The excitement for Soundwave Festival 2013 is still very much alive with the touring festival’s biggest lineup yet, including first time visitors to Australian shores, American post-hardcore/metalcore band Woe, is Me, who have recently re-released a deluxe version of their 2010 album Number(s) with a brand new studio record to be released in the coming months.
Following the release of their one studio album, they have already undergone a number of lineup changes while on tour, but have recently settled down.
Woe, is Me drummer and synth programmer Austin Thornton is very enthusiastic about being on one of Australia’s biggest music festivals. “It feels absolutely unbelievable, something that I couldn’t have imagined happening – especially this soon in my career, but I am beyond blessed.”
Not only is this Thornton’s first trip down under but the first time venturing so far from the United States.
Putting the fiinal touches on a brand new studio album, Thorton justifies the re-release of Number(s) this past July: “We had got a lot of questions about the album as well as a lot of kids that asked for different versions of the songs and we had done some covers in the past. We did it because it shows a different side of our songs as well as a fun side.” The record’s reissue demonstrates Woe, is Me’s musical variety and their capability of being musically diverse.
The Number(s) re-issue reminded fans that the band is ready, alive and active. “We are just about to finish our new album prior to winding up our most recent tour. We had to explain to everybody that the studio computer crashed (Thornton chuckles) and we ended up having to leave before the album was completed. We’re really excited completing it though and getting it out there.”
The band are hoping to release material from the new album to the public as soon as they can. In addition to album news, Woe is, Me promised to reveal some huge news on Twitter. “That’s actually got to do with a long awaited big tour coming up. We can’t wait to announce it.”
With all respectable musicians comes a set of uniform influences that are usually not too different in style. “Our influences range for us so much. I mean we all have so many different favourite bands, for me it’s Coldplay.” Not your typical act for a hardcore act to namecheck, but as Thornton elaborates, it’s “not the same kind of music but having that same passion towards music is what I feel I have in common with them.”
Thorton is also influenced by the more typical artists like A Day to Remember and Attack Attack! Interestingly enough Thornton has more unexpected musical influences. “I really connect with Periphery and Volumes and annything with ‘Djent'” says Thornton, referring to the progressive metal sub-genre, so named for the sound of the palm-muted guitar the unique style uses.
“So we have a range of influences but we have a healthy balance and just want to have fun with it,” he adds.
Whilst Thornton acknowledges some of his odd musical influences, he justifies them with direct links to the band’s sound. “There’s definitely some ‘opposite end of the spectrum’ stuff, but we want a variety in our music. It all has to make sense though, we know we can do just about anything we want musically and we’re able to somehow make it work when we need to and make it flow.”
“We’ve been really lucky with the diversity of all the members in the band and their influences.” The individuality of the different members in Woe, is Me has shaped the band as a whole as each one of them has something unique to contribute musically.
What do Soundwave and Woe, is Me have in common? The answer appears to be musical diversity.
With the usual abundance of sideshows throughout the festival week, Thornton decides who would be best to join. “Anybody could say Metallica, Paramore and Linkin Park, but of course there are the appropriate bands,” he says.
Sticking to the post-hardcore/pop-punk acts like “Of Mice & Men, Sleeping with Sirens and Memphis May Fire.” Despite having not done Soundwave before, they seem to be on the money on how it all works.
The sideshows have been effective not only for those who have decided against emptying their wallets for the festival, but also for fans to get close and intimate with some of the bands. “It’s great to be able to put on these shows and get everyone to have a fun time. We’re not just looking for kids to beat the crap out of each other – we want them to do that amongst other things,” Thornton finishes with a laugh.
Number(s) is out now through Rise/Velocity. Woe, Is Me play Soundwave 2013 in all five capital cities in February next year. Full dates and details here.
