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INTERVIEW WITH SINGER / GUITARIST DAVID SANCHEZ BY NICHOLAS SENIOR PHOTO BY ALAN SNODGRASS
he through line for V, the have the power, and a lot of it. Even new record from Colo- if you don’t have power politically, rado-based thrash titans or physically, or intimidation-wise or Havok, out now via Cen- anything like that, you do have power tury Media, is reckoning with what over your own mind. The big thing truth and meaning is in a world that with stoicism, and I believe this to be feels like it's full of meaningless shit. true, is we can’t always control what Through his insightful lyrics, vocalist happens, but we can always control and guitarist David Sanchez pushes how we react to what happens.� against the status quo and our elites – but it’s anti-political in a way that only “Right now, people need to take indiscussions that get to the truth can ventory of the things that they can be be. As opposed to having one middle grateful for, instead of looking at all the finger up in a certain direction, San- things that are terrible,� he continues. chez and company have two middle “Take inventory of the things that you fingers up, pointing at each side. do have that are good, and it’ll yield a lot more positivity and less stress, “I think our predicament in life in where and just generally more happiness.� we are culturally and in this point in history is unlike any other time,� says And one of the truly great things that Sanchez. “I mean, everyone has a we have to be grateful for is a certain supercomputer in their pocket that record called V. As with every Havok can be an assistant to their wisdom album, subtle yet significant sonic and their wellbeing, or it can be det- shifts are evident. However, it’s very rimental. It’s all about which path you clear that the band wanted to push decide to walk down.� things in a more progressive and funky direction. “Stoicism has been a big part of my life, personally and philosophically and “We’re massively influenced by old ’70s lyrically,� he continues. “The main progressive bands, funk, jazz, classipoint of stoicism is essentially to play cal, bluegrass, old country, punk rock, the hand that you’re dealt. The idea ’80s new wave, and flamenco guitar,� is the things that you cannot control, Sanchez says. “A lot of that stuff works you just cut them out of your life and its way into our music subliminally.� let it just be what it is, because there's nothing you can do about it. With the Spotting those new musical clues will things that you can control, do your be a fun game for fans. It’s not as if very best with those things.� there is a two-minute free jazz solo or saxophone interlude to scream at If it’s not clear yet, one of the chal- the listener - it’s tastefully done and lenges with stoicism, as it pertains to filtered through the Havok lens. selling a philosophy, is that it isn’t sexy. It’s not fun or easy to, say, have more “It’s fun to take influence from that, but grateful appreciation for the world then work it into our sound,� Sanchez around you and to not live in fear or says. “Inspiration doesn’t mean super pursuit of pleasure. However, while direct influence on things. You can
“THE THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL, YOU JUST CUT THEM OUT OF YOUR LIFE. WITH THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN CONTROL, DO YOUR VERY BEST.� Sanchez didn’t predict a global pandemic that would force humanity inside their homes and minds, if there’s ever a time to be grateful for the shit we have around us, it’s now. “When we’re talking about how there’s a prophetic nature to some of the lyrics, obviously I wasn’t anticipating there to be some sort of a massive outbreak of a virus that makes everyone need to be quarantined and stuck in their house,� he says. “I didn’t foresee that specifically coming, but I’ve been saying for a long time that there’s a lot of things that we could do differently, and the people really do
28 NEW NOISE
take an idea from a funk song and apply it to heavy, evil riffs, and come out with something that’s super heavy. A lot of funk is very, very heavy. It’s just not evil. So, we take that kind of inspiration, but we just choose to make it way more sinister in our note choice.â€? Think of these influences and flourishes as the fungus that grows on the album’s gorgeous cover, by artist Eliran Kantor– adding texture, eeriness, and coming across as something uniquely beautiful. V is a masterclass in modern thrash from a band who keep growing with each album. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł
