BLACKGOLD: “There’s so much variety in nu-metal… after that, music got so serious”

BLACKGOLD aren’t here to tell their story. There’s very little information floating around on the internet about them, and that’s the way it’ll stay. In their minds, none of it – how they came together, how they started making music, or their real identities – even matters.

“We try to let the music do as much of the talking as it can,” explains frontman Spookz. “We have pasts we try to hide, we want to be as anonymous as possible and always will be. We all met each other in different, random circumstances throughout life, which none of us can really talk a lot about. BLACKGOLD is about the music, and anything else shouldn’t matter as far as we’re concerned. It doesn’t matter who we are, how cool we are on Instagram, or what our political views are.”

Really, the only thing that’s important to know about BLACKGOLD is that they’re here to rewind the clock to the golden age of nu-metal. “After nu-metal, music got so serious,” Spookz reflects. “Then we saw bands wear the same colours and do their hair the same – they looked more like boybands or girlbands than individuals. In nu-metal, people didn’t care. You’ve got bands like Limp Bizkit, Incubus, System Of A Down – there’s so much variety.”

The London quintet have just unveiled their second EP, Volume Two, a party-starting riff-fest that feels as much like a manifesto as it does an excuse to mosh. Between the call-to-arms weirdo anthem of Freak and swaggering nu-metal love letter On Another Level, it’s a break from reality and a much-needed dose of outrageous fun.

“Most people feel like life’s a bit of a struggle, right?” says Spookz. “This EP is purely about fun. If you take it really seriously, then you’ve missed the point. You should laugh a couple of times, whether you think, ‘Oh my God, that’s crap,’ or you’re like, ‘This is wicked.’ That’s what we want.”

Though it’s still early days for BLACKGOLD, they’ve already been tearing up huge stages opening for Limp Bizkit, including a stop at Wembley. “I guess Fred [Durst] was on the toilet, scrolling through TikTok,” Spookz recounts when asked how the support slot came about, “but then the fire emojis came in the inbox. When we first started the band, I knew it would be his jam. It’s been great watching them every night on tour. They bring the fun, and that’s the essence of what we are.”

It’s the first item ticked off a long bucket list. “Next one’s a tour with Korn!” Spookz laughs. Don’t doubt him.

Volume Two is out now. BLACKGOLD play Download Festival this weekend. This article originally appeared in the summer issue of the magazine.

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