COLOURBURN
Answered by Josh McIntosh
Q1. Can you give our readers who are unfamiliar with you a little background on the band—where you’re from, when you formed, that kind of thing?
We’re based out of Melbourne, Australia. Though we’re all from regional Victoria originally, about 2-4 hours drive from Melbourne. I (Josh) started writing back in 2020/2021 during covid lockdowns, Jack first joined and then Jordyn a bit after. We’d been working on what is now Colourburn since early 2022 so it’s a been a slow and steady process.
Q2. What are the band’s primary influences?
It’s honestly so all over the place! I really enjoy bands like Movements, Basement, Citizen but then I also love bands like Narrow Head and Fleshwater. Though I think all of the stuff we’ve listened to throughout our entire lives has really shone through our sound.
Q3. What made you want to pursue making music?
For me (Josh) It just feels natural, I feel like it’s where I’m meant to be. From enjoying heaps of different music to having the eagerness to want to play and write all the time and for the most part not get bored or sick of it. It’s just such a fun and therapeutic process, and seeing people enjoy what I’m creating makes it even better.
Q4. You’ve just released your debut EP Compromise in Colour; what was the writing and recording process like?
Thanks! It was very long and drawn out haha. One of the songs I wrote like 5 years before I finally sat down in the studio to record it properly. I wrote most of the tracks during lockdown, then Jack and Jordyn came into the band shortly after lockdown, Jordyn wrote like half of the lyrics in the first 2 weeks of her joining it was crazy haha. Jack touched up the bass bits I’d originally written prior to going in prior to recording as well. Before the recording we all sat down with the songs and gave them a bit of touching up. Then once we hit the studio Chris (our engineer) helped us refine the tracks just a little more before recording them.
Q5. Can you walk us through the EP track by track and give us a sense of the sound and the meaning?
Blue Flame
-Alt rock vibes with some post hardcore and djent influences
-Blue flame challenges the idea of being understood. The lyrics convey an air of rebellion and defiance; a clear refusal to conform to the expectations imposed by others.
Folded Letter
-One of our more rock focused tracks with a massive build up to the breakdown at the end
-Folded Letter depicts a struggle with self-identity, isolation and the ever-longing desire for a deeper connection with those around you.
SinkHole
-Probably our most interesting song riff wise, took a lot of influence from metalcore and djent and fused it with alt rock and grunge
-SinkHole illustrates the overwhelming feeling of being consumed by one's thoughts and emotions. The recurring imagery of sinking and dissolution underscores the experience of being consumed by these internal battles.
Star
-Alt rock vibes with some post hardcore vibes sprinkled in along with some shoegaziness in the verse with light fluffy chords
-Star captures the complex emotions that surround the process of a break up. Struggling to find one's place in a changing relationship and the difficulty of letting go of something that once meant so much. The lyrics are portrayed in a form of storytelling, each verse detailing the conflicting desires one wants.
Feel Me
-Another rock focused sound with post hardcore and metalcore influences
-Feel Me offers a reflective and introspective look at the emptiness and disillusionment that can come with trying to fit into a society that often prioritizes appearances over authenticity. It captures a sense of yearning for meaning and a desire to break free from the mundane and artificial aspects of life.
Q6. Is there one track that you would identify as “quintessential Colourburn”?
Ah that’s a tough one! I’ll probably go with Star as it has all the elements that really makes up the core Colourburn’s sound.
Q7. What are some things Colourburn has on the near horizon?
We can’t say too much but there is definitely a lot on our hard drives which the world will see at some point haha. There’s definitely some shows in the works too which we can’t wait for.