How 'Northwake' Tackle Cultural And Political Issues Head On

Well before both bands enjoyed high-charting records, numerous sell-out shows, industry awards, international recognition and magazine covers, Jake Taylor, vocalist for Byron Bay's In Hearts Wake has vivid — and fond — memories of the invaluable shared experiences and kinship formed between his band and Sydney heavy-hitters Northlane during their formative years.

"We've grown up together, seeing each other on such a humble level of… It didn't matter, it was never about how many people came to our shows," he ponders from his home after the recent Groovin The Moo series. "We played to like ten people in a converted cafe on a Sunday afternoon in Melbourne, that's one of the shows I do remember. We were just having the time of our lives, just playing music. You form an alliance and a bond when you share those experiences with bands, because it's priceless. Having grown from that grassroots level to somehow we're playing to a few thousand people now, it's still the same people, there's still that respect that was always there, and that's really how we've grown together.

"It's important to always remember those times, to hold them close, and that's something that we got to share with Northlane. We were friends from the start. We just got along very well, and have ever since. So it's just natural to take this next step with a band that is ready to also take that next step."

"Having grown from that grassroots level to somehow we're playing to a few thousand people now, it's still the same people, there's still that respect that was always there, and that's really how we've grown together."

Northlane singer Marcus Bridge was enlisted prior to last year's Node record, so is unable to afford similar long-term perspective. As a relative newcomer though, does he believe a common ground of being socially and politically active is one of the primary reasons for this unwavering friendship? "Yeah, I think so, I guess Northlane and In Hearts Wake both have very strong messages in their music," he explains while on tour in Switzerland after recently completing the star-studded Impericon touring festival. "That wasn't necessarily the main reasoning for doing the [Equinox] collaboration, but it's cool to have both of our takes on the world we live in touched on by both bands in different ways than they would have previously.

"But I think overall the whole project came from mateship as well, and just the idea of getting to do this as a bunch of friends having fun. But also spreading that message, that positive message or spreading an idea that things can be different, things can be changed."

The unique musical joint venture he speaks of, Equinox, is a three-track EP written by and featuring all ten musicians from the metalcore bands. The project had been in the pipeline for a few years, but it wasn't until the groups had breaks in their respective schedules that it came to fruition. In January, they recorded in secret with producer Will Putney in Melbourne.

The concert translation of this surprisingly synergistic studio process will entail sets from each act, as well as a section featuring all the members performing the EP in its entirety. This is the only time such a live union — let's dub them Northwake — is planned to take place. "What we want to do is have everyone on stage, trying new things," Taylor enthuses. "How to have the voices of ten different members come through at once is quite a task. It's a task on a technical side of things — how do you actually pull that off, without it sounding muddy and without it not working? So that for me is the greatest challenge of this collaboration, pulling that off on stage."

"We're figuring it out at the moment actually," Bridge adds. "We've started playing Hologram on this current tour, just getting in the groove of that. But we're gonna try and get as many of all the band members on stage as we can to do it. There'll be a few other surprises as well for the tour."

An obvious point of reference on Equinox is the track Refuge, which tackles head-on an issue many would rather not discuss, or prefer to remain blissfully ignorant of. "I think it's a bit of a touchy subject with some people when it really shouldn't be," Bridge explains. "People like shouldn't have to fear for their lives where they live, and if that means having to move across the world to find a home somewhere else, you should be able to do that. But there's a lot of people that have that mentality of… that we live here and that they shouldn't, and that's just an idea which is a bit outdated. I think it will do some good and some people will definitely find something in that. Hopefully it changes some views on some things. I don't think a lot of people truly understand how serious it actually is."

"It is a sensitive topic, it's a very tricky one to undergo," Taylor chimes in. "It's something that a spotlight needs to be on in the mainstream. Looking up the figures on it, there's over 60 million displaced individuals. It's like more than World War II, and that was the last time it was ever such a great number. So it really is in a state of chaos. There's a lot of people turning a blind eye to it and ignoring it. People that are suffering. It's like, these are human beings."

"There's a lot of people that have that mentality of… that we live here and that they shouldn't, and that's just an idea which is a bit outdated."

The EP's success (the vinyl edition sold out in mere hours) only continues the perpetual momentum enjoyed by each band recently. The year 2015 was a dear diary one for both bands. Node debuted at number one on the ARIA charts, while In Hearts Wake landed at number two with Skydancer. Both played to thousands of devotees at sold out gigs throughout the country. Northlane also bested In Hearts Wake to take home Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album at the ARIAs.

Such achievements aren't mere serendipity. As indicated by their modest origins, the acts' work ethic is telling. Both tour extensively abroad amid oft-gruelling conditions. For instance, Taylor notes they'll soon undertake the lucrative, albeit demanding US Warped Tour, a platform having been laid after traversing throughout America four times last year.

On his podcast, Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta often utilises the phrase "high tide raises all ships" regarding heavy music's growth; believing one's positive fortunes can have a trickle-down effect for many others. This seems readily applicable to Australia's homegrown heavy scene. As close as the outfits remain though, the accompanying narrative would suggest a good-natured rivalry exists between Northlane and In Hearts Wake. "I think so, but I don't think we take it too seriously or anything," Bridge surmises. "I guess it's kinda good to have someone like that, for both of us pushing each other to do better. We're all like very close, so no matter what happens we always support each other. When we did actually get that (the ARIA win), we all got messages from the boys and they were all stoked for us. I think there's a little bit of that kind of competitiveness, but only all in good spirits."

"We've always been peers and brothers, and always been lumped into the same category, so that's naturally going to happen," Taylor says of comparisons. "But the way I see it is, as long as it's us or them, I'm stoked."