Melbourne based heavies Advocates have released their brand new single “Detachment,” via Triple J’s Short Fast Loud. Originating in Auckland, Advocates got themselves off to a strong start after their formation in 2009, gaining significant momentum within the scene and touring with bands such as Stray from the Path, Structures, and Northlane. 2014 saw the band relocate to Melbourne to pursue their dream more focusedly, with them then playing shows alongside Australian heavyweights like Make Them Suffer and Dream on Dreamer. Advocates also have upcoming shows booked in supporting Polaris, exposing their brand of heavy music to even more potential fans.
Advocates found their way to me personally when they opened for Pridelands at the Any Colour You Desire Launch show. They put on a killer set and immediately inspired me to check out their whole discography. Already won over by Advocates previous releases, I couldn’t wait to check out “Detachment.” Advocates are Detlyn Raven (Vocals), Mason Hine (Guitar), Robbie Blaich (Guitar), Justin West (Bass), and Simon Webby (Drums.)
“Detachment” starts off with a feeling of being unhinged. Inconsistent rhythms and hard vocals take us to the experience of hanging off the edge of a cliff. Struggling to hold on to stop yourself falling into the abyss below, fear runs down your spine, as the terror of uncertainty and your impending doom shakes you to your core. Cold air is blowing on the back of your neck, and this kicks you into gear. The guitars and drums sync up into a groovy instrumental section that helps you find your footing. You find a ledge to stand on and relief washes through you. It feels good to have a sense of solidarity again. It injects adrenaline straight into your blood stream, and you feel yourself fill with energy and determination. You pull yourself up and get back to dancing around like a madman to this heavy music.
The china cymbal echoes through the background, making the instrumentals seem like something from a dream. The deep rhythm guitar contrasts with the leads perfectly; the two of them bouncing off each other and creating the surrealism that only exists with music like this. The vocals are the only thing keeping you connected to the ground, as the instrumentals do everything they can to take you away. The vocals keep you sane, and keep you conscious, while funkiness in the riffs and the constantly changing timing of the track keeps you on your toes. Regardless of that there isn’t a second where your head won’t be moving listening to this song.
It slows almost to a halt. The ambient guitars and what appears to be a violin sets up some great anticipation, before entering back in with some melodically satisfying yet still heavy vocals.
“Throw caution to the wind, be sure to land safe on solid ground. If only you could see whats become of everything.”
The ringing guitars and drums lead into what is one of the most powerful parts of the song. Reaching the end of the verse, an almighty roar is let out, filled with emotion and power. All this energy has built up and now it is out amongst the world ready to fuck shit up. A riff set off like an alarm takes over the final instrumental section of the track, laying over the top and combining with the china cymbal to create a nightmarish feeling of dread. Energy fills your veins and you are ready for more. But that is the end, that’s it, shit. I can’t wait for more of their music.
Advocates will be launching “Detachment” at BANG on June 23 so make sure to get to that. Catch them on a few of the upcoming Polaris shows, and listen to “Detachment” now on all music streaming services, including our Spotify playlist HERE.
