We sat down with fast-rising metal collective Love Is Noise, a group that immediately caught our attention with the release of their first single, Deja Vu (without you). A band with a captivating wall of sound, that truly hones in on the world of escapism. In today’s chat, we dig deeper into the creation that is Love Is Noise, the forward-thinking concepts they apply to their brand, and how film influences the group’s sound and visuals.
Coming out of the music scene, how did Love is Noise materialize?
Love Is Noise had always been around in my mind but never had a name, home, or place in the world. When Tom messaged me one day after the ending of a previous project, that communication between us lit the torch that carried us towards the creation of what you see today. A quick and exciting process that saw us create and release Deja Vu (without you) in the space of two months.
We absolutely loved the Nowhere Sessions. What or where is Nowhere?
Nowhere is a place where the dark is light, the silence is clear, the night is day, the breeze is calm, a place where everything is truly in the middle. Nowhere is a place we take ourselves to free our minds from societal pressures. With the earth being truly disconnected, we created a space to connect our thoughts and feelings without running through an ecosystem build on fear, anxiety, and power.
In this vast ocean of genres and bands trying to let themselves be heard, what makes you stand out?
The fact we’re not trying to stand out. Love Is Noise is true honesty. We lay our hearts out for the world to see. Coming from a world where every little move was calculated to please a certain narrative, I wanted to make sure LIN was a product of happiness, love, and respect. Gone are the days of trying to ‘play the game’, we’re here to bring new energy to the music world without having to bend to crooked industry norms.
What was the inspiration behind the visuals and themes for the music?
As a band, we’re heavily influenced by sci-fi motion pictures and movies in general. Deja Vu (without you) is based on knowing love is around you, but you never truly feel it. You live your life believing you’ll never find that love you feel you’ve felt before. Then one day, you look yourself in the mirror and that love is found. The matrix is your self-doubt, and Neo is the voice in your head telling you to love yourself.
The visuals are based upon film sets and certain shots I come across when researching. All three singles were based upon shots from: Fight Club Stranger Things Children of Men Dark Matrix Blade Runner Terminator
What are the steps in writing a song like Azure, and what makes a great song or album?
Tom: I don’t really follow a set approach for writing anymore, I used to be more formulaic but now I try to draw inspiration from anything. Azure was born out of playing 3 chords on a keyboard over a sample of a crowd of people. The skeleton of the song fell into place fairly quickly from that. Azure is a good example of collaborative working, we both wanted to input our idea and vision into the song without stepping on each other’s toes. I believe there are so many factors that make a great song, but they don’t all need to be present in the same piece. The main thing I look for is groove.
I know you guys are all about positive change, how do you use music to instill positivity into the world and where does the change begin?
Society is pretty much doom and gloom. In our world, we want people to be able to listen to LIN and feel powerful enough to take on their worlds and own it. We’re a vessel for people to find happiness, to live their own lives with this new sense of direction, which then allows for a whole new lease on life. If a listener puts on one of our tunes and it either inspires, heals or brings a smile to the face, our quest is fulfilled. We’re not here for glory, awards, money, or fame, we’re here to create a community that heals the soul. Music is one of the world’s greatest healers and our art is here to add to that.
What was the inspirational album for you of 2021/2022?
Glassjaw, Worship, and Tribute. Radiohead – Ok Computer (Tom) But if we were to talk bands of all time, Loathe was the band that changed it all for me. Very lucky to have friends as inspiring as them.
To name a few other legends: James and the Cold Gun Angel Number Heriot Family Man Gutter Born A New Thornhill Void Of Vision The Escape Artist Modern Error Your Misery
The list could go on and on
Coming from different musical backgrounds, how do you compromise and work together to create the sound of Love is Noise?
Despite our different backgrounds in previous projects. We align on our vision for LIN. LIN wouldn’t be what it is without us both bringing our artistic influences to the table.
Could you give us the Love is Noise manifesto for the year ahead?
We’re choosing where to play and when in a fashion you’d see from a film roll out. We’ll create and plan the show, announce, and push the show, then the day of the gig will be a celebration of the work put in, a premiere of sorts. You won’t see us touring heavily, but every show we do will be a “lights, camera, action” type event. A special moment for those in attendance.
Don’t get me wrong, we will 100% be touring but we want it to be in situations with artists that are forward-thinking in terms of pushing musical and societal boundaries. This stretches to larger acts too which we hope to gain the respect of in the future. Deftones if you’re looking for support, give us a ring kings.
You guys have been around the block, so what top 5 tips to have for the younger bands out there trying to make an impact?
-Create a great support network
-You don’t need a manager until you have something to manage. They should also be on a percentage, don’t be foolin’ around with no £250 monthly retainers.
-Music speaks louder than anything, make sure your live sound and studio recordings are the best they can be.
-Enjoy the now, you don’t control the future
-Listen, listen and listen. Your ideas, no matter how good you think they are, can be improved.
Thank you guys, so much for chatting with us. Do you have any last thoughts or anything you would like to plug?
We have an upcoming London show, make sure to buy tickets. Black Heart, 27th March 2022. Apart from that, enjoy life to its fullest because you never know when the time is up.