Chasing Dreams

If you're talking loyal followings locally, it's hard to top the passion shown by fans of The Amity Affliction. You only needed to witness their slots at Soundwave 2011 or Big Day Out 2012 to grade the difference in crowd reactions in comparison to other bands. When some took to the stage, you'd get a bit of movement, you'd get some cries. When Amity rose up for their first breakdown, you'd get a bomb detonating in the pit.

But don't go thinking this is an overnight success story – far from it. These boys have paid their dues and then some. Following a trio of EPs and a debut LP in the way of 2008's Severed Ties, the band had gained a strong grassroots following. But when Youngbloods dropped in 2010, everything changed. Suddenly, a ragtag bunch of Gympie kids were adorning magazine covers, shooting high up the ARIA charts and destroying stages in all corners of the globe. Now with the release of their third record Chasing Ghosts, the band look to keep that juggernaut moving forward. Sounds like a bit of pressure? Yes, but only the good kind according to softly-spoken screamer Joel Birch.

“We were [feeling it] a little, but not like the bigger rock bands feel,” he says. “They've obviously got all the press talking to them non-stop, putting that pressure on them and telling them how their last record was the best thing that ever happened to music. We never had that junk being thrown at us. I think there was a lot of pressure from ourselves, but it was a healthy pressure – not a distraction or a burden. I felt a little bit of stress about the performance side of things but that's just in my nature, regularly, so that was nothing new for me to be freaking out.”

Amity's first album with Roadrunner Records following the inking of a worldwide deal last year, Chasing Ghosts sounds tight and more focused than anything the band have crafted before. Recorded in Florida with Michael 'Elvis' Baskette, the tracks are lean and concise – there isn't a single note you could push aside as filler – and as a complete work it is delivered seamlessly.

“For me, the first month was pretty tedious because I just sing,” Birch recalls. “I don't play guitar, I don't play any instruments, I don't write any of the music for the band, so I just sat there and got wasted pretty much, and then the last two weeks was when I was in there. But I think for the other guys, like Troy [Brady – guitar] was doing some takes so many fucking times – it was ridiculous. I think there was a real sense of that search for perfection on this record, like, everyone wanted their takes to be spot on. It's a very important record to us – not that any of our previous records haven't been, but we've never had so much support behind us at the same time – just from everyone, from friends, fans, record labels – so I think that we all wanted to perform and make it the best album we could, and I think we've done that.”

Vocally, Chasing Ghosts picks up where Youngbloods left off, with Birch's guttural roar balanced naturally with the on point harmonies of bass player and clean vocalist Ahren Stringer. Lyrically, the record continues to tackle topics of survival, the ten tracks driving home a consistent theme – that it's better to be here than gone.

“For me, lyrically, it started off being pretty tough but everything just fell into place,” Birch tells. “There was difficulty then everything just flowed and it was super easy. I guess I'm pretty lucky in that regard; I just found my direction and it went from there. I didn't really have a clear idea of what I was going to write about on the album [in the beginning], but I knew I was more than likely going to continue with the same theme. I didn't really address everything on Youngbloods. It's not selfish in the same manner that Severed Ties was, where I didn't explain anything, but I felt that it was still fairly self-absorbed lyrically. This time around I wanted to give back because everyone has given us so much.”

The LP's arresting cover art was unveiled to an online furore in the middle of the year, with Birch telling fans that everything would make sense once Chasing Ghosts was released. And sure enough, as the singer assured us, the overarching topics are here to help, not harm.

“The record is a double-sided perspective,” he explains. “There are songs that are written from the perspective of people that have been left behind by suicide, and then there's also songs from the perspective of people that are dead, so there's a bit of a 50-50. Then I've got a few songs on there that are personal and are just helping to tell my side of the story a little bit more. I wrote them really hoping that they'd be more easy for people to relate to and not just specifically about my problems – hopefully it worked.”

Birch's battle against depression has been well documented, which is perhaps one of the main reasons why he's been able to really dive headfirst into the narratives of the record. “I didn't find it too hard to go there lyrically,” he says. “Listening back to the songs, I still get goose bumps with a few of them. It's a natural thing for me to be writing about that stuff and just writing in general. I think once I pick something that I'm going to write about it usually just comes to me. I don't know if that's normal but it seems to be what goes on in my brain.”

