Apestate, the forthcoming long-player from tech hardcore/metal hybrid FAUS will drop on Blackhouse Records (Cold Blooded, Prison Religion) on May 4th, and today we are thrilled to give yoou the premiere of their new swingin’ track called “Everyman For Herself”, featuring guest vocals from Ben Hoagland of Extortionist).
The band’s drummer Ezra Christopher espouses the criteria that each member of this quartet possesses:
“It’s not easy being a new member of this band. It’s a weird balance of caring and super not caring, also, the music is nothing but counterintuitive.”
He continues:
“APESTATE” is kind of a play on apostate, which means to deny ones religion, cause or creed. Ape seemed fitting if you’ve read the book, “Ishmael” (cue to read the book, “Ishmael”), it’s one of our favorites. The theme of the songs lends itself to a sort of clamor or unrest towards the status of civilization, or perhaps the creed we seek to deny, if not the ills that it bears. In that light, “Everyman For Herself” is written from the perspective of a former revolutionary turned corrupt conquerer, “Wreckelection Day” is part blast against middle America and part call to evolve from old ways that no longer suit us, and “Magnum Opress” relays the modern cognitive dissonance we all are attempting to cope with in one way or another and how just maybe, we should all give up and opt out. “Beckon to your extinction”, if you will.
Alex Chaffin (vocals) commented on the song:
The lyrics of the song are written from the perspective of a revolutionary turned conquerer. It outlines in such a way the arrogance and corruption of power. Watching social movements rise and fall, change the landscape yet fail to remain genuine, it seems interesting to me (Alex) that no matter how noble a cause, the social stratification of society seems to stretch out the distance between roles. Ya know, another critique of the status quo. This song did afford us some new opportunities stylistically, in song writing, and the privilege of working with Ben Hoagland of Extortionist as a guest vocalist. He is a very longstanding dear friend of ours, whom we have had quite the history with. We’ve always wanted to have him on a track (hopefully next one will have a longer part)
“Apestate” bears striking cover art courtesy of Bob Gibbs (of Extortionist), marks the band’s first since 2013’s musical statement of intent Technical Jargon and Partisan Rhetoric and was produced by Dawson Schulz (from another notable hard to classify band, The Ongoing Concept). FAUS is rounded out by Mike Angelini (guitar), Anthony Perez (guitar) and Alex Chaffin (vocals). The group has done numerous regional tours through the Northwest and has shared stages with such notables as Dillinger Escape Plan, The Chariot, Every Time I Die, Animals as Leaders, Norma Jean, CZAR and Periphery.
“Hardcore, but with odd time signatures. Tight, but with a lot of room for improvisation. Always ear-piercingly loud..” – Spokane Inlander
In their decade plus existence, the band has mastered their own hyper-kinetic blur of chaos-core incorporating a filthy veneer of crust-punk grime, avant-garde structures and unexpected micro-blasts of melody. This amalgam is on display in the first leak from the album “Your Dirty Left Hand”, released in December 2017:
