Interview with Adam, Project:Heavensent
"Animal Rights & Veganism Are Important to Me And a Fascinating Thing to Think And Write About"
Project:Heavensent founder Adam just released the first song from his upcoming album (working title "4940 Days"). Because the track, "Torch (On)", is quite a catchy one, and we had plenty to discuss regarding music and veganism, I spontaneously invited him for an interview. Our conversation turned into a fascinating discussion about creativity, activism and ethics. Along the way, Adam also touched on the topic of meditation. Verdict: definitely worth a read!
Anne: Hi Adam! Thanks for taking the time! How are you? How has your day been so far?
Adam: Hi! Thanks for having me. I'm doing alright, all things considered. I've had a rare day off. Life is a bit chaotic at present, so it's been nice to take some time to rest —and for this interview!
Anne: Last month, you did a soft release of your song "Torch (On)". Congrats on that one! It turned out very well! I like it a lot! Are you happy with how it turned out?
Adam: Quite happy, yeah! The writing process has been quite a departure for me, but I'm really pleased with the results. The initial idea for the track was actually something quite low-key, but it slowly started to take on a life of its own. I'd been doing a lot of writing and production with a couple of good friends prior to "Torch (On)", so I was in a really creative headspace.
Working with collaborators taught me a lot about how to approach song structure and flow, and having constant and meaningful feedback was incredibly valuable. All of this fed into the new track (and the rest of the album). It's aesthetically quite different to my previous work, but I think that's a good thing.
Anne: The song seems emotionally charged. How does this song connect (if at all) to your beliefs about animal liberation or ethical living?
"Writing this record has been very important for me"
Adam: Very emotional, yeah. The first P:H record actually had a lot of sociopolitical themes throughout—I was angry at the world and how people were treating it (and each other). This time, however, I'm being a lot more introspective. I'm just coming out of a very long-term relationship, which was why I started writing this record in the first place. I was (and am) feeling a lot of emotions and naturally turned to my creativity as a means of processing them. Writing this record has been necessary in keeping me sane through a rather tumultuous time.
Anne: How does your commitment to animal rights and veganism influence your songwriting or lyrical themes?
Adam: When I have the space and wherewithal to approach some of these broader social/ethical issues, I love to do so. Not only is it important to me, but I find it a fascinating thing to think and write about. However, as mentioned earlier, what I'm currently writing is intensely personal. This record feels like a bit of a lifeline. I need to get these things off my chest, get this record out into the world and then see what's next.
Anne: So would you say that you consciously aim to use your music as a form of activism, or is it more about expressing personal truths that naturally align with your ethics?
Adam: Moreso the latter, I think. The core of my work has always been personal expression. It just so happens that some of my core values and deeply held beliefs pertain to these ethics, and so they naturally find a way out.
Anne: How do you see the intersection of the heavier side of music and veganism—two worlds not always traditionally associated with one another but yet so closely connected?
Adam: Well... Punk, right? In and of itself, it was a countercultural movement with the intent of making a statement. Not least of these were aimed at corporations, capitalism, etc. The ethos of punk undoubtedly still runs through the heavy music scene. I don't think the music necessarily needs to sound outright angry or abrasive, but rather simply be unrestrained by popular trends or the mainstream music industry. I think we still see a lot of that in the underground music scene; artists with integrity and commitment to their message (veganism or otherwise).
Anne: What are you currently working on musically? You already mentioned briefly that there'll soon be an album to go with "Torch (On)"—is that right?
Adam: Yeah, I'm working on the record right now. "Torch (On)" was the first single because it was the first song I managed to finish. I'm closing in on more than 30 minutes of material now. I don't know if we call it an EP or LP, but it's going to be a complete, front-to-back experience. It's tentatively titled "4940 Days".
Anne: How has your sound evolved from your earlier days as On Wings Of Wax to the present day with Project:Heavensent?
"My tastes in music broadened and matured"
Adam: My sound has evolved as my tastes have changed, which is probably true of every artist. When I first started taking songwriting seriously, I was listening to a lot of the hardcore/metalcore and djent bands of the day. Wanting to emulate these bands, I ended up writing a lot of breakdowns and what we guitarists tend to call "riff salad"—as in, one guitar riff followed by another (and another) without any real notion of where the song might be going or what it's saying.
As I got older, my tastes broadened and matured. I got really into post-rock and post-metal, shoegaze, ambient droning, indie folk and all sorts of other stuff. I started being a lot more conscious with my songwriting choices and trying to create more cohesive listening experiences. The last OWOW record, "The Long Way Home" was actually written as a single, continuous 30-minute piece. I'm not sure it was completely successful, but it goes to show that I really began experimenting.