Although the core of Amity – Birch, Stringer, Brady and Ryan Burt [drums] – have remained united for close to five years, the role of rhythm guitarist, and in years' past keyboardist, have seen a revolving cast of musicians come and go, with backup axeman Imran Siddiqi the latest player to leave the ranks. Fans can rest assured, however, that there will indeed be a second guitarist strapping in. What they can also expect, Birch says, is a heightened level of production for this impending tour, somewhat a given considering the ferocious demand shown for shows right around the country.

“We started talking about [live production] in America before the record was even finished. There's a lot of extra stuff happening that we haven't done before...I don't think the shows are ever get too crazy; there's only so much we can do before we start to be a gimmick and we're not about to be that.”

Attention grabbing has never been The Amity Affliction's jam. They haven't become global metalcore leaders by having the wildest light shows, the most synchronised stage moves or the sharpest-angled haircut. The band are acutely aware of the responsibility they have to their fans and have embraced music as their main artistic platform to make a difference. The Amity Affliction are doing more than simply writing songs – they are saving lives – and as Birch admits, it's a two-way street.

“It definitely helps me,” the singer says. “That was part of the whole process of working through [depression] for me was playing shows, and seeing that crazy level of acceptance and passion being thrown back at you when you are on the stage is a pretty incredible feeling – it's pretty overwhelming. I think I'd be in a much darker place without the band and without all the people that come to the shows and sing along. I think there is definitely a lot more to it than [the fans] could imagine, like, they've helped me as much, if not more, than I've helped them. Probably more,” he chuckles. “The amount of support that we've got from our fans is out of this world. They're super loyal which is awesome. It can get pretty emotional to be honest. Just looking down at the front five-to-ten rows of people – it's pretty crazy to see kids lose their shit. It's something that you never think about when you are starting a band or joining a band; when you're just playing around your hometown it's something that you never, well, I never thought about and I'm sure that the other guys are the same – we never thought we'd be playing to these kinds of crowds. And it's awesome when I don't feel too fucked after we play because I can get down and say hello to everyone – it's pretty special.

LOST IN TRANSLATION
When the cover art for Chasing Ghosts was made public back in June, many people were quick to get negative. Although not as graphic as many albums you'll find at your local record store, it's the suggestion in the image, a tattooed torso dangling from a tree, which is more challenging than the shot itself. Birch admits that the vitriol on the blogosphere was difficult to hear, especially when, at that stage, the record's themes were still unknown. Since people have gained understanding though, he's been happy with the response.

“For me, there was a real sense that it had a more positive effect than they [detractors] would have envisaged,” he says. “A lot of people just ripped straight into us without really looking into it, and then after they looked into the band they were like, 'Oh, shit – they've actually been writing nothing but anti-suicide propaganda forever.' But it had the desired effect in that it brought the issue [of youth suicide] more to the fore I think, rather than being swept under the rug, so it's good. It was pretty intense and it offended people and I'm sure it upset some people, which was never our intention, but that's just how it is.”

Pro-life messages inform Chasing Ghosts, with strength in one's own existence the mantra delivered in various forms. But if you think that such positive notions could slip through the overbearing hands of Government censors when there's a cover like that, then think again.

“Um, no. It comes out with a sleeve,” Birch bemoans. “If it came out as is it wouldn't be stocked in any stores I don't think. Well, it would have been stocked in indie stores and stuff which is wonderful, but it wouldn't have been widely available which would have been very annoying for everyone.”

The Amity Affliction will be playing the following shows:

Wednesday 26 September – The Tivoli, Brisbane QLD
Thursday 27 September – The Tivoli, Brisbane QLD
Friday 28 September – Panthers, Newcastle NSW
Saturday 29 September – Big Top, Sydney NSW
Tuesday 2 October – UC Live, Canberra ACT
Thursday 4 October – Palace Theatre, Melbourne VIC
Friday 5 October – Palace Theatre, Melbourne VIC
Friday 5 October – Palace Theatre, Melbourne VIC
Sunday 7 October – Metropolis, Fremantle VIC
Monday 8 October – Metropolis, Fremantle VIC