Interview: The Abstraction (Written)

Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life bring you an interview with the melodic metalcore and progressive metal solo project, The Abstraction.

1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

I first got started on this project in summer of 2023, so it’s still fairly new! I have done previous projects and bands before, the most recent being in Rise Of Athena who separated in 2015. After an 8 year hiatus from music, I decided it was time to get back to doing what I love and decided a solo project was the best option for me. I really wanted to have full control over the music I’m creating and release something that is unapoligetically my own.

2. Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?

That’s a really tough question, as I try and make my music as stand out and diverse as possible! But I’d say it’s most certainly in the realm of melodic metalcore and progressive metal. I would say my main influences are bands such as Periphery, Wage War, Polaris and LetLive, to name a few, but it’s certainly different to them all.

3. What’s currently going on in your camp? New releases? Tours? Etc.

There are no live shows upcoming at the moment. As a solo project, it’s hard to piece it together into a live show, but I will be working with my producer, Tom Gittins of Monochrome Productions, to create some complex backing tracks to enable me to play different instruments and perform vocals, creating a different live experience. In terms of new releases, my new single ‘Son’ is being released on all digital streaming platforms on 22/01/24, so I’m really excited for this. It’s a song that’s very close to home for me, and is a real ballad.

4. What has been the most positive experience of making music to date for you?

I’ve definitely played some great shows in previous bands, with some of my idols, such as Defeater and Napoleon. But again, being in the position to create music that is my own has been really enjoyable and rewarding for me. And this project with The Abstraction has been such a great experience so far!

5. Likewise, what has been some of the more challenging aspects and how have you overcome them?

This is totally the flip side of being a solo artist, which is you do EVERYTHING yourself. Marketing, writing, recording, social media, every single aspect. And making time for that as a father of 3 children with 2 jobs is a real challenge.

6. How do you handle the modern expectations of being in a band? Always online, having to put out content constantly, your success measured in likes and follows?

It is very tricky nowadays. The ability to record records at home, much like myself, means that the industry is saturated with 1000’s of artists all competing for the same thing, and marketing yourself to stand out from the crowd is increasingly difficult. But to sell yourself, you have to be yourself, so any social media content I do make, I always try to include as much of my personality in there as possible, and hope that being accessible and relatable shines through.

7. What’s something that really ‘grinds your gears’ about the industry/business these days and what would you propose is done to combat it?

I’ve mentioned this in a few interviews, but navigating marketing is a struggle in itself. And since I was last involved with music 8 years ago, the amount of people and businesses who appear in your inbox promising the world in regards to exposure for a price, and delivering nothing of substance must be really difficult for a younger generation of musicians who might be tempted to take these offers up. It’s simply people trying to take advantage of musicians and it really bothers me!

8. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help support your music?

There’s nothing more powerful than word of mouth. I am a million times more likely to check out new music recommended by my friends, peers and people with similar interests rather than a social media article. Talk about new music. Talk about those small local bands. Recommend them to your friends. Share them on social media. Scream it from the rooftops! This does so much more for bands than anyone realises and it builds a community around the bands as well as your local music scene. Go. Do it now!

9. Outside of the music, what’s do you do to relax?

My biggest hobby outside of music is the gym. I do like to keep fit, however I do it way more for the mindfulness. Going somewhere to focus on that one thing for an hour a day and forgetting about everything else thats going on in everyday life keeps be level and helps me stay creative. I also just love goofing around with the kids! We have a blast and they are super interested in my music projects that we have a lot of fun with!

10. Where can people find you?

The Abstraction can be found on all digital streaming platforms, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Our debut single ‘Phoenix’ is out now, ‘Son’ will be available on 22/01/24 and another single is set to follow shortly after, all making up part of the debut EP ‘Project I’. So keep an eye on us and stay tuned for 2024!