The first thing you should know about Outloved is that they are loud. Loud to the point of earth-shattering.
The band, formed in the Gippsland region of Victoria by Jaydon Colvin (vocals) Luke Bakker (drums), Conor Kelly and Michael 'Beany' Beane (guitars) bring a strong post-rock sound that any fans of bands like Karnivool would relish, and that sound is more than ambitious on their debut track, ‘Dying to Leave.’
Teaming up with Ionei Heckenberg (Ocean Sleeper’s Guitarist/Vocalist), the band crafted six songs in just three days, an experience that proved a rewarding one.
“Working with Ionei has been the best but hardest time I’ve had [recording],” Colvin said to Good Intent. “He pushed myself to be better than I’ve ever been before… Whether that be with lyrics, melodies or tracking guitar.
”Ionei’s songwriting abilities [are] why I leant towards working with him, not just because he’s great to work with. His ability to write music is incredible; I believe as he has definitely taught me a great deal along the way.”
That talent has carried through not only in writing but in the production. Opening with a droning synth bass and piano, ‘Dying to Leave’ soon gets going with Colvin crooning about being left alone, something that he struggles to deal with on his own.
When the chorus hits, a twenty-story wall of earth-shattering drums stuns the listener, and the synths intensify strongly. The blend of electronics and live instrumentation is what is most impressive, giving the track a gargantuan, ambitious feeling and foreboding sense of dread.
Eventually, the songs coasts out on the chorus hook, with Colvin calling out to be saved, echoing into the ether. Combined with the synth bass, it makes for a haunting close.
‘Dying to Leave’ is a haunted, tortured song, with its mental health themes feeling raw and upfront. Outloved have hit the listener with a bang right from their debut single, and it bodes well for whatever comes next. With a debut EP set for release in mid-2020, the sky could potentially be the limit for this exciting band.
“I cannot wait to release the new music; ‘Dying To Leave’ is only a small slice of the cake,” laughs Colvin.