INVISIONS

“WE’RE SUPER GRATEFUL FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE’VE HAD SO FAR” INVISIONS

BY PEI FON PHOTOGRAPHY CRIS GREAVES & BEN BENTLEY

Since 2022 started, many bands have been releasing new material and for those who like to venture out and discover new plays, you can’t miss the new album by the english InVisions. “Deadlock” is a true work of art, an album that will cross time and will have the same weight and same message ten years from now, for example. With songs like “Annihilist”, the quartet formed by Josh Hardy (drums), Lucas Gabb (guitar), Alex Scott (bass) and Ben Ville (vocals) knows very well where they want to go to conquer listeners of heavy music. Rock Meeting spoke with Lucas and Alex about the new album, the band’s trajectory and what we can expect from them tomorrow. Follow up!

With six years on the road, three albums released and important tours alongside big names of the scene, what is your assessment of the trajectory you are traveling?

Alex Scott - We’ve been together for 6 years and began touring in 2017. Add in the 2-year hiatus due to COVID, and we’ve only been actively touring for around 3 years! We’re super grateful for every opportunity that we’ve had so far, we’ve made some lifelong memories through these experiences. But it’s no secret that we want more! We’re not the type of band to settle and reflect on one good show or tour, we’re always looking for the opportunities that could take us to that next level. Ultimately, we want to be playing the same stages we grew up watching our idols play!

Making music and making it timeless is a challenge. With “Deadlock”, did you have this sensitivity to make your songs have the same impact 10 years from now, for example?

Lucas Gabb - When we began writing ‘Deadlock’ we knew we wanted to write a record that was more of a testament to everything we have learned and experienced from being in a band over the years. Looking at all our favorite albums, our go to playlist is still 90% classic

metalcore albums like Bullet, Killswitch & early Asking Alexandria because those records had such a lasting impression on us growing up. Whilst we love modern and heavy tracks, the songs that we always go back to and play from our previous records are the more emotive/melodic tracks so instead of writing a straight up heavy record, we wanted to lean into the melodic/emotive side of InVisions and explore that more than we have on previous records.

Modern Metalcore is a mix of influences from the past with the present and this fusion is clear in their songs like “DEALER”, “Annihilist”, for example. At what point did core rap and orchestral elements add to the sound of InVisions?

Lucas - I was always a fan of hip hop growing up as I was introduced to both at a similar time! Some of the first CD’s I owned were the Marshall Mathers LP, Limp Bizkit and Slipknot! I think the biggest pull for hip hop for me is the ability to tell a story. Artists like J Cole and Mac Miller were a massive inspiration for me lyrically on this record as their ability to tell a story and really deliver an experience through their lyrics is something I think the metal genre often lacks! Not to mention the delivery and flow of lyrics in

hip hop is so dynamic and interesting, it’s something we pay a huge amount of attention to when writing vocals! As for the orchestral elements, we’ve always had string sections and large production elements subtly blended into our music but as time goes on, we’ve found better ways to incorporate them and really let them become part of our sound. There’re so many similarities in classical music and metal so incorporating these elements just works so well and makes it feel bigger than just some guys in a room! We’re huge Periphery fans as well so this is something we’ve definitely fallen in love with the more we’ve listened to Periphery!

“Annihilist” is one of his most listened to songs and you can understand why, the song takes the listener’s hand and leads him through each passage until he reaches the chorus to sing along. Did you imagine such repercussions?

Alex - We knew Annihilist would probably be the most accessible track from Deadlock for those exact reasons. The chorus is a huge sing along moment, and the ambient sounding breakdown section adds some cool dynamics to the track. It always goes down an absolute treat when we play it live!

With lyrics that bring the listener closer, added to the aggressive and engaging melodies, “Deadlock” puts InVisions in the spotlight and this is noticed in more than 1m plays on Spotify and great reviews from the press. What is the next step?

Lucas - It’s been incredible to receive so much love for the new record and we’re super excited to get out there and tour it as much as we possibly can! ‘Deadlock’ came at a weird time for us where we didn’t know the future of this band, but I feel like it’s kicked us into overdrive and made us more motivated than ever! Bigger tours, new territo-

ries and take everything we’ve learned from this record and ramp up the stakes even more!

Ben Ville’s vocal versatility on “Deadlock” is impressive. Transitioning between clean and aggressive vocals in a subtle way, where does the inspiration come from?

Alex - The vocal style on this record has definitely evolved from our previous music. Inspiration for those pushed clean vocals is taken from the likes of Linkin Park and Architects. The mission statement was to go for massive sing along choruses, but with harsher sounding vocals, rather than a typical clean sound. Ben is well known for his outrageous screaming abilities, but he deserves credit for his clean vocals too. We hear it every week in the rehearsal room, he’s getting better and better!

You did some shows last year and already have dates scheduled. After a period away from the stage due to the pandemic, what was it like to meet the public again?

Thank you so . Alex - We did a short run in the UK towards the end of 2021, and it was just what we all needed! We hadn’t stepped on stage for over two years and getting back out there was a massive release of energy. Catching up with friends and fans on the road was absolutely amazing. It reminded us of why we do this and gave us even more drive to continue and make a success of this.