Living Up To The Hype

It was December last year when Sydney's Northlane dropped a new single online along with new artwork entitled Worldeater – but with no general explanation as to why they had put this track up. The band remained tight-lipped about the situation, not giving away any hints of a new album and the speculation precipitated online, with many believing that Worldeater would be the name of their new album.

How wrong we all were; it was nothing but a clever social experiment. “We did a test run for our campaign. We didn't say anything about Worldeater, we didn't say it was an album, we didn't say it was a single, we just threw the artwork up there and it confused a lot of people and it stirred the pot,” begins vocalist Adrian Fitipaldes with a chuckle.

It was a trial for Northlane's, bold, high risk, high reward, secretive viral marketing campaign, one that saw a mysterious website uploaded by their record label We Are Unified (UNFD). The website singularity2013.com was posted by Northlane and other prominent Australian bands The Amity Affliction and Buried In Verona, with speculation rife that perhaps a new tour or festival would be announced. The website had nothing on it but a countdown timer. Little did anyone know that it was the countdown to announce their newest album Singularity, released later this month.

The website generated more than 300,000 views, and showcased how pivotal viral marketing is in 2013. Having previously studied Business and Marketing at university, guitarist Josh Smith approached label exec Luke Logemann about starting the campaign. “Usually bands don't do much with their releases, just announce a date, sort of throw a release date out there and you know pre-orders are available. But we wanted to push it overboard this time I guess, so Luke thought it was a great idea, just to be different, just to stand out amongst the rest of the bands,” Fitipaldes explains. With the viral marketing campaign showing glimpses of their maturation, Fitipaldes believes Singularity derives the rest of their maturity and growth since 2011's Discoveries. The title itself – Singularity – has taken on a whole new meaning and representation for Northlane. “I wanted it to be something beyond the human mind, beyond comprehension and something that you can't quite put your finger on. But it's sort of developed – not a second meaning – but an alternative meaning and I guess it's almost like Singularity is almost something that exists in each individual and it's just sort of the awareness and not worrying about the future too much,” he says.

Northlane headed over to the US to work with producer Will Putney from the Machine Shop (his previous works include Suicide Silence and Four Year Strong) to create what he believes is their strongest, most poignant music to date. “Northlane sounds matured – my vocals have matured as well; lyric writing has matured a lot as well. It's not different – it's just Northlane upgraded – Northlane 2.0 if you will; its more refined and I think that it will please our fans, that we haven't strayed from the Northlane sound too heavily,” Fitipaldes reveals. The band's writing processes also changed within Singularity, with guitarist Jon Deiley recording into a Pro Tools session instead of using guitar tablature program guitar pro, used in 2011's Discoveries. “[Jon] pretty much pre-produced the whole album single-handedly and it gave us a really good idea about how all the songs would sound like.” But where Fitipaldes thrives is through his vocal ability and lyricism and Singularity has one strong theme in particular: happiness and bliss. He considers that being able to reach people through his words and music is something he truly endears and is thankful for. “There's nothing that gives me more meaning and purpose in my life other than spreading a message through music and being able to reach and influence a lot of people and a lot of young minds out there. If it could be anything, any message that I would like to spread it would be one of happiness and positivity and love and peace.”

Northlane also released a new video clip for their single Quantum Flux, the same time it was revealed that they were behind the Singularity campaign. The single was the perfect introduction to their new refined sound, showcasing big heavy drums, heavily distorted blasting guitar riffs, complemented by Fitipaldes' more precise screams and his clean vocal ability, something that was scarcely heard in Discoveries. Even more impressive was that Quantum Flux debuted on the ARIA charts at number 14, a fact that Fitipaldes is a little in-different about. “I'm quite half-hearted about it man, I mean a part of me really doesn't care because I just want to play music and play shows and have fun,” he says before he admits “but at the same time it's a great sign of what's happening with the band and it's really humbling to see that happen. It means people are buying it off iTunes, it means people are supporting us and that's what really warms my heart,” he concludes.

The band was also recently a part of this year's Soundwave festival; one of only four Australian bands that made the line-up, where the frontman himself felt like a little fan-boy. “I got to meet Oliver Sykes from Bring Me The Horizon – I grew up watching that fucking band play man, so it was so cool to be standing next to him, having a conversation on the same level,” he says wholeheartedly. They also had the opportunity to rub shoulders with Metallica, Memphis May Fire, Anthrax and Periphery, all of which are massive influences.

After releasing Discoveries they worked extremely hard, and toured extensively in support of it, pushing many people in the country to believe that Northlane had the potential to scale the heights reached by Australian hardcore/metalcore heavyweights Parkway Drive. While many bands would be frightened at these comparisons it's something that Fitipaldes and co thrive off. “I'm glad you used the word pressure; cause that's exactly what it feels like. It is very humbling, it is very flattering. The first time I started hearing that I was like, 'No way people are actually saying that', but that's the type of attitude you need from the audience and the fans if you want to attain the type of level that Parkway Drive have attained. But yeah, it is a shit-load of pressure at the same time,” he concedes. His confidence is unwavering and it's a major reason why the band is where they are at the moment. “I've been one to always work very well under pressure and so have the rest of the boys, so I'm hoping that through this intense hype and promotion and pressure that's gonna help us evolve and flourish into the musicians and the people we know we can be, and have the potential to be.” You can hear the enthusiasm and the unrelenting passion in Fitipaldes' voice as he begins talking about their humble beginnings and how crucial it is for him and his band mates to make the most of every single moment, while they can. Though being in this band has always been his dream it has taken its toll on him at times emotionally, physically and financially. But Fitipaldes is adamant that anything bad is easily overshadowed by what the band has achieved and hopes to achieve further.

“One day this is gonna pass us all by and we're going to be old men. We don't want to wake up one day and be like, 'Oh, I missed out, it went to quick, and I didn't appreciate it enough when I was there'. We truly want to be present: live in moment; in the now and take it all in – the good and the bad, and experience it for what it really is and appreciate that.”

Singularity is out Friday 22 March.

Northlane will be playing the following dates:

Saturday 13 April - Live It Up Festival, Brisbane QLD