Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Pillaging Villagers is the creation of vocalist Dave Frazer, who composed the album in its entirety in 2020. To bring the project to life, veterans like drummer Jason Hirt (Ghost Bath), Brian Koenig (Lord of the Trident) and Adam Tucker (A Scanner Darkly) were recruited for session performances in 2021.
How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
Merging the punk-influenced aggressiveness of crossover thrash with the Celtic melodies of folk metal, the 'peasant metal' of Pillaging Villagers takes the listener on a journey to a medieval world of pitchfork-wielding rebellion where songs of victory and sorrow alike are belted out with tankards raised high. Whether described as 'punk Ensiferum' or 'thrash Dropkick Murphys,' Pillaging Villagers is a raucous, high energy debut that rampages into the town square from its opening bars, burning & looting without respite throughout its tight 39 min runtime.
Why should a metalhead buy your demos/albums?
Pillaging Villagers sets itself apart in the metal landscape in three ways. First, it's 'peasant metal' orientation brings a thrashy intensity and punk rawness to folk metal that is presently missing in the sub-genre, as most bands have moved towards excessively elaborate instrumentation and slick, squeaky-clean production. Second, the album's concept, a sword-and-sorcery inspired narrative that follows struggles of lowly serfs against the nefarious plots of the religious, political and military elite, adds to the album's appeal through its King Diamond-esque exploration of complex characters, dramatic tension and the ultimate triumph of good over evil. Finally, while the cutting edge of contemporary extreme metal has tended towards the dour, dissonant and dense of late, Pillaging Villagers is a breath of fresh air - it is a truly fun listen that will have the listener fist-pumping and singing along to tracks like 'Burn the Monastery' and 'Smash the Factory.'
What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
Pillaging Villager's self-titled debut album is scheduled for release across all streaming platforms on March 11, 2022. The band has released an advance single, 'Wretched of the Earth' on Bandcamp at https://pillagingvillagers.bandcamp.com/track/wretched-of-the-earth.
Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?
Pillaging Villagers is a studio-only project.
What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
The band is currently promoting its work to zines, review sites, blogs and magazines worldwide, as part of a grassroots effort to be heard as widely as possible. Pillaging Villagers represents an opportunity to get in on the ground floor for a project that is destined for underground notoriety.
What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
The plans at present are to simply to be heard. As a passion project for its creator Dave Frazer, any attention the album receives is an unexpected but appreciated bonus - if one person hears the album and enjoys it, Pillaging Villagers will consider its efforts successful.
Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Check out the advance single from Pillaging Villagers' debut album at the following link, https://pillagingvillagers.bandcamp.com/track/wretched-of-the-earth and follow the band on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pillagingvillagers for updates leading up to the release of the album on March 11, 2022.
February 2022