Aerosol Jesus: Adapt To Survive

Survive. Surrounded as we are by the slow collapse of Western society, the environment, and a global pandemic, ‘survive’ is the mantra many of us have clung to over the last eighteen months. It speaks of a base, primal determination to fight, no matter the odds. For Brighton’s AEROSOL JESUS, having the odds stacked against them is something they’re all too familiar with, as the tale of their second release, Survive, demonstrates.

“We privately call this ‘the cursed record’ as, pandemic aside, we have had a pretty tough time getting this record out there,” explains guitarist Tom Harrison. “We have had everything from label plans falling through, to finding errors on our test press, to couriers crashing with our vinyl shipment on board – it’s safe to say we have hit pretty much every hurdle trying to get this record out.”

The global Coronavirus pandemic has absolutely upended the global music and arts scene over the last year, and AEROSOL JESUS were as affected by this as every other band. “Not playing shows has certainly created its own set of issues, as we really would have liked to promote Survive through touring,” Harrison says. “The two tours we had booked have now been postponed, with no set plan for a reschedule as of yet. But the challenge of adapting to the current situation and thinking outside the box to push our music is, admittedly, a new and interesting challenge.”

As evocative and powerful a title as Survive is when taken alone, in context it carries even more weight – the five tracks on the release blend acrostically to form the phrase ‘Cowards Survive Others Just Drown.’ Vocalist and cover artist Oli Melville describes selecting Survive as the record’s title as an obvious choice. “The title came from the second track I thought it made complete sense to name it that, as the record is about how a lot of us are just getting by.”

For Melville, the record deals with some weighty, existential questions; “How many of us are truly living? We are just getting by, just surviving. There is a huge pressure on us all to strive to be something, and I think we often forget the simplicity of bringing joy to others, or improving our own mental health, and creating a positive cycle. Trying to overcome negative behaviours, panic attacks and the fear of your own mortality.”

While AEROSOL JESUS‘ sound revolves around a pitch-black core of abrasive, crushing sludge, Survive is far from as suffocating bleak as its subject matter and track titles may make one assume. The record rises and falls with peaks of transcendent, ethereal lightness, and Melville’s lyrics, coupled with spoken word and clean-sung passages, are starkly confessional. Do the band find the music they make cathartic?

“It’s definitely a catharsis. It’s interesting, I never thought about it being a confessional, but you are right, I guess it is,” Melville muses. “It’s important to me to be as honest as possible in what I write. I don’t know where the compulsion came from to do that, but it is super important that I deal with the pain in that way. I think as I get older, the need to be ‘cool’ drifts further and further. When we did [previous EP] Failure, I was honestly surprised by the feedback I got on the words. It has given me a sort of community feeling I wasn’t expecting. I hope they help someone feel less alone and the record was intended as a positive experience. I genuinely hope people get some catharsis with this record.”

Bassist Sam Lilley, agrees that the band allows them to channel potentially negative emotions, and that this is due to the connections between the band members. “Playing in AEROSOL JESUS has always been very cathartic for me, and I feel a lot of that is due to how much I connect with Oli’s writing. It’s hard to explain, but it’s an emotionally refreshed feeling you get after playing a set. For me, it’s a chance to take out all my worries and stresses, use that energy in the performance, and leave feeling lighter. I do feel it’s important to explore these topics in our songs, music is such an incredibly powerful and connective platform. Even if just one person hears it and can relate or feels less alone in their struggles, it makes it completely worth it.”

The band’s previous EP, Failure, was a raw, aggressive riff-fest that reflected their destructive live presence. While Survive has moments of acidic heaviness and knife-sharp riffing, it’s a more expansive and considered listen, with a greater breadth of dynamics and moments of sweepingly cinematic scope. How do the band feel the two pieces relate – was Survive a conscious step further than their sound on Failure?

“I feel like Survive is in part a continuation of Failure, a piece that feeds back into the original themes established in the Failure EP, and vice versa,” explains drummer Francesco Petronio. “It feels like it has naturally connected the dots between how much of an ebb and flow there is between keeping above water and sinking, and how those two features of life continue to clash. I don’t believe this was intentional, but I feel like it is set within the complexity of existing, and therefore naturally emerged.”

Guitarist Rauiri Boyden is similarly philosophical about the intertwined relationship between the two releases. “I view it almost like the opposite sides of a double helix. Intrinsically part of the same structure, but each side a reflection of the other, connected by its core themes. This goes for it sonically too; I find the outro on Drown very uplifting, pretty and full of life. Just before the subtle nod at the opening drum beat of Failure, which has a pretty yet melancholy feel, dragging you towards the chaos. Similarly, the start of Survive hits you with a blunt rock of a riff, whereas the finish of Failure is equally akin to a good rock bash.”

