PRESSURE PACT

Q1. If our readers are not familiar with you, would you please provide some background on the band—where you’re from, when you formed, etc.?

We started in 2016, because we missed the primitive 80’s hardcore sound in The Netherlands. There was a big Metalcore and modern hardcore scene in our region, so we felt it was time for something different.

Q2. How would you describe Pressure Pact’s sound?

This is what Ben Marshall from Maximum Rock’n’roll had to say about our sound:

‘’It’s a frantic mess of ferociously barked vocals, creepy-crawl riffs, and a rhythm section as taut as you like. It’ll bore straight through your skull and give your chimp brain a tickle; you’ll be unlocking your inner Neanderthal and sticking your head through a brick wall by track three. An abso-bloody-lute belter.’’

Q3. What are some of Pressure Pact’s influences?

It’s a combination of classic 80’s hardcore bands from SSD to Heresy in combination with modern bands like Boston Strangler and the British NWOBHC bands like Violent Reaction, The Flex and Arms Race.

Q4. What made you want to pursue making music?

We all knew each other from previous bands and wanted to start something new. We shared the same vision and we became a band and really good friends rather smoothly.

Q5. What would you say is the most challenging part of being in a band and what is the most rewarding?

The most challenging part has to be combining everything with our regular jobs. Being on time for shows during the week, booking time in the studio or even plan tours.

Q6. What are some of the most memorable shows you’ve played and/or tours you’ve been on?

Without a doubt our tour in Japan with Crucial Section. It was such an honour to be invited. We played with so many amazing Japanese bands and the people we met were all so kind and generous. We will never forget the amazing time we had over there.

Opening for Turnstile in Cologne must have been one of the most surreal shows we have played. A sold out Palladium thinking Turnstile would start and instead hearing Len yell ‘’We are not Turnstile, we are Pressure Pact’’ in a combination of Dutch and German was the perfect start of our set.

Q7. What’s on the horizon for Pressure Pact—new music, shows/tours, etc.?

We have a 7’’ recorded which we were meant to release last year, but didn’t happen yet. We recently got into contact with Mendeku Diskak and they are able to release the 7’ very quickly, so we are really stoked about that!

We took a break from playing a lot of shows in the next couple of months so we can focus on writing songs so we can record a new 12’’, because it’s been a while.

Hiro (singer of Crucial Section) asked us to return to Japan together with The Breed for another tour in Japan this year. We can’t say no to that, so we really hope we can make it happen!

pulses.

Q1. For our readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you please provide some background on the band: where you’re from, when and how you formed, etc.

Caleb: we come from Northern Virginia, pretty much the suburbs of Washington DC. The most basic form of the band formed in 2015. I was in my senior year of school and wanted to participate in the battle of the bands before graduating. I was going to have two of my old friends from middle school join me for it but they had to bail out like a week or two before the show. I asked Kevin (my brother) and David, a classmate of mine, to replace them so I didn’t have to drop out. We didn’t win but we had a good time doing it, so we decided to keep the band going and start focusing on trying to write some original music. Been playing together ever since. Matt came into the fold a couple years into the band’s life and we’re grateful for that.

Q2. Who are some of your primary influences?

Matt: We pull from a lot of different artists outside of our genre on specific songs but I feel like a lot of our post hardcore base comes from The Fall Of Troy, Silverstein, Thursday, and Underøath among others.

Caleb: The Fall of Troy was one of the first bands that the three of us at the time bonded over, and so many other influences stemmed from that. I like being able to take inspiration from anywhere I can and any music that I just like listening to. Keeps things interesting. Growing up I listened to a lot of pop, r&b, hip hop, soul, etc. so it’s important to me to throw those kind of sounds into the mix as well.

Kevin: For me, lyrically, hip hop plays a huge role in how I approach writing. I love referential lines, puns, and internal rhyme schemes.

Q3. What made you want to pursue making music?

Matt: For me, I grew up with my dad always either playing guitar or watching concert videos around the house so I just got into listening to music early. Then he got me guitar hero and that got me into heavier stuff and gave me my own taste, from there I really wanted to play the real thing and got really into the idea of wanting to write my own music. It’s just the only thing I’ve ever really wanted to do.

Caleb: Playing and performing music is always something I’ve enjoyed since I was a kid. I played in the orchestra all throughout school, and that gave me so much experience just playing in a group and giving me the opportunity to perform. Kevin and I were really involved in the Guitar Hero and Rock Band scene back when those were really popular (still stay involved to this day really) and doing that really enhanced the way I take in music. So much music inspires me in so many different ways, and I enjoy the ability to kind of pay it forward in a way by making it too.

Q4. Talk to us about It Wasn’t Supposed to Be Like This. What was the writing and recording process like? Was there a particular message or sound you were pursuing with this record?

Matt: Coming off of Speak Less, being a heavier project, I think we wanted to get back into our formula of fusing other genres with post hardcore and push it even further than we had on previous records. I think that’s what led to this album being so diverse.

Caleb: This time around I handled all the engineering for the record so I tracked/recorded everything, edited it, and mixed it. I feel like this allowed us to really hone in and focus on taking our time to make things sound exactly how we wanted. There was a sense of freedom in making this record that kind of harkened back to making our first record, bouquet. Just us hanging out in our basement and creating whatever came out of us.

Q5. Are there any songs that stand out to you on the most recent album or otherwise that you are particularly proud of?

Matt: I think Honesty, Honestly is my favorite song we’ve ever written. I’m so proud of how every element of that song works with the others, like everybody did exactly what they needed to, the feature from Sierra really elevates it, and I really love all the production stuff I added.

Caleb: Honestly, I’m proud of all the songs on the record and there are so many moments in particular too between all of us. Take a Look, Y’all was always one I was especially proud of personally when it came to the overall vibe of the track plus some of the vocals I laid down for it. Just a feel good song that feels uniquely us.

Kevin: The whole album really, I think it’s so worth experiencing it as a whole to truly understand the magic of the parts.

