Page 18 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 109

BV109 pg 16-21 Conquer Divide Interview.qxp_BV109 pg 18 07/12/2023 23:13 Page 3

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"I mean, naturally, I think people will be cu- new!" to our new heaven. Being patient and just be-
rious of us," she adds. "All girls in such a heavy lieving in the process. Patience is how we got to
genre of music, what's about to happen? But I low Burn' is packed full of important this point. And striving."
think we do a very good job of making songs 'Sand emotive topics, which all add to
very heavy, but also very melodic at the same the power of the punch that the songs pack. onfirming the fans’ pleasure in the new
time. We like taking these two aspects, with Janel tells us about the last song on the Cmusic, we ask if she shares in this. "I
Kiarely's beautiful, angelic voice, that is so album, 'gAtEkEePer'. “It's very big, triumphant have loved this album since we got done track-
strong and powerful, and combined with my sounding, we're going to take on the world, we ing it, since we were writing it. It's my favourite
harsh vocals, that are so aggressive. never had any topics like that on the first album. album of the year, even if I wasn't in the band, I
"So, it's a bit of a clash between being very With 'welcome2paradise', it's about climate would still fucking love this album. Pardon my
pretty and very metal all into one, and I feel that change, which is a completely different topic, language. But it's such a good album. I, person-
helps us stand out a little bit. We could sing which we would never even have thought about ally, have been dying for the fans to hear it, like
songs that are very heartful, or we could go very, for the first album. But, now, we have that much I've been working up to this album for two years
very heavy, but we've chosen to do both at the more experience and, understanding our sur- and wishing people could hear it, and now they
same time, that really sets us apart from other roundings are falling apart, we reflected that into can, the fans are loving it! So, it's such a relief
bands." that song.” to have it out.
'N E W H E A V E N' is a song that they have "The fans love it, they say it was worth it and
t's a great point, because one of the key made clear is about religious metaphors and not that was the whole goal. I remember hoping they
Iaspects which makes 'Slow Burn' such a about religion itself, but its presence on the would think that, rather than, ‘Oh, this is what we
brilliant album is the band’s ability to balance the album provides too good an opportunity to turn get after waiting so long,’ and that they are super
clean and unclean vocals, ensuring they retain down and we ask Janel for her thoughts and be- stoked about it makes me so happy, because I
their heaviness without ever losing their melodic liefs on heaven and, reminding her of the lyric, am super stoked about it. I'm so glad everyone
side, which should only serve to widen the circle whether a new one would be nice. else feels the same way about it that we do."
of people likely to enjoy their music. Given it's "My thoughts about heaven are, it's a super Sticking with the metaphor the song is
such an important part of their songs, we ask awesome concept and I would love to believe about, we ask if she might have any words of
Janel how difficult it was for them to strike that it's a thing. Now, the rules for getting up there is wisdom or encouragement for anyone going
balance when compiling the tracks. where I'm a little bit more like, ‘OK, we're all through a similar thing themselves, where their
"Really, it just depends on the song," she human, why can't we all just go?’ dreams are either always fingertips away, or
replies. "If the song is about being backstabbed "As for a new heaven, maybe we could do they are concerned they may not pan out the
by your friend, kinda like 'Atonement', it's going with one, one that is a little more accepting, not way they dreamt.
to call for more of the harsh vocals, but, if we are as scary to get to. "It's the same advice I gave myself and the
aiming for something like 'OnlyGirl', about "But the song is a big metaphor. The amount girls in the band; patience. It really is just pa-
heartache, where we are trying to really capture of people who think Conquer Divide have be- tience and believing in the process and not giv-
a more sentimental vibe rather than aggression, come a Christian band because of the song! No, ing up on something you absolutely believe in
that's when we know, maybe we should skip on it's just a metaphor for your dreams not being and love.
the harsh vocals, because this calls for pure, what you wanted them to be. As for having a "Just really hold onto it, and patience, be-
clean vocals. So, it really depends on what we new heaven, why not? Let's do it!" cause sometimes it takes forever. It took two
are trying to do in the song, that's how we kinda So what would Janel’s new heaven look years for us to get the album out. Patience is a
dictate it." like? virtue, so try and get as much of it as possible
As mentioned, the new album contains "Just beautiful sceneries," she replies, and always remind yourself to trust in the
much more meaningful and deeper-thinking "Mountains, trees, waterfalls, lakes. Basically, process. The universe is always listening, the
lyrics and messages within the songs than their Washington State! It would look like that, except more you manifest, the more it will come to you."
