A Triumphant Return With NATHAN JAMES From INGLORIOUS

Interview by Kris Peters
When it comes to good old-fashioned hard rock music, there are not
too many bands on the global scene that can compare with UK rockers
Inglorious. Despite a rotating roster of bandmates, founding member
and vocalist Nathan James has resolutely pushed forward, releasing
a high-quality collection of albums leading up to 2022 when he
announced the band was going on hiatus.
After seven years of non-stop touring with bands such as The Winery
Dogs, Steel Panther, The Dead Daisies, Last In Line, as well as
their own international tours and festival appearances, recording
four original albums, a live album and a covers album, everyone
felt it was the right time to take a break. The announcement came
as a surprise to fans, who deep down knew Inglorious would return,
and more than likely be stronger than ever.
Those dreams were realized earlier this year with the release of a
new single, Testify, and announcement of a new album - V - set for
release June 6. Using his time to reflect on the band and their
musical journey, James has returned with original Inglorious bass
player and main co-writer Colin Parkinson, who co-wrote and
released the first three albums: Inglorious, II and Ride To
Nowhere.
Joining them is renowned guitarist Richard Shaw, best known for his
work with English extreme metal band Cradle Of Filth, and drummer
Henry Rogers, two powerful additions to the band to complement the
original engine room. The result is more than a continuation of
Inglorious. It is a statement of intent and an emphatic tale of
triumph over adversity and the magic that can create.
HEAVY sat down with James to talk about Inglorious 2025. We asked
about the return of Parkinson and how it impacted V.
"I think anyone that knows us will know when they hear this album
that he is back by the sound of his bass, but also the
songwriting," James replied. "He's so crucial to the early
songwriting in this band, and he's done such a great job. He also
produced this record as well."
To HEAVY's ears, V is tougher and harder edged than anything
Inglorious have ever released before, but we ask James just what he
was going for musically.
"We wanted to do something a bit heavier," he agreed. "I think it's
good to constantly be pushing yourselves, and also just the subject
matter that we had to write about now in a kind of post-COVID
world, it's just heavier, everything's a bit heavier. So it made
total sense to write riffs and stuff that were more in that vein,
and also bringing someone in like Richard on the guitar, it made
sense to have a heavy guitar player play this stuff. And I think
that's why it sounds a bit different, maybe, to previous
albums."
In the full interview, the discussion centred on the development
and themes of Inglorious's fifth album V, with Nathan detailing the
band's return after a hiatus influenced by the post-COVID
landscape. He introduced new members Richard Shaw and Henry Rogers,
emphasizing their contributions to the band's heavier sound and
classic rock influences.
Nathan highlighted the significance of impactful songwriting and
the unique vocal styles present in the new album, particularly in
the song Believe, which he described as a ballad with emotional
depth. He also shared insights into the development of vocal
melodies and the personal significance of tracks like Silent and
Power of Truth.
We also went through V track by track and discussed the meaning
behind the songs and more.

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