Q6. How has the band—personally, professionally, and/or musically—evolved since the beginning?

Kevin: I think we’ve just got better at working with each other, really. From the start, we’ve been doing exactly what we want in any given moment musically, and to be able to have some of the processes refined is really a blessing.

Matt: We were talking the other night actually about how it really feels like we can do whatever we want now. I think we’re at the point now where it really feels like a pulses. song can be anything written by the 4 of us and that’s a really cool place to be as a band.

Q7. What are some of the most memorable shows or tours you’ve played?

Matt: All of our tours with With Sails Ahead have been incredible honestly, so many amazing memories on those both on and off stage. Outside of those, we played a show in May of 2023 with our friends in The Callous Daoboys and it was such a blast, that’s probably one of my favorites in recent memory.

Kevin: Blue Ridge Rock Fest was a trip too; being able to play on such a big stage and be a part of a big production like that at our level is an honor and privilege, even when things were kinda going awry.

Q8. Do you have any “sibling bands” aka other groups or artists you’re close with and if so, who and how does that foster a sense of community and/or how are those relationships reflected in your music, approach to the band, touring, etc.?

Matt: With Sails Ahead is definitely the main one! We have toured together multiple times, collabed on several songs, we share a discord, and we talk in a group chat with them daily. We’ve built a really cool community with them and they’re some of our best friends.

Kevin: WSA is definitely one that folks should know by now as our bestie band and I think our friendship makes both our bands better. We’re definitely tight with a number of other bands but I think what we have together makes us really special.

Q9. What is on the horizon for pulses. in 2024?

Kevin: More music for sure; don’t think it’ll be another album but some little treat releases. More show dates, hopefully in new places and returning to some banger cities. More twitter shenanigans, I’m sure. Just more pulses. overall; we have no plans on slowing down our presence.

WITH SAILS AHEAD

Answered by Sierra Binondo

Q1. Could you please provide some background information on the band for readers who may not be familiar with you?

Our band With Sails Ahead is a post-hardcore band from New Jersey. We’ve been playing music and touring together since 2017. Our influences range from math rock to progressive metal. Our guitarist Josef Warner-Reyes self produced and engineered our upcoming album ‘Infinite Void’, from which we’ve now released two singles, “Darting Eyes” and now “Swear Words”.

Q2. What made you want to pursue making music?

We all grew up loving guitar-driven music very much and playing in bands. For me personally, I knew I wanted to play in bands when I heard VersaEmerge for the first time in 2009. My bandmates absolutely love prog rock like Rush and Karnivool, or metal like Avenged Sevenfold.

Q3. What are some of the band’s primary influences?

Our #1 primary influence and our namesake is Lower Definition. So we'll always tie our work back to that group. I wanted to start With Sails Ahead because of that band. But we would also say Chon, Protest the Hero, and Tricot.

Q4. How would you say the sound of the band or even yourselves personally and/or professionally have evolved since you started the band?

Our sound has morphed pretty drastically over the years. At the very beginning, when we didn't have the line-up we have now, it was very metalcore/melodic-hardcore inspired. Once we solidified our current line-up, that's when we started to develop the proggier side of our music. That part of our sound will always remain, but people are going to hear a wide spectrum of what we can do on ‘Infinite Void’, and we’re hoping to explore all of those sounds moving forward. When it comes to songwriting, Josef has written the bulk of our material, but now we’re shifting into a more evenly collaborative dynamic. Now, one of us will finish an idea or the skeleton of a song idea, and then the five of us will each add our own parts to it.

Q5. What are your ambitions for the band?

We want to tour internationally and make records together for a living, or for as long as we can. It has always been our vision, but we are self-funding everything we do, so when you balance that with cost of living expenses it feels like an unattainable goal. We want to make EPs, LPs, collaborate with friends, see the world, have our music in shows and video games we love— the sky’s the limit.

Q6. Talk to us about the recent single “Swear Words”—what’s it about, what can listeners who haven’t heard it expect, etc.?

“Swear Words” is a more melodic follow-up to our single “Darting Eyes”. It still has memorable guitar parts, but it’s a lot more pulled back than the songs we’ve released in the last three years. I started the song idea but once I got most of the song down, my bandmates helped me finish it and clean it up. It’s shamelessly a very Lower Definition-inspired track, but it’s also very pop-inspired. I wrote the lyrics three years ago about someone that I was in love with for a very long time. I have had very bad anxiety my entire life. So it was a tribute to him; how he loved me even though I was a chronic worrier. He constantly had to talk me off of a ledge whenever something went wrong. And I just wanted him to know it didn’t go unnoticed.

Q7. I read on your website you have a full-length planned for the spring of this year. What can you tell us about that without spoiling anything?

‘Infinite Void’ is our first full-length ever, and it has 13 songs. We tracked the entire record in Josef’s bedroom, save for a few reamping sessions elsewhere. We had August Axcelson (Freeze MF, ASkySoBlack, Kaonashi, Regrown) mix and Kris Crummett (Hail the Sun, Issues, Lower Definition) master it. It has features by our friends pulses. and our friend Kevin from the band Poeta. Every track sounds like a With Sails Ahead song, but they’re all totally unique from one another.

The common thread throughout the record’s lyrics is facing the “infinite void” that is our uncertain futures and the personal journey that you experience as a result. We’re all living in such a weird (I’d personally say terrible) timeline and tomorrow is neither certain nor promised. Still, we wake up each day and face it.

It took us so long to get this record done and it feels so good to finally be able to openly talk about it.

Q8. Should we be looking for a tour in support of that record?

1000%. We're going out this May with a band we have not toured with yet. We’re coming back to cities we love to play (Orlando, Nashville, all of Texas) and hitting some places we’ve never played before, too. After that run, we’re hoping to play as many shows as possible.

Q9. Speaking of tours, what are some of the most memorable shows or tours you’ve been a part of?

