Buckinghamshire based six-piece As Everything Unfolds are changing up the way modern metal and post-hardcore music sounds. Bringing their fresh blend of melodic vocals and heavy riffs to the scene, their 2018 EP Closure amassed huge streaming numbers and cemented their rightful place as one of the best to break out of rock and metal music in the past few years. Riding high off the back of their streaming success with single On The Inside, the band dropped their debut full-length Within Each Lies The Other earlier this year which is packed full of eleven anthemic and majestic tracks front-to-back. Now they are set to support Holding Absence across the UK and Europe later this year, we spoke to vocalist Charlie Rolfe backstage at the Download Pilot event all about the bands journey, the reception to the record, digitally connecting with fans and the bands Heavy Music Awards nomination.
This year, As Everything Unfolds released for me album of the year worthy debut record ‘Within Each Lies The Other’. Having been out for a few months now, what has the reception been like to the record?
We did not expect the response we got at all. We come from releasing an EP that did well, but it jumped massively in the last six months and I think releasing in a pandemic was a risk but it was definitely something that was worthwhile for us.
Charlie, you said in your set earlier today that between the time of the band forming to releasing the debut record that it’s been an insane journey. I was wondering, what have been some of the standout moments from that journey for you all?
To be honest, growing as people and learning how each other works and our song-writing and our songcraft has grown. But also videos this time around with the album. We had such a fun and relaxed time with them because initially we were stressing out, but we done it before, we know what works and what does not work so that enabled us to enjoy that process more this time around which I think was a lot nicer. Also, in terms of the general creative process, it was a lot easier and I think because of the pandemic, we did have a lot more time to play with that kind of stuff. So, in a positive light that’s what I learned from that time.
Throughout the albums campaign, like many other bands you were trying to adapt to the very untraditional album cycle over the past year of livestreams. How important was it to be able to connect with your listeners through doing stuff like listening parties on YouTube or simply informal chats on Discord?
Alot of the reason we gained a big following was online, so we had to try and connect with these people and they wanted to connect with us too. So, we created our Discord chat, which is a really nice, easy and smooth way we can all talk as a group, you can message people individually and fans can talk to each other as well, which I think is quite nice. I’ve met friends through music, so I think it is so important for others to do that as well.
Now being able to hopefully return to live shows, you were recently announced as the support for the amazing Holding Absence on their upcoming UK and European headliner. How did that come about?
Yeah, I just think with us releasing our album and them releasing their album around the same time, I think it was a bit of a match made in heaven. We love Holding Absence as a band and Ash (Green) has been a massive follower of us for a while, the same with Lucas (Woodland) sharing our stuff. So they just kind of came to us and said ‘look we are doing this tour, do you want to come with us?’ and we said obviously, that’s not even a question.
Just to round off with a very exciting bit of news from As Everything Unfolds in the last few days, the band have been nominated for Best UK Breakthrough Band at the Heavy Music Awards massive congratulations. How rewarding does a nomination like this feel?
We were not expecting it at all, we don’t expect to win but that doesn’t matter. We are here to just have a good time and that nomination is just a plus and an extra bonus thing we didn’t expect to get. We don’t do music for these reasons, we don’t do this to get awards or money, but if something like this comes along with music then of course that is great but we do what we do because we love doing it.
As Everything Unfolds‘ debut album Within Each Lies The Other is out now via Long Branch Records, available to stream or purchase HERE.
