As December Falls: “We’re so proud of this amazing community we’ve built… without them, there’s no point in us”

“DIY attitude” is an attribute many bands will claim to have, but few artists truly make a name for themselves without a little (or sometimes more) help along the way. Nottingham rock three-piece As December Falls are different. They’ve never had a record label, and a brief scour of their outspoken social media posts will tell you they’ll be quick to turn down the advances of any industry players who won’t allow the band to do things their way. On recent evidence, their self-belief is well-placed. It’s taken a while – As December Falls first formed in 2014 – but the trio are now one of UK rock’s hottest emerging bands, earning rave reviews for their packed-out set at this summer’s Download. With new album Join The Club set to convert legions more to their ranks, affable vocalist Bethany Hunter tells Kerrang! about the struggle, strength and sense of belonging that has characterised their journey so far...

As December Falls will feel like a new band to a lot of people, but you guys have been working on this project for nearly 10 years. How does it feel to see all that graft finally paying off?
“It’s incredible to finally be sharing stages with these huge bands we’ve looked up to for years. We’ve built all of this ourselves over the course of almost a decade, but in recent months, it finally feels like people are equating us to something on a much bigger level than we’ve been at before. We knew it would take time because we’re doing what we love in the way we want to, but we’ve built this amazing fanbase that have pushed us to the point where people can’t ignore us anymore. So it feels incredible – As December Falls is an amazing thing to be a part of.”

How tough has the journey been to get to this point?
“Being an independent band is not for everyone. It’s difficult, it’s hard… you have to sacrifice relationships and family time because it’s basically like working two full-time jobs. People see us on stage and think we’re having the time of our lives, but what they don’t know is that, backstage, we’re sorting out VAT returns, merch queries and admin – that stuff takes up a lot of time. We do bring it on ourselves a bit too, because if anyone messages us, we will reply to you. I often spend all day replying to emails, messages and social media comments – I think I just want the whole world to be my friend! It can be hard work, but it’s a choice we make because the highs are so worth dealing with the hardships and the battles. We’re learning all the time.”

You’ve been active on the festival circuit this summer, including Download where your tent was bursting at the seams. How have the last couple of months been for the band?
“Honestly, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind: things are just going crazy for us at the minute. We only live about 20 minutes away from Download – we’ve all been going to that festival for years – so to finally get on that stage really felt like a welcome home. The reaction we got was intense, insane… it was incredible. My core memory from that day is a bunch of emo kids in the crowd dancing to Barbie Girl before we went on! People couldn’t get in the tent because it was so packed, and when I got off the stage and looked at a picture of the crowd I was in disbelief, thinking, ‘I’m just Bethany from Nottingham – why are all these people coming to see us?’ We’ve spent so long putting down the brick and mortar and building this As December Falls community, so Download felt like an amazing dose of recognition that I think we truly deserved. It’s an absolute rollercoaster right now, but we’re riding it, and we’re loving every minute.”

What was the mission statement for your new album, Join The Club?
“We wanted to go a bit heavier, because that’s how our music tastes have changed. Our albums have always included a bit of everything, but this one does it perfectly – it feels like a more complete version of As December Falls than anything we’ve done before. I’m a strong believer that albums should be a mixed bag. Every record should have tracks that hit you hard in the chest, like Little By Little, which is an example of a heavier style that really captured our hearts on Join The Club. We had so much fun with the riffs on this album, which you can really hear on Carousel and Mayday. But so too do I feel you need those more sugary songs, like the title-track on Join The Club, which might be the song I’m most excited about. People might hear it and hate the pop-punk vibe, but then they’ll hear Carousel and really dig how it’s a proper mosh-pit song. There’s something for everyone.”

The title of Join The Club is an obvious nod to the community that’s built around your band over the years. How important was it that the record reflected the support of the fans?
“We’re so proud of this amazing community we’ve built, and we wanted to get them more involved than ever on Join The Club. For example, we did Patreon hangouts where the fans got to choose between two different versions of a video for a song, and some of them listened to the songs before we released them and gave us feedback on what they thought should be a single. They’re an amazing testing ground before we throw stuff out into the world, and it’s brilliant to have their support. I know that, from the bottom of their hearts, they’ll be so ecstatic if we chart. Even when we played Download, we were flooded with messaged from people who’ve been with us since the beginning, and have followed us from 100-cap rooms to a 10,000-cap tent at a major festival. There’s a real sense of camaraderie there, and we wanted the album to honour that, because without them, there’s no point in us.”

You’ve spoken about the prospect of charting, but album sales and streams aside, what would represent success for Join The Club to you?
“When I’m singing songs about sensitive subjects that make me feel vulnerable, and people tell me those words helped them, then as cheesy as it sounds, that’s success, because it’s validation that putting it out into the universe was the right thing to do. If, in 12 months’ time, we’re still as happy and proud of As December Falls as we are now, then our goals will have been met.”

Join The Club is out now

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