virtues hysteria
Nov
02
6.39pm

SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND: VIRTUES // Question Everything


Times have been tough for everyone in the current COVID-19 pandemic; but while some choose to accept the new state of the world, Virtues won’t just sit back quietly.

MORE: GREG PUCIATO: Fear Is The Mind-Killer // iDKHOW: Retro Music For The Modern Era REVIEWS: MR BUNGLE: The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo // BRING ME THE HORIZON: POST HUMAN:SURVIVAL HORROR // ALPHA WOLF: a quiet place to die // MARILYN MANSON: We Are Chaos // iDKHOW: RAZZMATAZZ // PALLBEARER: Forgotten Days // LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES: No Eternity In Gold // VIRTUES: Double Think

The Brisbane metalcore act have comeback from their recent EP Nothing Grows with an aggressive and poignant new single born out of pandemic frustration, Double Think. As vocalist Wade Felsch explains, the message behind Double Think is an important one in these trying times.


pallbearer hysteria


“I feel that a lot of people in the common society tend to talk about how we lift each other up all the time and it’s, you know, compassion and love, unconditional support. I tend to have a different view, which is, it’s not really like that. Actions speak a lot louder than words. Current events in the world, with COVID, have really shined a light on that for me.

“I was recently reading George Orwell’s 1984 and it mirrored a lot of similarities for me, to the point where that’s all I could think about really. So, when we wrote this track, it just kinda *bleurgh* out of me, you know what I mean?”

Frustration with the current state of the world is no doubt something that Felsch isn’t alone in feeling, and according to Virtues guitarist Daniel Devitt, it’s a sentiment that’s echoed by the rest of the band.

“Wade I think just has an interesting way of vocalising that as well. I think the reason this band works so well is that we all share those common views and we agree on almost everything, and then Wade just kind of puts it in a way that I’m like, ‘That’s probably the most brutal way I could think of voicing an opinion.’”

However, the pandemic hasn’t only shaped the lyrics and the message behind this new Virtues track, but it’s also changed the way the band tackled writing the song.

“It’s an interesting track as well, just in terms of the writing process. Like usually, we all sort of do the parts separately, come together and then Wade writes vocals over the top and like, while the vocals were done in that manner as well, it was the first time that we just sat around as a group and wrote a song while we were just in a room together …

This world that we live in, it’s not as we think it is, you know. There’s a lot of things that just aren’t right, and people should be questioning those things.
[ Wade Felsch ]

“It was a difficult time, because we couldn’t practice. You know, there was a lot of frustration I think, going through, the country, the music industry, the band, and that really I think inspired Wade lyrically to write something that’s pretty confronting, I think for a lot of people,” says Devitt.

While the boys managed to channel this frustration into something positive with Double Think, the early days of the pandemic had a more negative impact on the band, cancelling a lot of what they thought their 2020 was going to look like.

“I feel like it personally took the steam, like just sucked it right out the room, you know? And I’m not saying we were fucking kicking major, major goals or nothing, but we went from gigging very regularly and writing and practicing twice a week, to not being able to see each other and trying to accomplish any of that over like Skype or Zoom. I mean, we gave it a red hot go and we stuck at it, but it was slow going,” says Felsch.

“The not gigging was a huge issue for us, because we just had a really good, last year was big for us in terms of how many shows and just sort of the level of shows we were playing was really sort of increasing. And then, yeah, I guess trying to figure out how to release music in this day and age.

“It’s not like you can have a release show, cause we were like, we’ve been to those seated shows and it’s like, you can’t really listen to our sort of music and just tap your foot kind of thing, you know? So how do we release music in this day and age was a huge conundrum for us, and I think we’re still trying to figure it out,” says Devitt.


like moths to flames hysteria


While the future is looking grey for musicians everywhere, Virtues are determined to keep going, regardless of how they’ll have to release their music moving forward.

“I mean, we’re definitely gonna continue writing, that’s the goal, and just try to keep pushing content out. Try to reach people however we can in this current modern age. Which is more so than ever really, at this point, I mean, everyone’s on their computers pretty much all the time now,” says Felsch.

“Who knows how we’re going to release it? I don’t even think we’re really sure at this point. I mean, we’ve discussed the option of just never doing albums or EPs ever again, and just going singles, cause I think you get a lot more traction out of a single, but I guess, you know, people want 10 songs out of you in one go usually. I think we’re just trying to figure that out,” says Devitt.

“We like to wing it … I mean, we set the common goals and schedules and stuff and we meet them, but we find that we try to put deadlines on things, but we just know ourselves,” adds Felsch.

No matter how they release their music in the future, Felsch and Devitt both agree that, much like with Double Think, they’ll strive for authenticity in their music and continue to write songs that carry an important message to them.

“I think it is the most important thing, and that’s not just the music industry either. I think people in general really need to start, to quote a cliche term, but wake the fuck up, man. You know what I mean? This world that we live in, it’s not as we think it is, you know. There’s a lot of things that just aren’t right, and people should be questioning those things.

“And if anyone comes out and vilifies you for having an opinion or wanting to ask questions, that should make you dig fucking deeper man, because clearly there’s some sort of nefarious, deceptive agenda at play there, and it involves all of us. All of us,” says Felsch.

“I think if you’ve got bands or artists in any genre writing or singing about things that they don’t give a shit about…you can just tell. Like we’re not going to go and do the whole ‘We’re drowning in the ocean’ thing,” says Devitt.

“I can swim very well (laughs),” adds Felsch.

“Apparently, the heavy music industry is plagued with people who can’t swim very well. People give lessons for that (laughs),” jokes Devitt.

Though its message is very much tied to the times we’re living in today, Double Think sets a solid foundation for the future of Virtues’ music to come.

“I think it sets a solid foundation … I mean, we don’t even know what we’re going to be doing (laughs),” says Felsch.

“I think content wise at least, it sets the tone. I think people will read what this song is about and see the lyrics and such and they’ll know exactly like, that we’re pretty pissed off with the last 10 months and how it’s been handled generally.

“I constantly get, every time I put the song on, I get a fright (laughs), and I like that. I want people to be like ‘Oh shit’, you know? It’s like, that says a lot, and I think it definitely speaks for how we’re going to approach 2021. We’re going to come out swinging,” says Devitt.

While there’s still many good things to come from the Brisbane act, for now Felsch and Devitt just hope that listeners can takeaway something from the socially charged, crushing new track Double Think.

“I guess the overall, the core of it, is treat each other with respect, man. And support each other,” says Felsch.

“I think that means stop bullshitting each other either. I think, you know, if governments and things like that didn’t take their citizens for idiots and, you know, just showed basic respect. I think we’d all be in a very different situation,” says Devitt.

“I guess my take would be, you know, stop acquiescing to stupidity, you know what I mean?  You got two Gates in your front yard and you let someone through the first gate, they’re going to go and have a go with the second one, you know what I mean? Stand firm. Tell people to go fuck ‘emselves,” adds Felsch.

“But in a fun way (laughs)…I guess that’s what Virtues are about. Tell people to go and fuck themselves, but have fun while you’re doing it,” adds Devitt.

Virtues new single Double Think is out now.





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