French quartet The Amsterdam Red Light District (aka TARLD) are back with their brand new album Trapped, 10-tracks of upbeat melodic hardcore that will no doubt please fans of Fever 333, Refused and Stray From The Path. We caught up with guitarist Maxime Comby ahead of the release, to discuss the band’s formation, ambitions, influences and more.
Firstly, tell us a bit about yourself and your band.
Hi, I’m Max, guitarist for the French band The Amsterdam Red Light District (TARLD). We are a four-piece hardcore/metal/punk band hailing from Lyon, for fans of Stray From The Path, Fever 333 and Refused. We’ve has shared the stage with big names in the metal and punk rock scene, all around Europe and Japan, and we’ve also played in major European festivals including Hellfest, Groezrock, Jera On Air, Resurrection Fest, Tells Bells, and Sylak Festival. Our lyrics are mainly inspired by the Enlightenment, centred around the idea that reason is the primary source of authority and legitimacy, and advocates such ideals as liberty, progress, tolerance or fraternity.
How did the band form and how long have you been together?
I met Greg, our bassist, at university. He already played with Chan our drummer, a good friend of his. I think it was in 2005 or 2006… That was a really cool match. We started with a first singer but he was not really concerned, so he left the band pretty quickly. We had a second singer for two years but we knew that it was only a temp. Then Elio joined the band in 2008. That means that this line-up has existed for about 14 years now.
Can you remember the first time you realised you wanted to make music?
My brother offered me a classical guitar when I was five years old. I must admit that I mostly watched it for many years before actually using it. The real revelation was in college, when a fairly random guy asked me to play in his band. I remember that we had played in his garden and the cops had come to ask us to quieten down. That was the first time I realised I really wanted to make music. I was 14 or 15 years old I think.
Who and what are the band’s main influences?
TARLD is mainly influenced by such bands as Refused, Fever 333, Raised Fist, letlive., Stray From The Path, Gallows, The Ghost Of A Thousand, Nothing More and Beartooth.
What do you aim to achieve as a band?
Our goal is to continue to vibrate between band members. To create and offer music that makes us feel good mentally. To find new faces at each concert, it’s quite an incredible feeling.
For those who are yet to see you live, what can they expect from a TARLD show?
All TARLD songs are shaped to sound live. I think people who talk about the TARLD live experience they won’t hesitate to talk about madness and real entertainment. It’s a party. Just be curious.
What’s next for TARLD?
Our new album Trapped will be out on 20th May 2022 via Red Light Records/Blood Blast Distribution. The album features guest appearances from Drew York of Stray From The Path, Yukina from Japanese metalcore band Hanabie, and Mat Bastard from acclaimed French rock band Skip The Use.
TARLD‘s new album Trapped is due for release on 20th May 2022 via Red Light Records/Blood Blast Distribution, available to pre-order HERE.
