Interview: Chaos Reigns (Written)

2024 has been more than just a phenomenal year for the London-based hardcore punks Chaos Reigns, it has solidified who they are now and the direction they are going in. Which is why their headline show at the Moor Beer Vaults in London on December 6th, 2024, was more than just a gig, it was a celebration.

A celebration of the year that Chaos Reigns have had and a cathartic chance to let off some steam following the release their brand-new EP, ‘Sweet Violence’.

The six track EP tackles some of the darkest and most raw aspects of the human experience, confronting themes of love, death, murder, obsession, greed, mental health, suicide, and addiction, and offers a brutally honest reflection on the fine line between pain and pleasure, life and death. An EP that we summed up as:

Expressing vitriolic heaviness and speed while also showcasing fragility and beauty in interesting ways. Yes, it’s carnage for the most part, but with layers upon layers of creative differences to the hardcore punk formula, it leaves such an impression.

Read our full review of the EP, here.

A few hours before the show, we sat down with vocalist, Jason Heightman and bassist, Billy Padmore. Talking about the year that was 2024, their ever-increasing popularity, the impact of ‘Sweet Violence’, the desire to play festivals (in particular, ArcTanGent), Christmas, and much more.

Thanks for taking the time to do this. It’s not been a bad bloody week, has it? Sweet Violence last Friday, which was a huge deal. Then Brighton two days ago, the 4th, and from what I saw, picture wise, it looked like it kind of went off!

Billy – It was fun!
Jason – It was, a pretty fun show. First time playing Daltons. It’s a proper little seaside venue. You wouldn’t expect it to play the kind of music that it does.

Billy – I don’t think you can get any closer to the water.
Jason – It has a zip line upstairs!
Billy – I was only there for the zip line.
Jason – I feel like you’re only here for the zipline.

It must be nice in the summer. The winter, not so much. Not as appealing to just pop out on the beachfront right now.

Billy – It was freezing.
Jason – And windy!

Billy – Yep, I felt all of that. Trivia for the Chaos Reigns fans, I was in a car crash on the way to the venue, so I was on the phone to insurance companies outside.
Jason – Not while he was driving, obviously.
Billy – I was the receiver? The recipient? Yeah. Everything’s fine, I’m fine. The courtesy car arrived today. It’s all cool, but, yeah, so I was out on the coast giving over all my details so I can attest to the cold.

Lovely. That’s the kind of stress you need just before a show.

Billy – Exactly, exactly. When I got out of the car and was yelling at the lorry driver, I was like, I’ve got to do a show. You don’t understand.

Don’t you know who I am?

Billy – Haha. Exactly.

Tonight though – big night. EP celebration release show in your hometown, London. Overall, what’s the mood like right now? How are you feeling at this stage?

Billy – I’m excited. I’m so excited. I haven’t checked the ticket sales, but it’s so close to selling out.
Jason – Yeah. We’re on single digits, so it’s dangerous.
Billy – We’ve sold three tickets.

Jason – Sorry, yeah, I should have said remaining… the remaining tickets. For me, the excitement’s palpable. I’ve just been thinking about the show all day. I’m so glad we had the Brighton show because it gave us the perfect opportunity to just shake everything off and make sure that we’re ready for tonight.

Having a single day gap between the two dates helps too, right? To ease you into this show?

Billy – Car admin.
Jason – Yeah, it’s quite nice doing a show every other day. I think for me, what’s really special is this show, it’s not just us. That’s really exciting. The general mood, the feeling, the people I’ve spoken to, like, everyone’s excited for tonight and that just kind of makes me feel like it’s going to go off.

Does part of that excitement come from the fact that we’re effectively wrapping up the year tonight?

Billy – Yeah, but even then, particularly when you’re doing music at our level, you can’t really take your foot off the gas. When you see big stadium bands and they do an album or a tour every five years or stuff like that, they can afford that. At this level, it’s like, if you stop, people forget about you.

Jason – Which is a shame, but it’s also like when you get back from a holiday and you start thinking about what’s your next holiday is going to be like. This is our first major creative project with this lineup. So once this is done, I’m already starting to kind of feel that creeping itch to fill the void with something new.

Billy – I think it’s also going to be cool to go to new places or potentially play new shows, as these songs are now out and people are getting to know them. So far, like, when we do shows, we do get a good reception, but a lot of people are hearing us for the first time, so everything’s brand new. We’ve had it a few times where people are singing the songs along, so hopefully that’s going to be more and more people now that the EP is out.