previous work, 'Atonement' being no exception, my heaven, it would be rock shows everywhere.
which, they say, is about cutting your losses, Rock shows, metal shows, everywhere. Every- ontinuing with the more mature themes
wiping the slate clean, and carrying on. And, in body gets a venue, everyone gets to play a Cwhich can be found contained in 'Slow
many ways, the same could be said for Conquer show and this is all happening in a beautiful for- Burn', 'playing w/ fire' will be, for many, the most
Divide who are, save their name, a very different est. That's my heaven! Shows and scenery." serious of the bunch, as it looks into the thorny
band to when they released their debut record And so, who would Janel go to watch in this and ever-emotive issue of domestic violence.
in 2015. 'Slow Burn' is like a new start for the new heaven of hers? Described as a song for ‘everyone who wants to
band. "Ahhhhhh! Do they have to be deceased?" leave a relationship and never will’, and to help
"Honestly, I feel like, for me, and I think the It's your heaven Janel, so you can choose! make any victims of this feel seen and know
girls would say the same, that we feel like a "OK, so, in my new heaven, My Chemical help is out there, the band have said it was ‘es-
whole new band now. When we started this Romance would play every night and I'd have sential’ for them to touch on the topic.
band, I was 21 years old. I had my 21st birthday The Used on one day, Pierce the Veil the next Janel explains, "One of my bandmates saw
and the next day I flew from Texas, where I'm day and Green Day the next and, just to throw this happening to one of their best friends, and
from, to Michigan, to start practise for a tour, so in something different, we'll have Lady Gaga at from them witnessing what was an abusive re-
I was literally this little metalhead, screaming the weekend. Oh, and I love EDM music, so lationship, is what sprang that song - from us
into a mic, party animal, only really on tour to there'd also be a bunch of DJs going on at the feeling for their pain and kinda writing their pain
play some sick shows and enjoy partying. same time in the mix." for them. Taking their experience and almost giv-
"Fast forward to now and no longer 21, hav- ing them an outlet for it.
ing a way better level in my head, I feel like that ith Janel telling us about the song "But, we also want the song to be for other
vocalist who used to front Conquer Divide isn't Wbeing a metaphor for your dreams not people who have experienced, or are experienc-
even me anymore, and I feel like us, as an entity, turning out the way you had hoped, we ask if ing, the same thing. So, we did it for them to find
feel the same. We've all grown so much, more they feel that was when they were creating the comfort, for our fans to find comfort.
maturity, experienced life a bit more, and have new album and, now that it is in the world, has "I also find that song super experimental for
reflected on our past and all the mess-ups we this dream turned out the way they hoped it us. I call it our Paramore song, because I think
did, and now we're trying to move forward and would? it sounds like something from Paramore's first
be more organised and more communicative in "Yes," she responds straight away. "Hon- album, which makes me super happy, because
our band. estly, at least from my standpoint, the line, ‘The I love them, and we wanted to try and be more
"So, I feel that, for sure, this is a whole new higher I reach, the less I believe’, kinda is the risky with our song topics on this album, and so
chapter. A whole new band. Essentially, yes, we way I felt about the album for so long. There that was how the song came about, trying to be
are picking up from where we left off, but we are were so many times where it was like, ‘It's al- the voice for the victims, so I hope they can find
doing so with a whole new slate. Honestly, we most there, we're almost at the release date, it's some comfort from that song."
were very close to changing our name because coming, it's coming,’ having all this anticipation, As well as offering comfort to anyone expe-
we are a completely different band inside and only to have these setbacks, really made us feel riencing this, we ask Janel whether she might
out, mentally, physically and musically. I really like it was so close, so far away, and there were have any words of advice she can offer to some-
feel we have grown more as musicians in the times when we wondered if it would ever hap- one who may be in this kind of situation. "Yes,"
time between our first album and this one, and pen and what were we doing. comes her immediate response, before taking a
so, not only are we internally more mature, but "But, once it happened, all the fans said it pause to consider an answer for what is clearly
our music reflects that too. So, we're back, but was worth the wait, so patience is what got us a very important question for her. "It's a very
CONQUER DIVIDE