Architects' Sam Carter on future collaborations: "I’d love Phoebe Bridgers to sing on one of our songs… or Hayley Williams"

As Architects unveil three killer collaborations on stunning new album For Those That Wish To Exist (Royal Blood's Mike Kerr, Parkway Drive's Winston McCall and Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil), frontman Sam Carter has revealed who else he'd love the Brighton metal gang to work with in the future.

Speaking to Kerrang! as part of this week's huge Cover Story, the vocalist admitted that the band's varied collabs this time around felt "ridiculous at the time", but he's since gotten used to the idea. "So then you start thinking bigger and broader," Sam explains of how these different touches sit within an entire album. "It doesn’t just have to be 15 tracks of me trying to do 15 different types of vocals – it’s nice to let someone else try as well.

"There’s a bunch of people I’d want to write tracks with in future," he continues. "I’d love Phoebe Bridgers to sing on one of our songs… or Hayley Williams. I’d love to add a female element to the next record. But then also people like Trent Reznor, or [Pink Floyd’s] David Gilmour doing a guitar solo.”

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Opening up about Architects' work with Mike Kerr on Little Wonder, Sam recalls, "Mike was the only one of our guests who was able to come and record with us in person, as he lives in Brighton. He was so fast in getting the melody [of the song], which made me think it was an effective one if it could be picked up that quickly. This is a pretty out-there song for our band, and much of it has this weird sexy rock vibe to it, which is very Royal Blood. There’s only so many ways you can do that sound without being cringey, and they fucking nail it. I remember when we first played the track to Mike, he said, 'For fuck’s sake, you’re a metal band, and now you’re coming and writing really good rock songs – what are you doing?!'"

Discussing the song Goliath, which features Simon Neil, Sam says that Biffy's frontman "fits so well" on the track because there's a certain spirit about it that's reminiscent of the Scottish titans.

"Although it’s a metal song, fundamentally, it takes unexpected turns very suddenly, just like Biffy Clyro do," Sam says. "As is the bit in where the [orchestral] strings stab in sync with the guitars, which is really satisfying. And it’s obviously cool to get the singer from one of the biggest British rock bands on your record screaming 'They wouldn’t break their stride if we were burning alive’ before a massive breakdown, because no-one was expecting that."

Architects’ For Those That Wish To Exist is out on February 26 via Epitaph. Preorder/presave your copy now.

Sam will be joining Kerrang! on a special release-day Instagram Live interview this Friday at 12pm GMT. Tune in to @KerrangMagazine_ to join in!

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