Looking back at 2024, are you satisfied with what you’ve accomplished this year and what have been some of your favourite moments of the year?

Billy – I am dead chuffed about this. Not to go too data heavy but some of the stats that we look at, the behind scenes stuff, it’s startling. From Instagram followers to Spotify listeners to views on YouTube, it’s just like, why are they, why are they watching us? Why are they listening to us?

Jason – Yeah. Look, I should caveat that by saying, like, obviously a lot of those are vanity metrics, but they’re also good indicators of just, you know, your music penetrating the industry, which is really satisfying for us. We’ve also had it where we’ve gone out of London, we’ve gone all the way to like Manchester and people are at the shows. Having someone come up to us, and say ‘oh, I saw you on TikTok or you guys came up on my YouTube’, that’s something that I’m still getting used to.

Billy – When we played the Underworld, supporting Harm’s Way, the doors had opened and we weren’t in the venue yet. We got a text from our mate who was there going – guys, there’s people queuing up at your merch stand.

We haven’t played yet.

We were just so used to playing first, then people realise that they like us, so let’s go support them. They were already there wanting to show support, that was really cool. We still have people saying to us who live in London, seeing that we’re London based, and we are doing a London show, that they’ve been meaning to see us for ages.

Jason – I’d say this year feels like the year where there’s been…
Billy – Lots of firsts.
Jason – It feels like we’re hitting our stride.

Which is why you can’t just sit back. As nice as it would be to take a few weeks off, enjoy Christmas, and so on, you just can’t. Likewise, while the metrics are what they are, you know how necessary they are.

Jason – You’ve got to play the game. My background, outside of the band, is I work in marketing so I know just how important the data is when it comes to decision makers.

Sweet Violence – one hell of a release. Six incredible tracks that showcase incredible variety, and it’s resonating with so many people. Why do you think that is?

Billy – I don’t know. I’m hoping that people are just beginning to get us. This has been something that’s been on my mind since the beginning of the band. We do all these shows and we’re on a bill with bands who are so much heavier than us and doing such different things. Which is totally cool, and we won’t say no to opportunities, but I’m always thinking, are people getting what we’re doing? We’re not doing breakdowns. We’re not doing two step riffs. We’re not tuned super low.

Jason – We’re the only band that has a jazz section at a hardcore show.

Billy – However, now it feels like there are people who like that, who like us. There was one show where someone came up and was like ‘oh, I’m so glad there was mathcore on the bill. I was like, okay, I didn’t know that was us, but, you know, fair enough.

Jason – It’s a massive compliment.

Billy – It was. It’s almost reassuring. It’s like, okay, I haven’t gone out on a limb here. I’m not doing something wrong. People do like this kind of music.

Jason – Yeah, to kind of reiterate what we were saying earlier, there’s a big movement in the deathcore and slam hardcore scenes at the moment. The kind of music that we’re making? It just doesn’t feel like there’s much of it out there at the moment, you know? So, we’re flattered when we come across other “chaotic” hardcore bands and when we have similarities, although that’s super rare. I guess maybe that’s why we’re resonating with people. We’re just this kind of weird niche.

Call you whatever. Put you in whatever genre they want. As long as they’re coming to the show, buying the merch and enjoying the bloody music, that’s what matters!

Both – Right!

You can tell these songs mean a lot to you. It comes through strongly, through the power and passion to deliver something completely unforgettable. So, what does this EP mean to you?

Jason – First and foremost, it signifies a new era for Chaos Reigns. We are three parts, a new lineup as of 2021. So, this is our first formal release as that lineup. Before me, there was a different vocalist, different drummer, different guitarist. So, this is the statement of us as a new lineup, that we’re locked in. That’s what it certainly feels like. We’ve poured so much time and effort into making this record as good as it could possibly be. Not just for the fans, but for us as well. We wanted this to be a really strong statement.

Lyrically, I dug really deep, covered as many topics which came to me, as possible and of course, musically, Billy and how he approached songwriting, he just absolutely smashed it.

Billy – Oh, thank you. I do like songwriting, but it can be quite a stressful time as well. Not just thinking, is this good enough? Is it similar enough? Is it challenging enough and whatnot? Is it fun to play?

I think it was Nick Cave that said ‘A song is never finished. It’s simply abandoned’. A great quote, so if it’s not him, I’ll attribute it to him anyway. He can take credit.

