Newcastle punks Introvert spoke to us about their hot new EP Mending Breaking.
Following the release of their infectious singles Somewhere Else and Dreamers late last year, Newcastle punks Introvert have released their highly-anticIpated EP Mending Breaking via UNFD last month.
Capturing the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with trying to deal with your demons, Mending Breaking spans six tracks of alt-rock, punk and heavy. The EP was recorded close to home at Newcastle’s Tommirock Studios, with the band’s close friend and collaborator Mitta Norath (Endless Heights, Eat Your Heart Out) at the helm of engineering duties. A diverse yet seamless set of songs, Introvert seize an anthemic and heartfelt brand of rock on this release.
We had a chat with Steve Hopkins about the band’s brand new EP.
Congratulations on the release of your new EP! How’s it been since it came out?
It’s been a huge relief, ay. It was a bit of an ordeal as a process and so daunting to think of how it may have been received but I think letting go of it and seeing all the love that still exists/came back for the project really put as at more ease.
Tell us a bit more how you came up with the title and the sequence of the songs – it feels like a cycle of some sorts from beginning of the EP until the end.
We were trying to think up what could encapsulate it as a whole and after a month of chatting, we realised it was already there as a track title haha. The songs definitely ran together better in the order they’re in but essentially we just intended on showing what we go through on a daily/monthly/yearly cycle. I wouldn’t want to push my meaning into a song and push someone else’s out but we absolutely struggled through anxiety and every form it could be in writing this and just generally, over and over, we’d go from inward reflection and positive movement to bitterness, numbness, anger, and defeat. Rinse and repeat, mend and break.
Mending Breaking is heavier than your previous releases – was that a conscious choice or something that just happened naturally?
Absolutely not conscious. If anything we’ve tried to be a bit more upbeat and bright but I guess you can’t really pull the punk out of anyone.
What was it like working with Mitta Norath?
Like home. Mitta’s incredibly patient with us, incredibly innovative, and a shoulder to cry on in many instances. He is absolutely Introverts older brother and we wouldn’t have gotten through it without him.
Are there any tracks in particular on the new EP that you’re looking forward to playing live the most?
Personally, I love Find a Way and Dreamers the most. Mending and Breaking is super fun but it’s harder haha and Somewhere Else is a banger but I’ve shot myself in the foot with those incredibly high harmonies every night.
Speaking more generally about music – how did you guys first fall in love with making music?
For me, I was one of those kids that watched the video of Aaron Gillespie playing warped tour in 2009 playing Writing on the Walls in Underoath. The videos shot from the back and it still to this day gets me amped to play and write.
What does 2020 have in store for Introvert?
We’ve got some cool stuff in the oven for everyone, plans and other things, but until we can talk about them we’re heading to Tasmania to play M8fest with a bunch of great bands.
High Fives & Stage Dives 