We have a recurring tour that we do with our best friends pulses. called Woodland Creatures. All of those runs have been incredible and memorable; it’s really hard to just pick one, but I think a huge Life Moment for all of us happened on WC3. The final show was with I Met a Yeti, Letters to Part and Holodeck at Will’s Pub in Orlando, which has become like a home away from home for all of us. We learned that there were so many people there to see the show that the line to get in was wrapped around the block. We’ve been touring with pulses. since 2019, so that was such an insane and validating experience.

Q10. Several years ago (actually an uncomfortably long time ago at this point is probably a better way to put it haha) a friend and I drove down to Asbury Park from Maine in a blizzard to see the Bouncing Souls and the World/Inferno Friendship Society at a venue whose name escapes me (I think it was by the beach). In talking to a few people after the show, the general sentiment was the local scene was pretty vibrant for not just punk but for alternative music in general. What’s the scene like these days?

That’s awesome! To be completely honest, the Asbury music scene is not what it was. Several venues have shut down, meanwhile the town is being overdeveloped with ugly condos and high rises. It feels like there's virtually no support for music to thrive. I think there are three venues left that are actually booking local artists. A lot of people have given up on trying to actively gig in Asbury, but hopefully something can change. I heard a rumor that a venue is opening up on Cookman Ave in an old gym so, fingers crossed. Shoutout to Salty’s Beach Bar, which is a venue in a town over called Belmar, which has really opened up to the community and become the new spot for shows across multiple genres.

Q11. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions! Any parting words for our readers?

Thank you for reading this interview! Please support our band in this upcoming album release, anything helps. Pre-order ‘Infinite Void’ if you can, but if you can’t, literally just interacting with us on social media and posting our music helps us an incredible amount. We hope you’ll look forward to all of the new music we’re dropping this year and that we’ll see you at a show!

Stream "Swear Words": https://withsailsahead.ffm.to/swearwords

Pre-save 'Infinite Void': https://withsailsahead.ffm.to/infinitevoid

Pre-order 'Infinite Void': https://withsailsahead.com/merch

BONES OF MINERVA

Photograph Credit: Tumulus Design

Q1. For readers who may not be familiar with the band, could you please provide some background on yourselves—where you’re from, when you formed, etc.?

We are a Spanish band formed by Eustaquia (singer), Ruth (guitar), Nerea (drums) and Chloé (bass). Our music is kind of like a chimera in that it has a lot of different elements to it (metal, progressive, alternative..), we just like to do whatever sounds good to us. We started playing together as teenagers around 2013 in Eustaquia’s basement (which was really fun) and in 2016 we recorded our first album, Blue Mountains (2017, La Rubia Producciones/ Nooirax). We are really grateful for the repercussion it had because we managed to play in the big festivals here in Spain like Download Fest Madrid and Resurrection Fest, and toured a lot over here. When the pandemic started we had to stop touring, so we could finally concentrate on writing our second album, Embers (2022, Aloud Music/La Rubia Producciones).

Q2. What made you want to form a band and pursue it in the manner that you have?

Ruth, Eustaquia and I (Chloé) have been friends since we were kids and always enjoyed similar music and wanted to have a band together and tour. We’ve always made music our priority and consider it our main job, although we all have side jobs to support ourselves. We all (including Nerea) are very lucky because we have very musical and supportive families and we could spend time learning how to play instruments and such.

Q3. What are some of your main influences?

Our influences have varied since we started the band, but Tool is one of the ones that have stayed with us since the beginning. Deftones, Mastodon or Gojira for example have influenced our music and other artists such as Florence and the Machine have influenced the vocals.

Q4. Your artwork—your albums’ cover art for example—is exceptional. Who is responsible for the concept and execution?

Thank you very much! We are really proud of the artwork of the band. Eustaquia and Ruth are both trained artists, Eustaquia is a tattoo artist and Ruth is an illustrator and comic colourist, and they’re responsible for all the art that we have in Bones, the covers and most of our T-shirt designs. They work a lot to be able to illustrate all that the band means to us in images and art. Although sometimes we like to take some work off their shoulders and work with other amazing artists like Rita Booh, Natalia Velarde or Álvaro Cubero.

Q5. You recently released “Sky.” Can you walk us through it a little bit—the themes you explore, the sound of it, etc.?

We’re currently working on writing our next album and are very excited! We wrote Sky because we wanted to release a song before the tour we had in October supporting Svalbard, so we got in the studio and recorded it very quickly. It was a very fun process; we mixed a lot of ideas and are very happy with how it turned out. We don’t know right now exactly how the new album is going to sound but we’re really excited with the writing process. 

We released our last album Embers in 2022 and it’s an album where we explored different subjects and we kind of consolidated our sound and the type of songs that we wanted to write moving forward. In this album there are more atmospheric songs, more metal-y ones and more progressive ones. Some of the songs of that album were recorded during lockdown in 2020 so there’s that at-home-locked aspect where you use day to day elements to get inspired, like Merula, which started from a birds’ song. Other songs are about grief and loss, and some are about hope and fighting for what you want and never giving up. A mix of everything haha, but in the end that’s what Bones of Minerva is, we all bring different and personal aspects to the music.

Q6. What was the writing and recording process for that album like?

Embers had a different writing process because we wrote almost all of it during the pandemic. Ruth, Eustaquia and I (Chloé) were roommates at the time so we could get together to play and write music, but Nerea was living in a different province so even when the lockdown ended, restrictions meant the four of us couldn’t rehearse together and write new music in person. We'd write a basic "skeleton" of a song and share it over Telegram with the others so everyone could chip in and bring their own elements to the song. Some songs were written completely by one person, others started as a riff and everyone contributed parts of it… We didn’t really have just one way to do things. It was intense but very interesting and we had to think more about each song and what we brought to the table to make life easier for the others. 

