When Mark Lilley showed a keen interest in hitting things as a child, his parents knew exactly what to do. He began snare drum lessons at the tender age of 6, learning the rudiments which formed the basis for his technical prowess today. As soon as his legs were long enough to reach a kick drum pedal, Mark progressed to playing a full kit and never looked back. He credits visiting a drum clinic hosted by Iron Maidens’ Nicko McBrain at the age of 10 as his gateway into metal music.
Mark has since been playing drums for over 20 years, performing in an array of Bristols’ fantastic local metal bands before joining Svalbard in 2010.
Svalbard’s latest offering, ‘Eternal Spirits,’ sees Mark’s signature ghost notes peppered throughout hypnotic patterns, culminating in an infectious final groove delivered with precision and passion.
Mark’s Gear:
Drums: Sonor Force 3005 Sunburst Maple
Toms: 10″, 12″, 16″
Snare: Tama Metal Works 14″
Meinl Cymbals Left to Right:
15″ Byzance Medium Hi-Hats
21″ Dark Classic Custom Dark Crash
22″ Byzance Medium Thin Traditional Crash
20″ Byzance Extra Thin Hammered Crash
24″ MB20 Pure Metal Chris Adler Signature Ride
18″ Classic Custom Dark China
Pearl Eliminator Demon Drive Double Pedal
Mark’s Links:
Facebook: facebook.com/svalbarduk
Instagram: @svalbard
Twitter: @svalbardband
TikTok: @svalbardband
Watch the “Eternal Spirits” video here: https://youtu.be/1Oh30tCl1DQ
About Svalbard:
Formed in Bristol, UK, Svalbard has released three studio albums, three EPs, and several split releases. Their exceptional latest studio album, 2020’s When I Die, Will I Get Better?, was dubbed by Metal Hammer UK as “the most important British metal record of 2020”, with both Metal Hammer and Kerrang! lauding the record as a top 10 album of the year. A career milestone, it cemented Svalbard as a powerful and vital component of our global music scene.
Whilst refining their distinctive blend of euphoric black metal, post-rock, and d-beat, Svalbard has incorporated a few more surprising influences along the way. From soft, mournful singing to progressive guitar leads, it showcases a sensitive dynamic that lends impact to their most crushing moments – of which there are undoubtedly many. There’s no poetry, no ambiguity – just direct, raw honesty as the Bristolian quartet tackle some very uncomfortable subjects head-on. This is heavy in the most evocative sense of the word. The blunt lyrics are equally as important as the music.
The band now looks forward with renewed optimism and frankly has every right to. 2023 will see them head out across Europe with Cult of Luna and Russian Circles, having now signed a worldwide deal with the iconic heavy music label Nuclear Blast. In a world ever more open to breaking down doors that once seemed firmly closed, Svalbard seems as vital as any artist right now.
