SINGLE Issues // ARTIST Venice On Fire
Toxicity is on blast on the latest thumper from Toowoomba/Brissie quartet Venice on Fire, with Issues leaping into the world today - and a timely message laced into some grungy alt-rock.
Forming in the outback town of Roma back in late 2014, Venice on Fire have continued their very own hot-streak of late, embracing a new lineup, recently supporting Hands Like Houses, charting in the 4zzz Hot 100 and now expanding on their nostalgia-hued alt rock with their latest outing Issues.
Once again busting out heartfelt themes with alternative glee, Issues wields sharp writing with affable melodics (and just the right amount of stomp and grit to elicit a good old-fashioned head-bang for your listening and physio's pleasure). Recorded by Bedlam Records legend and Bugs drummer Brock Weston, there's an abundance of alt-rock to devour on this smooth, straightforward ditty - but there's a whole lot more than meets the eye, with Issues also acting as a vessel for the band to also focus on toxic relationships and the widespread nature of domestic and family violence:
“Domestic violence is national crisis that is overwhelmingly committed by men, and the victims of it are overwhelmingly women...I wanted to make the narrator a perpetrator because it’s important to highlight how any man is capable of committing an act of violence against a woman. Perpetrators are not evil monsters that exist in a far-away land; they are often people we now, like fathers, brothers, sons, friends and colleagues. As a band that feels strongly about this, I used the lyrics to showcase the initial red flags of this fictional relationship and point out the escalation of violent and toxic behaviour.” - Tom Gillespie, vocalist and guitarist
Issues is out in the world right now, with Venice on Fire promoting the tune through the southeast Queensland bushfire charity tour SUPPORT 4 AUSTRALIA, playing Brisbane, Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast in March with good mates Big Whoops, Hot Reno and The Buzzing Towers.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW IS EXPERIENCING OR COMMITTING DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE, CALL DV CONNECT ON 1800 811 811.
FOR MORE VENICE ON FIRE INFO, HEAD HERE.
BY TIANA SPETER