Australian band Twilight Idols use the power of alternative rock to deliver their deeply philosophical message. They draw on melodic rock and 80s influences with sombre songwriting to craft an alluring gothic sound that they describe as “dark, melodic and overcoming.”
The Brisbane quartet’s mission can be surmised from their name, derived from the Nietzsche book Twilight of the Idols, which, in the band’s words: “Describes the space in which old values become new, how when we create things beyond ourselves and allow meaning to transcend all else, we can conceive of beauty.” As such, the band, who met in bars around Brisbane, see themselves as “a group of existential aesthetics” seeking freedom through their love of rock’n’roll and art.
On the sound they’ve crafted, the band told us: “If you haven’t listened to us, Twilight Idols sounds like this melodic heavy infusion of 80s riffs and lyrics with philosophical insight. What is art if not a verdict of truth? As a band, they find they are closer to this through chaotic yet melodic rock and roll.”
Our first taste of this is the band’s third single Love And Sand, which was released two weeks ago. It opens up with funky drawn-out guitars that continue under gradually building drums and engaging vocals. The guitars pick up pace as it glides into a delicious chorus, with little flurries of guitar supporting the vocals. Second time around, it drops into a sweeping guitar solo that picks up pace alongside faster drums, coming to a dramatic high-pitched conclusion. The mellow guitars bring the tempo down, with building drums, big passionate vocals and stabbing guitars delivering an atmospheric final blast of the chorus.
On the track, the band told us: “People are saying Love And Sand is their favourite song from the band yet. The song was one of the first ever written by guitarist Harry Sowden, one of the first played as a band. It is a song for everyone and no one, it is unapologetically honest and speaks less of pain as it does overcoming. Perhaps it is the embodiment of change and overcoming. Love And Sand is a metal ballad with this 80s glam style riff and raw, naked lyrics.”
Love And Sand follows on from the band’s debut single Endless Night, released in June, and the superb Haunting You. The latter starts out with dramatic guitars that drop into a mellow opening verse, which feeds into a lively chorus. A second chorus gives way to a huge guitar solo, then stabbing guitars and feisty vocals set up a final chorus.
The Twilight Idols sound has been heavily influenced by the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Avenged Sevenfold. While lyrically, they take inspiration from writers like Leonard Cohen and, in their words, “artists who are as much poets as they are musicians.”
And on what inspires them to write music, guitarist Harry said: “I think I need to write to transcend meaning. I don’t write because I think there’s beauty in sadness and pain, but beauty in overcoming it, or at least trying. The things we ascribe meaning to seem to rise above all else, and we can make this known through art and creation. Isn’t that what meaning is? A transcendence? A verdict of truth that is the very evidence of life.”
There’s plenty more to come from Twilight Idols, who just played a sold-out show headlining famous Brisbane venue Tomcat Bar. They’ll also be recording a debut EP, which they hope will be released sometime next year, so we’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for that.
And the band added: “Our third single Love And Sand just came out. If you read this far, you are clearly like-minded, so go give it a listen and tell us what you think. We are constantly in and out of favour with the gods of the music industry, so we could use all the help we can get so we can eventually come tour the UK and Europe.”
You can follow Twilight Idols on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
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