Released: 2024
Genre: Punk, Hardcore
Sounds Like: Terror, Sick Of It All
Homeland: Birmingham, UK
What makes We Need You To Bleed elite and sit atop OHMs Peak?
Flesh Creep deliver the perfect dose of punk hardcore in just under 20 minutes with this latest release
The 10 tracks blend perfectly as the UK natives infuse a wild flurry of varying tempos and creative melodies
Further we get a pleasant surprise as 'Insect Politics' treats us to a collaborative performance with short straw and Evie Thresher
Do not let this dark album cover fool you, It actually drew us into the band. For anyone who fancies bands like early Norma Jean, Terror or Sick of it All, this is right up your alley
Track Listing:
1. Gold 2:02
2. Heads Will Roll 2:06
3. Like Dogs 1:50
4. Bleed Out 1:59
5. False Flag 1:58
6. Insect Politics 1:33
7. Turf War 1:40
8. Yellow Tape 1:06
9. Video Nasty 2:00
10. Wetwork 2:16
Dive deeper into We Need You To Bleed with our Q&A with Vocalist Tom Bienkowski of Flesh Creep.
OHMs Peak: We Need You To Bleed is 18 minutes and 37 seconds of punk brilliance coated with pure adrenaline and doses of classic hardcore angles. Would love to hear more about your recording process and vision for the creation of this album?
Tom: The record was recorded over the course of a month or so at KK’s Steel Mill with our long time collaborator and good friend Thom (of the excellent band The Big Hell). People who are more interested in marketing than actual music will often tell you that it’s a ‘singles market’ right now and that albums are irrelevant, but quite frankly: creating something long form was what we wanted to do at the time and I think I speak for everyone when I say we value satisfying ourselves creatively than any kind of ‘strategy’.
OHMs Peak: Tell us about the history of the band. How did you form and would love to hear more about your background in other bands prior to Flesh Creep?
Tom: I used to play guitar in a band called Dutch, Our bass player Jack was in a rock band called Dead Slow, and our guitarist Sam (and now our new drummer Jim) played in hardcore punk act Golden Deathmask. We used to play shows together and once they was a gap in all of our schedules we decided to join forces on something raw and dramatic. Matt and Dan (guitarist and drummer, respectively) both joined without us having heard them play but the chemistry was undeniable from the first practice.
OHMs Peak: What bands over the years have influenced this rhythmical fueled punk train that is Flesh Creep.
Tom: This is an answer that could and would differ greatly depending on who in the band you’d asked. In light of this I’ll answer only for myself. My biggest lyrical influences in the hardcore sphere are Sam McPheeters of Born Against and Chris Colohan of Left for Dead/Cursed/Sect etc. Both manage to present nuanced arguments that are at the same time hard hitting and poetic. Outside of that, I consider REM’s ‘document one’ to be one of the most incisive political records of the 80’s without trying to be ‘brutal’ like more typical punks of the era.
OHMs Peak: ‘Insect Politics' stands out with the collaboration with shortstraw and Evie Thresher. It's an amazing tune that has us yearning for more. Can you provide a glimpse into how this song came about.
Tom: We first met Evie and Erin when we opened for The Chisel in 2021 and since then I’m proud to say they’ve become some of my closest friends. I’m constantly amazed and inspired by both of them and when it came to making this record, it wouldn’t have felt complete without ‘em.
OHMs Peak: The album cover portrays an almost uncomfortable feel. Not sure what is going on in the photo? Can you elaborate on the creation of album art?
Tom: Again, The cover is a collaboration between our friends Niamh and Kayleigh, both of whom were super proud to know, let alone be in a position to work with. The band photo on the back of the sleeve was taken by our pal Tom also, so the whole layout feels like a celebration of the amazing talent we are surrounded by in our circle.
OHMs Peak: Flesh Creep is stranded on a desert island with only a solar powered turntable and majestic solar powered speakers. The band collectively can only choose one album… what album would it be?
Tom: This is very much easier said then done so I’ll be diplomatic… one of our fondest band memories was getting a call to open for Terror with a few hours notice (and I myself was coming home from holiday so had to taxi straight from the airport to the venue) but we still managed to pull off a set we were all very proud of. So I’ll choose their debut ‘lowest of the low’ as a reminder of some good times.
Flesh Creep are:
Tom: Vocals
Matt: Guitar Sam: Guitar
Jack: Bass
Dan: Drums
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