"It's our debut record and we're totally hyped to finally release it and share our baby with the rest of the world," beamed Robin Baumann, co-vocalist of German nu-metalcore sensations Venues talking about the bands' album 'Aspire' which will be released on July 27.

After the promising release of E.P 'Break Down A Venue', Baumann believes the band have peaked on their debut long-player, laying the platform for a sustained career.

"Back then the band was more of a hobby for all of us," he mused, "and we were just... (laughs)... younger guys and a girl trying to be a little like rock stars and write cool music but since then we've developed pretty much as musicians and also on a personal level so with 'Aspire' I think Venues sounds the way... we've found the direction we want our music to go and how everything should sound. I think we just grew up a little bit."

Listen to the full interview to learn more on the album, including what sort of emotions a band goes through waiting for a debut album to come out, more about the title and artwork and aims and expectations, plus an in-depth insight into the male/female vocal process and how Venues manages that dynamic.

Kris Peters