"Not everything I write fits into my existing projects; Whisperhead exists as a vessel for those ideas- it allows me to be dangerous, confronting and vulnerable."
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There's a cryptic intrigue to the way Dubbo musician Nolan Furnell approaches the release of his original music, because unlike many other Central West-based acts, he chooses not to let his own identity sell the music; rather let the music sell itself.
But looking further afield, so many popular acts, especially of the alternative metal persuasion [Furnell's clear genre of choice], have applied this method of putting music ahead of the personality behind it to great effect: Nine Inch Nails, Tool and Slipknot being the most obvious examples.
And Furnell's newest project, Whisperhead, looks primed to continue his trajectory of putting music above everything else [which he employed to great effect in his two existing acts: Eraser and Novel Future], with debut track 'Swallow You' [scheduled for release this Friday] offering a tightly-executed jaunt of chuggy, metallic guitars, a barnstorming rhythm section and an effective contrast of dirty and clean vocals.
In the artist's own words: "'Swallow You' explores the instant, if counterfeit, gratification of pornography; the appeal of exploring various roles free of consequence; and how it fulfils desires and needs without risk and investment. It does not take a stance: it merely makes an observation, free of judgement."
This observation is brought to life by a frantic rush of adrenaline that will please fans of Deftones and Alter Bridge, while the lyrical matter confronts, in full force, a controversial subject many would find taboo.
But 'Swallow You' provides, more broadly, an intriguing comment on the concept of convenience, and whether its always necessarily right to take the easier route when the harder one, while challenging, could lead to long-term satisfaction.
There's also a strong element of isolation and contemplation present on 'Swallow You', which is perhaps no accident considering where Furnell wrote the tune.
"It was written while I was working at the maximum security prison at Wellington, and I think the aggression, frustration and isolation of that place really influenced the song," he said.
'Swallow You' is a tight, concise rager bound to please the heavy metal crowd, and it's truly great to see metal, a genre often shunned in regional areas as too tough a sell, getting a supportive voice in Dubbo, with Furnell on the Songwriters and Original Musicians Association Dubbo committee.
'Swallow You' will be released Friday, October 15. For more information, visit the Whisperhead Facebook page.
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