I've always been someone who loves listening to records front-to-back, knowing that artists usually have a story to tell if you bother to listen to their work as intended. That's become a big thing for me; trying to tell cohesive, meaningful stories with intentional flow. With moments of high intensity, anger and anxiety tempered by quiet, introspective moments. Not that I could ever actually score a film, but these days, I'm driven by a strong sense of narrative when I'm writing.
Anne: That sounds wonderful. I'd really love to watch a film you've composed the soundtrack for. Please let me know when that happens, won't you? Do you approach writing and recording differently now that you've been creating solo music for over a decade?
Adam: (Exhales)—Quite a bit, I'd say.
First and foremost, I think my engineering skills have improved a lot. In the early days, I more or less just hit "record", made a lot of noise and couldn't really be bothered with learning any real engineering techniques or tuning the finer details. I just wanted to write cool riffs and show them to my friends. As the years went on (and with the influence of some very patient friends), I've slowly come to understand what it takes to engineer (somewhat) properly. You can get 80 per cent of the way there with some templates and presets, but the sound of a track can drastically improve if you spend the necessary time on the remaining 20 per cent. It's usually much more fussy and tedious work, but it's always worth it.
I've also just come to trust my own ear and know my own tastes. A lot of my choices tend to be rather unconventional, but I know how I want things to sound and will get there however I can, even if it's not considered the "correct" technique.
Funnily enough, the basic writing process is essentially still the same. I'm doing everything solo. So it's me, sitting at my computer doing the writing, production and engineering "on the fly" all at the same time. I'll have some basic idea of what I want to achieve and then just play around until I find something I like. In the past, it was almost always a guitar riff that was the seed for an idea, but now it's almost anything. I've been writing a lot of drum parts first, even structuring songs completely around lyrics/prose that I've written prior. But it's still just me, fumbling around until I find sounds I like.
Anne: Your production style is very textured and emotive—what's your usual process when constructing a track from scratch?
"I've always used music as an outlet"
Adam: Hey, thank you! "Textured and emotive" are definitely high priorities for me so I'm glad that comes across.
It honestly might be a bit hard to explain since a lot of it comes to me fairly intuitively these days. Fundamentally, I think it's my love for a lot of different styles of music that has informed the choices I make. I was a metalcore/djent kid who then got really into atmospheric music, and I've never been afraid (nor am I the first) to try and blend these aesthetics.
Many years ago, I stumbled upon Andy Othling's (Lowercase Noises/Solidarity Hymn) YouTube channel and he just blew my mind. He was using his guitar and all these different pedals to create these dreamy, ethereal, reverb-soaked compositions. I'd never heard anything like it, I didn't know a guitar could ever sound like that and I was completely enamoured. Since discovering his work, I've always been obsessed with incorporating big, warm textures into my work.
Then there's artists like Deftones, Cloudkicker, Russian Circles, sleepmakeswaves, *shels, Jakob—the list goes on. All these bands, with the "rock band" aesthetic at their core, but incorporate a variety of different textures in so many different ways. All these bands (and so many more) had such an influence on me, and I'm always the most engaged by music that has that depth and complexity to it.
How do I get there? I'm not exactly sure (laughs). I guess I approach my writing from multiple directions. There's the core of the track, the "rock band" thing; drums, riffs, bass, vocals. But at any given point, I'm looking for ways to sneak in other textures. Sometimes, it's a synth that's following the guitar riff. Sometimes, it's a crazy, textured loop I've written and sent through a bunch of pedals, playing back in reverse. I just love tinkering. I love using instruments in ways you're not supposed to. It's a lot of experimentation, trial and error. I've steadily developed a sense of when I want to bring in some added texture and then just see what I can come up with. And most importantly, I'm never looking for perfection. I want my textures to be gritty. I don't want my delay trails to match up or harmonies to be perfectly in key. I'm chasing carefully curated chaos.
When it comes to the emotional side of things, it's actually quite simple: I'm just an emotional person. I'm an overthinker. I've always been sensitive, and as cliche as it sounds, I've always used music as an outlet. And most importantly, I just try not to hold anything back. I don't see any sense in curtailing my message or emotions because I might be shy or embarrassed. I simply do my best to lay it all out there.
Anne: Can you share some musical or other influences inspiring your new material?
"Reading is inspirational for me"
Adam: Oof, there's heaps! In the last year or so, I've been on a big shoegaze and emo revival kick, but I do my best to branch out as much as I can. Some artists that have imparted some influence, as of late, include Grandview, Downward, Vacant Home, Stay Inside, Sufjan Stevens, Listener, Gleemer and Holy Fawn.
