Like all the best ghouls, High Parasite appeared from nowhere. A collaboration between bassist and chief songwriter Tombs and My Dying Bride frontman Aaron Stainthorpe, they arrived fully-formed earlier this year, and released a debut single (Let It Fail) that was an instant, indisputable goth metal banger.
In fact, High Parasite have been steadily gestating in the shadows for three years. Tombs, who works as a guitar tech for several notable metal bands, was working on some new songs and decided to ask his friend Aaron to contribute some vocals. Their partnership immediately clicked, and one well-received demo tape later, High Parasite were signing a record deal and evolving into a serious proposition.
“Even at the point of signing a deal, I thought I was just helping a mate out with some vocals,” jokes Aaron. “But the demo went really well, and we sent it to loads of labels. Suddenly we’re signed to Spinefarm and we’re recording an album, and Greg [Mackintosh] from Paradise Lost is producing it. I’m sat there and someone asks ‘How long have you been in High Parasite?’ and I looked at Tombs, and said ‘Am I in the band?’ [Laughs] It just happened, without any hard questions being asked. I was in High Parasite without realising it, and I’m quite enjoying the journey, if I’m honest!”
As soon as his new band were unveiled, Aaron braced himself for a stream of questions about the current status of My Dying Bride. As he happily clarifies, they are currently on a hiatus, they will peacefully co-exist with High Parasite, and everybody needs to chill the fuck out and stop worrying.
“I haven’t suddenly stood up and said ‘Okay, My Dying Bride is shelved so I can do this!’” says Aaron, rolling his eyes. “I’ve been doing this for three years! You’ve got to remember, between MDB albums there’s usually a three-or-four year gap. When it comes to live shows, we only do a few every year, so I’ve got loads of time to work on other projects!”
He pauses, thoughtful. “MDB needed a break,” he admits. “We’ve been at it for three decades, and me and Andrew [Craighan, MDB guitarist and co-founder] don’t always see eye to eye. We want the best for the band, but we often disagree, and it got to a point where either the band stopped or we took a breather. So we’ve taken a breather, and the timing couldn’t have been better. One door shuts and another opens. I’m loving it.”
Although Aaron has lent guest appearances to many bands over the years – including The Cross, Décembre Noir and Forever Autumn – High Parasite marks the first time he has a full creative endeavour away from My Dying Bride. High Parasite are also the realisation of a creative dream for Tombs, who notes that he always had the singer’s voice in mind for the darkly dynamic songs on the band’s debut, Forever We Burn.
“The depth and richness of his death metal vocal is unsurpassed,” says the bassist. “I haven’t heard a better one. Tomi [Joutsen] from Amorphis comes close, but Aaron is the O.G. death metal voice for me, and always has been. I really wanted him, because I could hear the lines and melodies, but I don’t have that vocal range. But it was the combination of his rich death metal vocal and the baritone. That was what I was hearing in my head.”
Nobody sensible could accuse High Parasite of lacking goth credentials, but the recruitment of Paradise Lost guitarist Greg Mackintosh to produce Forever We Burn is an inarguable deal-sealer. Clearly at home with material that draws from many of the same sources that have inspired his own band over the years, he performs a clutch of guitar solos and has overseen the gnarly electronic elements that are so essential to the goth banger experience.
“Greg’s a songwriting hero of mine,” says Tombs. “I’ve been very lucky to have worked with him as his guitar tech for a long, long time, and we’re close friends outside of that. So I really respect his opinion. There’s not a lot that he hasn’t seen or done in the studio, so having that knowledge base to draw upon was really important, particularly for a first record.”
“Paradise Lost and MDB don’t generally cross paths that much,” notes Aaron. “We’re ships that pass in the night. But I’ve known Greg for three decades and he’s such an easy guy to work with. It’s relaxing when he’s around, there’s no pressure at all. We’ve never had anyone from MDB on a PL record, or anyone from PL on a MDB record…so I think this is as close as we’re going to get!”
Whether they turn out to be an overnight sensation or a slow-burner, High Parasite have got the sound, the anthems and the frothing enthusiasm necessary to light up the dark. Having hit the road for the first time as support to Cradle Of Filth and Butcher Babies, Aaron Stainthorpe is genuinely excited about getting back in the van and putting in some hard graft.
“I know very well that with High Parasite, we’re going to start off quite low and work our way up,” he shrugs. “We’ll be travelling in transit vans, and the tour bus will have to come later, but I don’t mind that! We’re a bunch of enthusiastic people and hopefully it’ll all go swimmingly and open a lot of doors for us. We want these songs played on radio stations all over the world. We want people to love this stuff, and I think they’re going to!”
