Meatdripper are a four-piece psych-sludge band, formed in Birmingham in 2024. The members are:
Han Al-Shemmeri – Lead vocals and guitar (God Damn)
Liv Barlow – Bass and backing vocals
Zowie Akshara – Lead guitar and scream vocals
Kai Whyte – Drums and backing vocals (The None, Youth Man).
Meatdripper’s sound fuses the weight of doom and sludge with the raw energy of punk and psych rock, while reaching into the cosmic edges of space, stoner, and desert rock. Experimental and progressive twists push their music even further into the abyss.
Home of Metal booked Meatdripper to play their first show with local hardcore band Fleshcreep in June 2024. Their performance was hailed as “a revelation” by Lisa Meyer of Supersonic Festival.
Their debut single, Homegrown, earned them a spot in Metal Hammer’s “10 Best Metal Bands from Birmingham,” alongside Black Sabbath, Napalm Death, Judas Priest, and Godflesh. Critics drew comparisons to Butthole Surfers, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, and Om, while BBC 6 Radio producer Peter Hardy named Homegrown his favourite song of the year.
The band’s growing profile led to interest from creative industries. They fronted an Adidas/Size? campaign, modelling a trainer for the adidas Originals Birmingham Anniversary City Series, alongside Black Sabbath’s former manager, Jim Simpson. Meatdripper also appeared in the horror film Wallflower, directed by Dan Wilson, portraying the band Crow Moon.
In July 2025, BBC West Midlands booked Meatdripper for a “breaking metal bands” show at Birmingham Town Hall, celebrating Black Sabbath’s influence on the local scene. The band was featured on BBC and ITV news, and interviewed on Brum Radio and Switch Radio.
In the run up to Black Sabbath’s final show, Mercury Studios invited the band to film an interview and live performance for the Back to the Beginning livestream, which was viewed by around six million people. The session took place in Han’s art studio in Balsall Heath, where Meatdripper performed their songs and discussed the Birmingham music scene and Black Sabbath’s enduring influence.
After their first year as a performing band, Meatdripper played both Supernormal and Supersonic festivals. Kerrang praised their Supersonic set, saying the band “must be destined for incredible things.”
