Barcelona based metal band Redshark has been delivering high energy Heavy/Speed Metal since 2012. With several releases under their belt and a new album on the horizon, they’ve remained committed to their sound while navigating the challenges of the underground scene.We spoke with the band about their journey so far, the city that shaped them, and what lies ahead.

Interview

TheNwothm: For those who might not know, can you introduce yourselves and tell us a bit about where you’re from?

R.S: Of course! We are Redshark, a Heavy/Speed Metal band from the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona, where underground music gets little support, and even less when it comes to Metal. We’ve been playing this genre since 2012, taking the stage in all kinds of venues. We have several releases out, and in 2025 we’re dropping a new album that we hope will take us many miles! We’ve always defined our style as a mix of Metal Church, Judas Priest, Exciter, and Riot. If you’re into songs with speed, aggression, variety, catchy choruses, and full-on power, beware of the shark!

TheNwothm: Redshark was formed in 2012. Can you share with us how the band came together in the first place?

R.S: I founded Redshark in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2013 that we really became a band. That’s when Javi joined on guitar and Mark on drums. Javi and I had previously played together in a 70s-style classic Hard Rock band called Back to Rock, which broke up in 2012. I first met him back in 2009 at a Saxon concert. I met Mark, who’s no longer in the band, because he was dating a friend of ours. He had just parted ways with his previous band, so I invited him to join this crazy project. Over the years, Chris joined us on bass, Pau on vocals, and now we have Alan on drums.

TheNwothm: Barcelona has a rich history of music, especially in rock and metal. How has the city’s culture influenced the band’s music and identity?

R.S: That’s an interesting question. It’s true that in Barcelona we’ve had some great bands from back in the day, like Legion, Purgatory’s Troop, Zeus, Evo, or Fuck Off. In terms of quality, we really can’t complain, regardless of the genre. We’ve definitely been influenced by the great bands that came before us, as well as current ones like Crisix, Körgull the Exterminator, Streamer, Redimoni, ’77, Graveyard, and more. Culturally speaking, though, Barcelona is in a pretty rotten state. The focus is only on massive festivals like Primavera Sound, Sónar, Cruïlla, and similar events. These big festivals receive public funding, which ends up draining resources and attention away from small venues, leading to many of them closing down throughout the year. On top of that, the internet has caused a lot of record stores to shut their doors as well. And with inflation, it’s become increasingly difficult for younger generations to afford going to shows or music bars. Even those of us who regularly attend concerts and underground events have had to cut back on how often we go or how much we spend.

TheNwothm: Do the themes of your music—life, society, and death—reflect any personal or cultural experiences from your time in Barcelona?

R.S: They really reflect experiences and thoughts that happen in life, in society, and of course, they affect us as people living in a big city. Barcelona is no exception when it comes to being caught in the matrix created by the global elites who want absolute control of the world. So yes, living in Barcelona definitely influences us when it comes to wanting to talk about these issues.

TheNwothm: How did you come up with the name Redshark? Is there a specific meaning behind it, or does it represent something about your music?

R.S:I wanted to decide one name that defines our music with an identifiable image as Snaggletooth from Motorhead or Eddie from Iron Maiden. Of course, a lot of people associate our name with the Crimson Glory song called “Red Sharks”. And even though Crimson Glory is one of our main influences, our name doesn’t come from them.

TheNwothm: Your first release was the single “Lights of Darkness” in 2013. Can you tell us about the creative process behind this track and what it meant for the band to release it?

R.S: It was the first single I wanted to release so people could get a sense of the band’s main idea. In hindsight, I should’ve had the courage to release more songs.

TheNwothm: Fast forward to 2016, and you released the EP “Rain of Destruction.” How did this release differ from your earlier work, and what were you trying to achieve with it?

R.S: I think the songs were good, but the production, the way we did it, my vocals, and so on, weren’t really up to par. Looking back, it probably should’ve been released as a first demo, not an EP. We were inexperienced and pretty lost at the time. Fortunately, we’ve learned from it. That said, it’s important to note that we live in a world with so many bands and so much instant access to content, that if you put out your first material, it almost has to be a full-length album and sound well-produced if you want people to pay attention. The romance of the demo has been lost. With just one click, if someone thinks you don’t sound good enough, they’ll just move on to the next thing. And if you’re not on Spotify, it’s hard to get people to listen, uploading to YouTube alone isn’t enough anymore.

TheNwothm: You followed that up with another single, “Destroy What Destroys You,” in 2016. Can you talk about the inspiration behind this track and what message you wanted to convey?

R.S: With this single, we wanted to make it clear that Redshark was heading toward a more US Power Metal oriented sound. We felt it was time to define a definitive style for the band.

TheNwothm: In 2019, you released “Evil Realm,” another EP. How did your sound evolve by this point, and what was the reception from your fans?

R.S: I have a lot of affection for this EP. It marked Pau’s debut as our vocalist, and I truly believe the songs are strong. The production was solid, and with Evil Realm we definitely corrected the mistakes of the past. We were starting to become a more seasoned, serious band, and we even began getting our first gigs in other cities. Unfortunately, the infamous pandemic hit shortly after, and we barely got the chance to present this EP live.

TheNwothm: Your latest full-length album, “Digital Race,” came out in 2022. What was the creative direction for this album, and how did it represent a shift (if any) from your previous releases?

