Loathe Discuss ‘A Stranger to You’ and More

Creative rebirth awaits English heavy metal band Loathe with the arrival of their long-anticipated new album, A Stranger to You. 

Released six years on from their critically acclaimed second album I Let It In and It Took Everything, this project repositions the four-piece as one of the most important bands in the space.

Comparisons to bands like Deftones naturally present themselves, yet what Loathe have been able to do with their sound feels timely and fresh for the way heavy music is diversifying today. 

Aggressive and primal elements meet Reznor/Ross-esque cinematic production, confidently playing with metalcore, groove, and ambience with ease. Meticulously crafted with an expansive vision for what modern heavy music can be, A Stranger to You is a 14-track masterclass in emotive sonic world-building. 

In the band’s presence, it is clear that there is a deep reverence for their artistry and also for their own chemistry; one that has been nurtured for over a decade. As founding member Erik Bickerstaffe explains, the bedrock of Loathe’s continued strength is their ability to trust, read, and hold one another accountable. In an industry that sometimes thrives on unpredictability and chaos, this has been crucial.

“I’ve never felt it with any other people before. We’re in this weird synchronicity now,” Bickerstaffe explains. “We can finish each other’s sentences musically and we can predict what one another is about to say or do.

“We’re not afraid to critique each other, even outside of music. Holding ourselves accountable as people. I think that boundary really isn’t crossed with a lot of bands, from my perspective. It really is beneficial to be able to be so open and receptive to criticism. It’s only benefitted us musically, creatively and socially. It then just lends itself to a better relationship everywhere.”

A Stranger to You has this synergy well-embedded in its DNA. From the grit and heaviness of their singles “Gifted Every Strength”, “Revenant”, and “Fangs”, to the hypnotic nature of “Athena” and emotional swings of “Fortress Down” and “Meet My Maker”, the emotional intelligence woven through each song stands out as a main drawcard.

It’s a quality that can only be achieved by a band who trusts one another and is united in each step forward. For Loathe, this approach dictated the album’s creation. Well aware of the time taken in between records, the band knew everything needed to be in alignment — personally and artistically — to make this next leap. 

“A big part of why we took so long was just because we wanted to make sure we were happy and really proud to be able to stand behind it forever,” Bickerstaffe explains. 

“We see the way things operate nowadays and don’t necessarily agree with it. For us, the music, our output really needs to be felt correctly; internalised correctly, and put out correctly. It doesn’t necessarily happen when we snap our fingers. 

“I’m grateful, I know the rest of the guys are grateful for the fact that we’ve been afforded the space. Not a lot of people, I believe, can withstand not releasing music for the amount of time that we’ve taken. It’s not lost on us at all. It was extremely important for us to be happy, to be proud of what we’re doing. Not only just through the music itself, but through the way that we work together.”

Australian fans were treated to the Loathe experience earlier this year, when the band returned for their debut headline run of the country. 

Sold-out shows followed on from lauded festival appearances on the Good Things tour of 2024, reasserting the band’s impact on Australia as a market and, with A Stranger to You still in the wings, proved an exciting, pivotal moment for the band experience as well.

As a live unit, Loathe create their own brand of ferocity and electricity. The shows are atmospheric and immersive: the crowd is invited to lose itself in the captivating nature of the music’s experimentation and duality between Bickerstaffe and lead vocalist, Kadeem France. 

And as evident on their new work, Loathe’s commitment to guiding their listeners through a cohesive musical experience is one of their strengths. A Stranger to You features moments of quiet and tenderness in amongst the aggression and brutality, adding brushstrokes of poeticism to the overall collection of music. 

Haunting moments of spoken word delivered by close friend and collaborator bucki sugar, for example, provide unique anchor moments on A Stranger to You that tie the overall project together. Bickerstaffe smiles when thinking about the emotional resonance of the record.

“It’s fairly human, in that regard. It sprawls, for us, across a lot of feelings that we have day to day,” he says. 

“We keep our circle fairly tight and he [bucki sugar] has been a constant. He was on our first record, he wrote some of the lyrics on the first album. He’s an amazing artist. To open the album with his words, it speaks to the whole ethos of the band. Being united and going through as much we have done, basically holding each other’s hands throughout it. Being able to lean on each other and bear the fruits, as it were, of that trust and connection. For him to be the first voice on the record, is extremely special for us.”

The rest of 2026 will largely be spent back in North America, with select shows supporting Interpol mixed in with their own headline album tour taking them into October.

Having navigated their way through what has been a monumental album-making process stronger than before, Loathe are in a perfect position to just enjoy where this music can grow in the live space. Reconnecting with fans and in some ways, reintroducing themselves with this album is all part of the journey – something that Bickerstaffe and his bandmates consider ever-important.

“It’s something that we considered quite a lot, throughout the whole process,” he says. “It informed how we did it, not necessarily where we went with the music, but it did feel like we were representing something that was important to not just us, but many more people than we could comprehend. We knew we had to do right by the people who have invested themselves in what we do.”

With this in mind, does Bickerstaffe foresee Loathe taking the same steps with future albums?

“There have been certain things that were very necessary to happen during that time, that I don’t think will need to happen again,” he admits.

“I’ve grown up with these guys in a pretty extraordinary situation; travelling, visiting and meeting so many people. In a way, putting ourselves on display each night. In our infancy, in some songs and live shows, it’s very apparent that we were going through it. At this point, we’re a real unit and we’re a real band of brothers.”

“I’m confident, however we choose to do it,” he offers. A wry smile returns. “What I can say is that it’s not going to be six years again… It might be five.”

Loathe’s A Stranger to You is out Friday, July 17th via SharpTone Records (pre-save/pre-order here).