I recently caught up with Cal, vocalist of Teeside Hardcore band Prozpekt. Who have recently been working on some new material in the studio which is due for release in the coming year!
We got talking about how Prozpekt started out as an idea, to supporting the likes of NYC legends Madball in their local North East Region. We also spoke about how they used to put on shows, found out some of their influences and favourite artists and heard some interesting facts about the guys.
One thing that isn’t included in the interview which I found out recently is Cal’s similar love for One Piece!
Prozpekt have got some proper sick stuff waiting in the wind for this upcoming year including a show hosted by Rhapsody Records at PLAY in Middlesbrough with a stacked line-up supporting Lifesick.
So without going into too much detail have a read of the below.
FIRST OF ALL WHERE ARE YOU GUYS BASED & HOW DID YOU ALL MEET?
The band was conjured in Teesside but as it stands only myself and Kak are from Teesside, Joe is Huddersfield, Luke is based in York and Tom from Thirsk, Tom takes great pride in his Thirsk roots.
We were originally meant to be making the band with our friend Max but he introduced us to Tom, we did one practice with Tom and realised how great he was and just a dope personality we all meshed with. After our original guitarist Andy stepped down from the band Tom recommended Luke who he had been in a band with previously and shortly after we decided to bring in a second guitarist, Luke said he had a friend who was a sick riffer which hadn’t been in a band for years, it just so happened that my old band had played some shows with his old band and that’s when Joe joined, I knew he could riff because his old band was filled with them. We got along real well and the vibe has always just been really fun whenever we get together.
WHAT WAS THE SCENE LIKE WHERE YOU WERE GROWING UP ON TEESIDE AND HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN IT?
It was a bit different when we were coming up, it was just an alternative scene and it was very active with promoters like Make A Scene and such putting on mixed bill line-ups, bands like Desolated and Malevolence felt like they were here every other month, but ultimately one day I decided to just put on shows myself with mates which we started JCR Promotions and booked bands we wanted to see and then putting on friends bands too, the goal was just to support each other and have a real fun time doing it.
THIS MIGHT SOUND LIKE A DUMBASS QUESTION BUT HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME PROZPEKT?
I think it was more of a panic with the name than anything.. We were asked to play with Madball and the band only existed as an idea at the time so we felt rushed into making a name and Prozpekt was the final product, I am sure that’s essentially how it came to fruition.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND TO SOMEBODY WHO HASN’T HEARD YOU BEFORE?
All I could say is it’s just fun heavy hardcore that doesn’t take itself too seriously, a combination of a load of different sounds considering we all come from very different backgrounds and influences.
WHAT HAS BEEN SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU’VE BEEN FACED WITH?
The UK is stacked with talented bands right now, even just in the North East alone. But really standing out and giving people a reason to care or check us out, carving a name for ourselves, it’s hard especially since we aren’t following the wave of what’s currently relevant which is hard for anybody that isn’t on the current trend.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR ALL TIME FAVOURITE ARTISTS?
I am speaking for myself here and not everyone else in the band but Leeway is absolutely a huge one, Crown of Thornz, Merauder, Trapped Under Ice, Backtrack the list goes on but they’re the ones that came to mind immediately when I seen this question.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SHOWS YOU’VE REALLY ENJOYED BEING A PART OF & DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE VENUE YOU’D LOVE TO PLAY?
Our first show was supporting Madball so it would be hard not to say that. Maybe Donfest and then anytime when we are in Scotland it’s such a good time.
Honestly, there isn’t anywhere I specifically want to play. It’s literally the fact we will play anywhere and it’s a privilege and a pleasure for all opportunities we are offered, if we have the capabilities to play it we will.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM TOUR TO GET PROZPEKT ON?
Backtrack reunion/Trapped Under Ice just supporting that as a tour would be the most ridiculous time in my life, simply because of how much influence both of these two bands have had on me as a person.
WHAT HAS BEEN SOME OF THE CRAZIEST EXPERIENCES YOU’VE HAD TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS?
The craziest experiences we have had would probably be from the times when we are travelling to and from shows, there was one time when driving back from Scotland and it was genuinely pitch black but the fog had set in and you couldn’t really see anything even a few feet in front of us it was one of the most sketchy rides home but it was kinda fun as well as we had to keep each other entertained.
