A QUICK DOZEN with JAKE FLEMING, AUDIO REIGN

A QUICK DOZEN with JAKE FLEMING, AUDIO REIGN
By Shane Pinnegar

Audio Reign’s self-titled album is out now and a hometown launch show is scheduled for December 7 at HQ, Adelaide.

Called “A super-catchy freight train of razor-sharp momentum” by Rod Whitfield of Metal Obsession, a recent press release declared that Audio Reign’s music is tenacious and uncompromising, it lives or dies on its ability to slay a live audience — boasting a lethal combination of razor sharp musicianship and blisteringly catchy anthems. Every instrument is as big as it possibly could be, with a lead vocalist that is larger than life. From the very first listen to their debut album, it is abundantly clear that Adelaide four-piece Audio Reign are the embodiment of this spirit.

Following on from their breakthrough single Find Your Way, Audio Reign’s first full-length album offers a proper taste of what they are capable of: a monster storm of huge, driving guitars, soaring melodic vocals and an unstoppable rhythm section. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jarred Nettle, the album delivers a flurrying combination of writing, performance and production – capturing epic hooks and supercharging them with the ferocity of the band’s live sound. From their heaviest song to their most ethereal, Audio Reign wield an immense level of energy.

The album’s first single, Betrayal, is a hard rock tour de force. Hard-hitting and relentless, it sets a musical and lyrical tone that is abundant throughout the album: raw emotion and undiluted power. Vivisecting an act of treachery, the song casts a stark light on a shadowy deception, delivered by the unmistakable voice of frontman/guitarist Jake Fleming. Driving his vocals like a battering ram; the irreplaceable legion of Alek Dyrynda (lead guitar), Ash Lovett (bass) and Dieter Schoell (drums).

Seasoned performers since forming in 2011, this lineup is adept and versatile; with so much potential coursing through Audio Reign that their future could very well be to preside at the top echelon of Australian rock. That journey, long and arduous as it may be, starts right here with one of the best hard rock debut albums of the year.

1. Tell us a little about your latest release. Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material that only diehard fans might pick up on?

With this album, we wanted to create a recording that was a genuine representation of the band. There are many varied influences and ideas within the band and we wanted to harness that essence to deliver an album that would reinforce who we are and what were about. To the diehard fans, this new album will be the Audio Reign they have been waiting for and expecting to hear!

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realised you wanted to be a musician?

When I was six years old, I heard Kiss on the radio and they became my favourite band! The sound of heavy guitars, the stage show, the attitude, the ROCK! Everything combined was just loud and in your face! Time passed and high school came along where my mates and I were the metal heads of the school. We lived for our music! We got some lads together who were keen and could play and this is where I joined my first band Axas. It was the best feeling in the world.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Oh man, this is always a hard question as there are so many influences for me and they’re ever evolving. Ask any member of Audio Reign who their influences are and although there would be obvious crossovers, we are all quite different from each other. I think that’s great for the band as it allows us to draw on those different influences when writing new music to ensure our songs don’t all start sounding the same.
But my main five influences personally would have to be, in no particular order, Alter Bridge, GnR, Metallica, Iron Maiden and Bon Jovi (for harmonies). Oh, can I throw anything Chris Cornell in there too?

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

If I could call in someone to collaborate on a song with, (and I assume they have to still be with us), I think it would be great to do a song with Corey Taylor. I think we could work well together – but maybe that’s too obvious and I should pick someone like… Sia? That could be a pretty interesting collaboration.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

How does heavy, melodic, emotive and dynamic sound? If you’re asking who we sound like, this is a hard question because we often get people coming up to us after a show and saying, “Oh, you guys remind me of this band or that band” and quite often it’s never the same band. So the way I decipher that is that we actually sound like Audio Reign, and they’re just identifying with sounds and riffs of other bands that they like in our music. I think that’s pretty cool and a great compliment.

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

Having an absolutely awesome and rewarding outlet that gives you the opportunity to emote and express yourself. When you’re in the moment performing with the band and everything is sounding tight and heavy, the high is incredible!

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Cooking? Ha ha, whoever is working at the restaurant or takeaway joint is the one cooking. As far as drinks go, there’s always beers! Alek is probably the one to drink the least beer, but that’s generally because if there is a guitar lying around, it’s not long before it’s in his clutches and he just starts playing every heavy riff that comes to his head. If it’s an electric guitar, it can get hard to have conversations because he just keeps playing.

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

Well I’m also a Metro fireman and I do enjoy that job. It’s a pretty cool job… but a dream job, maybe I could be a highly paid waterslide tester who just goes around to water themed parks and goes on all the slides to make sure they’re still current and Fkn awesome fun. Except I’m allowed to drink beer and wear waterproof headphones to listen to killer tunes whilst I’m busy working!

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep, or you would like to be able to “do over”?

Let me think… I wish we could go back and play the Big Day Out again as we are now. We had an awesome time, but I feel that we are so much more established and evolved now, both musically and performance-wise, that if we could do it again, we would do definitely put on a better show and rock a shit load harder .

10. If you were made ruler of the world, what would your first orders be?

To get rid of all the pokies in venues, and turn them all back into live music venues and make it that everyone needs to attend at least one live gig a month. Also that there are several big music festivals like Download. playing at least twice a year that go to every country and capital city so everyone has the opportunity to attend the show, and these days are made public holidays. Oh, and to please the generic Miss Universe winners, I’d “Create world peace and harmony”. I’ll sort the rest of the world’s problems out after that!

11. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

There are so many, for so many different reasons, but I think for right now I’d have to pick GnR’s “Appetite for Destruction” album. It would have been pretty damn loose, tense and totally insane crazy back when that was all happening, and I can imagine they’d have been partying pretty hard at the time! That album came out when I was in my early teens and although I loved Maiden, Metallica , the “Appetite” album had a fresh angst and attitude about it which I totally related to at the time and it became a big soundtrack to that part of my life.

12. What, for you, is the meaning of life?

Love – passion – dedication – honesty – peace – inner happiness – acceptance – family- and Fkn great music! \m/

Web: http://audioreign.com.au/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AudioReignBand
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audioreign/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AudioReignBand
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AudioReignBand
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0FSciYQkhouFvRI1mRNS40

Category: Interviews