What began as a digital cold-call and a pile of discarded riffs has become UK metal’s most thrilling underdog story – meet Blood Dealer, the band grafting their way to the top with teeth intact…

Words & photos by Felix Bartlett | March 23, 2025

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When Blood Dealer first formed, they were a band with a name no one could pronounce. Fast forward to today, and they’re carving out a space in modern heavy music with a sound that’s as melodic as it is aggressive, blending metal’s raw power with pop’s accessibility. With their brand new EP ‘Designer Antichrist’ dropping on May 30th, featuring 2 new songs and a “little surprise“, we thought we’d catch up with the Birmingham crew in East London to dive into their journey and find out just how they’re carving their own path in the metal scene.

“When we first started, we were a band with a name that nobody could pronounce,” laughs vocalist Billy. “So we completely changed it up.” The lineup solidified when they discovered guitarist Charlie through Facebook. “He was literally one of the best players we’d ever seen,” Billy recalls. “We were like, ‘Oh, we need this guy.’”

From the beginning, Blood Dealer had a clear vision: to make metal more digestible without sacrificing its edge. “Our main goal really is making melodies as accessible as possible, like chart-ready,” Billy explains. “We always start with that in mind.” Tracks like ‘Jealousy’ exemplify this approach, balancing razor-sharp riffs with infectious hooks. “We’re finally starting to see that contrast between pop and bare metal become more obvious in our sound,” he adds.

The band’s evolution hasn’t been without experimentation. Early material, such as ‘Putrid’, leaned heavily into section-driven metal, but over time, they refined their approach. “We started out very experimental,” Billy admits. “Then we sort of went, ‘Oh, this stuff’s cool—let’s do that, but make it heavy.’” Will, another key creative force in the band, notes that their journey has been about finding balance. “You can see in our past material that we’ve almost been experimenting, working through ideas to get to where we are now.”

Hailing from Birmingham—the birthplace of Black Sabbath—Blood Dealer feels a deep connection to metal’s roots while pushing the genre forward. “Birmingham is really known for the beginning of heavy metal,” Charlie says. “When I start writing music, that’s the first thing I have in mind.” Yet, they’re not confined by tradition. “We’re trying to bring a bit more of a commercial element to it,” Billy explains. “Heavy is very hip at the moment, but we want to make it more accessible.”

Lyrically, Blood Dealer delves into themes of envy, toxic relationships, and personal struggles. ‘Jealousy’ tackles the pitfalls of social comparison, while ‘Crossfire’ explores darker relationship dynamics. “We’re trying to make music that’s true to our lives, true to our experiences,” Billy says. “A lot of our early music was a bit of a mask, but now we’re being as authentic as possible.”

Their creative process is fluid—sometimes beginning with lyrics, other times with riffs. “It’s variable,” Billy says. “Sometimes I’ll write a song to a beat, give it to Charlie, and he’ll do his thing. Other times, what he sends sparks something entirely new.”

Visually, the band embraces a striking red aesthetic, a choice that reflects their music’s intensity. “Red represents us very well,” Billy says. “Our music can be raunchy, dark, aggressive—red signifies those things.”

Comparisons to acts like Bad Omens and Chase Atlantic don’t faze them. “We take influence from those guys, especially lyrically,” Billy admits. “But we’re striving to be our own category.” Their upcoming EP further refines their signature sound, with one track in particular standing out as “definitive Blood Dealer,” according to Billy. “It’s even more so than Jealousy—that’s going to be an interesting one for everyone to hear.”

Looking ahead, Bloody Dealer has big ambitions, including festival slots and an album in the works. “We’re writing for that right now,” Billy reveals. “I reckon it’ll be finished by the end of the year.”

For now, fans can catch them on their Designer Antichrist tour this summer. “We’ll be playing songs live, and hopefully people will be there,” Billy grins.

With their blend of heaviness and melody, Bloody Dealer is poised to leave a mark. “We’re bringing something new to metal,” Billy says. “And we’re just getting started.”

Listen to Jealousy below:

Catch Blood Dealer on tour at the following dates:

Blood Dealer UK headline tour tickets available now

July 2025

24 Bristol The Basement, Bristol Exchange
25 London Blondies
26 Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach

August 2025

1 Manchester YES Basement
2 Birmingham The Flapper