Gideon: Placing Faith In Change
It feels like forever since GIDEON began springing up on lineup posters across the heavy scene. The fact that they are set to unveil their fifth full length album is both alarming and welcoming news, given that they have become something of a national treasure in the US heavy scene over the past decade. 2019 sees them stronger than ever, and their impassioned approach marks them at the top of their game, fighting for what they stand for and continuing to present the best version of themselves. And that means that with Out Of Control they will come out swinging, intent on showcasing a mirror of themselves as opposed to fitting what is expected.
Quite often, preconception can be a deadly practice. Even more so, when a band begins to travel down a certain path, it can be difficult for fans to drag themselves away from a specific stereotype and differentiate the artist from the ideology. The fact is, people and their worldly views change, and GIDEON have found themselves in something of a rut in the past. Growing up in the deep south, their upbringing saw them carve a reputation as a Christian metalcore band, a stigma that has followed them to this day. But their views don’t necessarily reflect those of their 17 year old selves, and they aren’t afraid to let their thoughts be known.
Having caught up with drummer Jake Smelley and guitarist Tyler Riley, it is a little easier to understand their mindset. “If you pay attention to what we’ve been saying on our records leading up to this one, you’ll realise that this isn’t such a shift,” they told us, while discussing the subject of their perceived transition. “Our message is not a rejection of Christianity, it’s a rejection of fear which keeps us from meeting our potential or taking care of ourselves. It’s embracing individuality and diversity of the human experience. Everyone has a story and this is where we are. We just want to feel like we can be ourselves and we want others to feel that freedom too. Whether that means breaking tradition or not is up to you.”
And given that music is a form of expression, we owe it to GIDEON to accept their viewpoint with open arms, and welcome the message they portray. “Being transparent about questioning faith and asking for strength to continue, or direction from our God was a big part. Our direction has been evolving lyrically and sonically since the first record.” One thing is for certain, their music has never felt healthier than it does today. Fuelled by confidence and a sense of unbridled energy, they have thrown in the sink and written an album that reinvents the GIDEON wheel. Sprinkling a handful of nu-metal influence atop their already dense blend of gargantuan heaviness, they remain intoxicating as ever.
For Out Of Control, the band also took influence from outlaw country and hip-hop, resulting in a record more diverse than anything that has left their drawing board in the past. The band has taken a “No fear, no fences” approach to songwriting, unafraid to plunge deeper into new territory. They cite a lot of their recent ameliorations to their new bassist. “When we started writing with Caleb, it was clear that we weren’t going to hold back musically, and that slightly changed our approach to writing lyrics. No more playing safe, we were determined to speak our minds, for better or worse. Fans can expect the truest form of GIDEON to date.” The shackles of old are nowhere to be seen.
The band feel that this record has already bred the best reaction of anything they have released to date, and this reflects the confidence that oozes from the music. Proud of each and every track, they tell us that from start to end it “paints a detailed picture.” Written from the heart, this was always destined to be the case. Taking a step back from expectation has allowed them to flourish, and quite frankly, the result is all the better for it. Maybe it’s simply experience that has allowed them to improve, or perhaps more fittingly their unfettering has led to a more innate accent.
Either way, it is clear that GIDEON don’t want their inference to overshadow what they stand for musically. “We’re regular dudes, musicians, artists, just like any other band. Our shift from Christianity is not what we choose to talk about. We may never fully escape it, and that’s okay, but at the end of the day we just want to make music that we’re proud of and that people will relate to.” By allowing that breathing space, we can appreciate GIDEON for what they are, a shape-shifting phenomenon that continues to adapt, grow and most importantly, inspire.
Out Of Control is out now via Rude Records/Equal Vision Records.
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