SPACE MEMORY EFFECT

Q1. Could you please provide some background information about yourself, including your origins, musical style, and influences?

Since my early years growing up in Silicon Valley, I've always had a deep passion for music and songwriting. I wrote my first song at the tender age of six, and it happened to be about a ladybug. An interesting turning point came when I was 10 and had a gymnastics accident that left me with a broken arm and an extended hospital stay in traction. I had a lot of downtime, so I decided to teach myself how to play the piano with just one hand. This initial musical exploration eventually led me to pick up the clarinet as my main instrument.

As I entered high school, I found myself getting lost for hours, immersing myself in the music of R.E.M., The Replacements, 10,000 Maniacs, and Elvis Costello.

When I reached college age, my desire to delve into songwriting grew even stronger. However, classical music was the primary focus at the time, and I found myself returning to the piano. My undergraduate and graduate studies in classical music introduced me to new musical companions like Frédéric Chopin and Erik Satie. I was always eager to write songs, but it wasn't encouraged during this period.

In 2019, I began a songwriting mentorship with Trevor Lewington (Enter the Haggis), whose exceptional talent played a pivotal role in shaping the SME sound. Throughout this journey, Trevor has served as my remarkable producer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, and co-songwriter. He has assisted me in crafting a sound that draws from our shared pop, rock, and folk influences while remaining faithful to the romantically chaotic sensibilities of our own moment.

Q2. What is the significance behind the name Space Memory Effect, and how did you come up with this name for your project?

The name Space Memory Effect can be traced back to a conversation I had with my colleague Chris Doces. We both worked as senior visual designers in a marketing department, and we were on a mission to decode the acronym SME, which our new boss had used to designate me as a “subject matter expert” on a particular matter.

During our exploration of various acronym possibilities, we stumbled upon definitions like shopping made easy, strange Martian entity, sloppy meat eater, and shape memory effect. It was during this brainstorming session that I mentioned to Doces, "Shape Memory Effect—that would be a great name for a band.” Among these choices, my brain mixed up “shape" with "space" and the cosmic resonance was irresistible. Thus, Space Memory Effect was born.

Q3. You've recently released your debut album, One Thing More. Could you please provide an overview of the album's contents, its message, and the themes it explores?

My debut album, One Thing More, is a collection of deeply personal stories that delve into my own experiences and the resilience needed to navigate both everyday challenges and significant life events. Through this music, I strive to create songs that are heartfelt and relatable, exploring themes that resonate universally, such as love, loss, and the enduring power of human connection.

Q4. Is there a specific song that you believe best represents the core sound and essence of Space Memory Effect?

Choosing just one song is a challenge because I love all my songs.

Space Memory Effect is all about embracing the transformation of chaos into beauty and exploring a diverse range of musical styles. I have a deep appreciation for heartfelt ballads enriched with strings, especially the soulful cello, as well as a love for fun and upbeat dance tunes, often with influences from the '80s and '90s. So, it's difficult to pinpoint a single song that encapsulates the core sound.

“Spacey” stands out as a track that brings a vibrant sense of fun and energy. On the other hand, “One Thing More” truly embodies the quintessential SME sound Trevor created.

Q5. What inspired you to take the courageous step of sharing your art with the world? Many people struggle with the fear of judgment, and it takes real bravery to put yourself and your work out there for everyone to see.

That's a great question, and my journey has indeed been quite the rollercoaster. There were moments of overwhelming fear that made me consider giving up along the way. This journey unfolded gradually, from my initial meeting with Trevor in May 2019, to the release of “One Thing More” in May 2023. It was a period of significant personal growth.

Throughout this process, I had to confront layers of fear, self-doubt, self-criticism, and even the notorious imposter syndrome. However, what kept me going was my unwavering belief in the music we were creating, fueled by love and passion. On the toughest days, I held onto that belief. I also believe in the healing power of music, resonating at a profound frequency. If my songs can connect with even one person and make them feel less alone, that means the world to me.

