Theatrical rockers Ward XVI recently released their new single/video for Cry of the Siren.
The Preston-based electro rockers are well known for their elaborate live appearance and characterisations. It is rare for a rock band to include an accordionist and even rarer to pull it off, but it is a feat Ward XVI manage. Bearing comparisons with Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, The Skintz, Stolen Babies and more, Ward XVI have already played Bloodstock Open Air, and alongside William Control and Uli Jon Roth.
Check out the video below!
We managed to catch up with the band as they talked about their latest single and more!
How has the release of Cry of the Siren gone down so far?
We have had lots of great positive feedback regarding the song and our video and quite a bit of airplay, but its early days.
Can you tell us something about the single no one else knows?
This was the first song Dr Von Stottenstein had ever written after 25 years of playing guitar. The guitar solo was intended to be a 25 minute opus, but was held down and sedated in the Asylum studio.
Psychoberrie; it’s a metaphor but even the rest of the band don’t know the true meaning. Its about my own addiction (its up to the listener to decipher) and about the people that would get hurt as a result of the addiction.
Will you be releasing an EP/Album this year that this will feature on?
This is actually taken from our album, ‘The Art of Manipulation’ which was released in 2017. It’s a concept album about a female psychopath who manipulates her victim to kill others for her pleasure. The album is her introspective story being discussed to the medical staff in the asylum that she is sent to.
If you could work with any band on a new song, who would it be and why?
Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Evil Scarecrow, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson (are we being non-commital?) these guys are integral to our vision, passion and have inspired us. They are innovators of the genre that we love, and understand the importance of how visual representation of art can enhance the spectacle of the music being played.
Will you be touring or playing at any festivals in 2018?
We are booked for Breaking Bands, Amplified, Pentre-fest, Heaven and Hell, Fire and forge, and a few others. We had an amazing time at Bloodstock last year, so we are looking forward to Festival season this year..
We were planning to go on a full European tour in April but unfortunately bad things happened within the ward which prevented us from this.
We will be planning a couple of UK tours for this year.
So you have been described as theatrical rock/circus-rock, do you think this is something the alternative scene is missing?
I think that scene is missing this a little, having said that, too many would make us the norm. The scene is healthy, unfortunately the venues etc.. are diminishing which does put pressure on band like us as we rely on word of mouth-people that actually listen to us and watch our show and see that it is all an embroiled concept love what they see and ask us back- Saying that, there are still muppets who refuse to look further than the front cover and we have been victims of the ‘ we don’t play gigs with clowns in Beetlejuice outfits’ before they have even listened to a note of music. This makes Von Stottenstein mad and unfortunately requires more sedation than normal.
What was the first gig you attended?
Iron maiden in 1990
What do you get up to in your spare time when not working on music?
On Ward XVI when we are not working on music, we are put back in our cells with a constant loop of Ed Sheeren and Beyonce echoing through the halls in a cruel psychological treatment aimed at ensuring that we are all in the mood to kill on the night… that and knitting