I've also been trying to read a lot more as of late. Lyrics are still a relatively new form of expression for me, and so I'm relying on real writers to help me find my own voice. I recently read "Love" by Angela Carter. I've read a couple of Jeanette Winterson's books. Tim Winton is a prolific Australian author I really enjoy. I tend to enjoy authors who can write about the mundane in complex and detailed ways.
Anne: What role does DIY culture play in your music and activism? How important is self-sufficiency in your creative and ethical practices?
Adam: Oh, it's everything. I've only ever been DIY when it comes to art. I honestly wouldn't know how to do this without it being DIY. And yeah, it ties into some of my ethical practices too, particularly as it pertains to environmentalism, our global food culture and so on. I'm aiming to be living completely off-grid in the near future, growing my own food, collecting rainwater and solar power, and all that good stuff. I've always believed in the power of the individual to contribute to the greater good. Hence, me becoming a vegan!
Anne: Do you ever feel you need to make your political or ethical stance more overt in your work, or do you prefer to let the message emerge more subtly?
Adam: I don't know that I could be more overt, honestly. It is not that I go out of my way to be as overt as possible, but rather that my story or message just emerges in those moments to the best of my ability. Simple honesty tends to be my way. I never want to feel as though I'm being manipulative. If someone's ready to resonate with a given idea or message, then it'll find a way in.
Anne: Are there other forms you engage with the vegan/animal rights community outside of music—through events, outreach, or other forms of activism?
Adam: Not so much through anything organised. Where possible, I love to engage in a conversation where these sorts of topics might emerge organically. As touched on earlier, I often find that any given person needs to be receptive to a new, potentially confronting idea before any meaningful headway can be made. So often—particularly online—these days we see people debating—not even specifically about veganism—and it's so obvious that nobody involved has come to the conversation prepared to have their mind changed. I prefer to seek out opportunities with open-minded people and then try to have some deep, meaningful discussion.
Anne: What has the response been like from listeners who connect with your ethical messaging, either in the music or around it?
"Don't force it"
Adam: I think, for me, it ultimately just comes down to connection through art. I'm a small artist, and my work doesn't necessarily reach many ears, but any time someone has reached out to talk about what I do, it's always immensely gratifying. Part of why I do this is the hope that my work might help someone get through a really difficult period of their life, or stop and confront some complex emotions. I have so many artists to whom I owe a debt of gratitude because their music helped me through really tough times, so it's incredibly humbling to learn that my music has occasionally done that for others.
Anne: Do you have any advice for other musicians who want to align their creative work with their animal rights or social justice values?
Adam: I think all I can really say is this; don't force it. Practice your craft, learn and continue to explore as much as you can. You can certainly set an intention prior to embarking on an artistic project, but in my experience, the final product rarely resembles that initial idea. What's important to remember is that this isn't a bad thing. Use the tools and skills you have available to make the best work you can. Get it out into the world, then start it all over again. Each time around you'll sound better, you'll sound more cohesive, you'll sound more like yourself and less like a collection of influences, and your message will be clearer.
I'll sound like an old man here, but I think living in this "instant gratification" era often leads people to quit something when they come to realise they aren't instantly good at it. Making art (or really, learning any important skill) is a constant pursuit. It's not something you can magically be good at, nor should you ever stop learning. We can chase perfection, but with the understanding, we'll never truly attain it. But that's OK—perfection is boring anyways (laughs).
Anne: That's very wise advice. Like the ancient yogis said: "Practice and all is coming". Do you want to tell me about your plans for the rest of this year?
Adam: First and foremost, I've got to get this album done. Then, I'm moving house. As I touched on earlier, my now ex-partner and I have separated, and so we're going through the process of selling our home. I'm hoping to build myself a tiny home and live on a friend's farm not too far from where I am currently. I'm in the process of finding a builder and getting everything organised. The plan is to be completely off-grid and relatively self-sufficient. It's going to be a pretty great fresh start, I hope.
Anne: That sounds great. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and wish you all the best! Last, but not least: Name one thing we can all learn from.
Adam: Introspection. But like real, honest introspection. Reject external distractions and sit with your own thoughts. Don't try to convince yourself of anything or justify any particular thought or action. Just sit and process. We're so overstimulated all of the time that one of the best things you can do is give your mind the time to catch up. Meditation is awesome, if you can manage it.
Anne: Thanks so much for this chat! It's been a pleasure speaking with you!
Adam: Thanks for having me, Anne. I really appreciate it!