Q6. I noticed on your website that all your collaborations are conducted remotely. Can you share some of the unique challenges and advantages of working together in this manner?

Certainly! It's worth noting that all our recording sessions have been done from a distance, and I've never set foot in a traditional studio. I'm based in the greater Seattle area, while Trevor resides a couple of hours outside Toronto. Dealing with a significant time zone difference meant that I often had to wake up quite early to kick off our sessions at 6:30 a.m. Singing and playing the piano that early can be a bit challenging, but I got used to it.

Our remote collaboration process relies on various tools like Logic Pro X, Zoom, Cleanfeed, Trello, and SonoBus. This setup allows Trevor to access my computer through Zoom, serving as the studio engineer/producer while I'm recording. These tools have also facilitated collaborations with talented musicians contributing from various locations over the years.

One of the benefits of remote collaboration is that it allows us to take our time with things. If something doesn't feel right, we can always revisit and make adjustments without much hassle. However, one of the challenges is knowing when to stop working on a song, as we could potentially keep refining them forever.

Q7. What can we expect from Space Memory Effect in the future? What exciting developments should we keep an eye out for?

In 2024, I'm gearing up for a year-long musical adventure called Lullaby Fortune: Sweet Dreams. This release will unfold over twelve months, featuring a total of 12–16 songs. Our intention is to release 3–4 songs each quarter, and what's particularly intriguing is that the artwork from each quarter will converge like puzzle pieces to reveal a cohesive album cover upon completion.  It's a project that I'm thrilled to share with everyone, and I hope you'll join me on this musical journey.

THE LAST MARTYR

Answered by Monica Strut (vocals)

Q1. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for the site! If our readers are unfamiliar with you, what can they expect to hear when they listen to The Last Martyr? What are some of the primary influences the band draws from?

Some pretty chaotic, dark and electronic-fused metal!  We’re influenced by a lot of different genres from metalcore to nu metal and EDM but we think fans of bands like Spiritbox, Wargasm, Poppy and Bring Me The Horizon usually vibe it.

Q2. Can you provide a little more context on your “origin story”—where you’re from, when you formed, what made you want to pursue making music?

I’ve always wanted to pursue music to help people in the way that music has helped me in my life.  I’ve been writing lyrics since I was in primary school and performing from a young age and I just never imagined doing anything else with my life than performing.  I studied music in uni and was in various bands.

In 2017 I relocated from Sydney to Melbourne. Lockout laws had decimated Sydney’s music scene and I felt there was nothing left there for me anymore. I met Ben (guitar) on Melband but he ghosted me soon after haha. He was focused on a different project but later hit me up out of the blue right when I was starting to give up on ever finding a project here.  We realised pretty quickly how similar our goals and ideas on how to grow were so things clicked pretty easily.  I think within a week of forming we had a band name, several demos and a solid plan for the launch of the project.

Vin started as a fill-in drummer for our first ever video, Into The Black, and we somehow convinced him to stay and when our original bassist left to move to Japan, Ricky was a natural fit already being in our circle of friends a highly experienced bass player and vocalist. 

Q3. You just released the single “Burn It Down.” Can you tell us what the song is about and what you were going for sonically?

Burn It Down is about wishing humanity could start again with what we know now.  It focuses mainly on inequality, specifically when it comes to women, but I know many people will be able to relate to the anger and weighty-ness I tried to express through this track.  It’s meant to be a powerful rally cry but also has some darker vulnerable moments.

Q4. Last year you released “Sugar.” Can you tell us about that song lyrically and sonically?

Aside from Burn It Down, Sugar, was the most vulnerable song I’ve written.  It speaks to the numbing experience I had on anti-depressants which no one warned me about. It was a really confusing time as I felt like I had to choose between being unhappy or being emotionless.  Sonically, it was one of the first tracks we really got quite experimental in terms of electronics and using as many different vocal tones as I could to convey the story.  I am still so in love with the sweetness (no pun intended) of how the chorus sounds.

