Interloper has hit the ground running in 2021 with the debut ep “A Revenant Legacy” in January and following up with The debut album “Search Party” releasing June 11th through Nuclear Blast Records, and I caught up with Andrew Virrueta to talk about the forthcoming album, songwriting, Guitars, covering Duran Duran’s “Rio“, and a whole lot more.\m/
The momentum of INTERLOPER can’t be understated as they’ve quickly returned to present their debut, full-length album SEARCH PARTY via Nuclear Blast Records. The development of these progressive pioneers has not been an instant nor mundane process to say the least. On the contrary, it has procured particular expertise in creating endless layers of transcendent sound. Initially set as the title of one of the album’s most vibrant tracks, it quickly became obvious that the feel of SEARCH PARTY could speak for the entire record. “In a way, it represents what we went through as a band, finding our sound, our members, finding our place in general,” explains drummer and Co-founder Aaron Stechauner. “We had also been searching for a singer for so long, and in the end it wound up being Andrew, who had already been playing guitar in the band for years (vocalist Andrew Virrueta).” A feeling of harsh desolation can be captured from the world embellishing the album cover created by Caelan Stokkermans. A woman sits in solitude on the edge of the world as a violent ocean crashes against her rock. The lyrics of the title track observe a young woman running away from herself and her challenges, destroying her connections with everyone around her. “She’s run as far away from her problems as she can, to the literal ends of the earth, and she’s still lost. She’s carving a symbol in the rock (which happens to be our emblem), but the artistic purpose of the symbol in the piece is open to interpretation. I like to see it as a distress beacon,” explains Stechauner. Musically, Search Party stands out. The acoustics were incorporated in such a way as to produce what may be the most natural-sounding song on the album. “This song was definitely the catalyst to us discovering the level of organic sound development that we’re capable of,” describes vocalist Andrew Virrueta, “it became the reference point for me when writing the rest of the album.”
The first single, “Drift”, could stand alongside SEARCH PARTY in that its creation was a source of tension amongst the members of the band. “We all feel very strongly about these songs; they created some internal turmoil throughout the writing process. They had the most amount of grief attached to them and in the end, these are the songs that we love the most,” says Stechauner. The lyrics of “Drift” touch on the ego-driven nature of human beings, and how the results of those antics can cause you to end up alone. “‘Drift’ is arguably the heaviest track on the record,” states Co-founder and guitarist Miles Dimitri Baker. “It’s exemplary in showcasing our range; a very balanced song. It captures Andrew’s voice very well, in both lights, and it shows a good chunk of what this band has to offer.” Idle Years is another track that displays the variety of speed, vocal patterns, and intricate melodies stored in INTERLOPER’s wheelhouse. The chorus is catchy, the detailed guitar work weaves in and out of violently harsh and refreshingly clean vocals, while the simplicity of the drumming manages to maintain a gratifying sense of control. While Search Party and Drift represent the sound you can expect from the band, Idle Years highlights their energy. The deep cohesiveness of INTERLOPER’s writing process for SEARCH PARTY allowed for a creative project with no real boundaries or restrictions. Each member of INTERLOPER comes outfitted with a specialized skill set that is integral to the unique structure of these passionate and imaginative anthems.
“SEARCH PARTY” out June 11th via Nuclear Blast Records! Order the album: http://www.nuclearblast.com/interlope…
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