ORANGE GOBILIN: Into the Void (2024)

By BRIAN GIFFIN

BEN Ward is really pleased to be bringing Orange Goblin back to Australia once more. It’s been over a decade since the pioneering London stoner metal band was here, as part of the juggernaut that was 2013’s Soundwave Festival.

“Obviously that was a bit of a different story because you’re part of this travelling circus almost,” Ward says from his home, “and you don’t get to see much of the country because you’re swept into a van to the hotel or airport and taken to the next city. I know this [tour] is going to be a bit of a whirlwind visit as well, but we’re playing some headline shows where it’s actually going to be an Orange Goblin audience and we’ll be up close and personal with the crowd, so it’s going to be good.”

Since that visit 11 years ago, the popularity of sludge and stoner metal seems to have surged. Australia has developed a strong and wide-ranging scene encompassing the genre, and the same is occurring elsewhere.

“I think it’s a worldwide thing,” agrees Ward. “In the US and Australia and here in the UK we’ve got a lot of really good bands coming through.” He gives the example of fellow Londoners Green Lung, who toured extensively with Clutch during 2022 and have since seen their recent album This Heathen Land chart in the UK. In many ways they are epitomising a resurgent interest in heavy rock, something which he believes will continue to enjoy popularity. 

“It’s great to have guitar and riff-driven rock music doing so well and attracting audiences. It’s a style of music that’s always going to be there and persevere. I’m of the mind that in 50 years people will still be listening to these records the way that we still listen to the first Black Sabbath album, Dark Side of the Moon, and Led Zeppelin. Those albums aren’t going anywhere. They’re timeless classics, and that’s because people can connect with the rawness and emotion and everything that goes with this style of music. In 50 years time,” he says with a chuckle, “I don’t think people will be listening to Kanye West. Rock music will always survive.”

Call it synchronicity, but we’re chatting on February 13, the date Black Sabbath’s first album was released in 1970. For Ward and Orange Goblin, that day is more than just a moment in rock history.

“We celebrate it every year,” he says. “We call it Doomsmas! Twelve years ago we released our album Eulogy for the Damned and we chose to release it on Friday the 13th because it’s when Sabbath released theirs.”

Speaking of albums, it’s been a long stretch between studio releases for Orange Goblin. Their last, The Wolf Bites Back that featured a guest appearance from Phil Campbell, came out in 2018. The good news is, album number 10 is ready to see the light.

“It’s all done!” the singer says triumphantly. “It’s all in the can. We just delivered the final masters to the label this morning. We had a meeting with them yesterday about the timeline for release and that sort of thing, so there’ll be news on that coming up soon. There’ll be a scheduled release date in the [northern] summer and it’s got singles dropping and videos coming, the usual campaign to give it the best chance we possibly can.”

Since it was completed in December, he’s lost count of the number of times he’s had to listen to it through the necessary approvals of post-production procedures like mixes, but he loves what he’s heard.

“It’s a really strong album and I’m really proud of it. We all are. It’s the first one for Peaceville Records, the first one with Harry [Armstrong] on board … it’s a continuation of what we’ve done in the past. It still sounds like an Orange Goblin album but there’s little bits and pieces here and there that might surprise people and we can’t wait for people to hear it.”

Orange Goblin has never been a band afraid to throw the occasional curve ball or take things into new directions. From an earlier sound heavily rooted in seventies-like doom and stoner the band has gradually expanded their style to take in elements from classic heavy metal, punk and hardcore.

“We’ve never been afraid to do something a little different if it suits us and that’s what’s enjoyable about Orange Goblin. The first couple of albums like Time Travelling Blues, we had songs on there that sounded like Southern rock and we’ve always gone with what we like.” He goes on to describe the reasons his band sounds the way it does, and why they aren’t shy about changing things up when they think it might be necessary. “We wanted to have a band that encompasses everything that we like. We’ve all got different influences, whether it’s punk or hardcore, or whether it’s heavy metal or Southern rock or blues rock, it’s just a big mixing pot that we put together to create Orange Goblin. On this one, I think you can tell we’ve been listening to a bit of Rush, a bit of King Crimson, there’s almost progressive elements in there. So it’s exciting!”

The mention of Rush turns the conversation to the future, when the giants of yesterday and today are no more. Already many of the bands that inspired the current generation have past into the realms of history, leaving the often pondered question of who will be there to replace them once the last of them leaves the stage?

“We’re getting to a point now where all of these great bands are going to be gone,” Ward says. “We’re looking to the next generation of headliners that can fill the void. They’re very few and far between, and obviously Rush – no one’s going to be able to replace them. There’s been talk recently of them going out and doing shows with a different drummer – Mike Portnoy’s been mentioned – but the heart and soul of Rush was probably Neal Peart, and what he brought to the band, so replacing him doesn’t seem right to me.”

With his next breath, however, he relents a little: “But, having said that, Geddy and Alex have as much right to tour those songs as anyone else. If they do, I’ll probably still go see it! But there’s going to be a time in the near future where there won’t be an AC/DC, there won’t be a Rush. There’s already no Sabbath … there won’t be Metallica, there won’t be Iron Maiden, and you think to yourself, ‘Who’s going to fill that void?’ In Australia there seems to be a good generation coming through. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are doing great things. There’s a whole plethora of bands that are there to step up.”

Orange Goblin were once on the list to be one of those bands to take over, as Ward recalls.

“There was a period about 10 years ago when we were tipped to be the natural successor to Motörhead,” he says, “and to us that was a huge compliment and it’s something we’ve always had in the backs of our minds – to fill that void. Especially the connection we had with Phil Campbell, working on the last album, and we got to meet Lemmy a few times and hang out with him. We feel blessed that we’re considered in that vein.”

While he concedes it’s flattering to be thought of as a possible successor to one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time, Orange Goblin aren’t about to let it go to their heads.

“We just keep doing what we do, and if the crowds get bigger and the sales get bigger, that’s great. But that’s never been the intention for us. We just wanted to make music we wanted to hear, and we’re genuine to that, still.”

After more than 30 years, Ben Ward and Orange Goblin know they aren’t about to become one of the biggest bands in the world. As a bunch of guys who still work day jobs between gigs, it’s a way for them to blow off steam and realise their creative energy, have some fun and entertain.

“Orange Goblin’s always been that for us. There’s nothing better than to get in a room and create music with like-minded people, and go out on the road and play it to people that appreciate it. You hear them singing back to you and that makes it all worthwhile. The fundamental thing for us is that it remains fun and we have fun doing it. The day that it becomes a chore or a grind, I think it’s time to stop.”

ORANGE GOBLIN AUSTRALIAN TOUR with DR COLOSSUS and ASTRODEATH

9/4: Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide

10/4: The Basement, Canberra

11/4: The Zoo, Brisbane

12/4: Crowbar, Sydney

13/4: Croxton Hotel, Melbourne