ROMAN TRAGEDY // Break Down The Bitter And The Sweet

Sydney’s alt-rock duo Roman Tragedy were brought together by fate, with frontwoman Maz and guitarist Josie meeting organically on multiple separate occasions, before finally deciding to start the two-piece ‘female fronted boyband.’

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“We met in a bookstore, then two days later we met again by chance. Josie said, ‘hey, you should join my band,’” tells Maz.

The talented ladies have just released their first studio recording, Bittersweet, a song primarily surrounding the feeling at the end of a relationship, and secondarily about Maz’s self-reflection at the end of a creative process.

“At face value, the song presents itself as that moment at the end of a relationship—whether it’s a friend or a partner, and it kind of speaks that moment of self-reflection when you say to yourself, ‘I had an amazing experience with this person and we made a lot of great memories together, but this person isn’t a part of my life anymore and I have to take that bad with the good.”

“I think in writing the song, I sought to reclaim the narrative that our relationships and experiences with people can only be bad or good, like we only give ourselves two options to look at,” says Maz.

You don’t need to go into a studio to create music, you don’t need an entire crew to make a film, you just need the drive to make it.
[ Maz ]

“In saying that, the song has come to change meaning to me over time since I first wrote it.”

“That first line, ‘I still think about you in my daydreams,’ was never written about a person in mind or anyone in particular, I think I was thinking about my own creative processes and how I find I have to put myself in a negative mental space in order to create. The daydream is the finished product we strive to create.”

“You don’t need to go into a studio to create music, you don’t need an entire crew to make a film, you just need the drive to make it. Create just for the sake of enjoying the process rather than the finished product.”

Roman Tragedy worked with acclaimed producer Chris Blancato (Northlane, Hellions) to bring their vision to life.

“He was great to work with and he respected what we came into record with and bring to life rather than wanting to change everything. We had a vision and he was able to perfectly encapsulate what we wanted.”

As for the future of the band, they’re one of many who have fallen victim to the aftermath of the Covid-19 restrictions involving upcoming tours. With lots of spare time on their hands, Roman Tragedy will be hunkering down and preparing some new music.

“We have about an EP’s worth of songs ready to be recorded, so fixing those up will be something to do in the meantime. We’re keen to practice some social distancing in the studio. Between all that we’re just going to keep writing in the meantime.”

Roman Tragedy’s single Bittersweet is available now worldwide.