SEVENSENT's debut album The Affection dives deep into pain, healing, and self-worth through raw lyrics and genre-blending sound. We spoke to the band about its origins and emotional intensity.
1.
SEVENSENT rose from the ashes of a one-man band. Can you tell us more about
that transition and how the full lineup came together?
Sure! The
need to upgrade to a full lineup was due to a willingness to level up the sound
and actually share the experience of making music, something that was quite
challenging given the very intimate nature of these lyrics. Fun story, me and
Dave (our guitar player) literally met on top of a mountain.
2. The
Affection is described as a journey through pain and healing via the
voices of deeply flawed characters. What inspired you to take this
concept-driven, introspective approach to songwriting?
Honesty.
You write about what you know - that's the one rule you stick to if you want to
have any chance of writing anything good.
3. The
album touches on heavy topics like abuse, narcissism, and political extremism.
How did you strike a balance between artistic expression and emotional
responsibility when portraying these themes?
It's a peculiar use of words, "emotional responsibility". I can actually relate to that - going back to those lyrics every time we have to rehearse is not the most comfortable thing in the world, especially because these songs were meant to get something out and leave it there. Let's say that learning to explore those feelings and then slip out of them is a very important skill, and that's the whole message underlying this album: it's good to talk about these topics, it's not good to be defined by them.
4.
Lyrically, SEVENSENT seems to put strong emphasis on inner dialogue. Do the
characters in your songs reflect real people, personal experiences, or are they
purely fictional?
Many of
those voices I found inside my mind when writing, others were inspired by
observing people I grew close to.
5. Your
music pulls from a wide range of influences—emo rock, black metal, hardcore
punk, and more. How do you approach blending such diverse genres without losing
cohesion?
Whenever
composing something, I just let the song be whatever it wants to be. There is
never a predetermined direction, a predetermined audience, nor the willingness
to please anyone. Songs will sound drastically different depending on which
instrument I've started composing them with, be it guitar or piano or drums,
and they will need to support the message in the lyrics.
6. Is
there a specific track on The Affection that you feel best
represents the heart of the album? What’s the story behind it?
I'd be torn
between I Am Poison and Glamour. Both talk about deeply wounded characters,
with the first one chasing fantasies of power, and the second one chasing
fantasies of submission. Opposite reactions to the same problem: a lack of self
worth.
7. Can
you walk us through your writing process? Do lyrics or riffs come first, or
does each song evolve differently?
It's all
over the place. I Am Poison started from a quote out of a psychology book,
Glamour started from a piano arpeggio, The Brawl from a guitar riff... They
were all born back in the day in which music was mostly playtime, and that's
what happens when you allow yourself to play.
8.
Northern Italy has a growing alternative and metal scene. How has your local
environment influenced your sound and your message?
I
personally don't enjoy going to concerts nor belonging to any scene, so the
influence was zero. I'm sure there are awesome musicians in my area and wish
them nothing but the best, but I'm extremely introverted and a bit antisocial,
thus I see music as an intimate experience, not something to be shared.
9. Now
that The Affection is out, what’s next for SEVENSENT? Are you
planning to tour, release more material, or explore other creative directions?
This album
was a personal statement, something I needed to get out of my system. I almost
see it as emotional vomit. Right now we're in the process of preparing a live
setlist - 'cause that's what you do if your band isn't named Burzum, I guess -
but to me, the most important part is done. My bandmates would probably
disagree, and maybe playing some shows in front of people won't be so terrible
after all. We'll see. New material could definitely come, whenever I find some
free time from my mix engineering duties - the older you grow the more you have
to work, and the more you work the less you play. Unfortunate, but what
can you do.
10. For
listeners just discovering SEVENSENT, what do you hope they take away
from The Affection?
No matter
how horrible, emotions and mental states come and go. They do not define you,
nor should they.
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