Survive is a textbook example of how music within the UK heavy underground defies typical convention – while record contains elements of sludge and post metal, it’s a melting pot of styles that combine to form something not easily categorised. The band feel this is the natural result of their collective preferences and influences.

“The great thing about this band is that we all bring something different to the table in terms of playing style and influence, and we relish in that,” explains Harrison. “Frank and Sam both have a strong taste for the Hardcore/Hardcore Punk side of heavy music, which I feel comes across a lot more on this record than with our first EP. Rauiri is, and forever will be, our dirty sludge lord with his penchant for low and slow riffage. Oli has always been a poet/wordsmith, performing spoken word under the name ‘Golden Soul’ – it is nice to see him find a space in AEROSOL JESUS for that, which I feel sets us apart from your typical heavy band. Bands such as TORPOR and OPIUM LORD definitely had an influence on our heavier parts. Personally, on this record I drew a lot more influence from Screamo bands such as JUNGBLUTH and HEALING POWERS, as I find the contrast between our heavier output and the more emotive side of our sound to be really enjoyable.”

This range of influence is reflected by the records’ closer Drown, which features Tanya Byrne of drone/doom heavyweights BISMUTH on guest vocals. How did working with Tanya come about? Are AEROSOL JESUS big BISMUTH fans?

“Absolutely, we are big BISMUTH fans. Tanya is a good mate of mine. She briefly played in A HUNDRED BLACK KITES with me and Joe Parks [PALE WORLD, OPIUM LORD] on our last record Arrow of Time,” explains Melville. “Tanya is a wonderful musician, and when I was writing the lyrics to ‘Drown’ it became clearer to me it could easily have guest vocals. For Survive I wanted a strong female presence on there, and I couldn’t think of anyone better. She was my first choice. She told me it was a bit out of her comfort zone, but she killed it. I am so happy we could not only get a friend involved, but also someone from arguably one of the finest heavy bands the UK has to offer. We hope once live gigs start up again we can get her on stage, because I think she betters the song by being a part of it.”

“It was a pleasure to be able to spend time with Tanya, and have her part of the recording experience,” adds Petronio. “I massively admire her work and what BISMUTH have created and, I feel very humble for her wanting to work with us. Additionally, if you don’t like BISMUTH then you probably need to have a rethink about what you’re listening to.”

While Survive is a gripping listen, AEROSOL JESUS are a band at their best in a live setting, where audiences are able to fully experience the crushing weight of their riffs and witness their cathartic resonance first hand. After a year (or more) of bands being unable to play live, what does the band think the recovery of the live music scene might look like over the coming months? Smaller and DIY venues have borne the full brunt of COVID closures without nearly enough governmental or organisational support.

“To be honest I have no idea how things are going to pan out,” says Petronio. “I’m apprehensively optimistic about shows starting in June. I think there’s going to be the need for some logistics to be addressed in how things can be done appropriately for those shows to start, let alone ensuring that the DIY venues we hold dear are still standing after lack of revenue and funding. Coupled with a pretty unclear picture of how we can get overseas bands to come over and play, which I felt to be an important part of the UK DIY scene, I think it’s going to be challenging, but what’s life without a challenge? I’m sure it’s not only me who is ready to get stuck back into things and gain an essential part of our lives back.”

Melville is quick to agree. “I personally haven’t played any live music in over a year. It really has taken its toll. I can only imagine that everyone else in the DIY scene is in the same boat. I really hope that we can get back to doing it soon, for the sake of my sanity and others who have to listen to me moan about it.”

While live shows are still uncertain at the time of writing this, things are looking more positive around bands being able to meet in practice spaces to work on material, something many acts have been doing over the last year through home recording and file sharing. So, can fans expect any follow up to Survive anytime soon?

“Just before lockdown happened we did start working on new material, but it has been put on hold until we can get back to being in a room together,” Melville explains. “I think the plan is to write a full length next. I have ideas on the themes. Hopefully we will get to realise it.” It’s a sentiment Boyden echoes. “Fortunately my dad is into music and gear; he helped set me up with a small recording set up at home. All the ideas brewing over the whole pandemic and lockdown are starting to be roughed in. Hopefully I can get in a room with these boys soon so I can get their spin on it all.”

“We’re also having a look at how we can get some of the tours we had set up back up and running again,” Petronio adds. “Hopefully we can get to do a belated release show for this record and start going up and down the country as soon as possible.” One thing is clear – despite curve balls being thrown at them on a global scale, nothing has dampened AEROSOL JESUS’ will to survive.

Survive is out now via Sludgelord Records (UK) and Black Voodoo Records (USA).

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