Swindon band Modern Evils have crafted a raw alternative rock meets post-hardcore sound built on a hip-hop core, which they describe as a “saucy emotional rollercoaster.”
Modern Evils started out as a hip-hop project of vocalist Aaron Steel around five years ago. Drummer Meg Truscott got involved and it “forced an awakening” that they wanted to start a band and recruited Sam Rose on guitar, Joe Palmer on guitar and vocals and Jake Dodwell on bass in the last six months.
Describing the sound they’ve honed since, the band told us: “A style that defies convention and refuses to be confined by genre, crafting a unique sonic experience that feels like nothing you’ve heard before. Drawing on a rich blend of experimental rock, alternative energy, and raw, unfiltered emotion, with music that taps into the pulse of both chaos and catharsis.
Our latest taste of this is their fifth single GITZLAFF LOVER, which was released at the end of last month. It opens up with a cool drumbeat that’s joined by a stabbing riff, a bumbling bass then Aaron’s intense but engaging rapped vocals. It flows into a big singalong chorus supported by driving guitar chords and drums, before the chunky riff jumps back in to loop into another angsty verse. A second chorus ends with a drawn-out guitar noise then rolling drums and clean vocals answered by more intense retorts. Heavy guitar chords and piercing guitars come in and stabbing guitars bring the track to a close.
On the track, they told us: “We are very excited to release this song, we believe it’s our best work we are releasing to date and we can’t wait to share it with those in the world who will listen. Listeners should expect a bit of everything. A good story, heavy drums and riffs, and a chorus which we hope sticks in your head for a long time. What more could you ask for?
“Gitzlaff is the last name of a band friend, Todd, who is from and lives in America. He travels to Swindon just to hang out in the local music scene and he happened to be in our hometown the day we wrote the song. He was there when we wrote the song, so we named the song after him.”
That track follows on from two singles released last year, DON’T CHASE A MAN ON FREEFALL, which opens up with light drums that continue as a stabbing riff jumps in before feisty rapped vocals, and the engaging PULL ME IN, which you can check out below. We also really like their lively debut single DOG FIGHT, which starts out with screeching guitars and a cool stabbing riff that continues under engaging vocals before flying into a big chorus and eventually descending into carnage.
The Modern Evils sound has been influenced by the likes of Turnstile through to Anderson Paak and bands like Sonic Youth and Knocked Loose. And on what inspires them to write music, they told us: “Mostly real life situations or experiences. Any time any of us have something going on in our lives, we all come together to make art out of that situation.”
Modern Evils will be celebrating the release of GITZLAFF LOVER with a tour over the next few months. The band is also busy writing new material and has a few songs “already in the chamber” and ready to record. And they added: “We make this music for everyone and we hope you enjoy it. That’s all we ask.”
You can follow Modern Evils on Facebook and Instagram, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
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