We recorded it at Metropol Studios here in Madrid and we decided with our producer, Alex Cappa, to record it live. All of us except Eustaquia were in one big room, and she was in a smaller room next to us separated by a glass window. It was basically like we were playing together in our rehearsal space. It was a very interesting and enriching experience but it was also very demanding. You want to play your part perfectly, but you also have to listen to your bandmates and pay attention to them. You see them looking at you and everyone is focused on their own playing but also on listening to the others and supporting them when everything gets too overwhelming.

Q7. How has your sound and your approach to the band changed since you began?

I would say that we’re more mature now; we know what we want and how we want it. We’ve found our sound and even if we like to have outside opinions, we’re the masters of our band and our sound and that’s never going to change.

Q8. What are some of the most memorable shows or festivals you’ve played or tours you’ve been a part of?

Last summer we played at ArcTanGent and it was a dream come true! It was amazing, we got to play at one of our favorite festivals and got to meet a lot of amazing people. It was part of a tour in the UK for 10 days which was really intense but so cool. And then, thanks to playing in the festival, we met our current booker and went on tour supporting Svalbard in Germany and France and it was so awesome. We enjoyed it a lot and we have learned a lot too.

I (Chloé) personally would say that playing Resurrection Fest in 2019 was the moment where I finally realized that this was going the right way and we were achieving all that we had worked so hard for. It was also the first big festival where I went as a teenager (with Ruth and Eustaquia too haha) so being able to play on a stage that I had known for almost 9 years at that time was amazing.

Q9. What are some of the future plans of and/or directions you’d like to take for Bones of Minerva?

We’re currently working on our next album (hopefully it will be out later this year!) and we will be touring in Spain and Europe this spring. We can’t wait to go back to the UK and hopefully play in many new places.

SHOTS FIRED

Q1. Could you please provide some background on the band for our readers—where you’re from, when you formed, etc.?
About a decade ago, a rock and pop academy near Antwerp (Belgium) launched a band-coaching endeavor with the goal of bringing together four to five musicians united by their love for rock music. Within a year, our band took shape, initially with a completely different lineup, with only founder Eric (rhythm guitar) remaining from those early days. At the start, we delved into rock cover songs, but our band coach soon encouraged us in crafting our own lyrics and melodies. Over the years, amidst changes in band members, and the tumult of events like the pandemic and reboots, the latest version of Shots Fired emerged. This is the climax of what Shots Fired was always meant to sound like! 
After some detours, Jon (guitar) and Eddy (bass) joined the band pretty much during the pandemic. Each with their unique input that lifted the level again. And Nieke has been our frontlady since early 2023. She adds extra colour to that unique Shots Fired sound. Our drummer Eric (yes, another Eric😃 ) also joined us in early 2023 and we have been unstoppable ever since. This is where Shots Fired should always have been. 

Q2. What made you want to pursue making music?
The indescribable passion we share for music ignites something magical when we take the stage together. From the very first notes in our new band formation, we felt it. Our energy resonates with audiences, provoking super cool reactions wherever we go. While making music is a personal journey, driven by the need to release the creative energy within, sharing it with an audience elevates it to an incredible passion. Those goosebump-inducing moments when people groove to our sounds, sing along with the lyrics, or approach us afterward to express their gratitude... they're simply heavenly.
Our original frontwoman wrote our debut track "New Life," a song that we still play live to this day. Eric fondly recalls the magical moment when her lyrics seamlessly melded with his music for the first time. This synergy sparked inspiration for further songwriting, leading to the creation of "Dark Road," although in a different style from its current version. Today, our songwriting process is more collaborative, with each member bringing their unique influences, styles, and emphases to the table. While Eric still has a huge part in the lyrical aspect, our creative journey has evolved into a collective endeavor.

Q3. What are some of the influences on Shots Fired’s sound?
Our distinctive sound is a product of our diverse influences in rock music, each member bringing their unique style of playing to gigs and reheasals. When we collaborate on a song, everyone contributes what they feel, and together we refine the sound until each member is satisfied with their contribution. You could say we are a mixture of grunge, rock with some punk spice. Garbage meets Pretty Reckless and Hole. 

Q4. You have some new music—tell us about that!
In January, we unveiled our debut single to the world: "Girl Down". Towards the end of last year, we went into the studio with Frank Rotthier, a seasoned sound engineer well-known in our region. With his expertise, he skillfully captured our distinctive sound and offered invaluable producer insights along the way.
"Girl Down" often kicks off our set, brimming with vibrant energy despite its darker undertones, addressing resilience in the face of adversity. It’s a theme you’ll often find in our songs. The human resilience and skill at crawling out of the deepest valleys by yourself. 
Our next single, "Dark Road", is set to drop on February 14th, followed by "Unbreakable" on March 13th. Please do pre-save them ;-) via www.linktr.ee/ShotsFiredAntwerp 

Q5. You recently played a live set for Radio Benelux—what was that like and how did that come about?
Our close friend, Evy Wilbers, hosts her own program on Radio Benelux called "The Belgian/Dutch Rockumentary," where she exclusively features songs by Belgian and Dutch rock and metal bands. Around six years ago, Evy attended one of our early shows and immediately sensed the potential of Shots Fired. She continued to follow our journey, and last year, she extended an invitation for a live performance and interview on Radio Benelux. Listening to the interview, it's clear that we had an incredible time sharing our story with her audience.

Q6. What would you say is the most challenging part of being in a band and what is the most rewarding?
The greatest challenge lies in crafting songs that set Shots Fired apart from other bands, cultivating our unique style and sound. As we've grown closer as friends, there's nothing more fulfilling than taking the stage together, showcasing our music. The process of writing new material collaboratively and witnessing a song evolve into its final form is an incredibly rewarding experience for all of us.