(Nick Cave might have said it, but it’s commonly attributed to the poet Paul Valery and/or Leonardo Da Vinci)

There are so many times I’m sitting and listening and thinking if I can add another layer. Does it need another section? That was the case with these songs, but I’m proud of the finished products. There’s nothing where I think it’s lacking. There have been times in the past, not just with Chaos Reigns, but with previous bands where you’ve recorded a track too early and then you start playing it and you’re like, oh, I really wish we’d have done this here.

Unfortunately, there’s no going back and that’s something I’ve learned from. So, I spent a lot of time just thinking, right, is this the final version? Obviously, we also tweaked things in the rehearsal room, as well as cherry picking what would be featured on the EP. I wrote like 12 songs and we’ve only used six of them. Quality control, six of the best. It would be cool if we could get them out there at some point.

You don’t abandon these songs though.

Billy – No, no, no.
Jason – We might come back to them in the future.

So, what would success for this EP look like for you?

Jason – I mean right now the fact that we’re about to play the celebration show and there’s less than ten tickets left. There’s going to be walk ups too, so I imagine we’ll probably hit capacity. Alongside that? The streaming numbers, but also the admiration that we’ve received from a lot of our peers in the industry.

We got our first print feature in Metal Hammer today. That’s the first time that’s ever happened. So, like Billy was saying – a lot of firsts – and I don’t know, everyone has a different definition of success, but I know that we the best we could with this record.

Billy – I think for me, like a small measure would be if people listen to it more than once. I listen to a lot of music, as everyone does who likes music, and I’ve listened to like over 100 albums this year. Most of them, just once. You listen to it and you either get everything out of it that you want, or you didn’t enjoy it. But for someone to go, I enjoyed that so much, I want to hear it again. Yeah, yeah, that would be cool.

It’s Christmas time. One of my favourite times of the year. Do you enjoy the festive period?

Jason – I love Christmas.

Billy – It’s a weird one for me because I’m the youngest person in my family. So, the magic and childhood element of Christmas pretty much ended when I decided it ended. I do enjoy it, but I also don’t go all out. I’m not anti-Christmas at all.

Jason – It’s almost like poetic in a way. Like it signifies the end of the year. For me, I drop tools, I see my family, I see my friends. I take stock of the last 12 months and then I get ready for the next 12.

Billy – You drop your tools because the greatest carpenter who ever lived has been born.
Jason – Haha! Yeah!
Billy – He’ll take over.

What about Christmas traditions though? Everyone has some, so let’s break down some of yours. As the festivities are underway, what’s on the stereo?

Billy – I don’t really put anything on it. Maybe Last Christmas by Wham? I think outside of being a Christmas song, that is just a good song.
Jason – Driving Home for Christmas is the best Christmas song.
Billy – I think the problem with a lot of Christmas songs is that is their genre and that’s it. Whereas I think Last Christmas is a good song that happens to be about Christmas.

Ok, something you only ever eat at Christmas.

Billy – Pigs and blankets.
Jason – Turkey. I’m mostly vegetarian, so it’s the one time year where I’ll have a little bit of turkey.
Billy – I do love a gammon. Even though I know turkey is like the traditional one, but having gammon, even just like cold gammon, me, I could just eat all of it. I’m salivating just thinking about it now.

Dinner is over, you’re stuffed and it’s time for a drink – what are we having?

Billy – Oh, I don’t drink, but I do bloody love a Coca Cola.
Jason – Probably an Irish. Irish coffee. Where I inevitably lose the coffee portion of that. Keep the Irish, and then it’s usually just me and my siblings, a few beers deep until the early hours of the morning.

How about a film to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Billy – It’s not a Christmas film, but my mum bought it for me on DVD for one Christmas about, like, five years ago, and I’ve watched it every Christmas since. The Birdcage, which is, if people don’t know, it’s a really great film. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, where they’re a gay couple that run a nightclub in Florida. Robin Williams’ son from a previous marriage is getting married to the daughter of a very conservative man. And Nathan Lane is, like, flamboyantly gay, and it’s all like, oh, my God, how do we hide the fact that we’re gay? Similar to a dinner party gone wrong situation, but it’s not Christmasy at all. I just watch it every Christmas. It’s such a fun film and so silly.

Jason – I mean, for me it’s controversial, but I don’t think it’s Christmas until I’ve seen Hans Gruber fall off the Nakatomi Plaza.

This whole debate.

