Although it has been a few years since 2022’s Dedication to Flesh , Spite continues to be one of the most energetic and hyped bands in deathcore. Insane live shows, killer merch, and riffs that never quit have made Spite one of the bands in the scene that you absolutely have to see. If you’re lucky enough to meet bassist Ben Bamford at one of these shows, maybe the first thing you’ll notice about him is his arm full of anime tattoos. He’s not shy about how hard he’s fallen for anime, and I was able to chat with him more regarding what it is about anime he loves so much. Can you tell me a little about your anime journey? How it started and where you are now? Are there genres you gravitate toward? What is your favorite anime series or movie of all time? Ben Bamford : I’ll be honest, I haven’t always been into anime like I am now! I’ve always had a level of appreciation for it, but my interest wasn’t piqued until later in life. I just started watching it more and more in my downtime and got sucked in from there. Now, here I am with an arm covered in anime tattoos, haha. I always seem to find myself gravitating toward a lot of shonen and horror mostly. I really enjoy a lot of the darker tones and action driven anime stories. As of now though, I’d have to say my favorite series, and also movie overall, would be Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and the film for Mugen Train . So many memorable and well written characters, as well as some of the most beautiful art design in anime in my opinion. I could go on and on. RELATED: Ankor on Learning Music Through Anime Openings and Endings Did you get into music around the same time as you got into anime? Were they separate interests for you or did one inform the other? Bamford : They were definitely very separate. My love for music started when I was very young. I’ve been playing guitar and bass since I was 13 and it’s been my main obsession for my entire life. Anime was always something I appreciated from afar, but for some reason I didn’t get fully hooked till my adult life. Is anime a big part of the studio experience at all? Does it help get you in the right headspace to create? Do you find your interest in anime influences your approach to songwriting or performing? Bamford : As of lately, yes actually! Spite is currently on a bit of a break from the road, which also means working on new music. I’m always searching for inspiration, and there are many times where I find ideas within anime, whether it be openings, endings, and/or OSTs. What do you think it is about heavy music that draws anime fans to it? Bamford : I think those are just two universes that collide very well. Anime fans love big and badass sh*t! You see a lot of heavy music all across the spectrum being used in anime for a reason! RELATED: Baths' Will Wiesenfeld: My Life and Music Would Be Nothing Without Boys' Love Art Who are some of your musical inspirations? Have you learned or been inspired by any anime openings, endings, or OSTs? Bamford : Man this is a loaded question! I always have a hard time narrowing down, but I’ll try and keep it short enough. I'm always searching for new inspiration, whether it's from music or something completely random. I always find a lot of the ideas in my head stemming from the bands that got me into metal/deathcore in the first place like Slipknot, Lamb of God, Whitechapel, Suicide Silence, etc. Also, an OST in recent history that I can't help but keep going back to is Cyberpunk: Edgerunners . So many elements in that one that scratch a certain itch in my brain. If any of your songs could be used in an anime, which song would you want and what type of show would it be? Bamford : If I had to pick one, I’d say it has to be “The Most Ugly” off our newest record Dedication to Flesh . It’s one of our less streamed songs, but man it’s such a big and epic one. I’d love to see it used in an anime or OST of any kind. RELATED: Anxious: Cowboy Bebop is Infused in the DNA of Bambi If any character from any anime or manga you’ve watched/read could join Spite who would you like it to be and what would they do in the band? Bamford : Sukuna from JUJUTSU KAISEN . Probably my favorite anime villain. He is cold and pure evil. Also could see him ripping a King V. Have you encountered many other anime fans in other bands? Do your fans know about your anime fandom? And if so, have you observed your fans overall getting more into anime? Or is it just strictly the horror movie fans? Bamford : Well, being that my arm is now covered in anime art, it’s become a bit of a conversation piece with some people I meet on the road! I feel like that definitely gives an idea of my infatuation. Also many people I've met in music are into it! I met my good friend and tattoo artist Chris House through mutuals in music, and he does some of the best anime style tattoos in the country in my opinion. He’s also in a band called Tied in Knots, so check them out. Is there anything you’d like to plug or say to the Crunchyroll audience out there who may not be familiar with your music? Bamford : If you are not familiar with Spite, I think now is the best time to check us out. We put out a record a couple years back called Dedication to Flesh and I still believe it to be the best representation of the band yet. We won’t be touring until next year, but we’re currently working on putting together a new record. Can’t really say much on that, but it will be a 2025 release. I’d also like to thank Crunchyroll for having me. I don’t do many interviews, so this was an honor. Cheers everyone!