Q7. What’s on the horizon for Shots Fired—more new music, shows, etc.? 
The future looks better than ever for Shots Fired. For instance, we will soon play at a two-day festival on 'female violence day' together with big names like COBRASPELL and GIRLSCHOOL. They are all role models for us. Sharing the stage with such legends is a dream come true! Bookings are going very well, we will be releasing more of our recordings during the year, and we are working on some new stuff. Soon we will announce another important festival. And hopefully, by the summer of 2024, we can also play at the typical Belgian one-day festivals. Or, who knows, even across Europe. 
So people will learn more about our music, and hopefully we will see them at our shows.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0fenMm1qjckngHbRSkYQVW?si=dQsfQ8LKRm-C_GF4lO5Yaw 
Pre-save links:
DARK ROAD (release 14th feb): https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/shotsfired4/dark-road 
UNBREAKABLE:  (release 13th mar): https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/shotsfired4/unbreakable 

SHORELINE

Answered by Hansol Seung

Q1. Can you please provide for our readers who may not be familiar with you a little background on the band—where you’re from, when you formed, etc.?

We’re a four piece band from Münster, Germany and we formed late 2015 / played our first show in 2016. Shoreline are deeply rooted in the DIY punk and hardcore scene of Germany, we spent a good amount of our early twenties playing squats, house shows and record stores all across Europe/UK.

Q2. How did the band come together and what made you want to really pursue it in the way that you have?

All of us played in other bands before we formed SHORELINE, but it was the first time when everyone was on the same page musically and equally invested. All we wanted to do is tour as much as possible. We even did a full Europe and UK Tour when we just had two shitty demos out on youtube (nowhere else and that was 2016 haha). Christoph (who is playing bass) joined the band 3 years ago, when our old bassist decided to quit. We just take it from release to release to be honest, thankfully more and more people seem to be into it every time, so we just keep going and try to see how far we can take it.  

Q3. What would you say are the band’s influences?

When we started, we were heavily influenced by punk of the 2000s and late 90s, everything from Fat Wreck to Epitaph, especially Strike Anywhere, The Flatliners etc.

That changed over time when we got more into emo and hardcore and that’s apparently where our band sits stylistically, so I’d say we’re now more inspired by bands such as Title Fight, Drug Church, Citizen. Julius and I, who are the main songwriters also listen to loads of rap and pop music, so those influences start appearing in our music in a more or less subtle way.

Q4. You have an album coming out in February via Pure Noise Records. How did making that your “label home” come about?

Our manager used to do a lot of PR for the label in Germany for a couple years, so they had a good relationship. It’s a pretty “boring” story from there haha, Jake liked the record, we had a couple calls and chats and we signed to the label. They’ve been really really good to us, everyone is very invested in the band and try to make good things happen for us, although we are one of the smallest acts on their roster.

Q5. What was the writing and recording process for the album like?

It was very different than usual for this record, because we recorded everything ourselves in our own studio that we’ve built during covid. Chris Teti (Silver Bullet Studios) co produced it per remote and he also mixed it. It was very challenging, going from recording our previous records in a professional studio to doing it ourselves was scary. I can honestly say that I think that this is our best sounding record so far and we are extremely proud that we were able to pull it off.

Q6. The song “Seoul,” which I believe is to appear on the record, is out now. Can you talk to us a little about what that song is about?

Thanks for asking about this one, it’s one of my favourites of the record!
I am talking about my experiences as a German-Asian. We started talking about this on the last record already (GROWTH 2022, End Hits Records), but the approach was a very different one. It’s much more introspective and realizing what my cultural heritage is, trying to unlearn internalized stereotypes that I did not reflect before and connecting with other Asian kids, trying to enter and create a community.

Q7. What are some of the near future plans for Shoreline?

We’ll tour a bunch this year, we got 4 tours confirmed alone for the first half of 2024. A goal would be touring more outside of Europe, let’s see how that works out.

TORPOR

Answered by Simon Mason

Q1. If you would, please provide some context for readers who may not be familiar with you—where you’re from, when you formed, your sound, etc.

Hi there! We’re TORPOR from Bristol & Wales in the UK. We formed in 2012 and we play music that reflects our combined influences & artistic ventures, which seems to come out as an amalgam of doom/ sludge & post metal.

Q2. I first got into doom and post-metal in the mid-2000s with bands that were local to me in Maine in Ocean and Conifer and some of the much more well-known acts like Pelican, and sludge and post-rock around the same time. This is not “easy” music. I’m curious as to what drew you to the “slow-burn”: What were your entry points and what are some of Torpor’s influences?

We’re from a similar age group, so we were all listening to the bands you listed as well as ISIS and Neurosis at that time as well as Will Haven, Torche & Floor.  Mono played a part in our lives as well as the post hardcore scene of the time Planes Mistaken for Stars & These Arms are Snakes being a big part of that for both myself and Lauren. There’s a lot of trip-hop in our early influences (Portishead & Massive Attack etc.) as well. We’re all drawn to good riffs and hooks. songs that resonate on a personal level and speak to our soul. So I guess the answer to your question is that we find parity and a deep connection to slower, drawn out songs. Music with grit and a sense that you can feel the music rather than something that is consumed in a shuffled playlist.

Q3. What made you want to pursue making music?

This is an interesting question. If I really dig down into it, I would say that it was the sense of community that drew me to becoming a musician. Hanging out with people, improving your craft and spending time in the practice room used to be an escape from a fairly complicated and messy life in the early years for me. These days, the community aspect is the primary driver.

Q4. Your album Abscission came out a few months ago—talk to us about the record’s sound, theme(s), and what you were seeking to convey.

The album grew from a place of personal loss and disappearance, and became an exploration of the different spaces opening up within us. Our main guiding principle through the writing and recording was the idea of this psychological journey, and how through our individual processes of meditation, contemplation and catharsis, loss and identity are transformed. We've always worked by allowing our experiences to converge into something new - Abscission is our collective dialogue of rupture and renewal.

Abscission refers to the natural cycle of trees shedding their leaves from Autumn into Winter. Specifically, the process of cutting off and letting go; part of the cycle of maturity and renewal which is reflected sonically and structurally by the flow of the five slow-burning meditations that make up this record. To quote Katherine May in ‘Wintering’, "The tree is waiting. It has everything ready... It is far from dead. It will not burst into life in the spring. It will just put on a new coat and face the world again."

