Frontman and Founder Wesley Webb on the Birth of Shackle and the Sound That Shouldn’t Exist
15th April 2025From the shadowed corners of Kent’s underground scene comes Shackle, a four-piece powerhouse crafting a sound that fuses the unrelenting force of a dark and suffocating atmosphere of modern metal. Shackle isn’t just a band—they’re a storm, a primal force ready to break free and tear through anything in its path. Brace yourself; the chaos is coming.
We caught up with frontman and founder Wesley Webb,
You’ve been taking part in the Metal to the Masses events in Kent. How have you been finding that so far?
It’s been an incredible experience so far. The energy from the crowds, the support from the local scene, and the opportunity to share the stage with some seriously talented bands have been unreal. Metal to the Masses really brings out the best in everyone, and it’s been pushing us to step up our game every round.
Getting to the semifinals is amazing. are you ready for this on the 26th?
Absolutely. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes, and we’re ready to give everything we’ve got. The semi-finals are no joke, and we know we’ll be up against some fierce competition, but we’re hungry for it. Expect something loud, intense, and HEAVY!
Last year’s M2TM winners from Leicester, Internal Conflict, will be making an appearance. Are you guys excited to share a stage with them?
100%. Internal Conflict are beasts live — it’s an honour to be on the same bill. Watching them tear it up on stage is inspiring, so getting the chance to play alongside them now feels like a full-circle moment. We’re pumped!
How do you prep for competitions such as Metal To The Masses? Do you rehearse more to get your stage performance just right?
Yeah, we tighten up our rehearsals in the lead-up. It’s not just about playing the songs right — it’s about putting on a show that people remember. We focus a lot on our transitions, energy, setlist, and connection with the crowd. M2TM is about making a lasting impression, and we aim to hit that hard. We put a lot of effort into our setlist to ensure that every step of the competition offers something different from the last performance. We have included a new song that was written for this show to add a punch to the chest from the get-go!
Is playing Bloodstock the ultimate goal for you guys?
It’s a huge goal for us, for sure. Bloodstock is one of those festivals that really champions the underground scene, and to play there would mean everything. It’s not just about the stage — it’s about joining a community and showing what we’re made of on a national level.
If you could describe Bloodstock in 3 words, what would they be?
Heavy. Unifying. Intense.
What else has Shackle been getting up to?
We’ve just wrapped up writing some new material, and we’re heading into the studio soon to lay it down. We’ve been experimenting with some darker and more aggressive elements in our new track “Resuscitate” that we will be debuting live at our M2TM Semis, and we can’t wait to share it. Keep an eye out — there’s a storm coming.
For any newbies to your band, tell us how you would describe your music to someone listening to it for the first time.
We are heavily inspired instrumentally by 80s heavy metal and some modern heavy metal bands. So if you like Metallica’s chunky riffs, Volbeat’s melodies, and Thin Lizzy/A7X guitar harmonies, then we may be just the band for you!
If you could play any pop cover, what would it be and why?
We have actually looked at multiple songs in the past, and I think ones that we would really like to look at one day is “Don’t Pay The Ferryman” by Chris DeBurgh and “Maneater” by Daryl Hall & John Oates, as I think they are such iconic songs in their own rights, and throw some power chords, harmonies and heavy tones together, they could fit right in with the heavy metal genre!
