Artwork by Madison Peck
Written by Gemma Marshall
This past week we were able to sit down with Mike Aylward, vocalist and bassist of brand new rock band Absolver and discuss the drop of their debut record “MONOCHROME” and what this means for them moving forward.
Gemma Marshall: Let’s start by having you introduce yourselves and Absolver as a whole.
Mike Aylward: Absolver is Mike Aylward on vocals and bass, Evan Lamanna on guitars, and Jordan Wright on drums and vocals.
GM: Now, of course, I have to ask about your rebrand. I’ve known you guys since I was 14 and I’ve seen you go through many artistic changes. I'm curious about what sparked the birth of Absolver.
MA: We were writing a follow-up to Everyone In Search of An Exit which was leaning into a full-fledged pop-rock-sounding project. We eventually sat down and realized that we weren’t happy with the direction it was going in, and reconvened a few weeks later. [I] brought the main riff of “Hate Machine” to the table, and it kinda just spiraled from there into “MONOCHROME”.
GM: Your two latest singles “Hate Machine” and “Vessel” are leading up to the long-awaited drop of your first record as Absolver, “MONOCHROME”. These singles show a significant change in sound from your previous works. The instrumentals and vocals are harder hitting than anything I’ve heard you guys play, in the best way possible, it’s raw and emotional. Was there anything specific that inspired you to delve into this new sound?
MA: It kinda came naturally from the headspace we were in at the time. 2020 was a brutal year for everyone, and it was hard not to be angry at the state of the world and the way people were, on top of the fact that we were facing a real, dangerous pandemic that it felt like wasn’t being taken remotely serious. We wanted to make songs that allowed us to put those feelings of desperation, exhaustion, and anger out. It was therapy.
GM: Was it difficult to keep this under wraps for such a long time or was it worth it in the end?
MA: It wasn’t too hard to keep under wraps, actually. Admittedly I sent the record to a bunch of close friends already, so people got to know, but for the general public, we just went dark for a couple of years.
GM: What, if any, were the major influences of this record? Have you guys always wanted to dive into a bit of the harder rock genre or was this something new?
MA: Influences came across pretty easily, I think because we kinda listened to heavier music way more than we did pop-punk, even when we were writing as Familiar Spaces. I am a huge fan of Loathe, Deftones, Citizen, and The Devil Wears Prada, and I think all of those definitely come through in the songs.
GM: With a new record being released I hope this also means that listeners can expect to hear these tracks live at some point. Do you have any touring plans or local shows in the works?
MA: No touring plans, but we’re hoping to be ready for shows by the end of the year!
GM: If it’s somebody’s first time hearing of you, what would you want them to remember about Absolver?
MA: Hard riffs and harder vibes.
“MONOCHROME” is available to listen to on all streaming platforms! To support and keep up with Absolver, make sure to follow them @absolverri on Twitter and Instagram.
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