Emmure: In Hindsight

One of the most polarising bands in metal today, EMMURE is what most people would consider being a marmite band. You either love them or you hate them. One thing that cannot be denied about them is their raw energy, unfathomable aggression and unrelenting passion for all things heavy.

After a massive overhaul and lineup change, EMMURE were reborn in 2016. Rejuvenated and reinvigorated with a new fire burning strong deep within just itching to burst back onto the scene. 2017’s Look at Yourself saw a new beginning for EMMURE that Hindsight continues to drive home. It hit’s hard and it hits fast. At the forefront of that freight train is the enigmatic Frankie Palmeri. We speak to him about the latest offering and get some insights into the mind of the man himself.

“Your band goes hard, but not as hard as us,” Frankie exclaims in reference to their latest single I’ve Scene God off their new ferocious album Hindsight, which happens to feature verses built around the names of bands in the current scene. But to those fans that have taken this as a dig to EMMURE‘s peers are mistaken. “I had been writing a verse built around those band names ever since our European tour earlier in 2019. I got the idea from just looking at the tour flyers and festival flyers and thought it would be clever to write a whole rap verse using band names. Why I chose to do it, simply for creative enjoyment. I felt that the bravado of the rap verse ended up fitting rather well against the other lyrical elements of the song. What that verse is really saying, in case people for some reason can’t figure it out for themselves is rather simple. Your band goes hard, but not as hard as us. I think all those bands are great, so it’s not a personal dig or anything. You find that kind of attitude in a lot of other genres of music, I just decided to bring that energy into our world.”

He goes on to explain more about the title of the song. “[the] thing is, people don’t realise or understand that EMMURE songs are often schizophrenic in their subject matter or source material. People are focusing on the one element they can recognise, which is fine. The opening lyrics of the song were actually inspired by an episode of The Simpsons I was watching while waiting for a train from Germany to the Netherlands. In this episode, Seymour Skinner ends up at a science fair where he manages to sample a strong hallucinogenic drug, which prompts him to explain his current state with the line ‘I both see and am God’.”

2017’s Look at Yourself saw the genius addition of now fan favourite Josh Travis and on listening to Hindsight it’s fair to say it can be seen as a companion piece to the new album in its tone. “It’s interesting you would say Hindsight is a companion piece,” says Frankie. “I am never quite sure how people are going to feel about the material, sometimes it’s divisive, which I think is a good thing. I had already set my reservations that we are not going to top Look At Yourself, so let’s just let this run its course naturally and see what we come up with. The one difference that is evident is, of course, having Josh in the band who I believe truly elevated the band to new heights because of his ability.”

He goes on to explain more about the origins of the album title. “Initially, Hindsight was not going to be the album name. As the songwriting and production of the album progressed, the themes and tone became extremely dark, so I wanted to think of a name that not only would be smart from a promotional standpoint but also would express the vibe of the album.”

The track Thunder Mouth features some Jonathan Davies style scatting, so we ask Frankie about Jonathan Davies and whether KORN was a big influence in the bands sound. “It’s awesome people are recognising the influence there. There are a bunch of different people I admire from the music world. KORN is an obvious inspiration for the band, as well as LIMP BIZKIT, CHIMAIRA, FEAR FACTORY, CANDIRIA, HATEBREED, the list goes on and on.” There are some interesting transitions within the confines of the record that ricochet from track to track. “A lot of that is the genius of our producer WZRD BLOOD,” he explains. “He is just that kind of next-level creative. In my opinion, it’s this cacophony of sound that he was able to help us string together naturally.”

Frankie has never been one to shy away from expressing his opinions to the metal world. However, deep underneath the bravado and the brashness lies a human being learning from past mistakes and attempting to heal wounds. He recently expressed his distaste for his lyrics from previous albums but understands how some fans connected to them as a form of catharsis. Frankie explains further to us at Distorted Sound by saying, “I do think that a lot of my trauma I spoke about in the music, now reflects a part of me that doesn’t really exist anymore. I am trying to heal from a lot of baggage and things that went wrong in my life. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the people who do resonate with what I have said nor do I regret anything I said. I was speaking my truth, at that particular point in my life. That will never change. I will always write from the heart and create music that is emotionally authentic. Which is what initially sparked me to write those tweets about my own past lyric choices, because I was criticising my peers for what I refer to as manufactured angst. I did not want to be the ‘pot calling the kettle black’ without being able to own up to the fact that a lot of what I wrote in the past, doesn’t hold a lot of water for me today. No one is the same person they were 10 years ago, nor are they the person they were yesterday.”

EMMURE have their fair shares of haters among the metal scene, in the same vein as LIMP BIZKIT before them and KING 810 now. These are bands that generally speak their mind without hesitation or worry. Frankie gives us his theories on the origin of the hate. “There are a plethora of variables that come in to play as to what shapes public opinion. Cultural significance, artistic stigma, and whatever else gets thrown into the mix of what becomes the divisive hive mind. So I can’t exactly explain what the root of human nature is to be vocal when they have an emotional attachment to their opinions. I have also met or heard from people who say things like ‘ya know I used to hate EMMURE, but now I am a full-on fan forever’. Opinions and fandom are pretty fickle. You can be loved one day and spit on the next. All in all, if you people don’t have any emotion about what you do or say, you’re probably not saying or doing anything worth paying attention to. If there is one thing I have learned about this industry, it’s better to be hated than to be ignored.”

If one thing is for certain it’s that EMMURE will keep bringing the noise regardless of public opinion. They’re brash, unapologetic and aggressive, which for some people, is just what they need right now in 2020.

Hindsight is out now via SharpTone Records. Physical release is set for release on July 24th.

Like EMMURE on Facebook.