Q5. I read on your Bandcamp that a percentage of the proceeds of the record would be going to a mental health charity. Could you tell us a little about how this came about, about the charity itself, and why this is so important to you?

Honestly, we have all struggled with our mental health for our own personal reasons. These experiences have forced us to reflect on our existence and made change and self exploration completely necessary. Society in its current form is hostile to existence. We're all made to feel as though anxiety or depression are abnormal reactions to being asked to cope with the endless battles we all fight on a daily basis. The charity we chose is called Second Step who are a Bristol based mental health charity who provide essential community support and we feel they are best placed to receive the funds we hope to raise from sales.

Q6. How would you say Torpor has evolved—musically and/or yourselves personally—since you began?

Well we are all 11 years older than we were when we first started out. So that’s an obvious one. I feel as though over the four releases the biggest change was between the first album (From Nothing, Comes Everything) to the split EP we did with Sonance (RIP). We were always getting darker in our sound, the vocalist we had on that first release added their influence to our sound, but after they left we just went forward and found ourselves where we are today. Evolution and incremental improvement is what life is all about. Abscission is reflective of that.

Q7. What does the future hold for Torpor?

We are playing Cvlt Fest (UK) in February, Roadburn Festival (NL) in April, Doom Lines Festival (UK) in July, ArcTanGent Festival (UK) in August and hoping to arrange a tour of Europe & Scandinavia which we are currently working on. We hope to add a few more festivals to that list as well. So if anyone reading this is around for any of the above hopefully we see you soon!

BODY PRISON

Q1. Can you provide some background on the band for our readers who aren’t familiar with you? Where you’re from, when you formed, that sort of thing?

We're based out of Melbourne, Australia, although our drummer Frankie is from Sardinia. The band came together around mid 2022, I (Tom) reached out to our vocalist (Dmac) with a handful of songs I had written over the months since finishing up with my last project. After that I hit up our now bassist (Nick) to be our 2nd guitarist but he opted to fill the shoes on bass instead, Nick also put us in touch with a killer drummer (Frankie) and before we knew it our lineup was sorted.

Q2. What are some of the primary influences on Body Prison’s sound?

Honestly we all have relatively differing tastes in music, with a large common ground in the deathcore/deathmetal genres. Bands like Humanity's Last Breath, Cattle Decapitation, Anaal Nathrakh, Full Of Hell, Frontierer and Tony Tapdance Extravaganza cover a large spread of the musical influence and we let Dmac do his thing on vocals!

Q3. You recently released your debut full-length UNTIL MADNESS. What was the writing and recording process like?

Until Madness came together pretty naturally, by the time we had played our first show in April of 2023 over 75% of the record was complete! Generally our writing process is started off by me writing in the studio, developing ideas before bringing them to the guys. Although tracks like Rumination and a few unreleased new ones the guys had given me writing prompts of themes/ideas and I'd put my own interpretation on them!

Q4. Can you walk us through the record a little? What are some of what you’d identify as highlights? Are there thematic through-lines, things you were looking to express or communicate?

Lyrically Dmac has made this record rather personal to his own struggles, touching on the subjects of mental health, grief, anger, and using the music to try and release those emotions. Musically some of the tracks are quite claustrophobic in their pacing (eg; Tunnel Vision and Until Madness) where we tried to keep the unrelenting vibe going for as long as possible before a brief moment to drop the tension. Tracks like Dysmorphia are more of a melodic side of the band, which we're exploring further in new material!

Q5. There are a number of remixes at the end of the record. Tell us about those.

The remixes were done by our friend Daniel Barnett (AILL), who previously played in a band with Nick. Nick reached out to Dan one day asking if he'd be keen on doing a remix of Dogma, which quickly turned into Dan remixing 4 tracks. We let Dan take the wheel with the remixes and he came back delivering the goods!

Q6. What makes a great breakdown?

Sick fight riffs, massive bassdrops, pitch shifting guitars down to indecipherable nonsense tunings and ringy snares. 

Q7. Who would you say are the “Big Four” of Australian metal?

Currently or in the past?

Current; Parkway Drive, Polaris, Alpha Wolf and Make Them Suffer

Past; Red Shore x4

Q8. What’s on the horizon for Body Prison? Shows, tours, etc.?

We're keeping our heads down and have been writing a bunch of new music to hopefully release over the course of 2024. As far as shows go we have a couple booked already and are keen as to get touring when the time is right!

BLIGHT TOWN

Q1. For readers who may not be familiar with you, could you please provide a little background on the band—where you’re from, when you formed, etc.? How did the band come together and what made you want to really pursue it in the way that you have?

Sure thing! We’re from Nottingham and we formed about 4 years ago, but more like 3 considering our first year was during the pandemic. Jake, Sam, Will and Scott have been playing music together casually since they were like 16, but never actually formed a band together until our previous projects all kind of broke up at the same time and we just kind of went; “Well, guess we have no excuse now.” We picked up Joe shortly later and that’s where we’re at now!

Q2. How would you describe Blight Town’s sound? What are some of the band’s primary influences?

We like progression, technicality and catchy song writing. It’s rare for us to stick to one sound for long, even during a single song. We’re a very mixed bag but some shared favourites are Deftones, Circa Survive, The Fall of Troy, Say Anything and Tera Melos.

Q3. You recently released the single “Pipe Dream.” Talk to us about the sound, the video, and the song’s meaning.

Pipe Dream is probably our poppiest song to date, it actually has repeating sections! The song is about how demoralising the music industry can be from the perspective of a musician and how it can really eat away at your resolve, but that ultimately we do what we do for the simple fact that we love doing it.

Q4. Can you walk us through the contents of your most recent prior release in 2022’s It Lives…? What was the focus of that particular set of songs?

