Ingested’s Jason Evans Interview: “I’ve Never Been So Proud Of An Ingested Album”

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Ingested finally got to embark on their headline tour of the UK after multiple postponements and I was lucky enough to catch up with lead vocalist Jason once again to talk their new music, future plans and so much more! Here’s what was discussed.

I’m joined again with Jason from Ingested. How are you today?

Jason: I’m doing really well, mate. I’m really, really, really good. We’re ready to play a packed London show at The Underworld so I couldn’t be in any more of a good mood.

This tour has been quite a long-awaited one for you guys. How was it having to keep constantly postponing the show and finally getting to hit the road again?

Jason: I mean, it was obviously really disappointing that we had to just keep postponing. I think it’s been rescheduled like three times until now or something like that. Obviously, the pandemic happened. There’s nothing we can do about that, but it’s still disappointing. Then after all that, we still had to cancel the European dates because it was just undoable, everything was still too unsure at the time. Then obviously, Vulvodynia, Victims, Vail of Pnath all had to drop off, but we kept the UK dates because we thought we’re not cancelling these shows and we’ve managed to get an absolutely amazing lineup in Bodysnatcher, Acranius, and obviously we kept Bound In Fear on as well. Everyone has been absolutely amazing. So yeah, being able to finally play these shows has been like a relief.

Have there been any standout moments on this tour?

Jason: Yeah. Manchester. Playing our hometown. It was absolutely rammed and the crowd were mental. Just getting to play such a good show in our hometown, and it’s like our own show as well. That’s such an amazing feeling. Yeah, nothing will beat that! I mean, tonight is going to be amazing, but like that Manchester show that was just special to me personally.

So since the last time we spoke, you released a new single. How have you found the fan’s reactions to that

Jason: Really, really good! Yeah, we’ve been playing it every night. We played it in America for six weeks as well and the crowd would just be popping off every time we were playing it. Well, have a look on our socials man. There are some crazy videos for the shows over there. But yeah, it’s been fantastic; The crowd reaction has been amazing. Our fans seem to really like the song. And we’re just excited to show everyone what we’ve got in store for the rest of the year.

So you were on tour with Fit For An Autopsy in America. How different is the American tour? Are there any big differences?

Jason: Yeah, there are lots of differences. The show are generally bigger because the population is a lot larger, so obviously, the shows are going to be bigger. The touring side is… it’s difficult because America is such a vast country, that the drives are so insane. Like we had an 18-hour drive inbetween shows and so it’s like you got a day off to do the drive. Well, that’s what it is. You sit in a van for 18 hours, like it’s crazy.

Well, the shows are worth it, though. The shows are totally worth it. Because they’re crazy. They’re all crazy. So it was amazing. We love touring anywhere. I mean, we love touring Europe, We love touring in the UK, We love touring in America and Canada. Hopefully, we’re going to get over to Australia and Asia soon, maybe try South America or Africa and yeah, that’s world domination.

Oh I’ll tell you a couple of things actually. So here are some differences. In America, it’s very rare that you’ll get any kind of rider. You’ll get like, water if you’re lucky and maybe $10 for something to go get some food, right? So it’s nothing like Europe where you get like breakfast and all that shit. You get treated like kings in Europe but in America, you have to learn the hard way.

The other thing in America is merch cuts. Venues like to take money from bands in America, which I personally think is fucking disgusting. I think it’s gross. I think it’s like extortion. Because if you think about it, the reason why the venue is open and full and making as much money as they’re making on that night is because the artists are playing. And then you’re gonna take 15% of their T-shirt sales, but we don’t get to take 15% of their sales, so how is that fair? The only reason you’re open and full tonight is because we’re here, where you’re now taxing us, because the problem is with the 15%, if you have a really good night on merch – which this has happened to us before, we’ve had a really good night where we sold quite a lot merch – and then the venue pays us to play. So we get our fee for playing [from the venue] and then after the merch court, we then hand more money than they just gave us right back to them. So we’re effectively paying them for the privilege of being in their venue it’s fucking disgusting. It’s absolutely vile. It’s absolutely disgusting and I hate it with a passion. That’s our revenue y’know. We’re not fucking Slipknot. That’s our food money, our gas money to keep the van going. I’ll go on record and say whoever takes merch cuts off bands, FUCK YOU ALL!!

I genuinely had no idea about that sort of thing happening. Wow! I guess on a little bit more of a positive note. You mentioned the positive response to the new single, is there anything more you can share about future work from Ingested?

Jason: All I can say is what Metal Blade have said on their socials, which is we have an album that’s finished. And it’s coming out this year. That’s all I can tell you. Although I will tell you one more thing as well, ‘Rebirth’ isn’t on the album. That was just a standalone song that we just wanted to put out. We already recorded and finished the album before we recorded ‘Rebirth’. So the album is ready to go. I’ve never been so proud of an Ingested Album.

I’m assuming then once that is finally out, you guys would want to try and get back out to Europe?

Jason: Yeah, that’s what we’re looking at. We working with a new management company now, Unchained, which is absolutely amazing. And, yeah, we’re looking at world domination. Basically, we want to be everywhere. We want to be in everyone’s faces all over the world. And then, yeah, got to kick some fucking ass.

What are your plans for the festival season? do you prepare any differently for these bigger shows?

Jason: Well, we have some stuff that we’re preparing for the Hellfest show. I can’t really go into that but it’s gonna be really cool. But yeah, as far as getting ready to play, festivals and big crowds in front of people who’ve never seen us before, that’s business as usual for us. Like, even though we’ve been touring for fucking… well… the best part nearly two decades now, 16 years, it’s amazing because when we did the Bleed From Within tour, I liked to ask the crowd every single night, “Who’s seen us before? Who’s never seen us before?” Loads of people have like never heard of us, never seen us before. I asked the same on the Fit For An Autopsy tour. Loads of people had never heard of us or seen us before. I think a lot of bands who have been around as long as we have see that as a negative thing, but for us though, that’s fucking amazing. That’s what we want. We want to be new faces every single time because then they become familiar faces that then come to all the shows and you’ve still got new faces and that’s how you expand. And that’s what we want. So yeah, it’s as business as usual. We play every show like we’re trying to impress people that have never seen this before. That’s every show.

Well, that’s everything I have to ask you today! Thank you so much for your time as always!

Jason: It’s been a pleasure!

We stopped by Ingested’s Underworld show, check out our review here.