Artist Spotlight
In this month’s artist spotlight we bring to you Black Rain...
An Interview with Black Rain
Edward Crossman
Hailing from the North East of England, Black Rain smashes the pure force and angst of punk with the emotional, dark, moody moodiness of goth to create a heavy, atmospheric, melancholy sound that can't quite be put in a box. Are they goth? Are they punk? Who fucking cares! Whatever you call them, it won't change the fact that Black Rain transcends genres and is an original, hard working band that has done things their way from the start, with no plans to stop.
Thanks, once again, to the fantastic advances of computer technology, I was able to have an e-mail correspondence with the members of Black Rain, who's self-titled debut album is available now on all those interweb site and applications you use to get your music. So go check out their unique sound while you get some insight into your new favorite band, Black Rain.
EC- Let's start with introductions. What are your names and your rolls in the band?
BR- Josh Cowey takes on the dual role of lead vocals and guitar, Scott Hays is on the bass and Mick Christon is on the drums.
EC- Everybody loves a good origin story, briefly describe yours. How did Black Rain form and why?
BR- It was actually a bit of a "happy accident." We didn't sit down with a blueprint to start a post-punk band. We were three guys from the North East just figuring out our chemistry in early rehearsals. Some of our songs had actually existed in different forms for nearly a decade, but it wasn't until we got together as this trio that they finally found their teeth. We formed because we wanted to play something that felt raw and authentic to us, away from the "manufactured noise" out there. Josh had had a 10 year break from playing in bands while Scott had been out of music for 25 years.
EC- You describe your introduction as "a sold out debut in March 2024". What exactly does that mean? Were you headlining? Were you the opener? Was it a festival? Spill the tea! What was the experience like?
BR- That was our very first gig at The Bunker in Sunderland. It was a headlining show, and honestly, we were blown away that it sold out before we even stepped on stage. It was an intense, claustrophobic experience in the best way possible. That night set the tone for everything—we realized people were hungry for this specific brand of "aggressive dark post-punk," and it gave us the momentum to jump straight into festivals like Corrosion and Carpe Noctum. I remember the promoter Critch having to usher people to move into the room as people were stood in the corridor unable to get in. The smell at the end of the night was….. interesting.
EC- Your tagline is "Too goth to be punk, too punk to be goth". A simpleton punk purest like me would say "post-punk straddling new wave". But, I also consider 'Star Wars' a fantasy movie because it has wizards and princesses, so what do I know? How would you describe your sound to the average Joe on the street?
BR- We actually stole that line! It came from a review of one of our early gigs. We loved it because it perfectly captured our identity crisis. If you’re an "Average Joe," we’d say we sound like "Dark aggressive Northern post punk" It’s got the brooding atmosphere of the 80s goth scene but with a jagged, high-energy aggression that comes from the punk side. We embrace the "outsider" label—we don't quite fit in one box, and that’s why we get invited to play with everyone from synth-pop bands to heavy metal acts.
EC- I could try to dissect your songs bit by bit and say things like, "I hear The Cure in this tune," or "This sounds like a Clash riff." Let's save some time and just have you tell us who your heroes are and what artists have influenced you the most over the years.
BR- We’ve definitely spent a lot of time with records by Joy Division, Killing Joke, The Editors and The Chameleons. We like to take those classic building blocks—heavy reverb, driving bass, and dark lyrics—and throw them in a blender with a more modern, unrelenting drive.
EC- Your band is called Black Rain. Our zine is called Black Noise. Now, I know why we are called Black Noise, it's because... well... it just is. I'm sure you have a reason for the name of your group. Care to share the inspiration behind the moniker?
BR- While there are plenty of bands with the name, for us, it captures the aesthetic of the North East. It’s a nod to our region’s bleak industrial past—the smoke, the grit, and the rain. It sounds heavy, it sounds dark, and it sets the stage for the atmosphere we try to build in our live sets. It also came from the fact that it pissed it down with rain every time we practiced for the first 4 months of the bands life. Practicing in a rehearsal room while your getting rained on definitely influenced the decision on the naming of the band.
EC- Your self titled 2025 debut album is 9 tracks, 4 of them live. Why not a full studio album or a full live album? What was the thinking behind this decision?
BR- We originally planned to just release a 5-track studio EP. However, we’ve always been a "live first" band. While recording at The Bunker in Sunderland, our producer Phil Jackson recorded one of our live sets and absolutely nailed the sound. We realized those live versions had an energy that was impossible to recreate in a studio environment. By combining them, we feel we’re giving the listener the full "Black Rain" experience—the polished intensity of the studio and the raw, "in-your-face" power of the stage.
EC- A lot of your songs are bass driven, heavy on the low ends. Do you write the bass lines first and then work around that? What's your process? How do you do that thing that you do?
BR- Many of our tracks, like 'Dust Tubes' and 'I Suffer Alone', are built around Scott’s bass-lines. When Scott writes songs he does so on bass. That naturally lends itself to having the bass as such a prominent part of our sound. We often let the guitar work subtly in the shadows, adding "ethereal layers", a less is more approach, while the bass and drums provide a rhythmic bombardment.
EC- You have 3 videos available on your YouTube channel (@black_rain_band). One for 'Inside', one for 'Shotgun' and one for 'Broken Words'. Though not overly complex, they are well shot and edited. How did they come about? Who did you work with and what are the concepts behind each video?
BR- We wanted the visuals to match the intensity of the music without being "overly complex." We focused on aesthetics that reflect the tension in the songs. For 'Inside', we wanted to capture that claustrophobic, "lost" feeling mentioned in the lyrics ("I'm numb, I'm cold..."). They are meant to be snapshots of the band's energy—no frills, just the mood.
EC- When I first took this interview and heard you were a "goth" band, I though, "Great! A bunch of depressing songs about being sad, and loneliness, and darkness or whatever." And, to be fair, you do have a couple really good tunes that cover those classic themes, but then you have songs like 'Satanist' and 'Fear' where your punk side shines through. Do you guys consider yourself a political band at all? And if so, where do you lean? What does Black Rain stand for or against?
BR- BR- We wouldn't say we are a "political band" in the traditional sense, but you can’t live in the North East and not be affected by the world around you. Songs like 'Satanist' and 'Fear' are definitely commentaries on the "haves and have-nots" and the "blood on the hands" of those in power. We stand for the outsiders and the misfits. Our music reflects the tension and rebellion of the present day—internal reflections on life’s struggles mixed with a bit of "irate thrust" against the status quo.
EC- With such a dynamic debut, and with all the fantastic shows and amazing bands you have already had the pleasure to share a stage with, what do you hope the future holds for Black Rain? Will you ever hop the pond and grace the States with some shows? I mean, do you even really want to?
BR- The dream is to keep growing this "storm." We’ve already shared stages with great bands like Social Youth Cult and The Foreign Resort, and we want to take that even further. As for the States—we’d love to! If there’s a crowd over there waiting for some North East gloom, we’ll be there in a heartbeat. We will be playing in Germany in 2027 as part of the 'Dark Skies Over Witten' festival.
EC- As we wrap this up, I just wanted to thank you guys for taking the time to answer my ridiculous questions and letting all our readers get to know Black Rain a little bit. Do you guys have any final words of wisdom, thoughts, comments, concerns? Anything at all that you would like to say before we say goodbye?
BR- Support your local scene and don’t be afraid to be do something different. In a world of crap manufactured noise, find something that feels real. We’ll see you at our next gig - make sure that you come and say hello!