Ahren Stringer - The Amity Affliction (03/07/2014)
The Amity Affliction have been leading the front of Australia’s metalcore scene for the last couple of years, following the success of their chart topping album Chasing Ghosts in 2012. Since this release, Amity have been touring prolifically around Australia and the world. We spoke to their bassist and clean vocalist Ahren Stringer about their new album.
Unlike their first album which was recorded without a producer in a short period of time, their latest album, Let the Ocean Take Me was a lot more refined. "This record was written over close to 8 months I'd say, up to a year. We flew out a good friend, Will Putney, from New Jersey, instead of going to America again, which we have done the last two albums. We just chilled out and did it all in Troy's studio. It was a really relaxed time, really just chill vibe. "
Will Putney being the producer, engineer and writer for many popular hardcore outfits including Northlane, Chiodos and Stray from the Path to name a few.
The ocean is a heavily anchored theme in lead vocalist/screamer Joel Birch's writing, Ahren boiled this down to where Joel lives in Brisbane.
"I live in Melbourne, but Joel, who writes all the lyrics, he lives on the Sunshine coast, so that's the main reason. I think the way he describes it is that the title of the album, Let The Ocean Take Me is about just how he feels a connection with the ocean. It kind of solves a lot of his problems, you know washes them away. Me, myself, I don't really like the beach."
The Amity Affliction have always had dark themes in their music, including suicide and death, but also hope and love.
"I've always got a vision of what I want an album to sound like. I guess I wanted it to be heavier. We always just want to get heavier and heavier and catchier and catchier and I think we definitely did that on this album. I also had been listening to a lot of 80's music like James Taylor and Steve Winwood and Cyndi Lauper and stuff like that and I really just think that shows on the record as well. It's got a real funky kind of 80's vibe, especially on some tracks."
Punk-rock, heavy metal and hardcore have all had their time in the spotlight of being “in” genre for the alternative rock-type. Recently, metal core has taken the lead with artists such as the Amity Affliction, Bring Me the Horizon and Northlane reaching mainstream popularity. With Ahren playing in Amity since 2003, I asked whether his music taste had changed since starting in the band:
"Yeah, true. I mean I don't really listen to a lot of stuff like us. It always changes, I do listen to everything from the extreme heavy metal like Cannibal Corpse and stuff like that, to 80's stuff and rap. Just into everything but probably the least amount of time I would listen to a band that sound similar to us."
Being on tour so much, where is the most memorable place they have played?
"The first thing that comes to mind is that in Paris we always play on this shitty little boat called the Batofar and it's just kind of docked in the river but when you get down there it's all shady and in the fucking sea. Which is pretty weird but I don't think they have a better place."
The Batofar sounds like an amazing venue and it actually holds 600 people. I asked Ahren whether he prefers playing or recording:
"I prefer recording. I think just the whole ... the rewarding feeling after creating something from nothing is probably one of the best feelings in the world to me."
Another project of Ahren's, the Lovecats, has a sound almost completely opposite to the Amity Affliction, with the name and sound inspired by the 80’s band the Cure.
"I don't know, I just wanted to make something different. I was listening to a lot of 80's stuff and dance music at the time and I just thought, I reckon I could have a crack at this and see what happens. Yeah it was fun for a bit."
Amity’s song Young Bloods was adapted into a new version by Australian rapper Illy. Ahren featured on the chorus.
"Well he (Illy) heard the track and I guess he thought that would be a great hook for one of his songs and he hit me up to do it and I was like, Yeah sure. Basically that's about it, but I did actually have to record it once more and then another time after that, because he kept changing to the beat."
