Interloper: Patience Of A Search Party
“There were definitely many arguments over these songs. Because when it came to putting it together, this album was just so different compared to the EP. That was like our first experience writing together. And with that came a lot of contrasting visions between the three of us. We had this kind of unspoken agreement – that we didn’t really know what we were doing but were just trying to make good tunes. With Search Party, I feel like we all just got really focused on different visions, so what ended up happening was that we were really butting heads, and super hard, from song to song. But ultimately, from these compromises came a sound that we all agreed on. It is a sound that we want to identify with and be identified from.” Ladies and gentlemen, the writing is on the wall. For if January’s A Revenant Legacy was a statement of intent, then upcoming debut Search Party is unequivocal proof that INTERLOPER have officially arrived.
And with innate song-writing clarity and melodic strength of brutish proportion on offer to titillate the discerning listener, this trio have absolutely delivered on the undeniable potential that all and sundry heard coursing through that aforementioned EP. Despite an arguably swift turnaround in terms of creative output, the subsequent development of these progressive pioneers, and the journey from those early singles to now, has been far from instant, or indeed simplistic. And, as two-thirds of the band Andrew Virrueta and Miles Dimitri Baker divulge to Distorted Sound, finding that balance between gentle daydreaming and sonic destruction meant that no proverbial stone was left unturned in the process.
“There was a lot that happened between the EP and now, especially with us trying to refine what we were doing,” Miles ponders thoughtfully. “That was a big process you know? And there were a lot of hurdles and challenges that we were having to overcome along the way.” Could one interpret that Search Party is working on a metaphorical level as well as being a song title given the journey you guys have been on – an example being Andrew coming onboard as a vocalist? “I mean, the other band members might think it. But for me, it certainly wasn’t intentional or quite that deep when it came to the title!” Guitarist/vocalist Andrew laughs heartily. “That song was actually one that Mike [Semesky, ex-vocalist] wrote and we honestly just really liked the sound of it. One of the lyrics was just so cool and insightful and appropriate that we just ended up wanting to use it for the album title and here we are!”
“I think it does kinda fit though?” Miles immediately counters. “No, it wasn’t like a planned metaphor, but it does relate to a lot of the things we were experiencing as a group. In terms of refinement, it was us refining who was in the fucking band for a start! But musically as well – it was the idea of this search party to get us exactly where we wanted to be and to continue on that path. So, it was one of those things that fell in our laps. Like Andrew said, what Mike wrote just fit. You know that feeling when you’re sat with your group of friends and you’re all like ‘so what about this?’ And they go ‘oh yeah that’s fuckin killer!’ It was one of those moments for sure.”
Rather than ostentatiously rampage their way through 11 tracks via displays of mindless noodling, what these progressive metallers have managed to do with this debut, is blend razor-sharp precision with rich, multi-textured harmonies and shifting time signatures to make use of a vivid sonic palette. Chock-full of earworm choruses alongside ambient melodies, tracks like Idle Years truly epitomise the variety within the band’s proverbial wheelhouse whilst lead single Drift – arguably the heaviest moment on the album – sees Virrueta at his most startling vocally; brandishing enough chunky riffery to sate any and all guitar-obsessed appetites. That same zeal for artistic range however, did not come to fruition without its fair amount of inter-band tension. Because when you get three individuals with such strong feelings for the songs being put on the table, the risk of creative turmoil is just as strong.
“There were definitely many arguments over these songs. Because when it came to putting this album together, it was just so different compared to the EP. That was like our first experience writing together. And with that came a lot of contrasting visions between the three of us,” Andrew recounts. “What ended up happening was we ended up butting heads really hard from song to song. There were a few exceptions where we all just decided that the songs were sick, but there were a number of week-long fights too! But I do think that with these compromises came a sound that we all agree on – and it’s one that we wanna identify with.”
“I think this is probably the case for a lot of bands, especially those who are as critical of their music and what they put out as we are,” Miles surmises. “We really left no stone unturned. We just really went through everything with a fine-toothed comb. We’re a team y’know? Everyone needs to be happy or it’s just not gonna work.”
It is said that patience is a virtue. And with such a deep cohesiveness between all parties as a result of a testing writing process, it is safe to say that this three-piece have long surpassed their status as a mere musical project. With zero boundaries or restrictions, INTERLOPER are the perfect collision of passion and precision.
Search Party is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.
Like INTERLOPER on Facebook.
