There's no doubt that many people would like to simply erase the year 2020 from their memory. Arrows Red Fang 's fifth studio album , promises to do just that for the band – at least musically, as Bryan Giles , since the project was finalized in October of the previous year and didn't undergo any changes while shelved.
“There are no songs about quarantine or anything like that, just rock n' roll,” he explains about the album. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t change anything. It’s a moment in time and I’m excited because we captured that.” With a cigarette and a beer in hand, the guitarist is outside his house during the video call with Wikimetal , in what seems to be a more realistic portrayal of the isolation period than the frenetic music video for the album’s title track .
The project continues successful elements in Red Fang's discography: a relaxed yet professional approach, aggressive vocals and heavy instrumentals without sacrificing groove, as well as collaborations that have already proven fruitful in previous works, starting with producer Chris Funk , from Murder the Mountains (2011).
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In the realm of insane music videos, Whitey McConnaughy , director of “Wires,” is back with even more absurd ideas in “Arrows.” While the production team did all the preparation work, the band simply had to “show up and cut things with a sword.” “I searched YouTube for how to use a sword, but I don’t think I got any useful information,” the musician laughs. “I didn’t cut my hand off, so I think I did a great job.”
Those who know the band from some insane music video might not realize the seriousness of their studio work or might have false expectations about their live performances. If someone expects to find "funny clothes and stuffed animals" on stage, like in the "Why" video, they're certainly in for a surprise. "We try to offer the most intense musical experience possible and, honestly, the content of our music is anything but cheerful," Giles warns. "There's a dichotomy, but so far, people are okay with it. Sometimes there's a shock, I hope it's a positive surprise."
In “Why,” the last single released before the album launch, the band portrays the theme of addiction seriously, “even if it’s a huge bear addicted to pizza” in the narrative. “It’s a tough three minutes. There are about 30 seconds of celebration and then everything goes downhill. It’s not the most upbeat video we’ve ever made,” he admits. “Our intention wasn’t to minimize drug addiction; I’ve dealt with that in the past.”
Based on his own experience, the guitarist and singer managed to convey the feeling that there is no alternative or salvation for the addict. “I know it doesn’t seem possible to stop, a clean life doesn’t seem real. It’s possible, but I know the mentality and the feeling that there’s no way out, that this is the only way to live,” he says. “We didn’t try to downplay it. And I didn’t want a happy ending; I think there are more tragic endings than happy ones for drug addiction. I wanted to represent this problem of humanity.”
On the album cover, Red Fang once again recruited Orion Landau to find an "iconic, strong, and eye-catching" image that would immediately resonate with the public. Against a near-neon background, representing the green spaces of Portland, the band's hometown, dozens of eyes observe and weep, an analogy to the constant scrutiny in social interaction, especially in the age of real-time sharing.
But attentive eyes don't just observe. The much-discussed cancel culture has turned the world into a crazy place, in the musician's view. "These are very, very strange times to be human. Everyone's gone crazy, man. The right is crazy, the left is crazy, nothing makes any sense to me," he declares emphatically. "Extreme leftism is just as bad as the extreme right; it's intolerance."
The decision by the Dr. Seuss to stop publishing some books due to racist content is an example that causes Bryan some indignation. The American author has a strong influence on culture with characters like the Grinch and became the center of intense discussion after withdrawing six titles from circulation, a debate similar to that of the Brazilian author Monteiro Lobato .
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“We are not idiots, I don’t think children are idiots. I don’t think a child who reads Dr. Seuss becomes racist, it’s not a children’s book that causes racism, it’s the parents who do it. How about canceling the parents?” he suggests. “It’s ridiculous. I’m a very liberal person, but it’s hard to see it from this shallow perspective. It’s a culture war. In wars, objective thinking is necessary, but nobody is thinking straight now!”
Inspired by the song “Funeral Coach” and the confusion surrounding the term, which refers to funeral processions (no, there are still no coaches specializing in funerals), Giles acknowledges that people may need professional help to resume social interactions – more than ever. “Now it’s worse, the awkwardness is getting bigger and bigger. But we’ll figure it out,” he says.
With his first shows in a year and a half scheduled for October, he believes there will be a sense of strangeness when he takes the stage, but he is excited about the possibility of living in the "real world, with our real identities" again.
And what's the solution to all the disagreements, polarization, and communication difficulties? "We need to be together. A lot can be resolved if everyone goes out and watches a show together," the guitarist predicts. Now all that's left is to wait for the reconciling power of live shows and Red Fang's return to Brazil in an uncertain future.
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