Interview by: George Archibald

Photos by: Andrew James Bastion

Betraying The Martyrs was a surprise to many when looking at the line up for this years Summer Slaughter Tour. One of only two bands that have clean vocals throughout their set the other being The Faceless, many people wondered how they would fit in with the mix. Answering that question,  Betraying the Martyrs came out with a fury in Cleveland, Ohio on the last day of tour, setting the standard of performance for the day with each member throwing down on stage. I've never seen a keyboard player throw-down like Victor Guillet live before. I got an opportunity to briefly speak with vocalist Aaron Matts to learn more about the band.

GA: How about we start off with telling me a little about the band?

AM: The band is from Paris, but I am from England. I started with the band seven years ago. We are on our third album now called the Resilient, which came out earlier this year on Sumarian Records so pick it up.

GA: This is the band’s first appearance on Summer Slaughter, what makes this tour unique from other tours that the band has been on?

AM: This tour is a lot more extreme than anything we have done in the past. This is the only tour we’ve done where we are pretty much the only band with clean vocals other than The Faceless. It was a challenge, we were a little worried about coming out and possibly not being accepted by the fans, but it has been fucking crazy.

 GA: You guys are heavy, and put on a wild stage show. Summer Slaughter should be a display for everybody. The band being based out of Paris, what are some of the differences of touring America as opposed to Europe?

AM: This may seem a little negative, but the bands get treated a little less well. We don’t always have green rooms and hotels, along with catering, where as in Europe we arrive there is catering three times a day, and hotels are paid for.

GA: It’s a different experience.

AM: In the US market, the crowds get exposed to so many bands and tours that come through all the time, unlike Europe where they are a bit farther, and fewer between. As far as fans go, American fans are amazing, we would love to play here all the time. We love this place.

GA: Touching on the latest album, Resilient. Please tell me a little about it?

AM: We are super proud of the way the album turned out. We weren’t a 100% satisfied with our previous album. We got a lot of negative feedback from it, and a lot of people pushed it aside. So, we decided to involve the fans and listen to them on the writing of this new album, and we put out an album we think they would enjoy. The reaction has been crazy.

GA: What got you into heavy metal?

AM: My dad, used to listen to Motorhead, and Black Sabbath; and my mom liked David Bowie. Then, my brother brought home a Slipknot album, when I was like 10, and I lost my mind. That was it, I was hooked.

GA: What are some of the activities the band enjoys when they are not touring?

AM:  I like hanging out with my girl. I also like drinking with my friends. It’s pretty much the same as on tour actually.

GA: What is next for Betraying the Martyrs after Summer Slaughter?

AM: We head home, then we have some festivals to play, as well as headlining shows. We are also starting to write a new album.

GA: Anything else you would like to add?

AM: Thank you to the American fans for checking us out, and staying loyal.

Thank you for your time Aaron, it was awesome getting to speak with you. You can check out Betraying the Martyrs's latest release Resilient out now in music stores and streaming online. Be sure to check them out live when they come to a city near you, you will not be disappointed!!