We did a weekender this last weekend and our bassist drove us down the wrong side of the A19 at one point and that was absolutely wild and hilarious at the same time, in his defence he only passed his test two weeks prior.
HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE SCENE CHANGE IN RECENT YEARS?
It’s just the location that has changed for scenes over the recent years where hardcore is huge now, it’s amazing how the North East seems to be growing from strength to strength with all of the work everyone is putting in, a big reason for the regions success is thanks to Conviction Records and everything they’ve done to keep pushing hardcore in our region.
I guess you could also say that the sound has changed too, there used to be a lot more diversity in bands but as it always happens trends come along and I guess at the moment we are going through the era of metalcore, there’s nothing wrong with that at all but it gets to a point where the genre feels saturated, another trend will come along and that will get done to death too, it’s just how the cycle works.
WHO HAS BEEN SOME OF THE LARGEST INFLUENCES IN YOUR SOUND?
We have taken a bunch of disjointed influence over the short time of playing together and funnelled it all into whatever we could, a big part in what the band sounded like would be thanks to our old guitarist Andy who I might add, is an absolute monster behind the guitar.
For current Prozpekt I would say we spoke about everything when we had lineup changes and we all wanted and compromised on having a sound that was more uniform so for our next release id say our largest influence is probably Reaper Records type of bands like TUI, Backtrack that sort of era.
WE CAN’T ALL BE MUSICIANS 24/7 SO WHAT JOBS/CAREERS DO YOU GUYS HAVE?
Myself and Kak work for the same company and we are video game developers. Tom works as a bartender, Luke works in sales and Joe is a full time legend.
HAVE YOU GOT ANY HOBBIES/INTERESTS THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE PEOPLE?
Kak loves Warhammer, please speak to him about it if you ever see us. I would say we are all huge gamers as well, catch me taking heads clean off in anything competitively like CS etc.
I have trained Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for over 10 years now and I am still in love with it as much as I was the first day I discovered it.
YOU RELEASED A SPLIT EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH LEFT WITH NONE. YOU ALSO HAD GOING OFF APPEAR ON YOUR TRACK ‘PIECE BY PIECE’. WHAT WERE YOUR INFLUENCES FOR THESE AND HOW HAPPY WERE YOU WITH HOW THEY CAME OUT?
Again it was how Andy was feeling at the time, that was the last bit of music Andy wrote for the band and he absolutely killed it.
We recorded with our good friend Jay who’s in Long Goodbye, Dissent and about 14 other bands, he’s an incredible musician and producer, he pushed us to sound our best and helped us make the tracks as good as they could be, it wont be the last time that we record with him and allow him to mix our stuff, he makes sure to lock in with us every step of the way, I would recommend any band to work with him.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE FROM YOU GUYS HEADING INTO 2026?
We have been cooking behind the scenes for a while now, we have written a new album in which instead of just one person making the music we have all come together and pushed our own influence into the music, we are extremely happy with the product that we landed on.
For 2026 we are hoping to just play more places, meet new people, make new friends and even though we would have just put an album out we want to write even more music, you can expect us to not stop loving what we do.
FINALLY, HAVE YOU GOT ANY OTHER ARTISTS/FRIENDS YOU THINK THE PEOPLE SHOULD CHECK OUT?
Please for your own good, catch Lights Out if they play near you or when their EP drops listen to it. Shot Down In May, Grand Slam, Bloodsport, Mind Invasion and Combat Evolved are all bands that you should definitely be checking out too.
From the North East check Disarmed, Flipside, Rico, Silence Me, Seconds Out, Imissyoualready, Dissent, Burial Plot, Inhuman Suffering and Dead Stare obviously come and support Rhapsody Records, Conviction Records, Unfettered Heart and all other DIY promoters.
Support your local promoters and make a band with your friends!
If you liked what you’ve read make sure you give this solid group of lads a listen via the tracks below and support them however you can, I’m sure you won’t be dissapointed by what you hear. New album incoming!
If you want to head to one of their upcoming shows, tickets for their show supporting Lifesick at PLAY Middlesbrough hosted by Rhapsody Records on Jan 31st can be found via the link below. I’ll be sure to catch you there!
Other upcoming shows include a support slot for Ballkick with Dosed on the 7th Feb at The Dev, London & a support slot for Gridiron alongside Missing Link & Splitknuckle on the 1st April at The Grove Newcastle.
Until next time I’ll catch you in the pit!
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