Interview with Black Moth's Dom McReady

If you take your rock oozing darkness, Black Moth have the cure for what ails you. The Leeds quintet, with drummer Dom McCready, will unleash their second album, Condemned To Hope, in September.

Dom's heroes include Brad Wilk, Bill Ward and John Bonham - and like Bonzo he plays Ludwig, taking a Centennial kit into the studio. "It's a big kit with a 13"x9" rack, 18"x18" floor and 24"x20" kick," he says. "I love big kick drums as they seem to sit really nicely at the bottom of the mix."

How do you achieve that kind of epic heaviness?

"Playing with absolute conviction is the best way to achieve a heavy sound. I'm a very hard hitter and sometimes get criticised for this by drummers I know. But for me that is the way I express my passion for the music I'm playing."

What have you learned from first album The Killing Jar that you've brought to the new album, Condemned To Hope?

"Making that first record I learnt a lot. The most valuable thing I'd say I learnt is becoming comfortable with playing to click. Before we went in to do the new album I practiced all of the new songs to a click track and this helped a huge amount in terms of being time efficient. And in the studio, time is the most precious commodity you have."

What kit did you use in the studio and what sound are you after?

"I used my Ludwig Centennial kit. It's a big kit with a 13" x 9" rack, 18" x 18" floor and 24" x 20" kick drum. My snare was a Ludwig Supraphonic 402 with a 30-strand snare wire on it. I'd say the sound I was after was big and open with lots of room sound but whilst still being punchy enough to cut through the mix. I love big kick drums as they seem to sit really nicely at the bottom of the mix."

Have any tracks on the new record been a challenge for you as a player?

"I'm a bit of a perfectionist and am always pushing myself to do better. Often after I have laid down a part I'll think 'damn I could have done it like this' and will then beat myself up about it. Sometimes I can't sleep at night because I'm constantly going over parts in my head trying to improve them, not just the drums but the guitars and overall structure as well. So I think in this respect the biggest challenge has been learning to let go and be happy with the parts I have come up with."

What's the secret to a really heavy rhythm section?

"It's no secret you just need to mean what you do. Playing with absolute conviction is the best way to achieve a heavy sound. I'm a very hard hitter and sometimes get criticized for this by drummers I know. But for me that is the way I express my passion for the music I'm playing."