot! It was super important. It’s also been something I’ve been refining for the past few releases to get it to where it is now. More and more we’ve been moving away from super clinical production elements. As our sound has evolved I’ve been conscious of letting things breath and have its own flow so the guitar tones needed to reflect that. Gear wise both myself and Hayden use Ibanez guitars loaded with Bare Knuckle Pickups (Blackhawk sets). We wanted a sound that was super tight and aggressive but had a good dynamic so everything cuts through. Amp wise we ran through an EVH 5153 through an Orange PPC 412 cab. It’s gnarly enough to remove walls but you don’t lose any definition or clarity.”

In the “modern age” of Metal, getting endorsements is something that is important, so if you could land a deal for someone, who would you choose? Black Coast getting Yorkshire Tea on board still makes us laugh a year on! “I’m really fortunate to be working with Bare Knuckle Pickups so one of my bucket list endorsements is already ticked off. If I was to choose a dream endorsement it would have to be with Ibanez Guitars. However, if I was speaking on behalf of the rest of the guys they’d say Jägermeister as you can’t get hammered drinking a guitar.“