Taking such influences as AC/DC, Joan Jett and Led Zeppelin with a healthy chunk of attitude, a dynamite lead singer, and a predilection for time-honoured rock ‘n’ roll, Evol Walks has rapidly emerged as a heavyweight contender. Originally forming on the Gold Coast (QLD) in 2014 and now based in Los Angeles, Evol Walks has bagged an EP, earned plaudits from artists and fans around the world, and played across three Continents. And there’s much more to come. The next chapter begins with the imminent release of their EP aptly titled ‘Our Time Is Now’.
We caught up with singer Leah Martin-Brown to find out more about the band and their new EP release and what has led them to this point in their career.
Tell us about the process of writing and recording the new songs.
Leah: Writing and recording ‘Our Time is Now’ was a collaborative effort that took just over a year and a half to put together. I had the incredible opportunity to sit down and work with some phenomenal writers such as Jake Pitts (Black Veil Brides), Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel (Atreyu) and Tim Henwood (The Superjesus, Palace of the King) to put together the tracks that made it onto the record. Once the writing was completed, we headed into the studio with Erik Ron (Godsmack, Sylar, Motionless in White, New Years Day) and put it all down. I am so psyched with how everything turned out and the reception we have been getting thus far.
What were some of the things you wanted to achieve with “Our Time Is Now”?
Leah: I really wanted this release to show people how we have progressed and matured as a band, both lyrically and musically. I also wanted to demonstrate that we are capable of evolving stylistically while still staying true to our classic roots.
Do you enjoy the process of creating? Are you someone who continually writes or does the best come out under a little gentle pressure?
Leah: When I was younger I would sit in my bedroom with my guitar every evening after school and write song after song after song. Nowadays I write in spurts. There are so many things to juggle when it comes to running a band these days eg. touring, writing, recording, social media, networking… all that bullshit, it distracts me from taking daily time to write. I’ve also come to a point where I love to collaborate with other musicians and when I write we do a proper, studio quality demo complete with basic mixing and that just takes time. I honestly prefer to set aside a week or so, write every day and record it all and then take those demos into the studio to complete.
What does it feel like as an artist waiting for the songs you’ve lived with for some time to get released to the fans? Is there a sense of excitement or a little panic in there too?
Leah: I definitely feel like I second guess myself after a period of time. I begin to wonder if what I’ve written is any good or maybe the style we’ve chosen might not be as current as it was when it was originally put down. There is also a lot of excitement there too. I’m always ready for people to hear the new stuff and dig it.
How does it compare to previous releases?
Leah: I definitely think our sound has evolved and we are making more mature songwriting choices when it comes to overall musicality. These songs are definitely more technical from a musical standpoint and we have experimented with different tunings. We have a darker, less classic vibe these days.
What were the main inspirations and the lyrical themes for the new songs?
Leah: Life and all the craziness that it brings. Each song has a little something different to it which I like. Give it to Me (Save Yourself)was written about a bad relationship. I wasted all this time, love and energy on a person who was too caught up alcohol and drug abuse to even care I existed. I was at a point that I was so angry and just sick of his shit. I sat down with Dan and Travis (Atreyu) for a session after a particularly stressful event and I just blurted out the first verse all at once and we built from that. On the other hand you have a song like ‘Our Time is Now’which is a call to action, what I feel is an anthem for those currently disenfranchised with the way the world is working. Obviously these are two very different themes but they still fit really well together on the record. The Firewas written about your stereotypical “evil” woman that all the classic bands sang about. It’s the woman from AC/DC’s ‘Soul Stealer’ or Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’. She knows her power and she’s going to use it to destroy you. That one was a bit of fun to write as it’s obviously not a true story haha. I love this new EP because we have a little bit of everything going on.
Any favorite moments or songs on the release?
Leah: All of these songs have a special place. The song I am the proudest would have to be ‘Surrender’, it is such a difficult song to perform vocally and I love that I have gotten to a stage where I am confident and capable to pull it off live. I also love ‘Up All Night’. The crowd reaction when we play that one is ALWAYS amazing.
Did you imagine how these songs would play out in a live situation?
Leah: We have been playing these tracks live for over a year prior to the release at select shows to test the crowd reactions. They go over really well! People especially love ‘Destination Nowhere’, ‘The Fire’ and ‘Up All Night’.
Read the review of ‘Our Time Is Now’
What plans do you have if any for touring or upcoming shows?
Leah: We are playing some fun shows around Los Angeles at the moment. We are hoping to tour later in the year.
What can people expect at your show?
Leah: Very energetic, loud and we love to interact with our audience! We live for our live shows.
How do you pick out a setlist and is that a difficult process?
Leah: We tailor the setlist to the length of the set we are playing and what we feel the room will like. We never have too many issues when it comes to that.
What is your favorite song to play live?
Leah: I love playing Up All Night!
Do you play cover songs and if so, what kind of covers do you perform?
Leah: We love to throw in covers during our longer sets or if its a venue/town we haven’t played before. We usually do ‘Red Hot’ by Motley Crue or ‘Paranoid’ by Black Sabbath.
Any favorite places to play live?
Leah: Our homebase, The Viper Room in Los Angeles. Also love Cherry Bar in Melbourne and Frankie’s Pizza in Sydney!
Any stand out shows or personal highlights from a tour or show?
Leah: Our EP launch at Viper Room was pretty spectacular! So many good friends came out in the pouring rain to enjoy our new music with us for the first time!
How did the band form and get started?
Leah: In 2014 I was asked to come to the USA by an A&R company. I was in a different band in Australia but after spending some time here I realised that particular project needed to evolve. I formed Evol Walks in Los Angeles in February 2014 and we went from there.
What have been your greatest challenges to date, and your favourite moments musically?
Leah: The greatest challenging for a long time was trying to find a lineup that worked and made sense personality and stage-wise. Thankfully I’ve found an incredible group of musicians to work with and it has started to flow so naturally from there. Every time I have the opportunity to share the stage with the musicians in my band is a favourite moment. They are exceptional and there is no better feeling.
With technology changing so much over the last few years and seemingly not slowing, and TV force-feeding us the lowest common denominator, what hope is there for rock & metal music?
Leah: There is still such a strong fanbase for rock and metal despite it being harder to find than in the past. I think people will grow tired of the current trends and they already seem to be, you can see this by the rise in popularity of bands like ‘Greta Van Fleet’, ‘Dorothy’, ‘Bad Wolves’ etc and I think this is something that will continue.
From what you’ve learned so far what is the most valuable advice you’ve been given so far as a musician?
Leah: Leave your ego at the door and don’t be an asshole.
Who are some of your main influences?
Leah: AFI, Monster Magnet, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath… I could go on forever!
Who or what inspired you to be in a band and/or play music?
Leah: Honestly I don’t know. I’ve always loved music and performing and I’ve been doing it most of my life. It never occurred to me to do anything else.
How do you feel about the current music scene right now and do you believe it can change still the world?
Leah: YES! I’m really in love with how the music scene is in Los Angeles. It is incredibly tight knit and very supportive. I have always enjoyed the Australian scene as well, especially in Melbourne. It feels more like a family than a scene.
If you could be a fly on the wall for the recording of any album in history, what album would it be?
Leah: Powerage by AC/DC. That album changed my life.
What is the meaning of life?
42 🙂
‘Our Time Is Now’ (EP) – available now on iTunes and Spotify.
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