The FEVER 333 are a three piece consisting of former letlive. frontman Jason Aalon Butler, Aric Improta of Night Verses, and Stephen Harrison of The Chariot. Labelling them with a genre is an impossible task, as the trio’s hectic and heavy instrumentals combined with clear rap influences create a strong and avant-garde sound.
The Fever 333’s music aims to send a message, sparking from a place of activism and standing defiantly against oppressive norms. They speak of starting a movement, and say that “a fever is coming.” Their political mindset is particularly evident in their latest single and music video “Trigger,” which relates to gun violence in America.
“Trigger” is upfront lyrically with its intentions, with Jason calling out gun enthusiasts; putting the spotlight on self-protection and why it’s a weak reason for owning a gun . The first question asked is basically “Is it worth having these things to protect ourselves if they are what we need protection from?”. Jason lyrically pulls apart the mindset of everyone that is in favour of guns, making clear the basic view of the USA in regards to gun laws currently.
“Pull the trigger, or get shot. Run motherfucker run motherfucker run.”
Jason shares elements of his life story to add weight to his stance: Despite his rough upbringing, he still manages to be anti-gun. With this history and perspective, he’s left confused as to how people are still stuck in this mindset of needing a gun. With “Trigger” a warning is sent, making clear that The Fever 333 is coming for them, and that changes need to be made.
The hard hitting instrumentals are fantastic, with erratic rhythms and beat-centred sections clearly reflecting the hip hop/rap influences. The vocals of Jason Butler are something to behold, as he shifts between screaming, yelling, and singing with flawless composure. The emotion and belief behind his words is palpable, especially with the long-held scream at the end of the track, sharply closed off with a frustrated, “FUCK!”. Tired of the conversation already, The Fever just want this issue to be dealt with.
The music video doesn’t hold back, splicing memes and documentary footage with distortion and static stylisation. It’s a confronting snapshot of reality and the unreality of weapon obsession that seems to be both feared and adored. Tough to watch at several points, the video feels like both a time capsule of humanity’s present relationship with guns, and serves as a vividly painted image of this metaphorical elephant in the room that’s so far seems to have been dismissed or overlooked.
The Fever 333 are admirably using their platform to have positive impact on the society they’re a part of. Check out “Trigger” with the music video below, you can also find it on our Spotify playlist: The Depth List: 2018.
