Prescription Happiness – Quietly Falling

By starrymag | May 29, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Raw, dark, aggressive and guitar-driven. We use a lot of electronics, but the heavy riffs and hard-hitting drums usually play a key role our sound. We try to keep everything “in your face” as much as possible though the dynamics are an important part of our sonic identity – we want some vocals to sound like they are coming from a voice inside your head then we blast you with something nasty!

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Unapologetically, we take a lot of influence from the 90s titans such as Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Korn and Tool but we also take inspiration from some of the more recent bands such as Bring Me the Horizon. We are trying to deliver that rockstar attitude through a more modern sound whilst keeping it dark. We borrow a lot of concepts for ambiance and soundscapes from game and movies soundtracks, too. The industrial “new wave” we are experiencing with artists such as 3Teeth and Ghostmane are an influence too, to a degree. They remind us that you must not be afraid to push the envelope and can successfully span multiple genres and sub-genres if you’re prepared to try new sh*t!

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your song “Quietly Falling.”

 

A) “Quietly Falling” was written very soon after a friend of mine killed herself – I had only last spoken to her earlier that day. I was the last person she spoke to and some lyrics are actually things she said to me. As much as I’m okay with discussing this openly, I don’t want to get into the morbid details or glorify what happened as I don’t want it to be the focus of what we are about – it is not. The lyrics were written as a catharsis of feelings and it just happened to inspire a powerful and, in my eyes, a beautiful but somber song.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think fans will always connect with feelings in songs when they are real emotions. To relate to a song is a way to feel less alone as you know that somebody else is going through the same sh*t as you are. As it is cathartic for us to write and perform them it is for fans to listen and sing along (I have a similar feeling when I’m singing along with Linkin Park or Nine Inch Nails, for example!)

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) The video, courtesy of el director Andy Michaels and his awesome crew “Before Dawn Productions,” takes the meaning of the song to a much more poetic and existential level. The main character represents despair who feeds off human pain and suffering, collecting relics in her showroom. She then sits and sadistically enjoys watching the distress of the other character, the Creature, who appears to be trapped in this room. The creature struggles and struggles until she manages to break the membrane that was suffocating here only to realize she’s chained and can never leave. There are a few different interpretations of this narrative but I think is very powerful with all of these layers. We are in love with how it turned out and if you haven’t seen Andy’s work already, check him out – he directed the latest Bury Tomorrow video!

 

Q) What is your song writing process?

 

A) A slow, painful, chaotic mess with a generous serving of hysteria and crippling self-doubt! Seriously though, I wish we had a clear process but we don’t. Sometimes I sit at the computer with a specific idea in mind and try to translate it into something tangible as fast as possible. Other times I’m just messing around with sounds I’ll stumble across one that will inspire an entire song. Inspiration really can come from anywhere though – I can be walking down the street and a melody or even lyrics will pop in my head like somebody suggested them to me! The beauty of the Zeigarnik effect, I suppose!

 

Q) Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) That’s usually what happens, but sometimes I also write down individual words, selected thoughts or themes and turn them in melodies later. I usually prefer to write down melodies *before* lyrics and to use them as a sort of ‘self-limitation’ to cut down the overwhelming pool of possibilities for that line or phrase – otherwise we’d never get anywhere!

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) A hundred percent! We record, produce, mix and master all by ourselves. We are looking to change this aspect in the future because, as you can imagine, it’s extremely mentally draining. It’s so hard to find people who really understand your vision and won’t bankrupt you for the privilege though…!

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Prescription Happiness performance?

 

A) It’s much more violent than what you would expect – Me and Alex [James] often end up injuring ourselves by accident. [laughs] Seriously though, it’s very energetic and aggressive and if you’re in the room you are in for a fun time. Our drummer Cole [Solem] is the hardest hitter I’ve ever seen, which is incredible to watch as he’s such a chilled guy when he’s not sat behind a drum kit! We really believe in bringing the most professional, exciting visual performance possible – even if only playing in a bar. So, we love to use lasers, smoke and projections where possible. In our minds we are playing in an arena and we give all we have for the crowd.

 

Q) What songs off your album have you been enjoying performing live?

 

A) “Defective By Design” is always fun to play live as I can see both the guys moshing and the girls dancing – Something for everybody! We’re excited to bring the next wave of PH material to the stage in the coming months and I predict some crowd-pleasers are on the way!

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your Quietly Falling album as a whole?

 

A) To feel less alone and to believe in themselves (*cringe alert but we actually mean this whole-heartedly*). Even though there are some very sad songs on the record I want to believe that, in its entirety, it is empowering. Many alternative kids are growing up believing they are the black sheep but most of them are not. You are the f*cking wolves, guys.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) We recently played at Reptile in London for Halloween, hosted by the marvelous Vade Retro. I think that was our favorite gig to date and we had so much fun. The crowd was amazing – everyone came ready to party and smashed it for the entire performance, singing along to all the lyrics… There are no words to describe how that feels. We hope to play there again soon.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) Marilyn Manson/Trent Reznor. I’m an easy guy, either one works. [laughs]

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

 

A) Billie Eilish. She’s so dark and raw both in her lyrics and image, which is something we aren’t seeing much in guitar-driven music. I mean, is there anyone in the metal scene right now who will put a tarantula in their mouth?! Yeah, I thought so. We’re loving what Loathe are doing at the moment, too. Great to see a UK band doing bringing something different to the table and the Deftones-style influences tick the box for me!

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) It’s not just an important way. It’s basically the *only* way right now. People don’t go to small shows anymore unless they already know the band and the internet seems to be how everybody discovers new music these days. Plus, it’s just awesome to be able to connect with anybody anywhere just using your phone. We try and answer every message we receive so feel free to say hi!

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you, thank you so much! When you are surrounded by people who do not believe in you it’s such a great feeling to know that there are thousands of strangers around the world who do.

 

 

 

 

All Questions Answered By Vocalist Andrea “iNiquity” Piola