While being a band now for a number of years, Gold Coast metal/prog/experimental outfit IBVS are only now getting around to releasing some material.
And it has been worth the wait.
The band’s debut single Follow The Gaijin is being released through HEAVY at 5.30pm on April 22 and is a melting pot of metal, rock, jazz and even blues that will take more than one listen to fully digest and appreciate.
With an eclectic, pulsating and well structured amalgamation of sounds, layers and textures, Follow The Gaijin is more than just a song. It is a music tour de force that takes you on a welcome journey through the minds of a band who seemingly know no boundaries.
Vocalist Benny Willis and drummer Clint O’Brien joined HEAVY to talk about the song and what IBVS has planned for the future.
"It's probably our heaviest track,” O’Brien offered. “We had a few tracks fits, and one of our bigger influences is a heavy prog band. We wanted to write a song that was a bit heavier, so we did. It starts off pretty heavy, with a lot of screams, a lot of weirdness through the middle as well. We didn't want it to just be heavy all the way through. We wanted to put our own flavour on there so there's a nice little blues, funky sort of style bit - jazz almost - through the centre of the song to break it up and add our own flavour to what we wanted to do as players. We wanted to push ourselves beyond what we've played before, both musically, melodically and in time signatures as well. Building that song was just pushing the boundaries of what we can do as players."
In the full interview, the boys talk more about Follow The Gaijin, the different sounds in the song, how they got them to gel together, IBVS’ planned EP and what to expect and more.