Sure. Our first EP was super technical and progressive and after that we felt like we wanted to write with more of a focus on traditional songwriting. Love that first release but the tracks on “It Lives…” feel more like “songs” if that makes sense?

Q5. How would you say the band has evolved from its beginnings to now?

We are definitely more of a collaborative effort now. There was a point where Sam would write pretty much all of the song structures and Jake would write all of the lyrics. Our recent stuff Joe has written some guitar for and Sam and Will both have some lead vocals parts! I think we’re all a little longer in the tooth now too and a little more understanding of how this being in a band thing works.

Q6. What are some things going on in the near future for the band (releases, shows, etc)?

We have a tour coming up this February with the amazing Blue Eyed Giants and some more shows with some really special guests later in the year. As for new music, it might be coming sooner than you think…

Q7. Is there a vision for the band’s future or some longer-term goals you are aiming for?

To be honest, we feel so grateful that our music seems to mean something to people, we started this band because we’re weirdos playing weirdo music and to see other people getting behind it means the world. We want to take that to as many people as possible and hopefully they love our music as much as we love writing it.

GUILT TRIP

Q1. Can you give our readers a little background on yourself and the band: where you’re from, your sound, your mission, any other context for those perhaps unfamiliar with you?

I’m Tom, Guilt Trip’s drummer. I’m from a town just outside of Manchester called Macclesfield, the rest of the band are from areas scattered around Manchester and  north of England.

Our sound is technically Crossover/Metallic Hardcore but we believe our sound ranges from a lot of different areas of Metal music , we just try and create music we enjoy listening to. When writing, we aim to experience the same excitement we felt hearing our favourite bands for the first time when we were younger.

Q2. What would you say are some of the primary influences on Guilt Trip’s sound and aesthetic?

Our sound is influenced by a large amount of different types of music but our main influences in metal/hardcore would be bands like Metallica (of course), Machine Head, Linkin Park, Hatebreed, Merauder.

As far as aesthetic goes, we just try and be ourselves. Authenticity is key for us, we have to just be who we are.

Q3. What made you want to start a band and just “go for it” (live the life of touring, recording, investing yourself in Guilt Trip and taking it to the next level)?

I think I can speak for everyone when I say that it’s the only thing we’ve ever wanted to do in life. For as far as I can remember it’s the only thing I’ve ever aspired for is to be in a band and tour etc, it’s the same for all of us. When you have a group of people that have those real aspirations it feels a lot more realistic to reach those heights.

Q4. Your latest full-length Severance dropped at the end of September. For those who haven’t listened yet—what are you waiting for!?—what can they expect to encounter?

It’s heavy.

Q5. Is there an over-arching theme you wanted to communicate on the record or a vision or direction you wanted to take it as you were writing and recording? What was the recording process like? The album sounds really good—it’s crisp and punchy but it’s still got that “sandpaper” (roughness).

We never really went to a deep thought about what we wanted it to sound like as a whole. It was a case of just writing the best 12 track record we could but staying true to the band’s sound. There were a few new sounds thrown in there but nothing that didn’t feel like Guilt trip.

The recording process was great. Our producer Robin Adams has always been a pleasure to work with. He’s always incredibly helpful throughout the process of recording.

Q6. I’m really intrigued by the album art. Who did it and what is the significance behind it?

Andrei Bouzikov, we just thought some form of physical battle between good and evil. He killed it.

Q7. What makes a good breakdown?

The Lead up to it and deliverance. Make sure the tempo is right for the riff.

Q8. “Sanctified” features Mike from Lower Than Atlantis. How did that come about? For those readers who don’t know, Lower Than Atlantis actually started out playing heavy music on the phenomenal Bretton. That was the era of bands like Don Broco doing their metalcore-ish thing, too, with “Thug Workout.” Is Mike/are they still plugged in to the hardcore/heavy music scene?

I think he rated us so we dropped him a message and he said yeah.

Q9. There are other great features on the record, too. How did those come about?

Same thing as the last answer really, the track with our mates from Malevolence and Rough Justice was especially easy as everyone is from the same area and label etc.

Q10. What are some of the best/most memorable shows you’ve played or tours you’ve been on?

Bloodstock Festival, Hellfest, our first European Headline tour, Malevolence tour we’ve just come back from were all were very memorable.

The London show on the Malev tour a couple of months ago was definitely a contender for our best show in my opinion.

Q11. What does the near future hold for Guilt Trip (tours, festivals, etc)?

We’re going to be busy this year with touring along with festivals in the summer but we plan to try and spend any spare time in-between to continue writing, we’re very excited to get started on the next project.

EBONIE (METAL & COFFEE)

Q1. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions! For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you talk about what you do and what kind of content you create?

Hey! It’s nice to meet you! I’m Ebonie (aka Metal & Coffee) and I openly share my opinions of new metal music whether it be through posting a picture of a new vinyl record or making a short video about it. I also like to share my interesting experiences of being both a minority and a metalhead. I’m active on Instagram, Tiktok & Twitch. And it’s been a great way to connect with other metalheads.

Q2. Can you share a little of your backstory and how you got into content creation? What made you decide to take the brave step forward and put yourself out there in the public eye?

My interest in music and being really vocal about it has always been a part of my core. Ever since I was a teenager, my immediate family knew me as “the music nerd”. They would tell me about a new band that I might like and I’d already know who they were. But I didn’t start putting myself out into the world until I became a radio DJ at my college radio station. I started posting my playlists online in 2007. Interviewed a few bands here and there. But I didn’t find my stride until 2015 where I created Metal & Coffee. It was at that point where I let myself just be my whole self and really enjoy the content that I was putting out there.

Q3. What would you say is most exciting and/or gratifying about doing Metal and Coffee?

The most gratifying part about it is forming connections you wouldn’t expect to. Openly sharing my love for music has attracted others who are just as passionate as I am. I can honestly say that I have genuine connections all over the metal world at this point and it’s so refreshing!

