Summer isn’t going out quietly - it’s going out swinging. The Secret City Metal Meltdown Fest hits Oak Ridge on August 29th. The event is stacked with heavy hitters from around the region, including WVLZ friends and family Halo Scars, Ninja Witch, and Welcome Eternity.

I caught up with Tommy – guitarist for Wise Blood about what the band is bringing to the stage on the 29th. Before our conversation, I revisited an older live recording of theirs on YouTube. A filthy, sludgy, southern-fried metal trip that proves they’re built for the stage  If you like your metal heavy, slow and dirty – Wise Blood’s set on the 29th is going to hit you right in the chest. 

Who’s the best band or artist you’ve seen live?

The best live band I’ve ever seen has to be Skynyrd. Not exactly Metal, but damn they’re tight every show. Regionally, HaloScars always brings it!

You’ve been working on Wise Blood since 2018 - has the lineup stayed the same, and how did the band come together?

The band started with a memorial post over Dimebag. Mike, our lead vocalist, shoots me a message asking if I was still doing the music thing. I hadn’t done a show in ten years at that time so we decided to get together one December night in late 2017. We were left unsupervised with a quart of shine and Wise Blood was born. Since 2018, we have had more than a few lineup changes, with the constant being myself and Mike. Dylan on the drums re-energized us, and Bubba Thunder coming back on bass has made this version of Wise Blood the tightest knit group that we have ever been.

Your sound is a powerful dive into sludge and southern groove metal. What influences your songwriting?

We are steeped in southern groove, but we are not afraid to step out of that box in our song writing. We are proud of the fact that every song we put out has its own identity and does not sound the same as any other song in our catalog. The way we write usually starts with the hook in the riff, or with a lyric that begs for a certain type of sound. Now if I may be so bold… We are much better live than the studio. The studio does not catch the groove that we put off, it’s just different. Hopefully you’ll see what I’m talking about at the Meltdown!

You’ve got the Secret City Meltdown Fest on August 29th, and the lineup includes several bands I’ve followed through WVLZ. What are you most excited about for that show?

 We are mostly excited about seeing our friends from the Knoxville area, we love Mike Hurst, Alicia, and all the 13 Spiders gang. We love Among the Forgotten, and getting to share the stage with so many other bands. We love meeting everyone in the scene, not just bands but the fans. We seem to draw better in the Knoxville area better than we do in the Tri-cities.

The Knoxville metal scene is a force to be reckoned with – what do you think can be done to keep it going strong?

The Knoxville metal scene does not disappoint. I think that treating the fans with the utmost respect and always giving them the best performance possible is the standard. Going above and beyond is the expectation. It sounds cliche, but without an audience we have no reason to be there.

As summer quickly flies by, what other projects does Wise Blood have in the works?

We’ve got the Hometown Halloween show with Halo Scars in Rogersville TN. We are going to be recording an EP that is fast becoming an album. We are going to try self-producing - so I might never work with myself again, lol.

Where’s the best place for listeners to follow the band and stay up to date on future gigs and releases?

You can get hold of all things Wise Blood on all the streaming platforms; you can reach us for booking through a DM on Facebook. Look for Wise Blood with the skull and axe logo. Or you can email us,Wisebld1217@gmail.com or Wisebloodofficial@gmail.com

Thanks again Joe! You ROCK!  WVLZ Rocks!