Combining an eclectic taste for melodic, catchy music with roots in the hardcore side of things with massive breakdowns and huger riffs, Michegan outfit Of Virtue have truly learnt to allow their music to be their expression, free of labels, tags and expectations.
Since 2008 the band have undergone a steady transformation from a band with everything to prove to the world to a band who are left with only themselves for vindication.
This is clearly evident on Of Virtue’s last four track EP Sinner, a collection of songs that showcases the band at their most vulnerable and therefore most exciting. It is by far the band’s most personal music to date and sets them up for a clearer future where they can finally be themselves musically which in turn opens up even more opportunities.
Vocalist Damon Tate caught up with HEAVY earlier today.
"It's been absolutely incredible, man,” he enthused of the early reaction to Sinner, which was released on August 12. “To be honest, I don't wanna say that we didn't expect the reaction, but we haven't put out original music in a long time and with Sinner, the title track being the first thing that people hear back, it's such a departure from our old sound. It's not as heavy, it's a little more on the atmosphere side with a lot more pop and R & B sensibilities. Sometimes you wonder how people are gonna take this? If they're gonna slander us on the internet and say a whole heap of shit, but it's been further from the truth. Everyone's loved it. They've loved the change in direction. It's relieving for us, because it's like now we can really start to show everybody who we are and the message that we're trying to put out there and in a sense get back to being true artists. We create to create and then you put it into the world and let it do what it's gonna do."
In the full interview Damon talks us through each track on the EP, discusses the decision to be more themselves musically, why it has taken to this point of their career where they are comfortable doing so, their musical evolution and more.
Intro track PISTONFIST 'On The Run'