Q5. How would you say your sound and perhaps the band in general have evolved since you started?

We started off in a very metalcore bubble. We never had rules for this band, we just liked music that was heavy and melodic.  I was learning to scream as the band started so personally, the harsher vocal elements really have evolved over our discography in quite a noticeable way - one that I’m super proud of!  But musically, we’ve not been afraid to draw more on electronic and off-kilter influences as the band has progressed. We want to push boundaries and never do the same thing as we’ve done before so writing is always a scary but exciting time.

Q6. What are some of the most fun/coolest shows or tours you’ve been a part of?

There are so many that come to mind but the two standouts would be doing 3 shows in little more than 24 hours with Black Veil Brides last year would be up there as well as the run we did with Sunk Loto who are such legends in the heavy scene - Ben and Ricky were especially beside themselves when it came to those shows. 

Q7. Is there something you’d like to see more of in the scene, whether it’s actions, sounds, anything else?

I think the equality issue in the Australian heavy music scene is still one we need to keep pushing. Some festivals do an acceptable job, others seem oblivious.  It’s a hard sell because most bigger heavy bands are all male.  But without exposure to bigger audiences, like those at festivals, how do we expect younger bands with women in them to grow?  This is not the only solution, but I think it would contribute in a big way.  Bands like Redhook, Yours Truly, Stand Atlantic are absolutely killing it right now and I’m so in awe of everything they’re achieving. I want to also shoutout Reliqa, Vilify, Krave, Aurateque, Torizon, Wicked Envy and Live Like Animals who are some friends of ours that we are really excited about.

Q8. What’s on the horizon for The Last Martyr?

We’re supporting Hanabie on their Good Things side shows in Melbourne and Brisbane then are headlining a local festival called Sanctuary on 9th December in Frankston. Get tickets here - https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1140355

We’ve been working on new music for release next year as well, so we’re really excited for what the next 12 months holds!

VILIFY

Answered by Amy McIntosh

Q1. Could you please give our readers a little backstory on the band in case they’re not familiar with you, such as when you formed, where you’re from, your sound, etc.?

Vilify formed in 2020 ish during the Covid period. We are from Newcastle Australia and all met through our previous bands and projects. The classic.

We try not to pigeon hole ourselves in terms of sound but we try to write heavy but fun Metalcore that we ourselves would love to listen to.

Q2. What made you want to start a band and pursue making music? I am always fascinated by what drives people.

I have always loved music. My grandmother got me into the school band at around 7 years old.

As for this sort of music and band. I sort of just progressed into it. I originally just played guitar at home and didn’t think much of it. I started going to shows, I then ever for a while was booking shows. I filled in for a few bands and one fill in turned into me joining on guitar.

As for what made us want to start Vilify specifically. It was more about expression. Our drummer Kieran and I were in a band together before it and it just wasn’t serving us anymore. We wanted a fresh start but knew we wanted it to be together. We grabbed our friend Deni and away we went! These days it's still about expression but there is a very large focus on putting on a KILLER live show.

Q3. What are some of the primary influences of Vilify?

The influences for Vilify I feel are ever changing. From the first EP and foundations it would have to be the likes of Every Time I Die, Norma Jean, that sort of thing. These days we are all massive Spiritbox, Sleep Token, Alpha Wolf sweaters just like everyone else haha.

Q4. The single “Dread Addict” was released in October. Can you talk to us about its sound and lyrical content, and also how they are reflected in the music video?

Dread addict sticks with the big riffs, strong beats and electronic elements vibe we have been going with but turns all elements to 11. It’s the most sonically exciting song for us so far as it has so much going on!

