Forming in early 2015, Geelong’s own Amberyse wasted little time establishing themselves as a fiery and energetic stage presence. The groups’ blend of heavy/melodic riffs, groove riddled percussion and the frenzied energy of frontman Jayden Andrews, bring together a unique sound that they are proud to call their own. We chat to guitarists Jamie Townley and Liam Lynch ahead of their EP launch of ‘Born Too Familiar’ next month.
Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to chat to Forte Magazine. Soon you’ll be heading out on tour to support your upcoming EP – can you tell us a bit about the release and what people can expect from it?
Glad to do it! We’re very proud of what we’ve put together and hope people connect to it like we have. It has a whole variety of genre influences and an arsenal of intense leads and piercing vocals. The song themes range in emotion about story’s of youth, anxiety, depression and survival.
There is quite a bit of anticipation locally for the release of your EP, tell us a bit about the approach you took in writing and recording.
This EP has been in the making for a long time due to a range of line-up changes. So some of these songs have been written years ago and ‘Born too familiar’ as a whole is the perfect example of how we’ve progressed as musicians and humans in general. I guess locally, people recognise some of our songs now as they’ve been around a while now and they’re looking forward to hear them recorded!
We’ve had a chance to listen to “Nausea”, which is one of the tracks off your upcoming EP. It has a phenomenal blend of elements, heavy but melodic. There are some nods to bands like Parkway Drive and Architects on the track. Can we expect more of the same with the other tracks on the EP?
Yes and no! Nausea was actually the first song we wrote as a band, so you can definitely hear our originally influences like Parkway drive. Throughout the EP though you can tell when our later influences come out. ‘Shadow puppets’ for example, we drew on bands such as Novelists and Architects.
Amberyse are known for a very energetic live performance, what bands inspire your live show and where does this drive come from?
I guess we’ve always felt that if we’re having fun, then it will show in our performance. Getting into the right mindset and relying on each other to provide the right kind of energy to give it our all at each show! Whenever I’m asked about my favourite bands the first thing I think about is how crazy and energetic their live performances are. So we take inspiration from that because it’s what we would want as fans. Have you seen bands like Polaris live?
Amberyse previously managed to land a support slot for Northlane, which is a huge gig. What was it like to share the stage with them and how did the crowd react to you?
An absolute dream come true! Getting to play alongside a band we’ve always been inspired by musically and professionally was off the chain. It was the first time we’d played in front of a huge crowd that weren’t there just to see us either, so it was great to be put out of our comfort zone and we learned so much that night and has driven us to achieve more. And the guys were super chill!
What are you most looking forward to in regards to heading out on your Regional Tour at the end of September?
Honestly, we just can’t wait to get out and play some more shows! We’ve had a few months off gigging since Northlane to prepare everything for this release so super keen to get on the road again. Especially keen to check out the local talent around regional Victoria and play venues we haven’t ventured to before like Adelaide and Mildura.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with us at Forte – is there anything you’d like to say to readers who are considering catching you guys out on tour?
No problem, thanks for having us! And I guess give us a chance! Our live performance is especially important to us so we aim to bring the energy and get sweaty with everyone. Come get crazy with us!
When & Where: Karova Lounge, Ballarat – October 19, The Workers Club, Geelong – October 28, The Reverence Hotel, Footscray – November 10, Musicman Megastore, Bendigo – November 11, The Loft, Warrnambool – November 17 & The Setts, Mildura – November 17
Pre-order their EP here