Q4. Which artists were most influential for you in shaping your taste or even who you are today?

During my main discovery phase where I was exploring the depths of heavy music, there were a set of core bands that truly ignited my passion for specific genres.
Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Kyuss are the reason I love all things grunge and stoner.
Sleep and Earthless are the reason for my love of dangerously long psychedelic compositions.
Cave In, Glassjaw, These Arms are Snakes and Refused are why I consistently dabble in hardcore.
And Cult of Luna, Opeth and Porcupine Tree are why I favor progressive and post metal.
Those tend to be the genres I focus on when I’m reviewing music.

Q5. Ignoring the obvious logistical issues with how you’d actually listen to them, for the sake of the exercise, if you were stranded on a desert island and could only have five albums with you, what would they be and why?

Opeth “Damnation” for the times where I need to contemplate my future.

Refused “The Shape of Punk To Come” for my moshing needs.

The Ocean “Pelagial” as a general soundtrack for my desert island escapades.

Roosevelt “S/T” for my solo dance parties.

Sufjan Stevens “Illinois” for all the conversations I’ll be having with the first inanimate object I find interesting. And I’ll probably name it “Rain”.

Q6. What kinds of things do you have on the horizon for the Metal and Coffee project, or for yourself—if you distinguish between the two—in the music space?

One of my goals in the new year is to improve the overall quality of my short form reviews which will include improving my filming setup and video editing skills. But I’ll also be putting a lot of focus into my YouTube channel and doing metal music reactions on my currently stagnant channel.

Q7. Are there some new directions you are eager to take or foresee yourself taking in this space?

Well I previously mentioned diving into creating reactions to new metal releases. So I’m really excited about that. But I also hope to explore interviewing bands though I haven’t fully brainstormed how I would execute that in a unique way.

Q8. Lastly, as we look back on 2023, can you close us out with some songs, albums, and/or artists that stood out to you as real highlights of the year that was?

I actually just did a recap of my Top 10 albums of 2023! And some of the bands included were Entheos, Horrendous, Witching and Empire State Bastard. You can check out my Instagram or Tiktok for the complete list but all of those releases are some of the best of 2023.

BODYWEB

Answered by Louis Hardy

Q1. For our readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you please provide some background on the band: where you’re from, when and how you formed, etc.

Bodyweb is a Leeds based band of 4 people. None of us are actually from Leeds but we've all been here for some years now playing in various bands for the past decade. The idea of the band was sparked from a combination of some unusual factors - Me leaving Higher Power for a while and having a thirst for something new, the desire to tell a story with words more than strings, and a lot of personal experiences. Primarily - it was me unravelling mentally and trying to document a lot of it through sound. I didn't realise at the time but I was essentially writing songs to help me make sense of what I was going through in my own life. 

Ben and I developed and created the record together and then my close friend Pete Jones from Nihiloxica came in at the end to lay down some more electronic stuff. We jammed with a few different bass players and I'd tried to find a guitar player I trusted for ages but ultimately decided to play guitar myself. Ethan joined at the end. We play in Higher Power together so it was easy to bring him in as the chemistry was already there.

Q2. What are some of the influences on Bodyweb?

There's a lot to unpack I guess. A lot of heavy 2000's stuff obviously. Some Jungle and DNB: Source Direct, Metalheadz etc... I played guitar for Vein.FM on a tour the year prior and they introduced me to a lot of sick music that really inspired me but I'll keep that concealed. I listened to shit like xxxtentacion and Yung Lean even. Just anything that made me feel sad. I would listen to Diamanda Galas - 'Wild Women With Steak Knives' on repeat in a dark room over and over just to put myself in a fucked up headspace. I was just tryna consume sad and dark media of all forms. Anime, movies, opera, plays, anything really. It was less of a sonic thing and more of an emotional thing. Building a collage of feelings.

Q3. train_wreck_simulation was released by Northern Unrest—how did that relationship come about?

There's been a real tight link with Leeds and Scotland for tiiime. Those 2 scenes are like a big family. I love all the releases that they've put out already and I trust their creative vision. Ben Brodie is a mad man and we have a real similar work ethic and mentality so I felt quite understood by him. When the record was nearly finished I approached them and they were super down. I couldn't be more grateful that they liked it. It felt like asking someone out on a date and wondering if they were gonna say yes or not.

Q4. What can the listener who hasn’t listened to the EP expect, not just sonically but the themes you explore?

I think it would do the songs an injustice give the listener a list of potential side effects. Instead I would prescribe an open mind. Empty your head of any pre-conceived ideas. Open your spirit. Walk through the park or sit in your room, meditate if you have to. Make sure your mind is truly open then put it on and reeeally listen to it. Decide for yourself what you think it means and how it makes you feel. Hate it, love it, do whatever. Just decide for yourself.

Q5. Dream lineup: what artists would you most want to share the stage with that you have not had the opportunity to?

City Morgue, Loathe, Fleshwater, Show Me The Body, Yung Lean, even Bjork if she's down haha.

Q6. What are some of the best/most memorable shows and/or tours you’ve been a part of?

We just got off the back of a tour with Static Dress and World of Pleasure that was sick. Bristol was fucked, we'd just been to the Christmas market and eaten so much crazy shit and then got to stage just before we played all bloated and fucked up without warming up or anything and then jumped on stage and the whole room was going crazy. We'd never played there before so it was insane to get that kind of reaction. Shout out Bristol!

Q7. Who else in the scene should we be paying attention to?

I guess it depends which scene!

Hardcore - every single band that Northern Unrest is putting out

Metalcore - Killing Me Softly

Other - Carecharmer

All our other projects - Higher Power, Pest Control, Nihiloxica, Louis XO, Fate, Big Cheese, PQ etc...

Q8. What does the future hold for Bodyweb—shows/tours, new music, etc.?

Only the future knows what the future holds. If I could interview the future and ask it myself I would my brother. Hopefully something sick.

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.

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.