Lyrically the song is about feeling overwhelming dread for no reason. So you manifest reasons to feel that way. You feel dread and sadness so you start to act in ways that manifest dread and sadness. It becomes a cycle of feeling bad, so you do bad to justify feeling bad. The video ties in as the dread is that balloon. The actor can’t escape it. It’s always there. Not always at the front of your mind, but always there. The idea is that it's super normal to feel that way. Almost everyone does at some point. It’s just about how you handle it and ridding yourself of that negativity in healthy ways.

Q5. You released two other singles earlier this year. Tell us about them.

We also released “Take the Pill” and “From the Inside”.

“Take the Pill” follows a pretty common theme of mental health and adversity that we explore a lot in Vilify and flips it on its head. It’s about feeling better. It’s not about sadness, it's about the process of recovery. One of my personal favorites purely because every time we play it I get a reminder of where I have been and where I am not and it makes me super happy.

“From the Inside” is a bit different compared to our normal subject matter. Being very direct it's about homophobia. It’s about people you think you know and how internalized homophobia might still haunt them.

All tracks from 2023 have a similar vibe and feel about them. The elements used tie in super nicely. In retrospect we should have made them an EP haha.

Q6. You mentioned recovery; one of the central themes of this site is that of recovery and self-empowerment and -improvement, of making the courageous and difficult choice to face our "monsters" in spite of fear or doubt. Can you go into a little more detail about what that process was like for you and how you were able to get to a better place in life?

Seeking help is always the hardest part but in my experience it helps almost the most.

Eating well, moving more, not being afraid of medication.

The basics do wonders.

I still find myself biting off more than I can chew and stressing myself half to death about things I can't control. But for me, now, if I know I've had a good sleep, a good meal and have done something physical in the day, everything else will work out.

I needed to learn: I may not always feel great and things may not ever turn out how I was expecting but if I have done everything to be the best me that day. I will be sweet.

It wasn't always that simple. I've had my share of time with Drs and in hospitals. At those super low periods in my life the idea of eating well and sleeping was the last thing on my mind. That's when asking for help and building a support network around me was the most important.

I don't think anyone fully has it worked out but I know I am in a better place now than I have been, even if it's not perfect but I am proud of my journey and proud of my willingness to keep trying. 🙂

Q7. If you had to highlight one song as “quintessential Vilify,” what would it be and why?

I know it's lame but I think the Quintessential Vilify song would have to be “Dread Addict” our most recent single. It’s the perfect mix of the big riffs we love but with all the experimentation we are becoming very familiar with. It has some groove and some fun parts just how we like it but then as many break your neck riffs that will fit into 3 and a half minutes.

Q8. How has your sound evolved from the beginning of the band to now? Are there any directions you foresee yourselves exploring or think you might want to explore as you move forward?

Like I said I think our earlier sound was rawer similar to that ETID influence we were listening to. More guitar heavy dominant and a bit dirtier. We wanted it to sound organic as that’s how it felt. The last few tracks have been more polished with more electronic elements. We just liked the idea of exploring and developing and that’s what came out. However, the music we are writing tracking now steps back a little from the electronic elements and focus on super heavy, strong riffing and banger tone. We are very excited to show you all.

Q9. What are Vilify’s plans for the near future?

So much writing it makes my brain hurt and so much performing it makes my body hurt.

We just want to write more, perform more until we fall apart. It’s what we love.

DIAMOND CONSTRUCT

Answered by Kynan Groundwater

Q1. First off, thank you for being the first band to interview with The Angels’ Share! Can you give the readers who might not be familiar with you a little background on the band and its sound, when you formed, where you’re from, that kind of thing?

Thanks for having us! For anyone who hasn’t heard of us before - we like to blend genres and make music that we love to hear. Our music consists mostly of metal, rap and edm. We formed right at the end of 2014 as kids in high school in a small town called Taree which is on the Mid North Coast of NSW.

Q2. I first became aware of you guys when YouTube recommended the video for “Hit It Back” not long after it was released. I was like “What is this!?” I couldn’t decide how I felt about it at first to be honest, and yet I kept coming back to it. By the third listen I was all in—the song goes so hard and the music video is really interesting and fits the song perfectly. I appreciated how the vibe wasn’t all doom-and-gloom and showed that this kind of music can be fun, something I think a lot of bands have forgotten. What went into making the video and how did you arrive at the concept?

