The talented and creative musician, Ben Blutzukker is due to release his second piece of music. That will be in the form of an EP called Riptide. Riptide will be self released on the 6th of October.
Ben Blutzukker is a one man project by the man behind the successful dark electro project called Blutzukker. His first release as Ben Blutzukker was called Analog Blood. In this EP some of the dark electro tracks were turned into metal tracks mixing traditional heavy metal, black metal and thrash to formulate a style of his own. Check out our review of that EP here.
The new EP, Riptide, will be available to stream, download and, showcasing that creativity I mentioned, as a Limited Edition LEGO USG Minifigure. You can preorder all of these from the links at the bottom of this article. There are 5 tracks on it in total including a cover of Six Sec Sex by the one off super group, Illwill (featuring members of Mercyful Fate and King Diamond).
Ben Blutzukker kindly took a bit of time out of his busy schedule to chat to us at GBHBL. Read on to hear from the man himself –
Tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from? How did you get in to music?
I am Ben Blutzukker and I make music in a one-man project. Some kind of heavy metal. Somewhere between classical metal, death, black and thrash. And in two weeks I will release my second EP called “Ben Blutzukker – Riptide”
You have had a lot of success with your electro project, Blutzukker. Is that project still ongoing or are you purely focused on heavy metal for now?
The Dark Electro project Blutzukker is over. It had it time, but since some years I do not feel like creating electronical sounds anymore.
How do you feel the two projects link together? Is it a big jump for you to go from electro back to metal?
No, it wasn’t. The singing style is still the same. And the first EP of my metal project contained songs I previously wrote for the dark electro project. So it was a smooth transition.
It has been a couple years since Analog Blood was released – were you happy with how it was received? Is there anything you wish you had done back then?
Yes, I was satisfied.
Your new EP, Riptide, is due out very soon. How are you feeling about that? Are you pleased with how it turned out?
Oh yes, I am very happy and relieved. Now let us see how the people react to it.
How would you describe your sound on this new record?
Nearly as on the record before. The recording process was the same, only this time it was at a external Mastering Studio.
Are there any plans to recruit band members and bring Blutzukker out on tour?
Currently not. I love to work on my stuff when I feel to and to make breaks when I do not have the mind for it. That would be difficult if you are working in a team.
What bands or artists do you look up to? Who are your greatest inspirations?
The biggest inspiration for me is Snowy Shaw since a very long time. Followed by Abbath.
Do you feel the rise of streaming and YouTube has helped or hindered you as an artist?
I think both. It helps, because it is easy for me to publish my music to the world. And it hinders, because no one can ever listen to so much available music that is out there. So in the end it keeps the balance, I think.
What can artists do to push album sales these days? What can fans and sites like us do to support people like yourself, especially in the growing independent scene?
When I am honest I do not know. Often I heard that touring is the best way to sell records nowadays. But as I said, I do not play concerts.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not making music?
Travelling and programming.
Finally, what can we expect next from Ben Blutzukker?
The next record, I guess. But I only have a few fragments in my mind by now. So we will see, if it will be an EP again or a full-time album. I prefer EPs, so the waiting time between the releases is shorter.
GBHBL would like to thank Ben Blutzukker for taking the time to talk to us. We wish him every success with the new release. Watch out for a review of Riptide, coming soon. In the mean time, check out the amazing LEGO video of the title track, Riptide here.
You can preorder Riptide in all it’s formats over at Ben Blutzukker’s Bandcamp page here. You can follow this link to preorder the album stream from sites like Apple Music, iTunes and Amazon as well. Head on over to YouTube and Soundcloud to hear more from the band. There is also a whole range of merch available here with everything from phone cases to tops to flip flops available.
You can find out more about Ben Blutzukker over at his website, on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter too. Be sure to give him a like and a follow while you are there.
Owner/Editor/Writer/YouTuber - Heavy Metal and reading, two things I have always loved so they are the two areas you will find most of my reviews. Post apocalyptic is my jam and I always have a book on the go and have for decades now. From a metal perspective, age has softened my inadequacies and I now operate with an open mind, loving many bands from many sub genres but having a particular admiration for the UK underground scene. In my other time, when not focused on Dad duties and work, I try to support the craft beer movement by drinking as much of it as I can and you will also find me out on the streets, walking. I love walking, I love exploring new places and snapping nature photos as I go.
