Avoid: The Meaning of Cult Mentality
On the brink of releasing their second album, metalcore band AVOID are steadily gaining traction, and Cult Mentality is set to be their biggest album yet. While their newfound attention is exciting, it also builds the pressure, and we sit down with vocalist Benny Scholl to discuss this.
“I’m really nervous. I feel like putting yourself out there like that, it’s a level of vulnerability that you’re letting out there, with your thoughts and your songs.” Despite this, he has an infectiously positive attitude. “I know the potential that this thing has, so I’m excited for this one to be out there and do what it’s supposed to do, and I’m excited to work on the next one too. More than likely, it’s always the thing that you least expect that actually takes you somewhere, so I’m trying to enjoy the ride more than anything.”
Because AVOID are constantly changing and evolving, Cult Mentality is also a heavier album than anything they’ve previously released, meaning reactions could be mixed, and it’s always difficult to please everyone. Benny explains, “the whole idea of AVOID is that you can do whatever you want, like mix a load of genres and shit, and there’s probably going to be one in there that not everybody fucks with. I think our EP that we put out in 2020, that’s when we stopped giving a fuck and started being ourselves and not trying to fit into a mould.” This realisation allowed AVOID to make the best album possible, but also the album that felt the best for the band, rather than trying to please anybody. “This record doesn’t have to be the biggest thing that’s ever come out, I’m very proud of what we’ve done.”
Though you could never tell from the end product, recording Cult Mentality wasn’t an easy process. With multiple false starts, it took AVOID a while to really get the ball rolling and figure out how exactly to approach the writing and recording of the album. Benny explains how every time they wrote a song, it didn’t feel quite right, or somebody in the band wouldn’t like it. It wasn’t until taking a break to tour, and writing their track Cowabunga, that the band realised the direction they wanted to take the album in. “Touring made us re-find our love of the chaos, and what makes our band. We wrote Cowabunga, and it’s catchy, it’s fun, it’s in your face. It took a massive weight off my shoulders. Chris [Echols, guitars] had the idea of cult mentality, about how hard we dedicate ourselves, and it was like, that’s it. It was a year and a half of struggling, and not having any identity of what we wanted this record to be, and boom, there was the idea.”
Benny goes on to explain the meaning behind the title, and says, “I didn’t want it to get misconstrued in the way that we were trying to do the overly serious metalcore ‘cult’ thing, but cult mentality is a mindset, it’s getting up in the morning and being your best and working on the best shit. Everyone can have cult mentality if they so choose.” Explaining the message behind the album, Benny says, “I want this to be a comfort record for someone. If you’re having a depression moment and need songs to listen to, it can be that, but if you’re not in that mindset and you want fun songs to roll your windows down to and enjoy life, it can also be that album.”
Just because the band tried hard to take away the pressure of releasing this particular record, that doesn’t mean they don’t have huge goals. “I want us to be the biggest band in the world. I think everybody who’s in a band should have some of that mindset. That was my dream when I was a kid, I was watching the GREEN DAY documentary and I was like, that’s it, that’s what I’m doing forever. I wanna take it as big as it can get.”
While it sounds intense, Benny’s good attitude and the pure conviction in his voice makes it difficult to not believe him, and it’s clear at the very least they’ll do everything they can to take AVOID as far as they can get. “The second we start acting like we have to show up for the pay check, it’s like, get out of here. Let a younger, more hungry band come in and take that spot.”
Despite the height of his goals, Benny is consistently grounded, and gushes about how the people around him make this whole thing possible. “It’s love, that’s what keeps me motivated. I love doing this, I love my band mates, I love our managers and our record label. I love being in a band and hanging out with my best friends all the time.” This positivity not only fuelled the creation of Cult Mentality, but also fuels the touring that AVOID do so much of, enabling them to keep going. “Touring is hard. I love it, I won’t complain, but it’s hard. But there’s something so fun about pulling up to the truck stop at night, and everyone’s goofing around. It’s the little things like that, when you’re in a van with seven people and you’re completely content, because you don’t want to be anywhere else in the world right now. You end up finding your little family out here and that’s so cool.”
While there were difficult moments, and the making of Cult Mentality wasn’t easy, AVOID have come a really long way. “We started in my parents garage when we were fourteen, and we’ve just been figuring it out ever since. We’ve been grinding since we were fucking teenagers.” One thing is clear: the dedication has definitely paid off.
Cult Mentality is out now via Thriller Records.
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