MOST of us will never comprehend what life in the army is like.

Clint Bredin says it is a lot like being in a rock band.

Staff Sergeant Bredin, 37, of the Royal Military Police, is also a founding member of metal band Beneath The Embers.

By day, the Colchester-based soldier has taken part in tours across Germany, Canada, Kenya, Bosnia and Afghanistan, and has worked in training schools.

By night, he is raising the roof at rock venues across the country.

This year has seen the band start to tour regionally with their charity record label Metal Massacre Records, in preparation for their Metal For Mental Health show in December.

Clint, who has been in the army for 17 years and has been stationed in Colchester twice, said: "I have always played the guitar, me and my brother Luke have been in music since school.

"When I came back to Colchester in 2014 I wanted to set up a covers band and then realised I wanted to write and release original music.

"We formed the band with four members and my brother had set up a record label, so he signed us in 2016.

"He then joined the band and we released an EP and have been touring."

Last year they focussed on being in the studio, doing a number of small gigs in preparation for this year.

Now, under their charity record label, they have shows booked up until Christmas, and would have covered most of the UK.

They stream music on all platforms, and have featured on BBC Introducing and other rock radio stations.

Their big show, in December, is called Metal for Mental Health.

Clint said: "It was a concept we came up with last year. We wanted to create a charity show with heavy metal.

"The music industry lost a number of significant musicians through suicide, and through the military I have known plenty of friends who have had to deal with PTSD and combat stress."

The concert, in Norwich, will raise funds for charities Combat Stress UK and Mind.

Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington killed himself in July last year, with Soundgarden's Chris Cornell ending his life in May of that year and Frightened Rabbit's Scott Hutchison ending his in May this year.

A little closer to home, Colchester lost six military personnel in Iraq in 2003, one of them being Clint's best friend.

That harrowing incident has been the inspiration for the band's music, and their desire to support both military and civilian charities.

Clint, who lives with wife Frances, and children Holli *CORR* 13, Sam, 11, and Lavinia, four, said in some ways performing is a lot like his day to day job.

He said: "British Forces Broadcasting Service laugh because one day I'll show up in uniform and the next I look like a totally different person.

"It's two different environments but the army has given me a skillset for music.

"In the army there's a certain perception and way of running things, and it has massively rubbed off.

"We are now leaps and bounds ahead of other people in music. It's simple stuff like just turning up on time, and we organise our own shows, structuring things with military precision.

"Both jobs get the same amount of attention and focus, the environment is different ,but the input is the same."

The band is hosting two free entry shows at the Soundhouse in Crouch Street, Colchester, On July 21 and November 30.

Guests will be able to hear all their songs from the debut EP, Ashes.

To find out more visit Beneath the Embers on Facebook.