MIDLANDS punk quartet Max Raptor are hitting the road as one third of a ‘rotating headliner’ tour, starring as the main act during a stop at Carlisle’s Brickyard.
 

Frontman Wil Ray said the band are planning to out-do the other acts (Attention Thieves and We are Fiction) when it comes to their night, explaining, “It’s not a competition but the rotating headliner idea means there’s an added incentive to put on a great show.
 

“I think band rivalries are a good thing – it’ll keep it quite fresh.”
 

Max Raptor started life in Burton-upon-Trent in 2006, and got their first break when they were spotted on MySpace by their heroes, Canadian band Billy Talent, and invited to join them on tour.
 

Since then they have toured with the likes of The Stranglers and The Darkness and played at Download, Reading and Leeds festivals.
 

The latest tour comes several months after the release of their second album, ‘Mother’s Ruin’, which has so far won rave reviews for its emotive yet aggressive sound and socially aware lyrics.
 

The foursome’s first album ‘Portraits’ was based around the idea of ‘sons and daughters doing things their mothers would disapprove of’, and ‘Mother’s Ruin’ continues the theme.
 

The sole lyric writer for Max Raptor, Wil said his inspiration largely comes from reading newspapers, with the record tackling everything from the class system to the Leveson inquiry.
 

Lead single ‘England Breathes’ has already become a live favourite, with its memorable chorus and powerful anti-racism message.
 

Wil said: “My delivery of the lyrics sounds as though they’re being spat out and some of the songs are confrontational but I wouldn’t say the album is particularly angry.”
 

He added that he has a soft spot for the band’s first ballad ‘Heavy Hearts’, which “was going to be about the London Riots but that felt a bit obvious so we made it about those few quiet moments before anyone else finds out you’ve done something wrong.
 

“The track is quite a nice departure for us – I like to imagine our die-hard fans hearing our first ballad and picturing their faces!”
 

Max Raptor play at the Brickyard, Carlisle on December 16.