Drown - Avenoir

It’s 2018, a warm summer evening in Leeds, and Avenoir’s ‘Head of Security’ Tye Jozefowicz is sat on a bench across from me, reciting Tool’s Right in Two while I’m struggling to finish a pint so we can go inside. Fast forward two years and Avenoir’s frontman Tye Jozefowicz is asking whether I want to be put on the door list for their headline. I often find that looking back is a great way to put everything into perspective and having followed the band through its growth cycle I can say that this song leads me to believe that they have naturally flourished their creative minds and are where they want to be. Avenoir in 2020 are like a butterfly; if that butterfly was soaked in blood and face paint, had horns and a kick-ass attitude.

Punk/Rock/Metal

This is the second track that features Jozefowicz and from the get-go I can tell that he has had a huge influence on the sound. While their last single Orpheus and Eurydice sounded like Avenoir with a different vocalist, Drown channels a new mix of genres, most notably the heavier ones as we finally get the screams that we want and deserve. It’s clear to see the transition from more traditional punk rock to a heavier progressive fusion, giving me big Bullet For My Valentine vibes in the first verse while also keeping the playful, driven, grungy bass rhythm and riffs that Avenoir have always been known for, dropping out for a very nu-metal bridge with some, what I can only describe as lovely, ambient chords to bring everything right down before ultimately hitting back with what is possibly the most satisfying, chest-destroying, crucifix-melting scream I’ve heard from any new music recently.

The Technicalities, Or Not

Guitarist Rob Arkle deploys chorus in a classy, clean solo that does exactly what it needs to and nothing more, which is something that I think deserves much more appreciation and attention. As a guitarist myself I can appreciate skill and technical ability, but something I’ve learned over the past couple of years is the concept of ‘Less is More’, which is exactly what it sounds like. Shred-solos are neat and all, but metal has existed since the 60s; we’ve heard it all before. Where do you draw the line before a solo becomes too flashy and, frankly, boring? What interests me is the placement, emotion and creativity of a solo. What effects are used? What intervals? Instead of having a token guitar solo, how can you make it sound unique? Arkle’s lead in Drown is the perfect example of this; it runs parallel to the hopelessness and the letting go of control that Jozefowicz’s lyrics and intense vocals convey.

Speed Sensibility

When I listen to Drown I think of Korn’s Jonathan Davis, Bullet’s Matthew Tuck, and Motionless In White’s Chris Motionless, and I know that these are all huge influences on Jozefowicz and he is also very open about his interest in gothic and satanic literature which definitely play a part in his lyric writing and the aesthetic of the group. But, after a brief dialogue with drummer Jack Hendy, I know that there are plenty of other creative streams flowing through too; Marmozets to name one specifically. Like the rest of the band, Hendy’s fast punk-like drunks have evolved to be more dynamic and tempo-considerate than what I have heard from Avenoir in the past and I think this is a perfect combination of styles: when it needs to be loud it’s loud, and when it needs to come down Hendy shows the necessary control and placement to bring everything low, ready to crash back into the noise.

Respect Your Roots

As I said before, I’ve been lucky enough to follow Avenoir through their eardrum-shattering career since the early days. They’ve seen ups and downs and drastic line-up changes but, from where I’m stood, they’ve found their place in the scene and I can only see their sound developing more. Drown is released on all platforms on Thursday (23rd) in time for their Leeds headline at The Wardrobe on Friday and, after taking the time to deeply listen to Drown, I’m excited to see how it will translate to a live setting.