A New Found Sound

Originally published in SPF V5 I1 - Jan/Feb 2017

There is nothing better than the gift of raw emotion, especially when it’s been building for years. They say all good things take time, and this was certainly worth the wait. A Vicious Kind just broke out into Winnipeg’s music scene, and the new alt-rock band has no plans on holding anything back. We sat down with the musician behind AVK to discuss his new single, W.T.W.C. (Wounds That We Carry), growth as a musician, finding his way to his own musical happiness and his plans for the future.

AS: Your new sound is very different from what we have heard from you before – what inspired this new sound and feel?
AVK: [“W.T.W.C.”] was something that I had started writing while I was with Latka. I had my own influences and style outside of what I was doing with that band but they had already established a sound when I joined. Because of this it was always me trying to fit into their element and not so much my own. This song was very heavily influenced by Fall Out Boy’s “Thriller.” I really connected to that musical style and that’s kind of how the song started. I’ve always loved music like that. I didn’t even write the lyrics until – well, when we were at our peak, I finished writing the lyrics for this song and we played it all together as a band for a while, but never released it. It was kept separate from my other musical projects for a while, something I worked on independently and I was finally ready to show this heavier side of my musical self. So, I guess everything that you’re hearing is solely coming from me and not trying to fit into a project that already existed. In my opinion, this song is a great transition from what I used to do in Latka.  It still has that catchy, pop vibe to it and then it gets a little more raw and heavy, which is more of the direction I am heading in.

AS: How long have you been working on this style of music?
AVK: I probably started dabbling in this genre of music five or six years ago. I always enjoyed listening to heavier music, but I think I finally started writing for myself in my early twenties. I was writing a lot for my other band and whenever something wouldn’t completely fit the Latka vibe, I would just put it aside. I slowly started to work on it over time and here we are. I finally get to do something with the music that I really love to play.

 The important thing I find with any kind of art, for it to have any sort meaning, is it needs to make you think of things that are important to you, to the people around you, to the world; you need to connect to it.

AS: What do you want people to take away from your new song, “W.T.W.C.”?
AVK: I guess the important thing I find with any kind of art, for it to have any sort meaning, is it needs to make you think of things that are important to you, to the people around you, to the world; you need to connect to it.

I think this first single definitely touches on elements of mental health and surrounding that thought. If that idea can touch anybody or make someone feel something, that’s the point of art, of MY art. And I’ve done more than I ever thought I could have possibly created. So, if anyone can identify with anything that I have ever created, that’s above and beyond anything I have ever hoped for when I first started playing music.

AS: Who do you look up to for inspiration or any sort of creative ideas right now?
AVK: This is a VERY tough question to answer, because honestly, the older I get and the more I am developing a style and what I like, my influences change. I’ve had tons of bands give me some kind of musical influence and all for different reasons. I’ve pulled ideas from local bands to big names; I love listening to all kinds of music, getting ideas through their production or how they like to structure their songs or anything like that. I think this song has a lot of different influences to it. I grew up listening to all genres of music and I pull from countless artists. But in the bridge of the song you see something much more organic for me, not really influenced from anything. It just came from a very raw place within me. I think a lot of the music that I am going to be releasing is going to be following that same idea; I’m really trying to stick to this raw side of who I am. It’s just me writing things that I want to write. I’m not trying to fit into anything. I’m not trying to please anyone. I’m not trying to stick to what has been done and what works. I’m really pushing myself to just be nothing but me.

AS: What’s the plan for 2017?
AVK: I’m hoping my full album will be ready by summer time, so that’s the big plan for now. Once that album is complete I would like to get right to work on an EP, and that will definitely have more of a Four Year Strong feel to it. I’m aiming for lots of studio projects and I am still undecided on live shows. I’m kind of enjoying the idea of keeping my name out of this; nothing will matter but the music. So I’m still not sure if shows are in the cards for me, or at least not yet.

Grab a copy of “W.T.W.C.” through Bandcamp. Follow AVK at Facebook