film, tv, music, and lifestyle for riot grrrls

By Bailey Ewers-Smith

If you're a fan of metal and haven't heard of Heriot, then you must be living under a rock! The quartet, led by vocal powerhouses Debbie Gough and Jake Packer, are one of the most buzzed about bands in the metalcore scene. Fans couldn't give any more plaudits for their electrifying live performances at major festivals like Download and Hellfest, but also for their long awaited debut LP in 2024, Devoured by the Mouth of Hell. The band has no trouble attracting new festivals, either — when they play in Torquay on 5th September for Burn It Down Festival, it’s a very safe bet that Heriot will have one of the best sets of the festival.

Before this much anticipated set at Burn It Down, girlblog! Music Editor Bailey Ewers-Smith had a chat with Heriot’s co-lead vocalist, Debbie.

I think it's accurate to say that there’s a lot of hype and support for Heriot at the moment! Loads of people can't wait to watch you guys at Burn It Down on the final day. No doubt you guys will be headlining this festival in the future! What has it been like to receive all this buzz?

DG: We’re incredibly grateful for all the support we’ve received recently. We feel so lucky to have this opportunity to take our band further, and yeah, we really appreciate everyone who has shown an interest in Heriot.

Part of this hype has been your 2024 album Devoured by the Mouth of Hell, with both fans and critics rightfully giving heaps of praise! However, before it came out, you guys took an honest look at some of the things that didn't work well with prior release Profound Morality. What lessons did you learn, and how did they influence your debut album’s creation?

DG: Profound Morality was our first body of work as a four piece. We’re proud of what we achieved with that EP and ultimately it laid the foundations for our debut album, Devoured by the Mouth of Hell. We worked very quickly on Profound Morality and on reflection, I think we could have benefitted from taking more time to really experiment with song structures and other elements. When the time came to produce our first album, we allowed ourselves a lot more space for fully developing ideas.

Last year, when talking to the folks at Metal Hammer, you cited Becca Bottomley (frontwoman of Marmozets) as one of your favourite singers of all time! girlblog! actually got the chance to speak to Becca a couple of months back. What is your history with being a fan of Marmozets, and what, in your view, makes her such a great singer?

DG: I think Becca is one of the most interesting vocalists in the scene. Her range is insane, and she was one of the first women I ever saw screaming, which evidently left a lasting impact on me! I’m really in awe of her talent and I think she will forever stand in her own lane vocally.

Going back to 2024, friends of Heriot, Boston Manor, released their fifth album Sundiver, which closed out with a song feature from yourself (“DC Mini”). I saw that lead singer Henry spoke to Kerrang at the time, outlining how this came to be. But, I'd also like to hear the story from your perspective.

DG: We played some shows with Boston Manor in 2021 or 2022 and got on really well. We spoke about our musical influences whilst on the road, and learned that we all love the same bands. Some time later, the guys asked me to feature on “DC Mini,” which was a huge honour. We’ve become really lovely friends with Boston Manor!

And speaking of closers, to end things off, what are your Burn It Down lineup recommendations? Especially other female or LGBTQ+-fronted bands?

DG: I’m really sad that we’re not playing the same day, but I absolutely love Unpeople. Emily (their bassist) is an incredible musician and I’m so excited for what the future holds for both her and the band!

You can catch Heriot at Burn It Down Festival on 5th September.

Debbie Gough of Heriot on Burn It Down Festival

By Bailey Ewers-Smith

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