YOU probably know that you are on to something when Mark E Smith, the leader of The Fall, personally invites you on tour with his band of brothers.

In fact The Fall leader went further, proclaiming, 'Bands like Evil Blizzard, they give me hope that music is alive and kicking. They could be the future.'

"Mark E Smith was a top bloke; at the second gig we did with The Fall he found out we weren't getting paid anything other than a few beers – which was all were expecting – and he got his wallet out and gave us a £300 of his own money," said Stomper from Evil Blizzard.

Four brutal bass players, a singing drummer and a dancing sacrificial pig, Preston's finest purveyors of chemical bass are on the crest of a latex wave with their new album Everybody Come to Church.

It captures Blizzard's frantic blend of styles – and, of course, their sonic earthquake bass clatter.

Drummer and vocalist Side who will be on sticks duty when the six-piece play Blackpool's Rebellion Punk Festival next month said: "I think Mark E Smith liked the chaotic nature of the band, and the comment about Evil Blizzard definitely helped us.

"People read that, listened to our music and it was tremendous publicity.

"We are really proud of the album, we got Richard McNamara from Embrace to produce it.

"He really got what the band sound like live, he kept the vibe with perhaps a bit more polish on the record.

"The drum sound is massive and that's all down to Richard who really knows what he is doing."

Evil Blizzard are an assault on the ears and the eyes, their mighty onslaught of bludgeoning riffs and unsettling masked mayhem have sometimes seen them dubbed the Red Rose Slipknot.

"I've heard that before but we draw from so many sounds, Hawkwind, Motorhead, Abba, Killing Joke and Public Image Limited, and we have that DIY punk ethos," added Side, the founder member of Evil Blizzard.

"Public Image's Metal Box was a huge influence, and it did colour our sound.

"I think there are elements of psychedelia in it too, and I guess we also have a crossover into doom, in a way.

"Every time we play, something strange seems to happen and there's always chaotic moments at our shows.

"We just create this heavy, heavy vibe – a fusion of dance, metal and hypnotic bass, that people seem to latch on to.

"Folk who enjoy the band seem to like a lot of dance music as well – I think it has that same hypnotic groove coursing through it."

Blizzard has continued to gather phenomenal reviews for their live shows, which feature a multitude of masks, spontaneous stage invasions and audience participation.

"We've even tried to go for a Guinness Book or Records thing, with eight basses on stage at one of our shows.

"We don't have a front man to look at, but our show is obviously very visual because of the masks.

"The pig is our sinister Bez, though."

Side added: "Evil Blizzard is our world, but it is wonderful to see so many people sharing it – everybody can come to our church to worship."

Evil Blizzard play Rebellion Festival on the Tower Street Arena on August 4.

Blackpool's Rebellion Festival runs from August 4-7. Tickets from 02476 601678 or Rebellionfestivals.com.