Even though we were just babies when Nu-metal was a thing, our parents played a lot of those bands in the car on CD so we were brought up on those bands. Bands like Korn, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit etc. For the most part they are heavy but every now and then they do something fun and out there. Especially Limp Bizkit. It was during covid lockdown so we were essentially down to 2 members and a music video director in the same town. So we came up with this super fun out there music video that kind of ended up being iconic in its own way from people either loving or hating it. It’s definitely the song that goes off hardest live.

Q3. What was your headspace when you wrote the actual song “Hit It Back”? I don’t actually see it as that radical a departure from your earlier material, but it seems to lean into the nu metal more. It really feels like a true single, which is to say that it’s super catchy and has high re-playability. In fact, it’s a staple on my gym playlists.

My brother Braden who is the guitarist in the band actually wrote this song way way back in 2017 and had it in the archives. He came to me and showed me the song years later and I flipped over on the intro riff. It was something I’ve never heard before so we just rolled with it. And before long we had this unique song that still had elements of the band that we wanted to include at the time. The rest is history with it.

Q4. Can you talk a little more about your influences in terms of both sound and aesthetic?

With the fact that we grew up on the 90’s bands way after they’d been popular and then not popular we were always kind of segregated from what was popping. In a small town with little to no scene there’s not a lot that becomes fashionable. It’s just what you like that determines who you are.

We listened to a lot of mathcore and heavier stuff too like Danza, Dillinger etc so we had a taste for the heavier stuff. But aesthetically we loved the uniqueness of the 90’s scene so we push to have a throwback to that but also draw from the aesthetic you’d see at a Ghostemane or Scarlxrd show.

Q5. What’s the scene like in Australia? From the outside, it looks pretty vibrant!

Yeah we are all aware here in Australia that a lot of other countries and scenes hold the Aussie scene in pretty high regard which is awesome. We have so many great up and coming bands along with a handful of mega bands that have made it big time so the scene is doing well for the population and the fact our touring route is usually only 5-6 shows compared to 30 or so.

Q6. Talk to us a little about the new single “Jynx”—the song itself but also the music video, which is really interesting with its animation and cyberpunk elements.

With Jynx being one of our heaviest written songs to date, we wanted the music video to be fast paced and have a narrative that matches the song. We went with a sci-fi anime crossover that we are all fans of and have been growing up. That style of video also goes well with the sound of the analogue pedal work in the guitar riffs and the hard hitting lyrical content. The story explores themes of dissociation from reality that stems from childhood trauma. The lead character in the music video (played by Bri Cassin) has recurring dreams of becoming an Angel but the dreams always take a dark turn. In her waking life she seeks out help in the not so distant future by a digitally run AI psychic.

Q7. You have a new label home, is that correct? How did that come about?

Yeah! We’ve freshly signed with Pale Chord who have Spiritbox, Thousand Below etc on their roster.

We are so stoked to be a part of the team along with our long term label Greyscale Records.   When we were finished recording the album and we were just chatting on the phone to Josh from Greyscale, he mentioned the label to us knowing that we wanted to expand to the US market. He said that they were keen to work with them and I guess they liked our single Jynx so it all unfolded from there.

Q8. So, what does the immediate future look like for Diamond Construct? Tours, festivals, a full-length?

 We’ll push this single hard for a while considering it’s going so well and the fact it’s the first song since ‘21 for us. Roll it over into the next phase of things which will be hopefully more touring and more music which is what we love doing.

Q9. How about longer-term?

For us we try not to think about getting ahead of ourselves too much. It’s always good to have goals and aspirations but you can find yourself chasing smoke if you don’t take in the wins after each game so to speak. So we’ll keep pushing like always and trying to be the best version of ourselves for now.