Jason – Right? Look, I love Die Hard as a film, and yes, whether it’s a Christmas film or not, that’s entirely up to you. I just thoroughly enjoy the film. So, it gives me those warm feelings.

It’s a Christmas film as far as I’m concerned – it’s all over the film.

Jason – I also found out that apparently the fellowship set off on the 24th or 25th December.
Billy – So does Christmas exist in Lord of the Rings? They didn’t stop for Christmas pudding.

How about a game that inevitably ends up being played?

Billy – I quite like board games. So, I play Settlers of Catan, which is my game. I don’t play it with family, as that’s more party games, but if I can like slip something under the radar, it’ll be that.

Jason – We play drinking games. That’s what we tend to do.

Ok, how about a topic that gets an argument going.

Billy – In this band? Sleep Token. I think it’s near split down the middle and we’re a five-piece.
Jason – I’m team token.
Billy – I’m team not. Do we get into this now?

It’s incredible that there is such a divide. That even in your band you can be so split, yet they’ve obviously doing something right. In London alone, they’re playing the O2 arena. There’s no middle ground, is there?

Billy – I think I was more on the ambivalent side, but then as petulant as I am, the more people that liked them, well, I’ve got to tip the scales.

I’m going to put you on a Christmas compilation album. You have got to cover something. What are we doing?

Billy – I’m going to say Last Christmas again. I already know it. It’s four chords.

All right. Well, you’ve got to jazz it up somehow. What are you doing that’s going to be different?

Billy – A fifth chord.
Jason – I would like to do Driving Home for Christmas.

That doesn’t seem to get covered as much.

Jason – Yeah, think about what we could do with it.
Billy – It doesn’t have, like, an anthemic chorus. That’s probably why it doesn’t get covered.
Jason – But do any of our songs have anthemic choruses?

What’s the best Christmas present you think you’ve ever received?

Jason – At my old employer, we did Secret Santa every year. A set budget, I don’t know, 10 or 20 quid. Anyway, one year, the CEO was my Secret Santa and he could afford a bit more. So, everyone is opening their presents and getting like bath salts, a candle, and so on. I open mine, and it’s this oil can, miniature guitar. Like, it’s fully electric and playable. The coolest Christmas present. I didn’t Google how much it cost.

Billy – He built it.
Jason – I’m guessing it was not cheap and you could see the look on everyone’s faces when I was opening this up.

Billy – For me, this is one that comes to memory. My school friends and I meet up every year as we’re dotted around the country. So we still meet up for Christmas and we do Secret Santa. I was waiting in this restaurant and my mate Joe, who had my present arrives with a fully inflated inflatable penis.

Jason – Did it inflate upon arrival?
Billy – I don’t know what the polite terminology is, but the ‘end’ was in a carrier bag, but you could still see the balls. In this restaurant of all places.

Finally, looking ahead to 2025. What’s a realistic goal you would like to achieve next year?

Billy – I’d love to be on a festival bill.
Jason – Festival appearance. Yeah.

Any particular one? I feel like you’d fit on any – Glastonbury to Bloodstock.

Jason – We’ll take any of them.
Billy – For a personal reason, I’d love to be ArcTanGent. I absolutely love that place.
Jason – Or like the sister festival.

Billy – Yeah. 2,000 Trees. Although I do feel that if we are slightly on the ‘mathy’ side, ArcTanGent might lean it a bit more. Although, if Trees offers it, I’m not going to say no. Any of them. I’m not going to say no to Download if they want us.

Jason – That’s already on my vision board for next year.
Billy – The festival I loved though, Sonisphere. I don’t even know how it ended. It just seemed to stop.
Jason – Yeah, I’d absolutely love to play Hellfest.

What is it going to take to make these festival appearances a reality, do you think?

Billy – I suppose its people knowing who we are. A lot of these festivals, like the smaller ones, they take submissions, which is really cool, and I’m sure that they’ve picked bands from that pile, but if they already know who we are and then they see a submission from us, it’ll be like, oh, we know Chaos Reigns. We’ll definitely have them.

Jason – I feel like there’s sort of two routes that you’ve got, two viable routes anyway, and that is Route A. You kick up enough dust and make enough noise. Then people start to pay attention to you and approach you.

Billy – Or Route B, just turn up on the day with your gear.

Jason – Yeah. Route B is essentially, if you’re fortunate enough to fall in with a really good booker and then they’re able to unlock that door for you. I feel like those are your two viable options.

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