R.S: This was the moment to create our first full-length album. With a strong production behind it, great songs, and more potential for wider reach, we wanted to make a continuation of the Evil Realm EP, but in the form of a full album. We also experimented with new compositional formulas. We like to take a few risks with each album, but always keeping our identity intact. Additionally, with this album, we signed with our current label, Listenable Records.

TheNwothm: And can you name your favourite tracks from the record and which ones you love to play live?

R.S: Personally, my favorites are “Never Too Late,” “Kill Your Idol,” and “I’m Falling.” The first two work really well live, but “Mars Recall” has also been a huge success and will definitely be a staple in our live shows.

TheNwothm: What’s your opinion on the evolution of music production and how modern technology has impacted the sound of metal music? How have you guys kept up with the shift?

R.S: Music, like so many other things, has been affected by the fast pace of life we have today, with so much technology and information overload. As a result, it’s hard for music to truly transcend, everything is just trends that come and go too quickly. And as I mentioned before, today’s production has to sound current, recreating the sound of the era but still feeling modern, since the human ear has gotten used to perfection. And on top of that, you can have a week where people are talking about your album non-stop, and the next week it’s forgotten.

How have we adapted? Honestly, I’m not sure if we’ve adapted correctly. We do what we can in terms of paying attention to details, analyzing what we do right and wrong to evaluate our strengths and improve on our weaknesses, and being more active on social media, etc. But for now, we resist creating a PatheTikTok account, and I hope we never have to go down that road. Seriously, I don’t want to hahaha

TheNwothm: What can you tell our readers about yourselves?

R.S: Simply tell us that you enjoy our music if you are searching for true Heavy Metal with US Power Metal influences. We will be grateful for any show of support, no matter how small, even something as simple as listening to our music. And if that leads to purchasing our physical albums or attending one of our concerts, even better!”

TheNwothm: If you were not in a metal band, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

R.S: Probably would found an underground label releasing albums. It’s something I would really love to do, even if it didn’t bring me any financial gain. But if I do something, I want to give it 100%, not just go halfway, especially with the responsibility that comes with running a record label. The thing is, for a label to work, you have to do things like set up stands at fairs and festivals, handle order shipping, and more. I’ve always seen it as just as demanding as being in a band. And I would love to do it, but balancing a label and a band is tough. If I do it, I want to be able to offer bands the best possible release, because a well-produced album involves a significant investment, and I believe a quality work deserves the best treatment possible.

TheNwothm: You are currently working on the new record! What can you tell fans about your new music? What kind of themes and ideas will you be exploring?

R.S: All I can reveal for now is that the album will be released this fall. We’re working hard on the launch, and I can tell you it’s going to be a 100% Redshark record, but definitely the heaviest and most aggressive one we’ve ever made. On top of that, it will feature the most epic choruses we’ve ever written. It’s simply what came out of us during the writing process, and we’re really happy with the result. We’ve fixed things we overlooked and could have improved on Digital Race, and we’ve made sure to address them with this new album.

TheNwothm: How will your next record compare to your previous records?

R.S: As I mentioned in the previous question, the new album sticks to the same style as our earlier releases, we didn’t want to change the formula. We felt like we owed it to our audience to put out a record that didn’t overlook certain aspects we knew could be improved. That said, we’ve definitely tried new things too, which is something we always do with each album. It’s likely that the album we release after this one will feature more noticeable changes. We’d like to explore the idea of doing a concept album, but with good taste. For now, though, that’s just an idea, I’m not really a fan of planning too far ahead. I have friends in other bands who start writing their next album as soon as they release one. I really admire that approach, but it’s not how we like to work. We prefer to see how the audience reacts to a release before deciding where to go next. Of course, we make music for ourselves first and foremost, but when you’re investing a lot of money into a project, you also hope to get at least some level of recognition.

TheNwothm: Any other teasers you would like to drop?

R.S: I think I’ve already revealed too much hahaha! But anyway, I can confirm that the album will once again be released through Listenable Records, and we’re going to shoot a music video for the first single!

TheNwothm: Touring is an essential part of connecting with fans. What are your plans for future tours, and are there any specific cities or countries you’re excited to visit?

R.S: With the new album, we’d love to play in places we haven’t been to before, the more, the better! In fact, we’re already in the process of planning shows. Booking is open, so feel free to contact us at Redshark104@gmail.com! Personally, I’d love to play in Germany or France again, and to finally step foot in a Scandinavian country. Hopefully, it’ll be possible, we’ll do everything we can to play as many shows as we can, in as many different places as possible.

TheNwothm: How can our readers buy your music and merch?

R.S: You can find our merch at our shows, on our Bandcamp, and you can also get our albums through the Listenable Records online store. And if you prefer, you can always reach out to us directly at Redshark104@gmail.com .

TheNwothm: Where can fans follow you online?

R.S: Facebook, Instagram, listen to our music on Spotify, Youtube and all the digital platforms. And no, we aren’t on PatheTikTok!! hahaha

TheNwothm: Anything else you would like to mention?

R.S: Just a huge thank you for the interview, and apologies if I took a while to respond. To anyone reading this, you’re more than welcome to check out our music. But most importantly, please, be happy, seek peace within yourselves, and don’t stay in constant conflict with the people around you. Let’s work together to create a better world. Don’t fall into the trap of the elites, the matrix, and the oppressive system! There’s a whole world out there, our future and our happiness depend only on ourselves. In union we stand!