Ryan Hyde
FRIDAY 29 AUGUST - RED HILL AUDITORIUM, PERTH LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.oztix.com.au / 1300 762 545
SATURDAY 30 AUGUST - THEBARTON THEATRE, ADELAIDE LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.venuetix.com.au / (08) 8225 8888
SUNDAY 31 AUGUST - FESTIVAL HALL, MELBOURNE LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.ticketmaster.com.au / 136 100
THURSDAY 4 SEPTEMBER - HORDERN PAVILION, SYDNEY LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.ticketek.com.au / 132 849
FRIDAY 5 SEPTEMBER - RIVERSTAGE, BRISBANE LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.ticketmaster.com.au / 136 100
Unlike their first album which was recorded without a producer in a short period of time, their latest album, Let the Ocean Take Me was a lot more refined. "This record was written over close to 8 months I'd say, up to a year. We flew out a good friend, Will Putney, from New Jersey, instead of going to America again, which we have done the last two albums. We just chilled out and did it all in Troy's studio. It was a really relaxed time, really just chill vibe. "
Will Putney being the producer, engineer and writer for many popular hardcore outfits including Northlane, Chiodos and Stray from the Path to name a few.
The ocean is a heavily anchored theme in lead vocalist/screamer Joel Birch's writing, Ahren boiled this down to where Joel lives in Brisbane.
"I live in Melbourne, but Joel, who writes all the lyrics, he lives on the Sunshine coast, so that's the main reason. I think the way he describes it is that the title of the album, Let The Ocean Take Me is about just how he feels a connection with the ocean. It kind of solves a lot of his problems, you know washes them away. Me, myself, I don't really like the beach."
The Amity Affliction have always had dark themes in their music, including suicide and death, but also hope and love.
"I've always got a vision of what I want an album to sound like. I guess I wanted it to be heavier. We always just want to get heavier and heavier and catchier and catchier and I think we definitely did that on this album. I also had been listening to a lot of 80's music like James Taylor and Steve Winwood and Cyndi Lauper and stuff like that and I really just think that shows on the record as well. It's got a real funky kind of 80's vibe, especially on some tracks."
Punk-rock, heavy metal and hardcore have all had their time in the spotlight of being “in” genre for the alternative rock-type. Recently, metal core has taken the lead with artists such as the Amity Affliction, Bring Me the Horizon and Northlane reaching mainstream popularity. With Ahren playing in Amity since 2003, I asked whether his music taste had changed since starting in the band:
"Yeah, true. I mean I don't really listen to a lot of stuff like us. It always changes, I do listen to everything from the extreme heavy metal like Cannibal Corpse and stuff like that, to 80's stuff and rap. Just into everything but probably the least amount of time I would listen to a band that sound similar to us."
Being on tour so much, where is the most memorable place they have played?
"The first thing that comes to mind is that in Paris we always play on this shitty little boat called the Batofar and it's just kind of docked in the river but when you get down there it's all shady and in the fucking sea. Which is pretty weird but I don't think they have a better place."
The Batofar sounds like an amazing venue and it actually holds 600 people. I asked Ahren whether he prefers playing or recording:
"I prefer recording. I think just the whole ... the rewarding feeling after creating something from nothing is probably one of the best feelings in the world to me."
Another project of Ahren's, the Lovecats, has a sound almost completely opposite to the Amity Affliction, with the name and sound inspired by the 80’s band the Cure.
"I don't know, I just wanted to make something different. I was listening to a lot of 80's stuff and dance music at the time and I just thought, I reckon I could have a crack at this and see what happens. Yeah it was fun for a bit."
Amity’s song Young Bloods was adapted into a new version by Australian rapper Illy. Ahren featured on the chorus.
"Well he (Illy) heard the track and I guess he thought that would be a great hook for one of his songs and he hit me up to do it and I was like, Yeah sure. Basically that's about it, but I did actually have to record it once more and then another time after that, because he kept changing to the beat."
Ryan Hyde
FRIDAY 29 AUGUST - RED HILL AUDITORIUM, PERTH LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.oztix.com.au / 1300 762 545
SATURDAY 30 AUGUST - THEBARTON THEATRE, ADELAIDE LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.venuetix.com.au / (08) 8225 8888
SUNDAY 31 AUGUST - FESTIVAL HALL, MELBOURNE LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.ticketmaster.com.au / 136 100
THURSDAY 4 SEPTEMBER - HORDERN PAVILION, SYDNEY LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.ticketek.com.au / 132 849
FRIDAY 5 SEPTEMBER - RIVERSTAGE, BRISBANE LIC/AA
Tickets available from http://www.ticketmaster.com.au / 136 100