Loathe to tour UK and Europe

English rising stars Loathe have announced a 23-date tour of Europe and the UK with support from Voice Of Vision and Omerta.

The road trip starts on September 30 in Antwerp, Belgium, and ends on October 29 in their home city of Liverpool.

In a recent Hammer profile, Loathe guitarist Erik Bickerstaffe said the band were already getting used to doubtful glances from those who don’t want metal music to change. “Change is inevitable and it’s good, especially in a genre like metal that isn’t as successful commercially as it could or should be,” he argued.

“Bringing in influences from other genres and blending them into metal is going to broaden the landscape, and broaden the people who are into it. People won’t like it for a while, but I believe it’s necessary.”

He added: “I like our music being a mystery box. I like people not knowing what it’s going to be. We don’t want it to be, ‘Oh, here’s another song, here’s an album.’ These are offerings from us that are very personal and take a lot of time to create. It actually hurts to take it out of us sometimes. If we just put it out there willy-nilly, it decreases the value.”

They’re working on a new album at the moment, which may be released later this year.

Loathe, Voice Of Vision, Omerta tour dates:

30/09: Belgium, Antwerp – Trix Club
1/10: Germany, Hannover – Lux
2/10: Germany, Hamburg – Headcrash
4/10: Denmark, Copenhagen – Loppen
6/10: Norway, Oslo – John Dee
7/10: Denmark, Fredericia – Tøjhuset
8/10: Germany, Berlin – Cassiopeia
9/10: Germany, Leipzig – Naumanns
10/10: Germany, Munich – Feierwerk
11/10: Switzerland, Aarau – Kiff
12/10: Germany, Frankfurt – Das Bett
13/10: Germany, Cologne – MTC Club
15/10: France, Paris – Backstage By The Mill
16/10: Netherlands, Haarlem – Patronaat
18/10: UK, Glasgow – The Garage
19/10: UK, Newcastle – The Boiler Shop
21/10: UK, Manchester – Academy 2
22/10: UK, Birmingham – The Mill
23/10: UK, Leeds – Stylus
26/10: UK, Brighton – Concorde 2
27/10: UK, London – Electric Ballroom
28/10: UK, Bristol – SWX
29/10: UK, Liverpool – O2 Academy Liverpool

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.